Stepbrother Romance 2 - Consumed: A New Adult Alpha Billionaire Romance by Tawny Taylor Read Free Book Online Page B

Understand?”
    How dare he address me like I was a fucking two year old! “You aren’t my parent, so I don’t have to talk about anything with you.” I stood and tried to shove past him. But he was like a fucking mountain.
    He clicked his tongue. “What made you so defensive, little sister?”
    “None of your business.”
    “Maybe it is none of my business, but I want to know.”
    “Why? Why do you want to know anything?” Now, unafraid of meeting his gaze, I glared at him. The fury burning through me was too hot to contain. It was coming out. And he was going to feel the burn. Maybe then he’d back the fuck off. “Isn’t one woman enough for you? Or make that two? Or is it three, you sleazy whore. Remember when you told me you couldn’t be my lover? That I was too good for you? Well, you were right. I am too good for your shit.”
    “You didn’t believe me before, what changed your mind?”
    “Oh, maybe the fact that you’re married. I thought you were just one of those guys—the ones that were a little wild, a little dangerous, but good at heart and respectable. But there isn’t a single cell in your body that’s good or respectable. You are bad, through and through, to the core. And I want nothing to do with you or with anything that belongs to you, including that fucking house you bought. What were you thinking? That you’d keep me there, conveniently, so we could fuck when you got tired of your wife?”
    His expression went blank. Whatever he was thinking or feeling, I couldn’t tell. I saw nothing. No anger. No guilt. No remorse. Just…cold, hard nothing.
    “I thought you wanted to talk,” I snapped, for some reason fired up because of his shutdown. I wanted him to feel pain, like I was feeling. To suffer. To stay up at night, wondering why things were so freaking messed up. I didn’t want him to just close it all out and stroll away. It wasn’t fair. “This is it, your chance. Tell me I’m wrong about you. Tell me you’re not the asshole I think you are. Tell me I haven’t wasted all my tears on you.”
    He shook his head. “No. You’re right.” Cool and eerily calm, he turned and walked to the door. At the exit, he glanced over his shoulder. “I’m sorry for being so fucking weak. If I’d been smarter, stronger, I would’ve kept my hands off you. And you wouldn’t have cried a single tear for someone as worthless as me. I hope you never do that again. If I have anything to say about it, you won’t.”
    He left.
    And I cried again. More tears. For that worthless piece of shit.
    But I vowed they would be the last.

    It took my mom pleading and nagging repeatedly to finally get me to return to the party. By then everyone’s lips were well lubricated, thanks to the massive amounts of alcohol flowing at the self-serve bar. There was boisterous laughter echoing through the night, and even a handful of fully-dressed guests swimming in the pool.
    There, in the center of it all, was Mom, looking dignified and beautiful. Mingling. Laughing. I couldn’t believe this was her life now. It was so unlike her. The beautiful dress. The glittery jewelry. The glass of champagne dangling from her manicured fingers.
    Was I wrong to be a little weirded out by the sight of her looking so different? Shouldn’t I be happy for her? After all those years of hard work, struggle, and stress, she could finally be happy. She could smile and laugh. She could take vacations to Alaska.
    Then again, maybe I wouldn’t feel so out of place, or upset, if I hadn’t had that little discussion with Kent.
    That was probably it.
    Trying to make myself invisible, I sat in a chair at the far end of the patio--closer to the shrubs than the partiers--and consumed alcohol. If there was one thing I knew for a fact, it was that alcohol could quiet my mind for a while. It wasn’t a permanent fix for my problems, but it was a good option for now. I needed to forget a lot--the situation with Ransom. The stupid argument I’d