On My Ex's Brother's Bed

Ruby's POV

The silk of John's suit jacket felt smooth under my fingers as I reached into the pocket to check for the room key he said he'd misplaced. Instead, my fingers brushed against something small, curved, and unmistakably rubbery.

I froze.

Pulling it out just enough to confirm, I stared at the bright pink vibrator nestled in his pocket.

My feet were cold on the rug. My heartbeat slow, but heavy.

I didn't say a word. I just tucked it away like it hadn't happened and stepped back, my face blank, my body numb.

John was still in the shower. Steam drifted through the half-closed bathroom door as he hummed to himself, completely unaware. The sound of water hitting tile was almost calming, but inside me, something was breaking.

When he came out, his body was still damp, a towel around his waist. He kissed my neck and called me his baby, telling me that tonight he was going to make me feel how much he loved me.

My skin crawled.

This was the man I'd admired since I was sixteen. The one who used to help me carry my item, the one who once stepped in took a bullet for me.

We'd grown up together. He made me feel like someone worth protecting. Made me feel loved as an orphan, that meant everything to me.

But now, standing in front of him on our wedding night, all I felt was disgust. The image of that vibrator flashed through my mind again, and with it, the ugly suspicion I didn't want to entertain.

Still, I hesitated.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it had been planted there by mistake. Maybe it was part of a joke from one of his groomsmen. Maybe it was nothing.

I hated that I was even trying to justify it.

But the truth was, I didn't want to be intimate with John until I knew for sure. I couldn't. I felt like I would be betraying myself.

"I'm not ready," I said quietly.

He looked hurt. "But we waited... I thought tonight would be special."

"I know. It's just... the wedding was exhausting," I said, forcing a small smile. "Can we just hold each other tonight?"

He stared at me for a second longer, disappointment flickering across his features. Then he nodded and kissed my forehead. "Of course. Whatever you need."

He turned off the light and got into bed beside me.

I lay stiffly under the sheets, trying to breathe through the tangled mess of suspicion and guilt swirling in my chest.

About half an hour passed. I didn't move. I kept my eyes closed, my breathing steady, pretending to be asleep.

I felt him shift.

The faint glow of his phone lit up the room. He turned to the side, unplugged it, and slipped out of bed as quietly as possible. I heard the soft creak of the floor as he crept toward the door, then the almost inaudible click as it closed behind him.

I opened my eyes.

My heart pounded.

I got out of bed slowly, every nerve alert. I didn't change out of my thin nightdress, I just grabbed a coat, slipped on some flats, and followed him out of the hotel suite, moving quickly and silently.

The elevator ride felt like a plunge into cold water. The lobby was quiet, almost eerily so, and I moved past it unnoticed, out into the parking lot behind the hotel.

It didn't take long to find him.

Under the shadow of a tree, near the edge of the lot, John was unlocking the back door of a sleek black sedan.

Lisa was inside.

My heart sank as I saw her clearly. Lisa had been his first love. Mine and John's mutual friend. She had smiled at me earlier that evening, hugged me tightly at the reception, clinked glasses with me during the toasts.

I watched, paralyzed, as John climbed into the back seat beside her.

What followed was something I can never unsee.

His hands moved over her body with urgency. She laughed softly, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him close. Their silhouettes shifted behind the fogging windows.

They didn't waste time. I witnessed them making love in the car

I stood there, frozen. I felt like I had left my body as i watched my life burn in front of me.

My first thought was simple and clear: I should get a divorce.

I was that kind of person. I was originally a carefree person. I had always been fearless, driven. Even when I had nothing, I made something out of it.

But tonight, something changed.

In the middle of my despair, I realized the truth, I couldn't leave him. Not yet.

My financial lifeline was in John's hands.

I had built so much of my adult life around him that cutting the cord would cost me alot .

It was a trap I hadn't seen until now.

Still in shock and anger, I turned and walked away.

Back in the suite, I changed quickly. No one saw me leave again. I didn't care who noticed or what they thought.

I needed air. I needed noise. I needed to feel something other than betrayal.

I walked into a bar down the street to drown my sorrows. It was loud, dim, and blessedly anonymous. The scent of liquor, sweat, and bass-heavy music wrapped around me like armor.

I ordered a double shot of something strong. Then another. I didn't want to feel anything.

I was staring blankly into my glass when someone slid onto the barstool beside me.

I turned.

It was Austin.

John's older half-brother.

