Sinful Desires: Craving My Stepbrother's Touch

Julienne

The cold chill of the air seeped in through my jacket, but I refused to move or look away.

Tears stung my eyes but I fought them back, watching the men lower his casket into the ground. Amidst the sea of funeral operators, I was the only one present he could call family.

Soon enough, there would be a headstone there with his name on it;

Luciano Medici.

Grief washed over me. The pain was suffocating, making it hard for me to breathe. It took everything in me to not keel over. He was gone. The man who despite meeting him only a short time ago, was more of a father to me than anyone else was dead.

I'd never had a good life since I was younger and it was no thanks to my mother who had always been a golddigger, flitting from one man to the next. As I grew older, many of them kept their eyes on me, leading me to have to ward off their advances. Some of them were worse than others, but my mother had never batted an eye.

Instead, she always acted like I was competition and not her daughter. She would mock my appearance, belittle me and do anything to bring me down. I had to work for everything I got and even then she'd made it difficult.

That was my life. But all of that changed when she married Luciano Medici a year ago.

At first, I thought he would be like all the others, trying to harass me or treat me like dirt. But Mr. Medici was different. He was kind, gentle, and loving.

Despite meeting him later in life, he had been more of a parent to me than my own mother ever was.

He treated me like the daughter he never had, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was experiencing a childhood I had always missed out on.

He would defend me against my mom's cruelty, and for once, I felt like I had someone in my corner. His presence had brought a sense of peace and stability into my life.

And now...he was gone.

For the first time since the ceremony, a tear slipped out of my eyes. How could he be dead when I had just seen him, spoken to him days before?

Keeping an all nighter at work, I had gotten several messages from him, only days before. I had called him and heard his voice, wishing him goodnight.

I didn't expect that the next day, I would come home to find my mother at the entrance, telling me that he had died of cardiac arrest.

I couldn't believe it. How could this have happened when he seemed fine hours before? He was healthy.

But another part of me knew that life was unpredictable, and sometimes, tragedy struck without warning.

Now, I was left to pick up the pieces, mourning the loss of the only person who had ever truly cared about me.

Hours passed in a blur as I trudged through the motions of the funeral service. Now, as I reached into the mansion, the silence enveloped me. My mother was nowhere in sight and I fought back the bitterness. Of course she hadn't cared for him, like I did.

My footsteps echoed as I made my way to my room. Memories from a year ago haunted me now as I stepped into it. I could recall when my mother and I had entered the mansion shortly after their wedding.

I remembered the first time I saw this room, how surprised I was by its beauty, from the wide spaces to the comforting dark mahogany splayed through the place. It was a far cry from the cramped, dingy spaces I'd shared with my mom and her various boyfriends.

And then he told me that this was mine, shocking me to the core.

I had never been offered a room. Even the more wealthy boyfriends my mother took in hadn't hesitated to relegate me to a basement.

I was reluctant to accept it then, yet now it was a space that had become my sanctuary, a home.

In less than a year he had become my home. Luciano Medici had given me a sense of security, of belonging, and now...he was gone.

Curling up on the bed, I let the grief and sadness wash over me completely. Sobs broke out of me and I let the tears slip away. I didn't realize how much time passed when I stopped crying. Sleep crept up my eyelids, making everything heavier and exhausted, and emotionally drained, I let myself drift into slumber.

....

BANG!

My eyes spelled open as I jolted awake. Blinking frantically I met darkness and dim lights of my room. My heart hammered in my chest as I looked around.

What the hell happened? Where did that noise come from?

My breath hitched in alarm as I heard it. Not a loud bang, but the sound of multiple footsteps, heavy and deliberate.

I sat up with a start, my heart racing but it was too late to do anything as my room door was barged into.

Men came in like shadows.

A scream left my lips before they grabbed me, closing my mouth. Fear filled me to the brim as I looked around to see faceless masks. I struggled against them, trying to break free, but they were too strong.

Who were they? How could intruders come here? It had to be impossible, unless...

"Release her mouth," a female voice spoke and I stiffened at the voice. The hand covering my face left, but I couldn't scream as I was spun around.

Flitting to the doorway my heart skipped a beat. My mother stood leaning against the doorway, a smirk on her face. Unease coiled in my belly at the sight.

