Wild Obsession: My stepbrother's hidden secret

NOAH

I hated it here, the new life, the brand's over-detailed perfume that made fresh air want to escape the room.

And now Mom was here, and I could feel her sharp intake of breath and the way her eyes sized me all over, and if those eyes could kill, I would be six feet beneath the ground.

Her unwanted daughter, the child that stole her life-that was what she called me, and after all those years, I felt she had found a place in her heart to forgive me, but I was wrong.

She hated me all the same, and none of that was going to change anytime soon.

"Mom, it's just the last one, and I am done with the registration," I pleaded, slipping my hand from her grip.

She stomped her right foot heavily on the plush red carpet that lay in the hallway, her anger evident in her features.

"Be done with it; I need to introduce you to your stepfather," she announced with a wicked grin on her porcelain face.

Was this what it was all about, why she had come to pick me up earlier than usual and play all nice?

All to introduce me to a scumbag she was going to suck dry and empty.

I smiled, covering up the hurt I felt over her remark: she never loved me. She was just trying to use me to gain favour in my stepfather's eyes as a caring mother.

"Fine, I will be done soon," I confessed before running up the stairs while she went to wait in the car.

St Mary's High was bigger than my previous school and obviously better.

Each corridor led to another, and I knew I could get lost if I wasn't careful.

Taking out the manual I had been given at the front gate, I saw the exact route to get to Ms Keene's office, the math teacher whose signature I needed to complete the registration.

I had no problem peeking into her office to see if she was there before knocking because the door was slightly open.

But just as my eyes pivoted through the hole, shock overwhelmed me; I felt nauseous, my whole being trembling, and my disgust couldn't have been more evident.

I need to leave; I couldn't imagine how I would handle the disgust if I were at face value with the reason for my despair.

My back straightened, I swivelled backwards, and just as I was about to break into a run, one of my books fell to the ground with a thud.

The timing couldn't have been worse. If I left the book, which had my name boldly written over it, then I would be doomed.

They had heard the book fall because something was being arranged, and I heard footsteps heading towards the door.

Picking up my books in a flash, I ran, praying that I didn't trip on the long row of stairs.

That would be a deadly suicide attempt on my end.

A boy ran after me, calling me to a halt, but I didn't care; I wasn't going to be caught up in their disgusting little act.

He was faster than me because even though I gave him a head start, he still caught up with me, and that was when I saw him.

The most handsome male I ever met, I felt dizzy, and my legs felt wobbly, but he was able to catch me in time, pinning me to the wall with my hands over my head.

But I wasn't going to let his looks get to me even though deep down I felt different, like kissing those red lips of his. He didn't have to pin me down because his eyes alone were enough to bring me to a halt.

"What the hell do you think you are doing? I yelled at him, getting a grip on my drooling state.

"Same question I should be asking you," he said, bringing his face closer to mine.

"I do not know what you are talking about," I answered defiantly. I refused to believe that I had seen anything since that would make my time at school dreadful.

"Tell me you didn't see...." He could not finish and simply bent his head downward in humiliation.

"See what?" I asked, challenging him with my eyes.

"Whatever you think you saw ... is a misconception," he tries explaining.

"Oh yeah," I scoffed at his denial of the truth.

"Just keep your mouth shut, or I will make you," he commanded, his voice reverberating in the hallway.

But I couldn't feel intimidated by a jerk like him; first he lies, and now he tries to intimidate me.

"Get lost, asshole," I yelled, pushing him away from me, but he wouldn't budge.

Rather, he leans in; his lips brush past mine down to my jaw as it trails to my neck. I love what he was doing, the little sparks of desire that imprinted themselves wherever he kissed. Given other circumstances, I would have loved to drown in his foreplay.

But not now; this was blackmail, plain and pure, and I wouldn't be dragged into it.

" You know you still smell of her, right?" I quizzed. " I'll take a cold shower and take that off before anyone catches on," I advised before stomping my foot on his and running towards the door.

His features hardened as I said the last words, but as I ran, his tight lips formed a smirk that I was sure didn't mean something good.

Mom had waited quite enough and was smoking to take off some steam; her eyes flared at me. It was always that look of disgust in her eyes that terrified me most.

The look that said I wasn't worthy to be her daughter.

"I shouldn't have expected your uncle to teach you any manners, and now he is dead, and I have to teach his useless slum of a niece how to tell time," She lunges at me, her tongue sharp and harsh.

I knew my shortcomings and had spent a lot of time with the registration, so I apologised anyway.

"I got lost at the new school, Mom. I am sorry; it won't happen again," I lied, intent on acting better for her because no matter how much she hates me, she had shown up when Uncle Richard, the man who raised me, died, and that was all that mattered.