Even seated, he had a commanding presence, shoulders broad, arms inked and toned, black shirt tight around his chest.

His dark hair was messy in a deliberate way, and his eyes had the kind of sharp glint that made your instincts scream and your curiosity lean in.

He was five years older than John and twice as unpredictable. A former hockey star turned headline-maker. "What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

He smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Could ask you the same question?"

I didn't answer.

He flagged the bartender and ordered two drinks. When they came, he pushed one toward me.

"To bad decisions," he said lightly.

I didn't smile.

He clinked my glass anyway and took a sip.

We sat in silence for a while. Then he leaned in slightly and said, "Wanna go have some fun?"

As he said it, his eyes caught the light-for just a second, they glinted gold.

Not amber. Not brown. Gold.

Then it was gone.

I'm not sure if I was mistaken.

Ruby's POV

Austin must have noticed the way my face shifted the moment I recognized him.

I hadn't seen him in years, but there was no mistaking those sharp features, the unruly dark hair, the confident lean of his shoulders.

He looked even more dangerous in person than he did on the front page of tabloids. For a second, I forgot how to breathe.

He handed me a napkin without a word. I blinked and took it, wiping under my eyes. The streak of makeup that came away on the paper was almost black.

"You look better without it," he said, not teasing, just stating it like a fact.

I looked at him, unsure how to respond.

Everyone knew about Austin. Even before he left the country, he had a reputation that trailed behind him like smoke. A playboy. A rebel.

He never cared what anyone thought, least of all his family. And our acquaintance? Shallow at best. A few short conversations years ago. That was it.

I should have told him goodnight and left.

Instead, I just sat there, staring into my drink. I hated how I felt, fexposed, raw, almost pathetic. But Austin didn't mock me.

He just ordered another round, and when the bartender set the drinks down, he gestured toward one.

"Drink with me," he said.

I hesitated, then shook my head. "I shouldn't."

His eyes held mine for a long moment. He didn't argue. He just nodded and took a sip of his own. Maybe Austin saw the answer in my eyes.

He stood and left a few bills on the counter, then started walking toward the back exit.

I stood up and followed him when he left. I didn't even know why. I just knew that for the first time all night, I wasn't suffocating.

I didn't say a word. Neither did he. We just walked together, until we reached a hidden place, by the bar with private rooms.

He unlocked the door with a key card and let me in first.

The room was dim, quiet. Just a low lamp in the corner and the soft hum of something electrical. The windows were covered. It felt completely cut off from the world.

Austin poured us water instead of more alcohol. He handed me a glass and said nothing while I drank it.

Then, slowly, he stepped close. His hand brushed my waist, not possessive, just gentle.

"You don't have to explain," he said quietly. "But if you want to leave, you should tell me now."

I didn't answer.

I just stood there, glass still in my hand, heart pounding harder than it should.

This wasn't me. I wasn't the kind of woman who ran to another man-especially not her husband's brother-just because she was hurt.

But I wasn't just hurt. I was wrecked.

I kept seeing Lisa's hands on John. His mouth on her neck. The back seat of that car. The cheapness of it. The betrayal.

I'd waited years for my wedding night. For something sacred. And he gave it away without a second thought.

So no, this wasn't about revenge. It wasn't about making him pay.

It was about choosing myself-just once. About taking control of something when everything else had been ripped out from under me.

I looked at Austin.

He was still watching me. Waiting. Not pushing.

Something in his eyes didn't just see me-it saw through me. And for once, I didn't feel like I had to lie or pretend.

I set the glass down. Took a breath.

Then I stepped in and kissed him.

We ended up on the couch, tangled in shadows and heat. It was nothing like I imagined, not rushed, not rough. When I told him I was a virgin, I expected a reaction. Maybe surprise, maybe disbelief.

He didn't flinch.

He leaned in closer and whispered, "I'll be gentle."

And he was. At first, everything felt deliberate. Thoughtful. Like he was giving me the space to change my mind, like he didn't want to scare me.

But something shifted halfway through.

His breathing changed. It grew deeper, rougher. His body language sharpened, became more assertive.

He hovered over me with intensity in his eyes, a gaze that pinned me in place. It was still Austin, but it was also something more.

His touch became more possessive. His hands moved like they wanted to mark me, claim me. And when I looked up at his face in the low light, I paused.

His teeth looked sharp. His eyes, darker. The air around him felt... off. He was still Austin, but something inside him had changed.