"Mom, what's going on? Who are these men?" I cried out, mind racing.

As she sauntered forward I was faced with her dim visage, from her blonde tresses to her silvery dress as if she wasn't mourning. But the thing that ached the most was the smile on her face.

"These men are here to take you away Julienne ," she said, her voice dripping in a saccharine sweet tone that made my blood freeze.

"You see, I've been in a bit of debt, and...well, let's just say you're going to have to serve as collateral."

It was like a punch to the gut. The arms restraining me couldn't stop me from trembling as my mind reeled from her words. No, she couldn't be serious.

"What are you talking about?" My voice shook amidst the panic swelling inside me.

Tears bit into my eyes. I had always known how horrid my mother could be considering that she constantly abused me, yet for once I'd prayed she was joking. That this was a cruel prank.

It had to be.

She reached out to me and I flinched as she placed her hand on my cheek, caressing it in a mockingly loving way.

"Don't put up a fight." She said , "You're my daughter, Julienne. It's your duty to help me out. After all, I've wasted years of my life on you. It's time you paid me back."

Horror filled me as it sank into me.

"You can't do this," I protested, yet she only laughed.

"Darling, I already have," she said, her hand leaving my cheek before turning to them.

"What are you waiting for? Take her away."

My heart sank at those words. A mix of disbelief and hollowness filled me as I looked at her.

How could she do this? I was her daughter? Did she really think so little of me? Did she even care for me, even a little bit?

What was left of my heart shattered into a million pieces then and there.

Any fight had left me as the men dragged me away from the only home I knew, the sound of my mother's laughter echoing in my ears.

Julienne

In the darkness of the room everything seemed to cave in.

I didn't know where I was anymore. Alone in this cold, dark cell, I closed my eyes, shuddering at the memory seemed to last forever

After being dragged away from my home, a sack was pulled over my head. Before I was led into what felt like a car.

Throughout I screamed and cried until my voice was hoarse.

The hours seemed to last for an eternity.

I didn't know when I fell asleep only to wake up here, in this dark cold cell- like room.

Where was I? How far was I from home? Was I even in the city? What were they going to do to me?

I had no idea of anything. Thanks to my mother, my entire life was upended. She had sold me off, and now, I was all alone.

My jaw clenched as I forced the tears back. I had cried long enough to know that there was no use in this situation. I had to remain strong.

Yet despite my attempts, sobs still gathered in my chest. How could I stay strong like this? I was scared.

This felt like a nightmare.

A loud jolt startled me up in shock before I recognized what it was. The door to my cell creaked open, right before a blinding light.

I'd barely adjusted to the light before I heard footsteps. Suddenly hands gripped me and dragged me out of the cell and towards the bright lights.

I blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden change.

As I looked around, I saw other people around me in chains, looking just as scared and helpless as I did. It took a few moments for it to click in as I looked down to feel cold metallic chains placed onto me.

"Sold!" My blood ran cold as I heard those words ring through the curtains as the realization slipped in.

This was an auction. A human auction.

And I was part of it.

Suddenly everything made sense and horror and nausea washed over me. I was going to be sold.

The cries of the people surrounding me only added to my horror. I couldn't feel any strength in my body.

"It's okay ," I whispered to myself, despite everything telling me that it wasn't. Shutting my eyes tightly I mustered up every last bit of courage I possessed to try to not cry.

Slowly people were picked off one by one in an order that was drawing nearer to me. Eventually there was no other person present.

It was my turn.

I was dragged into the podium right as the Announcer spoke.

"Here we have the freshest of our batch. Brought in recently, this is Julienne Williams! Starting at a hundred thousand?"

Suddenly the room was in an uproar and my guy sank even lower as they began bidding on me.

Scanning the crowd, my eyes locked onto the faces of the men in the crowd, all of them old as they leered at me openly. My skin crawled at the thought of being sold to any of them.

Was this going to be my fate?

"4 million! Is that the final bid for tonight? Going-"

"50 million."

A deep voice rang out, cutting off everything else it echoed through the room. I whipped my head to the direction of the voice, gaping.

