Gripped: A Stepbrother Romance (Bonus Story: Stepbrother Forbidden) Read Free

jealousy simmering underneath.
    “His name is Tom,” she continued, fiddling with the ring. “He’s a junior partner at Dad’s firm.” Her smile was like a nervous twitch at the corners of her mouth. “He’s…good. I’m happy.”
    I gritted my teeth but put on a mask of boredom. “Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”
    Her eyebrows knitted in a scowl. Her mouth acquired that well-known pout of irritation that always made me want to grasp her lower lip between my teeth and suck on it. I backed away from her because the urge to do it was way too strong. She’s my stepsister , I reminded myself. Then I tacked on another one: she belongs to another man .
    “You know, Reid? You haven’t changed,” she said. “All that travelling and world experience and yet you’re still like a damn dark cloud raining on everyone’s parade. I am happy. I don’t need convincing and I certainly don’t need to convince you.”
    Gracing me with a parting glare, she stormed out of the room. I remained standing for a while, inhaling the soft remnants of her scent. I tried to stuff all the anger, jealousy, and the feelings I harboured for Mackenzie back into a deep, dark and forgettable box.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FIVE
    Mackenzie
     
    Are you trying to convince me or yourself?
    Three days later and Reid’s words still rang in my head.
    I breathed in the cool, early-morning fall air as I strolled along the park trail. The light-grey sky stretched wide, brightening the trail and enhancing the vibrant, earthy colours surrounding me. A light breeze disturbed the dried leaves littering the uneven floor. The thick clusters of bushes and various tall trees on either side of the path made it appear narrower. A few paces ahead, a man walked his dog. Judging from the red ball he had in his other hand, no doubt they headed toward the sound where they’d play a game of fetch on the shore.
    I smiled at the thought and touched the camera swinging from the strap around my neck. I’d definitely take a few shots of the man and his dog mid-play. Dogs were some of the best subjects for photos. Sometimes they had that eerie ability to stay perfectly still and wait patiently as you captured them. I liked seeing that light in their eyes or even that ghost of a smile when they panted, their tongues lolling out of their mouths.
    Taking pictures of animals, of people in play or mid-laughter, pictures of life brought me immense joy. When Vera was healthier, she’d laugh and say I was like a vampire. A good one, she’d say. I fed off of people’s happiness from my photos and my hunger never seemed to abate. And I suppose she was right. I often began my day taking at least a few shots that brought a smile to my face.
    I guess Reid’s words bothered me because his implication that I was lying about my happiness held truth. For years I felt like I was stuck. I’d lived in Seattle since I was a kid, never venturing out, never attempting to fulfil the few dreams nestled in my heart. I’d jumped from one bad relationship to the next. Even now I was engaged to a guy I didn’t love because my father wished it. A guy who was only interested in me because of my father’s influence on his career. In the measly two months we’d known each other, the only thing we’d done as a ‘couple’ was go on a ferryboat ride together which was filled with stilted, awkward conversation.
    Worse yet, Vera was dying. Losing her would be like losing my mother all over again. Even though I’d come to terms with her impending death, I didn’t relish the day I’d have to face that actuality. Things could be better. Way, way better. But this was my life. Watching a woman I’d grown to love die. Pushed into an unwanted, loveless marriage to appease my grief-stricken father’s need to rebuild a family.
    The path took a sharp bend. As I rounded the curve, a runner materialized right in front of me. I slipped and fell as I dodged to avoid the collision, landing