The Tempting Forbidden Love

Evelyn's POV:

"What? Your mom's getting re-married? You'll have a stepfather?" Lucia asked loudly, her eyes as wide as saucers.

Even though her voice was barely audible amidst the deafening music in the bar, I stood up in a panic and clamped my hand over her mouth. "Keep your voice down!" I hissed, feeling embarrassed.

Lucia blinked at me to show that she understood. I narrowed my eyes at her and happened to notice her clumpy mascara, which I found a little funny. After making sure she was going to keep quiet, I withdrew my hand and sat back in my seat.

My dad died two years ago. Over the years, my mom had countless boyfriends. I met some of them, but she breezed through her relationships so quickly sometimes that I never got to meet the rest of them. This time, however, she said she wanted to get married, and it seemed she had finally found her true love.

"So you're going to meet your stepfather-to-be tomorrow. Are you ready to meet him?" Lucia asked worriedly, looking at me with concern.

I shrugged indifferently. "My mom's only 42. She's not that bad-looking, and besides, she's rich. Tons of men would love to go out with her."

Truth be told, I was a bit reluctant to meet this future stepfather of mine. But I didn't have much of a choice.

"Alright. Let's stop talking about your mother. Have you forgotten why we're here?" Lucia winked at me playfully.

I chuckled. She was right. Today, we were here to get a taste of adult life.

I was wearing heavy makeup for the first time. The dark eye shadow, thick false lashes, and bright red lipstick made me look much older than a student under 18.

I even put on one of my mom's body-hugging, low-cut dresses. The revealing cut of the dress showed off the deep valley of my cleavage, which had never seen the light of day before now.

The bouncer even whistled at us when we entered the bar earlier.

"Ugh, check out all those colorful drinks! Just looking at them is so exciting!" Lucia couldn't help but gaze at the bar longingly.

I followed her gaze to the bar, where handsome bartenders were skillfully mixing drinks. Sure enough, drinks of every color were neatly lined up on the counter, looking extremely tempting under the colorful neon lights.

I waved my hand at Lucia dismissively and said, "Forget it. If we get drunk, we won't be able to find our way home."

"Oh, come on! Just one drink. We can't just go to a bar and ignore the drinks!" As Lucia spoke, she beckoned at the bartender and ordered a glass of whiskey for herself. When she looked at me, I shook my head firmly. With a shrug, she ordered me a glass of orange juice.

The drinks were served in no time. Lucia's eyes sparkled as she picked up her glass and took a careful sip. However, she instantly wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Judging from the look on her face, the whiskey didn't taste so good.

"I heard there're a lot of handsome guys that frequent this bar. Maybe I'll meet one tonight. What do you say?" Lucia looked around as though on the prowl.

Just then, a disgusting voice suddenly sounded. "Hello, beautiful! I've never seen you here before. Is this your first time? Could I buy you two another round of drinks?"

Two men came up to our table, their lecherous eyes sizing us up openly.

"No, thanks," Lucia said with a frown.

I quietly squeezed Lucia's hand from under the table. We exchanged a tacit look and stood up. These two men looked like gangsters-they weren't people we could afford to mess with.

However, the taller man blocked our way.

Smiling playfully, the shorter guy came closer and said, "Don't go. If you're not interested in drinks, we can still have some fun at my place."

The pungent smell of alcohol filled my nostrils as soon as he leaned closer. The man even had the audacity to reach for my breast. I quickly ducked sideways and warned him in a cold voice, "Get out of the way or I'll call the police!"

However, my threat only served to make the two men laugh in unison.

I took out my cell phone and was about to make the call to 911. Just then, the short man rushed over and plucked the phone from my hand. Angry, I swung my bag at his head, which made the short man yelp in pain. Then he grabbed me by the neck and pinned me against the wall.

The back of my head slammed against the wall with a sickening thud. Dazed, my mind was reeling and my ears were buzzing. The man in front of me spat, "Bitch! How dare you hit me? I'm going to fuck you right here!"