At the far corner of the podium, a man stood, blending in with the shadows. His face was hidden with a mask, yet I could feel when our eyes met.

A shiver ran down my spine and for a moment, my mind went blank, the horror replaced with pure shock.

Who was he?

Blinking back to reality, I realized that wasn't the only thing strange. The atmosphere seemed to have shifted. The crowd was completely silent, all the rowdiness from before gone. Their faces were pale as they were drawn in that same direction. It was as if they were subdued or afraid.

What was going on?

"Sold!" The auctioneer's voice rang out before I heard the gavel sound before I was dragged out of the crowd.

I felt numb to everything around me as I felt the chains being unlocked, my mind raced with questions. Who was he? Who was crazy enough to bid such an amount?

Suddenly I was pushed to move and I looked up to find a burly man staring at me as he led me out of the podium.

"Don't look so relieved, darling," he sneered, "You don't know what kind of mess you've gotten yourself into, do you?"

What?

I gasped as his sneer transformed into a smirk,

"You've just been purchased by the infamous Don Demonio, the ruthless Mafia Don. He controls this entire city."

My bones chilled at that name. I had no idea of who it was, but I knew enough Italian to know what that nickname meant.

Demon.

"God knows why he bought you. He's never participated in these auctions before." He said, before snickering at me,

"This must either be your lucky day, or the worst day of your life."

My heart sank and fear gripped me.

I was doomed.

I'd only heard of the Mafia in movies. They were dangerous and ruthless. And now I was being sold to one.

Why did he choose me? What was he going to do to me?

The chill of the night air and the sight of the outside couldn't stop my dread as I was brought out of the building.

My heart raced with anticipation and dread the closer we got to the car where the masked man alongside other men stood.

The terror was near suffocating the closer I got to my new 'owner'. When I was finally there, my gaze remained on the ground, refusing to look at him.

"She's all yours Mr Medici." The man called out right before I was released and my breath hitched.

Medici?

I knew I shouldn't, but my curiosity got the better of me. As I lifted my gaze, my world froze.

"You..." I trailed off in a mixture of shock and recognition.

Because I knew who he was.

I'd never met him in my life, but I recognized him from the pictures my stepfather kept. Pictures that he showed me with fondness and sadness.

It was none other than Daemon Medici, my stepfather's estranged son. My step brother.

Daemon's eyes locked onto mine, and a smirk spread across his face.

"If it isn't my lovely stepsister."

Julienne

If I was fully aware, I would have processed his voice dripping with sarcasm.

But I wasn't, and so I stood there, frozen in shock, as I stared at him.

Daemon Medici.

Luciano had told me about him. I knew he was estranged from his father, but I didn't know the details of why. He had only told me that his first wife and love had died, leaving him with a young Daemon, and that their relationship had strained over the years until one day two years ago , before I or my mother came into the picture, Daemon moved permanently to another city and cut off all contact with him.

Despite being estranged though, Luciano had regaled stories of him when he was younger to me once in a while. I could recall the fondness and melancholy in his gaze as he spoke of him. It was clear that he missed him and it made me wish that I could do something to bring him back, even if it was impossible.

I never thought I'd meet him, especially not under these circumstances.

As I looked at Daemon, I saw a glimpse of my stepfather in his features, but his eyes seemed colder, harder, his features familiar yet not.

Thinking at the kind warm visage of Luciano, I couldn't reconcile the two.

Luciano was rich, but it was all legitimate. How was his son, not only in the mafia, but also a feared mafia boss? One so feared that they called him a demon?

And it was clear from his words, that despite their distance, he recognized me.

Before I could say anything, Daemon turned away, leaving me gaping with unsaid words. I followed his frame as he entered one of the cars before I felt a hand grip me. Whipping my head I met one of the men in black

"Get in the car," he growled, and I obeyed, still in shock as I was made to enter the second car.

The drive was long, and a mix of trepidation and curiosity filled me. If he knew who I was, was that why he bought me? What was he going to do?

All my thoughts halted when the car finally stopped and I was pulled out. As soon as I looked, my eyes widened in awe.

A large mansion stood in front of me, bigger than anything I'd seen, even Luciano's which had been my home. Somehow looking at it my thoughts crept back to him.