The drive to the Hawthorne mansion was silent and snappy, but in no time we got there.

Mom introduced me to him, and I couldn't help but feel indifferent.

He appeared to be a decent man; it is unfortunate that he ended up with Mother.

I felt pressed, so I excused myself to the bathroom.

Just as I was about to turn the doorknob, the door swung open, and green eyes met blue.

My body trembled, my lips quivered, and I felt my heartbeat stop at that instant.

Nothing made sense, especially not with my stepbrother half-naked before me and the fact that I knew his dirty little secret.

"Cold shower, just like you asked," he brings his lips close to my ear and whispers.

There I stood, frozen, unable to make a step. Inwardly I knew I had just stepped into the lion's den and there was no escape.

NOAH

Everyone has a pattern in their families or the way they face obstacles, and that was exactly what I knew Max, my stepbrother, saw me as ... an obstacle.

He dragged me further into the bathroom and pinned me to the open door. That was how he handled his affairs, which made it difficult for a predator to escape his clutches.

He raises my face to meet his; his damp, spiky hair still gleamed from the ray that filtered in through the window.

He smelt of coffee and a musky, earthy scent.

The blue of his eyes shone like the Caribbean Sea, so dark and clear. He had a tattoo and a body made for an athlete.

"So you are that gold digger's daughter.

Huh, step-sis?" and I saw my whole world shatter before me.

He had seen through me and my mother; I could only shut my eyes and scream aloud before stamping my feet on his and running out of his embrace.

God help me, his father had instructed me to meet Max if I needed anything, but the only thing I knew I needed was saving from Max and not the other way around.

As I ran, I nearly bumped into the housekeeper, Mr Cupid, at the end of the hallway.

"Oh dear, you must be lost," he apologised, taking my hands in his as he took me to a designated room for me to stay in.

He was a man in his early fifties, with warm brown eyes and silver, short-cut hair. He wore a black tailcoat with ironed trousers.

My room was situated at the right end side of the second floor, while that of my parents was on the first floor.

But what threw me off balance was the fact that Max's room was no more than two rooms away from mine.

How much worse could my situation get?

Mr Cupid opened the door to my room, and I couldn't help but stare at the magnificence before me. From the plush pillow to the curtains to the bed, the bedposts were in the shape of a car.

"Hope you like it; I tried to recreate something similar to taste," he leaned to whisper into my ears.

"Ohhh, I love it," I giggled, hugging him warmly; his cheeks rose to a red as if he weren't accustomed to such a show of appreciation.

He turned abruptly, but I didn't miss the smile on his lips before he left.

"Dinner is at seven, Miss Hawthorne," he chirped as he left.

"Okay, Cupid," I responded as he closed the door behind him.

I unpack my things, little by little, adding my presence and things to each and every part of the room.

It was seven, and I knew that I couldn't miss it.

Mother might tear me apart if I tried, and I have had one mischief for one day.

The thought of being anywhere close to my stepbrother made a shudder run down my spine.

Putting on a polo and leggings, I head downstairs. Mother and Mr Hawthorne are at the table waiting already. I join them, but neither eats until Max shows up.

He steps in wearing a shirt and brown shorts, which makes me feel disappointed because I miss seeing him half naked.

He pulls out a chair at the table, and his father starts an introduction; little does he know I have met his son more times than necessary.

"This is Noah Anderson, your stepmom's daughter. She is going to St Mary's as well. I need to show her around at school."

Mr Hawthorne says as he dishes out a portion of food for himself.

"Noah is great; I know you both would get along in no time," my mother chirps in while I gawk at the three of them.

"I think she already knows me pretty well; after all, she has seen me...", I didn't allow him to finish before stepping in with my own interpretation.

"Name tag", I said aloud. The awkwardness of the situation was more than I could bear, but that wasn't enough for him to tell my parents I had seen him half naked.

With the interruption, everyone's eyes swivelled to me.

"Ehm, there is a new thing at school, and ...his name is Max," I managed to complete.

Taking the glass of water, I laid it down in a rush, which nearly made me choke, and I coughed out loud.

Max wrapped his arm over his middle and broke into a haughty laugh.

"Didn't they teach you how to swallow in public school?" He mocked, his dentition so perfect and white.

"Maybe... you know, but I am not fucking my teacher for grades. You know some students do that at my new school, and I wonder who?" I threw in. He wasn't going to have the comfort of intimidating me, not when I knew his dirty little secret.

"Noah!!! Language!" Mother yelled, commanding me to order, and I knew she wasn't a woman to be crossed, so I recoiled back into my shell.