Then he grabbed my arm and dragged me in the direction of the bathroom. Lucia screamed and tried to help me, but the taller man subdued her easily.

Everyone around us was looking at us curiously, but no one came to help us.

Despair overtook me.

Just as I was about to lose all hope, the short man suddenly screamed and let go of me. I turned around in surprise and saw him flying backward, crashing heavily against the wall.

I froze as he slumped limply to the floor, still unable to wrap my head around what had happened.

Soon, my gaze shifted to the tall, handsome man standing in front of me. He was wearing a dark blue silk shirt with one sleeve rolled up, revealing his sinewy arm.

He looked like a god. He even rescued us like a god.

I stared at him dumbfounded, my cheeks burning.

Before I could gather my bearings, the man pulled me behind him.

The short man lying on the floor spat and cursed, "How dare you? I'm calling the police!"

The man looked down at him calmly and taunted, "Need a lawyer?"

"Watch out!" Lucia suddenly shrieked from behind me.

I turned around just in time to see the tall man swinging a sharp dagger at me!

Frozen in fear, I closed my eyes, waiting for the inevitable pain.

Instead, I suddenly felt a warm embrace.

My face was pressed against the god-like man's broad, firm chest, and my nose was instantly filled with the faint smell of cologne. His scent felt inexplicably calming, which made me forget about the danger of the moment.

The man's muffled grunt pulled me back to reality.

Then he turned around and kicked the tall man away.

"The police are here!" one of the people in the crowd shouted.

The two thugs struggled to get up from the floor and bolted in a panic.

Now that they were gone, I calmed down and wanted to thank my savior. Only then did I notice the bloody tear on his shirt. He was wounded!

Anxious, I looked up at him and said seriously, "Let me take you to the hospital."

The man glanced at me indifferently. "No. You'd better hurry home. The bar is no place to drink juice. Are you finished with your homework, little girl?"

My cheeks were aflame from embarrassment.

Swallowing the humiliation, I puffed out my chest and scolded, "You can't lecture me just because you saved me! Who are you? My father? I'm not a kid!"

The man held my stubborn gaze steadily, and the smile on his face grew wider.

The look in his eye made me uneasy. I tugged at Lucia, who was still in a trance beside me. It was high time we got out of here.

She was staring at the man in awe, the adoration in her eyes obvious, but I dragged her away mercilessly.

"That gorgeous man just saved us! Why do you look so sad?" Lucia whispered in my ear, sticking out her lower lip like a child.

"I don't like the tone of his voice," I retorted stubbornly.

Lucia didn't stop grumbling under her breath, but she obediently followed me out.

We hadn't taken more than a few steps when we heard the man shout behind us, "We'll meet again, sweetie."

Gritting my teeth, I picked up the pace and hurried out of the bar with Lucia.

Evelyn's POV:

When I got home, I peeled off the tight dress I was wearing and tossed it into the hamper. Only then did I notice that there were some blood stains left on the sleeves.

I remembered that the man had taken the blow for me. Because of me, he had a deep gash on his back.

Thinking about this, I couldn't help but worry about that mysterious man and sighed heavily. In an effort to reassure myself, I told myself that he was a grown man. He could take his own self to the hospital.

After showering, I sank into the bed and savored its warmth, reminded of the man's warm embrace just now. His impeccable features appeared in my mind again-his perfectly chiseled muscles, his deep-set eyes, and his charming smile...

Damn! I pulled the blanket over my face and sighed heavily, forcing myself to sleep. I still had to meet my mom's boyfriend the next day, and I didn't want to do it with dark circles under my eyes.

The next day, I selected my outfit carefully.

I picked a white dress and put on a light shade of lipstick for a simple and natural look. In the mirror, I looked every bit like the clean-cut high school student I was, not the hot, sexy wildcat from the bar last night.