Did my stepfather know about this? Did he have any idea that his son was involved in such a dark world?

Thinking back to the fond words he'd always spoken about Daemon made pain sting my heart as I recalled everything else. Whether he did or not, I couldn't ask him anymore. I could never speak to him because he was dead and he wouldn't be able to meet his son again.

With the men surrounding me I was led into the mansion.

Soon enough I found myself in a room I could easily recognize as a study, but my heart flew to my throat as soon as I realized Daemon was there. Sitting on a chair, his eyes were trained on me, as though he'd been waiting for me.

The men around me suddenly withdrew, closing the door behind me and I was left alone, face to face with the man who had bought me.

Uncertainty filled me as Daemon's gaze roved over me. His eyes seemed to bore into me, and I shivered .

Even from afar I could feel that danger radiated from him like a dark aura. It sent a trickle of fear down my spine along with something else...something I couldn't put to words.

I swallowed thickly.

What did he want from me?

The air seemed to thicken before he stood up. My breath hitched as his lips curved into a smirk. He looked handsome. Devilishly so.

"So, you're the little gold-digger's daughter. I must say, I'm disappointed. You're not as... polished as I expected." he broke the silence and any thoughts I had before slipped away.

My lips parted in shock as I processed his insult. Golddigger?

A surge of anger filled me at his insult, but I refused to back down.

"And you're Daemon Medici, the infamous Don Demonio," I retorted, my voice steady.

Daemon chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"Guilty as charged," he purred,

For a moment, I felt a jolt of electricity run through me as his gaze pierced mine.

But the moment passed, and his expression hardened once more.

"You're in the wrong city but it's good that I met you. Tell me, how do you and your mother enjoy leeching off my father's wealth," he smirked and I reared back in shock.

"Excuse me?" I asked incredulously. This time all the fear was drowned in disbelief and I couldn't hold myself back.

"I am and have never 'leeched' off you father." I spat out harshly, "I cared for him."

"Right," he rolled his eyes, clearly not believing me.

A part of me wanted to fight back and protest, but something in me halted. Thinking back to Luciano I faltered.

"He told me about you," I said.

Immediately I spoke, his expression changed.

For a moment, he looked tense, his eyes narrowing.

"What did he say?" he asked, his voice low and even.

I took a deep breath, before I spoke,

"He missed you," I said, my voice softening.

"He always talked about you with fondness. No matter how hard he tried to hide it at times...he wanted you by his side."

For a moment his gaze softened and I saw a flash of emotions run through him.

Then it suddenly disappeared. Daemon's face turned harsh, his eyes flashing with anger and I was struck with the force of his glare.

"You know nothing about me and my father," he growled sharply, making my breath hitch.

Turning away, he moved back, coursing his hands through his hair for a moment. As he turned to me again, the raw vulnerable look on his face was fine, replaced with the cool arrogant demeanor from before.

"So, how did you end up in this mess, hmm? Getting trafficked to another City? With my father around, I would have thought you'd be better taken care of. You are his shiny new family after all."

With his father around...

Those words instantly brought a pang of sadness and shock. Thinking back to the funeral only a few days before his death, I nearly gasped.

It was normal nature to inform the relatives when a loved one had passed. When I came for the funeral, I was su stuck in grief that I barely thought about whether Daemon was aware, or if he had refused to come to the funeral.

Now it was clear as day that he didn't know. He didn't know that his father was dead.

I had to tell him. How could I tell him?

Swallowing thickly, I spoke.

"Daemon... Your fathe-"

KNOCK

My gaze flew to the door, my words interrupted. Turning back I watched Daemon's straighten.

"Enter," Daemon called out, his voice curt.

The door opened to reveal a tall burly man. His eyes darted to me for a moment before focusing on Daemon.

"Greetings Capo. There's confidential information that requires your attention." he said,

Daemon nodded, and as I turned back I found his eyes on me. He looked contemplative.

"Magda." he called out and in a short moment another person shuffled into the room, this time a stout older woman.

"Take her away," he ordered,

"Keep her in the guest room. I'll figure out what to do with her later."

I was helpless but to follow as the woman led me out of the room. As I left something swirled in my gut.

I had a feeling something bad was going to happen.