Inwardly, I smiled because Max's flicker of teeth was nothing more than a frown by now. Good to know I had leverage over him.

"We will be having a family dinner at the sailing club tomorrow," Mr Hawthorne announced to the gathering.

"Sailing club," I mimicked and wished I didn't because my mother started a history of how Max's great-grandfather was an English admiral and the club dates back generations.

Max stood up, excused himself, and retreated to his room, which I thought

I ate a little bit more and excused myself as well. Mother sent me those deadly glares, but Mr Hawthorne allowed me to leave the table anyway.

I removed my clothes and stepped into the bathroom after a long shower to ease me of the incident of today.

I stepped out with my towel wrapped around my body while using the short one to dry my damp towel, only to find Max in my room, at the table, reading my notebook aloud.

Closing the door sharply behind me, I walked over to him, snatching the book out of his grip.

He lunges at me to take it back; I trip and land on top of the bed and him on top of me.

He stares at me, hard, glaring as though he could picture my soul.

Just then a pink vibrator rolls out from underneath my pillow, caused by the thud of my fall.

"Dammit", I murmured, but his eyes had already seen the sex toy.

"Really, still hiding your sex toy underneath your pillow?" he mocks, waving the toy in my face. "What are you,12"

"Give it back, you asshole," I rebuked, reaching out for the toy as he raised it higher.

He glances sideways and reads the description on the toy.

"Intro toys for virgins", he bluffs aloud, and my cheeks heat up in shame.

"Really, no one has ever taken you on a date, step-sis?" He asked as the blue of his eyes got darker.

"Don't call me that," I responded, furious over his remark; he didn't mean it, and I knew.

"Your mom wanted us to get along, right?" He whispered, a wicked smirk drowning his tantalising lips.

He says as he trails the bigger side of the toy from my cleavage down my middle, with every trail sending sparks of desire and my head swirling. I didn't just want the toy on my flesh; I wanted his lips trailing down my damp skin and his fingers creating magic in my feminine hole.

"So why don't we play with this?" He said, raising it once more in the air.

"You can't scare me with that, " I said, challenging him with fixated eyes as I spread my legs apart.

"I'm calling your bluff; is this what you want to see?" I whispered as I took his wrist and slowly trailed the toy from my cleavage down to the rest of my body. He had pulled his hand off halfway when I intended him to use the vibrator at the vagina where my body throbbed for his touch more.

By now he is panting and grasping for breath.

He flings away the toy and whispers something into my ear– deep and vulgar.

Even

After he left, his words haunted me, breaking the last piece of pride left in me. Not only did I not have dinner; now sleep was going to be the last thing on my mind, as not only did his words linger but his presence as well.

NOAH

It's 3am, and my phone beeps a second time before I pick it up.

It's Natasha, my best friend, and I could tell from her voice she had just returned from a party.

"You called just at the right time," I said, lifting my frame from the bed.

My tummy growled as I stood, which meant I needed to find something to eat soon.

"Really? Well, I hate you. I'm so jealous. The dressing room!" Nat said over the phone. Earlier on, I had sent her a video of my room and its contents, and this was her trying to tell me she was impressed with my new clothes.

"I am not going to wear any of those dresses," I acknowledged; those were not my style, and I could imagine being strapped in a bodycon dress.

"Are you crazy?" she yells, shocked at my revelation. "Enjoy it !" she continued.

By now I'm out of my room and heading downstairs to the kitchen.

"I just can't stand the extravagance," I explained to her, swivelling my glance sideways to know if anyone was around.

"The house smells like poodle perfume. Can you picture me in the spa cuddling up to one of those pom-poms on legs? I lamented over the phone, which made Nat break into a laugh; she is my best friend and the one that understood me the most.

"So I have to feel sorry for you for being rich?" She remarks, and we both laugh.

I am going down the stairs, and my eyes catch the picture of Max's great-grandfather, who was an admiral, and I remember the dinner.

"Today is the family dinner on a boat. Bet I am going to puke overboard," I say with an accent, disgust reeling at me.

"Just send millions of photos," Nat pleaded, and I accepted anything for her.

"I didn't eat anything yesterday, and I am starving."

"Why don't you ask the butlers?" she asks.

"It's late, and I bet they don't have a lousy sandwich." I stepped into the kitchen, flipping the switch on before heading towards the refrigerator.

Just as expected. I opened the fridge, and there were no sandwiches but filled with stuff I knew couldn't take care of my hunger.

I shut it with a bang only to find Max by the side, and my phone fell from my fingers subconsciously. I hadn't expected anyone to be awake by this time of the night.

"Shit !" I murmur in panic, trying to bring my racing heart to a halt.

He opens the refrigerator once more.