I was sitting in a chair in a fine dining restaurant. I sighed as I looked around. I wonder why my mom hasn't come yet. I couldn't move my gaze when I saw a tall man walk into the room, struck by his handsome face, his blue eyes dark. His body shape looks perfect in his black suit.

It was none other than the man from the bar last night!

I stared at him as he walked towards me, too shocked to speak. Suddenly, I had a bad feeling about this.

He stopped his steps right in front of my table. "You must be Evelyn," he said with a gentle smile on his face. He stretched out his hand. "I am Valentino Gray. I'm your mom's boyfriend. To be more exact, I'll be your stepfather next month. Nice to meet you."

My jaw dropped. I was too stunned to even respond to his greeting. His last words from last night kept echoing in my mind. "We'll meet again."

So, he knew that I was his girlfriend's daughter!

Frowning, I looked at him unhappily and said in an unpleasant voice, "You recognized me yesterday!"

Valentino calmly sat down opposite me. "I wanted to tell you, but you didn't give me the chance."

"So you saved me just to make a good impression? You think that'll make me accept you as my stepfather?"

Valentino, however, simply shrugged. "Even if I didn't know who you were, I would've stepped in to help. Does your mother even know that you went to a bar?"

My heart leaped to my throat. He would definitely tell my mother that I snuck out last night.

His eyes gripped mine and there was something there I couldn't completely comprehend. But I could tell he was enjoying seeing my nervousness.

We both just sat there silently. Nobody spoke a word for what felt like an eternity.

His cell phone suddenly vibrated. He took it from his jacket pocket and answered the call. "Eva, where are you?" he asked and listened to the phone. "Seriously?" he asked, as he couldn't believe what he just heard."Do you really have to attend the meeting?"

He then sighed and said, "Alright. See you tomorrow."

"What is it?" I asked after he hung up his phone and put it back in his jacket pocket. "Your mom can't have dinner with us. She suddenly has a very important meeting," he replied into my eyes. I sighed as I avoided his eyes.

My family owns a famous mall in New York City . My mom runs the business . My mom was always like this. The only thing on her mind was money.

My heart suddenly beat fast again as I looked at Valentino, who was staring at me with his gentle gaze. "It's just the two of us now," he said in a soft voice.

I stood up abruptly and mumbled, "My mom isn't coming. There's no point in me staying any longer."

Valentino looked up at me and said in a seemingly casual tone, "Okay. I'll call and tell your mom that dinner is canceled. I can't wait to tell her about where you were last night."

My chest tightened. I looked at Valentino defiantly. I didn't want to give in just because he was threatening me!

He smiled knowingly. "Tell you what. Have dinner with me and I'll pretend that nothing happened last night. I won't tell a soul."

"Deal!"

I sat down quickly, albeit reluctantly.

A waiter then walked over to our table and stood by us. "Good evening," he greeted us politely. "Can I take your order?"

Valentino took the menu on the table and read it, and so did I. "What would you like for an appetizer?" Valentino asked into my eyes.

"Can we just eat the main course?" I asked. I felt so nervous with him so I wanted to finish this dinner soon and go home.

He smiled gently at me before he turned his head to the waiter. "Bring us your best main course," he said. "Yes, sir," the waiter said with a polite bow, and walked into the kitchen.

"How'd you even end up at that bar last night? And dressed like a stripper no less," Valentino deliberately drawled, glancing at me with a wicked smile.

Thinking about my look last night, I couldn't help but cringe a little. But I didn't want to look weak in front of him, so I looked at him expressionlessly and replied, "My life is boring."

My answer seemed to surprise him a little. He chuckled. "That's why you went to a bar? To have fun? Or you would die of boredom?" he teased me.

I respond with just a smile. We were both silent, and this silence was killing me. "How did you meet my mom?" I asked to break the silence.

"I met her by accident five months ago. My car hit her car. Since then we've seen each other often and I ended up being her boyfriend," he said and smiled.