I felt it in the way he gripped my thigh. In the way he leaned in and sniffed my neck, almost like

Almost like a wolf.

I shivered. My heart raced out of pleasure. But the shift in him was undeniable. Wild. Dominant. Animalistic.

I didn't understand what I was seeing.

Was it the alcohol? The adrenaline? A trick of the shadows?

Even though we were finished, his breathing remained uneven, his body still tense. He looked at me like he hadn't had enough. Like something inside him was still holding back.

His gaze unsettled me. His teeth, his posture, even the energy in the room, it all felt... different. My skin prickled as he leaned in, brushing his lips against my shoulder again, slower this time.

When we finished, I sat up, reaching for my clothes with shaky hands.

"I should go," I said, keeping my voice steady.

He didn't try to stop me.

He just leaned back against the couch, chest still rising and falling like he was trying to calm something inside him. His eyes followed me, unreadable.

I dressed in silence, my hands trembling slightly as I avoided his gaze.

"Thanks," I murmured. "For... earlier."

He nodded slowly, saying nothing.

I hurriedly walked out of the room.

The streets were still quiet as I made my way home. My heels clicked faintly against the pavement, and for the first time all night, the cold touched me.

I pulled my coat tighter and stared straight ahead, trying not to replay the last hour in my mind.

But it was impossible to shake.

I originally planned to focus on the divorce. It couldn't happen overnight, not with how tangled my finances were with John's. But I could start preparing. Quietly. Carefully.

I'd start gathering evidence of his infidelity. I'd set up consultations, move funds into a separate account, and contact a lawyer through a private channel. There were steps I could take.

But as I thought about it, Austin's breath in my ear. The way he held me. The way his body felt against mine. The way his eyes looked. I didn't know what it meant.

I didn't want to think about it.

Back at my apartment, I stepped inside and locked the door behind me. The entire night came crashing down on me like a wave. My wedding. The betrayal. The parking lot. Lisa's laugh. John's body against hers.

And now... this.

I needed to wash it off.

I went straight to the bathroom and turned the water on cold. Not cool. Freezing. I stepped into the tub, still wearing my underwear and bra, and sat down as the water poured over me.

It hit me like a slap, shocking and numbing.

I hugged my knees to my chest and leaned back, letting the water rush over my head. My ears filled, muffling the world. My skin stung.

But it helped.

It helped shut out the sound of Austin's husky voice in my ear. Helped drown the memory of his teeth grazing my skin.

Helped push back the way he had looked at me, like I was something more than a woman to him. Like I was prey.

When I couldn't take it anymore, I sat up, gasping for air. My teeth chattered. My hands shook. But at least I could think again.

There was a sound. I heard footsteps.

John must have come back.

Ruby's POV

I was already dressed by the time John walked in.

Hair brushed. Face fresh. Sitting at the dressing table like I hadn't spent the whole night trying to forget him.

He smiled like nothing had happened.

Came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

"Baby," he said softly, "when did you go out?"

I met his eyes in the mirror.

"A while ago. I just needed some fresh air," I said, keeping my voice even.

He kissed my neck, his hand tugging lightly at my collar.

My stomach turned.

Before he could go further, I shifted in my seat. "John," I said, carefully, "I was thinking... maybe I should get back into the company."

That got his attention.

He pulled back just slightly, eyes on mine.

I continued, steady. "I know I left everything to you before we got married, but I've been thinking about our future. About being more involved."

While I waited for him to speak, my thoughts ran fast.

We built that company together from scratch.

I'd naively thought that because we were in love, it was only right to let my husband manage everything while I focused on building and managing our home.

It was foolish of me.

But now I knew better.

After what he'd done, I couldn't afford to stay blind or powerless. If I had access to the financials-if I could see the cash flow, the profits-I could protect myself. Legally. Emotionally. All of it.

It was still joint property.

And if it came to divorce, I'd need proof of what I was owed.

Especially since he was the one who broke us first.

John's smile faded just a little.

"You really don't have to worry about the company," he said. "Why don't I just increase your living expenses? And we could start thinking seriously about a baby. You've always wanted that, right?"

I stared at him.

A baby?

He wanted to bring a child into this mess.

I couldn't even look at him without remembering what I saw last night.

How could I even think about raising a child with a man I could barely trust to hold my heart?

"I'm not asking for more money," I said. "I just want to be part of what we built."

His jaw tightened. "Ruby, that world is stressful. Long hours, constant pressure. People out there are grinding nonstop just to stay afloat."