"How about an Angus ragout? Some ramen? An apple strudel?

Don't know what you eat in Yokel-land if you are going to throw up on any of the meals I listed," he explains, and I stare at him.

"What in particular are you doing here?" I asked.

"Same thing you came down for...midnight snack," he responded.

Nat called my name, and I turned to look at my phone.

"Is Noah not a name for boys?" he asks, wrapping his hands around his middle.

"Your limited vocabulary doesn't include the word 'unisex? I chirped in.

I leapt downwards, and his dog was right in my face, a Spanish bulldog, which was obviously 18-22 inches in height, just the same size as I was in my leapt state.

He barked once, twice, and I felt my heart leap to my throat.

"Do you know what Thor's favourite word from my vocabulary is? He asked, referring to his dog as it charged at me.

"It starts with 'a', 'tta', and ends with 'ck'," he continued, and I could feel fear recoil in my being. Tears glittering in my eyes, maybe this was the end, and I was going to die, but if I did live, I wouldn't let Max off the hook easily.

Thor's teeth flared at me, hard and sharp. I kept contact with it as I lounged my hands forward to pick up my phone.

"It's not funny," I yelled at Max.

"He doesn't like you and must think you sneaked into the house at midnight. That should ring a bell?" He asked in a casual manner, clearly wearing a contented smile.

"That is enough, Max," I yelled, raising my voice and taking my phone and bringing my flame upwards while the dog barked harder.

"He is like a poodle but smarter",

"Did they hit your head as a baby, you jerk?"

"Thor hates it when people insult me," he leans forward, whispering into my ear. Thor comes nearer, barking loudly. I run behind Max, pushing him forward as a shield.

"Say something," I pleaded behind him; my sharp tongue had rested by now, and here I was, quivering behind my despicable stepbrother.

"Thor, stop," he says, but the dog won't budge.

Seeing that the situation was more than I could handle, I picked up the frying pan on the kitchen table and aimed at using it.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Protecting myself and maybe planning to hit you", I retorted.

"If he senses any threat, he will rip you to shreds."

"At least you will still get a pan on your head",

He tells the dog to sit, and it respects its master.

He turns around, pinning me on the side of the refrigerator.

"You are crazy, aren't you?" He said his face was not too far from mine.

"I didn't see your freckles yesterday, sis, he said in a little whisper.

"I am not your sis or anything related to that," I answered, taking myself out of his embrace.

Mr Cupid entered the kitchen at that minute, and I decided to leave, but not before my home screen went on, and that caught Max's attention as he frowned.

"And who is that?" he asked, snatching my phone as he referred to the boy in the photo with his arm around me.

"Someone better than you, my boyfriend," I utterly replied, snatching the phone back.

When I got to the room, I heard Nat squeaking on the phone as she was super excited.

Damn! She had heard the whole conversation and wasn't going to let it go easily.

"My God, your stepbrother,

Was that the sweet boy your mother mentioned?" she asked.

Sweet boy, my foot; he was my worst nightmare.

"Yes, a total dick", I remark.

We talked a few more times before ending the call.

8 am came faster than expected, and I needed to go to school.

On my way out, Mr Hawthorne called out to me, informing me that Max was outside and was to take me to school.

"Remember, don't forget to ask him if you need anything," he announced before I faked a smile and left the house.

Talk of the devil, he was outside, looking more handsome than ever and leaning on a red sports car.

God help me, but I knew I was falling for my stepbrother. Evans would be mad if he found out, and he would tell Mom, and that would be the end of me.

Evans was my boyfriend who hadn't bothered to reach out since I left Yokel-land, and to make matters worse, I couldn't view his timeline on social media, and his number has been unreachable ever since.

And maybe that was why my body was acting differently and out of control... because I missed him, but maybe it was a lie and I was falling for Max because he made me feel things Evans didn't make me feel.

"You are smoking here," I reprimanded him, but he blew the puff of smoke in my face.

"My dad doesn't care what I do; that man only cares about my grades, and don't think you are getting a free ride because he said so," he responded, moving over to the driver's car door.

He opens it and gets in. I rush over to the passenger door only for him to wiggle my vibrator in my face, a smile planted on his lips.

Now I am furious, and my cheeks are red with shame; my eyes stare in shock at the scene in front of me.

"Max, you are disgusting; give it back," I yelled, stretching my hands towards him.

"Keep my secret, and I'll keep yours," he says, igniting the car, throwing the vibrator to the backseat and driving off.

Now I was doomed; if everyone in school found out I touched myself, that would be the end of me, and they wouldn't let it slide easily ... not in that extravagant school for the rich.

Now I had to make a choice, or my perfectly crafted line would be ruined.