"Oh, I see," I said as I nodded my head a little. "My mom told me you are a lawyer."

He responded with a nod. "Being a lawyer is my dream since childhood. I want to fight for justice and punish those who are guilty," he said. Somehow, I could see the anger and hatred in his eyes. His eyes turned soft again as he smiled at me. "Tell me, what is your dream?" he asked me.

Sadness suddenly took over my mind upon hearing his question. "I ... I wanted to be a pianist, but my mom forbade me to do that. She wanted me to be like her. She wants me to run our family business," I said and looked down, trying to hide my sadness from him.

It startled me when he touched and held my hand, making me look back into his eyes. "Evelyn," he said my name softly. "Never give up on your dreams. You have to fight for your dreams, no matter what."

I paused, staring at him. It was the first time someone said those words to me and it really touched my heart. I suddenly felt comfortable talking to him.

Valentino took his hand from mine when the waiter came to bring us food and served them to us. "Please enjoy your dinner," he said politely before he left us.

"Let's eat," Valentino said as he smiled at me. I nodded. He then tucked the napkin into his collar while I put it on my lap and we started eating.

"To be honest, I don't like eating in places like this," Valentino said to me in a low voice. "I can't enjoy eating with so much manners."

I held back my smile, looking at him. I never thought that he felt what I felt. "Me too," I said.

He smiled at me. "Let's quickly finish this steak. I'll take you somewhere," he said.

"Where will you take me?" I asked, curious.

He smiled mysteriously. "A place that's even more fun than the bar from last night. People who frequent bars are either alcoholics or stoners. That's no place for a little girl like you."

We got into Valentino's car after we walked out of the fine dining and left the place. The car stopped when we arrived at a nightclub parking lot and parked there.

"Let's go in," Valentino said to me in an excited tone.

"I-I'' m not used to such places," I said.

He held my hand with his eyes kept fixed on mine. "Trust me. You will have fun in there," he said, trying to reassure me.

I paused for a moment in doubt before I gave him a nod. I told myself that I need to have fun, otherwise I'll die from boredom like he told me. He smiled at me. "Let's go now," he said and got out of the car and so did I. He took my hand and led me into the club.

I tightly held his hand as we walked inside the club. I covered my ear hearing the music that sounded so loud. I was shocked and embarrassed to see the women and men who were dancing with erotic movements.

Valentino took me to the bar, and we sat there. "Give me the usual and a margarita for her," he said to the bartender. The bartender nodded his head with a smile. They both seemed to have known each other. He then prepared the drinks and gave them to us.

"Cheers," Valentino said as he touched his glass to mine and took a sip. I then did the same. "Do you like it?" he asked me. I nodded at him with a smile. He smiled back at me and took a sip of his drink before he placed it on the table.

I drank my drink while looking around me. I then realized that the women near us were staring at Valentino without blinking. I could see the admiration and lust in their eyes.

Two beautiful women in sexy dresses then walked over and stood next to Valentino. "Hi, handsome. Can we join you?" one girl asked with her flirtatious look.

Valentino smiled gently at them. "I'm sorry. I'm with my girlfriend right now," he said casually.

He surprised me by saying that while the girls looked at me with their jealous gazes. They both then walked away from us.

"Why do you say I'm your girlfriend?" I asked into his eyes.

He drew closer to me. "To make them leave. Your mom will kill me if she finds out I'm with them," he whispers in my ear. I couldn't help but laugh at what he said. We then looked each other in the eye with a smile.

Loud song in the room, then turned into a soft song. "Let's dance," he said as he took my hand and led me to the dance floor before I could open my mouth to speak.

We stood facing each other. His hands spread out on my lower back, pulling me closer to him. His gaze on my face turned my skin to fire. I am suffused with red as I blushed.

I shivered inside as his hand stroked my back waist and rubbed it heavily. I felt the bulge under his trousers against my belly. I could feel my body react to him deep in my core.

He brought his lips closer to mine. It's almost as if he's inviting me to move closer.