He let out a quiet breath, he was trying to stay patient. "What exactly are you dissatisfied with in your life now? You're comfortable. Taken care of. Isn't that enough?"

I held his gaze, calm. "Why are you so against me going back to work?"

I let my voice soften, just slightly. "Is there... someone else there you don't want me to see?"

His eyes flashed-just for a second-with something raw, almost like panic. Then he forced a laugh, too quick, too loud.

"Are you serious right now?" he said, his voice rising. "How could you even ask me that?"

He stepped back, arms out like he was on trial. "Look at everything I've done for you. The house. Marriage. The ring. Do you think I'd spend all that on a woman I didn't love?"

His tone sharpened, desperate to make it sound like devotion. "I've never cheated on you. Never! You're my wife, Ruby. How could you question that?"

I leaned back in the chair, suppressing the mockery curling behind my ribs-he was so predictable it almost bored me.

I offered a soft smile. "Relax. I was just joking."

He looked at me, uncertain for a second. Then, without a word, he turned away sharply, frustration written in every movement.

He raised a hand to his temple, pressing his fingers there like he could rub the anger out. The silence stretched.

Even he seemed to realize he'd overreacted.

Finally, he sighed and turned back around. "Fine. If it matters that much to you, you can help out. There's always stuff that needs handling in the business department."

The business department.

Glorified errand work. Cleaning up behind staff. Coordinating athletes. Managing client moods. He was giving me the scraps.

I nodded anyway.

Back when we started this company, John worked like a man possessed. He said it was for us-that once the business was stable, he'd make me the happiest woman alive.

He'd probably forgotten all those promises by now.

He didn't fight me on it anymore. Because he didn't need to.

He'd already decided to send me somewhere quiet-uninvolved, easy to manage. A place where I'd either get frustrated and quit, or learn to stay in my lane.

I said yes anyway.

For a second, his eyes softened-just barely. A flicker of something that looked like pity, like he still wanted to be the good guy in his own story.

But there was no guilt in it. Not even a trace."

"I'll go in with you," he said easily. "It's been a while since you've been to the office-I'll help you get settled. Walk you through how we do things now."

We rode down in the elevator together, him on his phone half the time, answering texts, smiling to himself. I kept my eyes on the floor numbers blinking above us, trying to calm the flutter in my chest.

I hadn't seen Austin since I walked out of his apartment before dawn.

I wasn't even sure I'd see him again.

But fate apparently had a twisted sense of humor.

Because when the elevator doors opened on the underground parking level, Austin was standing there, about to get in.

My breath hitched.

He looked exactly the same-and completely different-from last night. Crisp black shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, chest broad, posture relaxed like nothing in the world could shake him.

And of course, he saw me immediately.

His eyes flicked to mine, unreadable.

I swallowed.

John smiled when he saw him. "Austin! What are you doing here this early?"

Austin shrugged casually, stepping into the elevator with us. "Didn't feel like waiting for traffic. Figured I'd check in."

He turned to me with polite detachment. "You must be Ruby. John's wife."

I nodded, lips tight. "Nice to finally meet you."

He smiled, cool and easy. Like a stranger. But his eyes held that same wild heat I remembered from the night before. It made my stomach twist.

John clapped him on the shoulder. "So. Ruby, this is the brother I told you about, Austin-Marcus's son from his first marriage.."

He glanced at me. "Marcus is our father. My mom was his second wife. Austin's mom left when he was still little. He went abroad and kind of vanished, but he just came back a few days ago."

"Welcome home," I said, hoping my voice didn't shake.

Austin's lips curved. "Thanks."

The elevator was quiet for a beat.

Then John leaned in with a smirk and said, "You've got a hickey on your neck, man. Out having fun already?"

My heart stopped.

Austin didn't even blink.

He reached up, touched his neck like he'd only just noticed. "Huh. Guess I do."

John laughed. "Who was it this time? Blonde? Brunette?"

Austin looked right at me when he answered.

"She was beautiful," he said. "Actually... you know her."

John let out a low whistle. "Don't tell me it was someone from the company. Was it Rose? God, I won't even be mad-just tell me."

Austin chuckled, looking away.

But I could still feel the weight of his gaze, even when it wasn't on me anymore.

My pulse kicked up like prey sensing a predator-loud, sharp, impossible to quiet. I didn't know if he could hear it... but somehow, I felt like he could smell it.