My heart was banging against my ribcage. It almost felt as though it was going to explode. My eyes widened as I watched Valentino's handsome face gradually come closer. The distance between us was slowly getting narrower and narrower...

Were we really going to kiss?

Evelyn quickly pulled back from Valentino before their lips could touch. She took a step back and struggled to calm her rapid heartbeat.

She didn't understand what happened to her since she didn't usually behave this way. He has made her unable to think clearly. 'He belongs to my mom, not mine,' She told herself.

"Can we go back now? I-I have to study. I have a test tomorrow," Evelyn lied to him. He smiled casually, as if nothing had happened while she was still trying to clear her head.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a test tomorrow?" he asked.

"I-I forgot to tell you," Evelyn replied, avoiding his eyes.

"Then let's go back now," he said. Even though he knew that she was telling a falsehood, he decided against exposing her lie. He took her hand gently and led her out of this place.

*******

Valentino was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed inside his luxurious apartment. He looks so hot in his black satin nightgown. He drank the glass of wine in his hand with his mind filled with Evelyn.

His eyes shone devilishly, thinking of her. Her beautiful face and sexy body fascinated him. She was indeed a beautiful, untouched flower that made him crave to f*ck her and torture her in his hands.

The sound of the doorbell broke through his thoughts, making him look at the door. He wondered who was behind the door. He put the glass in his hand on the table next to the sofa and stood up, walking to the door.

"Eva," he said, feigning surprise as he opened the door.

She smiled sweetly at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I came here as soon as I finished the meeting. I'm so sorry for not having dinner with you," she said in an apologetic tone with her eyes fixed on his.

He gave her a fake gentle smile. "It's okay. Come on in," he said. She nodded with a smile and took her arms from around his neck. She walked into the room and sat on the sofa.

He closed the door, walked over, and stood before her. "I'll get you a drink," he said.

She suddenly grabbed his arm just as he was about to take a step and made him sit on the sofa. She sat on his lap with her body facing his. "I don't want to drink. I want you now," she said lustfully, looking into his eyes.

She kissed his lips in a hungry kiss. Her lustful breath fanned his face. He closed his eyes, holding back his disgust toward her. Suddenly, Evelyn's face appeared in his mind. His heart fluttered whenever he saw her whether she had makeup or not. He recalled the kiss they didn't have in the nightclub. Suddenly, he felt that the person kissing him right now was Evelyn.

He opened his eyes as Eva kissed his neck while her hands were traveling on his hard chest. Lust and desire smolder in her. All her body clenched and her pussy got wet. She untied the belt of his nightgown in a quick motion. She couldn't wait to suck his cock and put it in her pussy.

"Eva, wait," he said, holding her arm as she squeezed his cock and his balls under his briefs. She looked him in the eyes while holding back her lust.

"I hurt my back," he said honestly.

Eva's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you get hurt?" Despite her concerned tone, her eyes were still filled with lust.

He seemed to think of something interesting. The man's mouth curved upward in a half smile. "I saved a little wild cat."

At that, Eva shook her head and sighed helplessly. "Ugh, you're always so kind-hearted."

She wrapped her arms around his neck with her flirtatious eyes fixed on his. "Then you have to pay for making me wait," she said in a sexy voice.

"Just wait and see. I'll pay for that with something you'll never forget," he said. His voice was deep and gravelly. She smiled, biting his lip. "I can't wait for that," she said in a sexy whisper. He smiled gently at her with an evil look in his eyes.

She then stood up from his lap and sat next to him. "Oh, yes," she said into his face as she remembered something. "I read the news. You won Lisa's case." He nodded his head as he tied the belt of his nightgown.

"Why would you want to help her? You should help her boss. You'll get a lot of money from him," she said, curious.

He turned his head to her. He could see the evil and greed in her eyes. "I helped her not without reason. I gained popularity by winning her case. Everyone knows I am a good lawyer," he lied to her.

She chuckled. "You are a devil. You are not a good lawyer, but a good liar," she teased him. He responded with just a smile.

She smirked as she looked ahead. "That girl is so stupid. Why did she have to kill herself just because her boss raped her? She should have used her body to earn a lot of money rather than of being a corpse," she said without pity.

He stared at her with anger, hatred, and disgust filling his eyes. His face turned into a smile as she looked back at him. "He not only raped her once, but many times. He also abused her. But I don't care about her. All I care about is money and popularity," he said. She smiled back at him."Me too," she said.

He chuckled before he looked at the clock. "It's late now. You need to sleep or you'll be late for your business trip tomorrow," he said into her eyes. She held his arm with a pleading look and said, "Please ... come with me to San Francisco."

"You know I can't go with you. I have to work."

"I'll be dying if I'm not with you in a week."

He gave her a fake gentle smile and put his hand on her cheek. "It's only a week. I'm yours. I'll be with you forever," he said in a soft voice. She paused, staring at him with sparkling eyes. His gentle gaze and his words had made her heart melt. She didn't realize that all along she had fallen into his trap.

"I love you so much. You are everything to me," she said from the bottom of her heart. "I love you too," he said with a lie.He then kissed her forehead gently and looked back into her eyes. "Go to sleep now. I'll be with you soon. I still have something to do with my work," he said.

She nodded at him with a smile. "Good night," she said, and pecked his lips. "Good night," he replied.

She then stood up from the sofa. He watched her walk into the bedroom with his cold gaze. He clenched his jaw in anger. He couldn't wait to make her suffer at his hands.

*******

Evelyn's POV:

I stared at the book on the table in front of me with dark circles around my eyes. I couldn't sleep last night. I see Valentino in my mind every time I close my eyes.

I can still feel his touch on my skin. I can't forget the way he looked at me that made my heart flutter and made my cheeks burn. The sweet smell of his cologne still lingers on my body, which makes me feel like he's still with me.

I woke up from my thoughts in startle when I heard the bell ringing. My class is over. "Alright girls. I'll see you on Monday. Have a nice weekend," my teacher said before she walked out of the classroom.

"Evelyn." I turned to my left as Lucia called my name. "Are you alright? You don't look like you slept well." I tried to smile at her. "I'm fine. I read books all night," I lied to her. She smiled back at me and put the book on the table in front of her into her bag, and so did I.

We both stood up from our chairs and walked towards the parking lot. We stopped our steps with curiosity filling our minds when we got there. All the girls looked excited and also amazed, like they were looking at a movie star.

My eyes suddenly opened wide with my heart racing as I looked in the direction they were looking. I saw Valentino standing next to his luxury black sedan in his black suit. All eyes were on me as he waved his hand at me with a smile on his handsome face.

"Oh, my God! Isn't he the guy who saved us? You were upset that he talked to you as though he was your dad. Why's he here?" Lucia asked without blinking, staring at him with sparkling eyes.

Smiling bitterly, I explained, "It turns out that the guy who saved us that night is going to by my stepfather soon. He's my mom's boyfriend."

I surprised her by saying that. She was speechless as she almost dropped her jaw.

"I have to go now," I said hastily and walked towards Valentino, leaving her, who still couldn't believe what she had heard.

"Why are you here?" I asked in nervous as I stood before my future stepdad. He gave me his gentle smile. "I'm here to pick you up," he replied.

"Where's Edgar?" I asked, curious. Edgar is my driver.

"He can't pick you up today. He has something to do," he said and smiled. Somehow, I can feel there is something behind his smile.

He then opened the front door of the car for me. "Shall we?" he asked me.

"No, thanks. I can take a taxi home. I don't want to inconvenience you." I immediately refused, shuddering at the thought of that kiss yesterday. I didn't want to go anywhere near this man again.

Valentino nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I don't mind standing here and arguing with you a little longer. I'm sure your classmates are curious about our relationship."