Brother After Dark

Chapter Forty-Five

No! He can’t know! We’ve been careful.

I cleared my throat and straightened my back. “Are… you okay?”

“Of course, of course,” he replied. “But if you need something, come to me, okay? I have your back, cuz. The court said you’re not related to us anymore, don’t forget that. You are not our blood. Legally, you are not my uncle’s son anymore. But… you’re still my cousin, okay?”

He patted me on the shoulder.

Okay! He’s being a little weird.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll remember that.”

“Good,” he said.

“Ben, it was nice seeing you again,” Blaire said behind him.

“Oh, hello, cuz,” Ben said. He reached forward and gave her a hug. As if automatically, I started timing how long he’d be hugging her. After five seconds, I’d be hauling him off her.

Luckily, he pulled away after four Mississippi.

“You two take care, okay? Drive safely. And you know… mi casa es su casa.”

Blaire smiled. “Gracias.”

Ben turned to me. “Don’t forget what I said, okay?”

I nodded. He gave me a small salute and then he retreated toward his house.

“He’s always been accommodating,” Blaire said.

I opened the passenger door for her. “Yes.”

Ben was right. We were close before the court ruled against my adoption. But still, something about him was off. Yesterday he was completely normal. This morning, he was just acting weird.

“Are you okay, babe?” Blaire asked, noticing my unusually quiet demeanor.

I reached for her hand and gave it a kiss. “Yes.”

“You’re quiet. Something bothering you?”

I sighed. “Ben was acting weird. Unusually too accommodating.”

“What did he say?”

I shrugged. “He said I’m always welcome in their home. And that he’s always got my back.”

“That’s sweet.”

I nodded. “Must be nothing. Let’s forget about it. So, you have enough clothes left at the shed or do you want to make a quick stop at home?”

“I think I left enough. Besides, I can always borrow one of yours,” she said, flashing me a bright smile.

I don’t think it would be possible for me to ever stop falling for her more and more each day. And every day it becomes a struggle to try to hide from the world what we are to each other.

I loved her and I wanted to give her everything that she deserved. I know, she deserved a boyfriend who was proud to be seen with her, not worried to death that her parents would see her lip-locked with each other. I wasn’t worried about what they would do to me. I was worried about what her father would do to her. I can live on my own. She, on the other hand, does not deserve to be snatched off her perfect little world… at least not yet.

The weeks zoomed by and before we knew it, it was almost spring break. I planned a little getaway with her. There’s a Spring Fest in Charleston. I booked the same suite we stayed in the first time we met at the Red Festival. We barely knew anybody in Charleston. At least, for a whole weekend, I could show her off as my girlfriend and not my foster sister whom I was harboring forbidden feelings for.

Everything was set. My mother flew to Europe, so there was no need to ask for her permission. It would be easier to just send her an SMS. She told her father that she would go to Charleston for the festival, and I told him I was going to visit my biological father in Seattle. He didn’t care much about where she was going and it had been part of our agreement that I would still stay in touch with my biological father. The plan was perfect.

It made sense to ride together to the airport. Only, my father didn’t know we were taking the same flight to Charleston.

I kept my face stoic, keeping a cool façade to prevent any body from suspecting anything. Including her father’s drivers. Once we sat on our seats, I looked around us to see if I knew anybody in the plane with us. When I was satisfied that we didn’t have any risk of being named, I grabbed her hand, intertwined our fingers and brought it my lips.

She gave me a bright smile.

“You can breathe now,” she whispered.

I smiled. “I’m sorry. I don’t like sneaking around.”

She nodded. “But that’s exactly what we’ve been doing for more than half a year now.”

“And you deserve so much better.”

She shook her head. “I deserve you. And there’s nothing better than that.”

She said that with so much pride in her voice, it made me realize how highly she thought of me, and how she didn’t care that she was being kept a secret when she was every bit a trophy girlfriend.

“This weekend, we should forget that your parents ever adopted me at all. I was the stranger you met at the Red Festival, we hit it off and we were inseparable ever since,” I said to her.

She beamed at me. “I would like that.”

I have this weekend to make it all up to her. All those months of pretending she was no more than a sister to me. All the times I kept her like a dirty little secret, like a skeleton in my closet. I have forty-eight hours to show her exactly how lucky I felt that she was my girlfriend. If only for this weekend, I would treat her exactly the way she deserved to be treated.

A couple of hours later, we walked hand in hand in the lobby of our hotel.

“Reservations for Zachary Reed, please,” I said to the reception.

She took my ID.

“Would you be staying alone, Mr. Reed?”

I shook my head and handed her Blaire’s ID. “No. I’ll be with my girlfriend.”

She smiled at me and continued keying in our details. A few minutes later, Blaire and I were walking toward the penthouse suite. I grinned at her and swept her off her feet as we reached the door of our suite. She was laughing when we swiped our room key card.

We made love the minute we hit the matrimonial bed. I treasured her, showered her with kisses. I did what I could to show her how lucky I felt that I was the guy with her, how proud I was that she chose me out of dozens of guys who were interested in her. She chose me, in spite of the complications, the risks… the danger.

It was late in the afternoon when we emerged from our hotel room. We stepped into the busy streets side by side. I grabbed her hand and intertwined our fingers. She looked up to me and grinned.

“I’m holding hands with my girlfriend,” I said to her.

“And how is it?”

“Feels so damn good!” I leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. I felt like my chest was about to break. This was what it felt like to have a girlfriend! This was how good it felt to show the world that I am Blaire Stewart’s boyfriend.

When we entered the concert grounds, my arm was around her shoulders. I could see some guys staring curiously at her and then at me. I couldn’t help the wide grin on my face.

That’s right! All you could do is stare. This hot girl is mine!

She was beaming at me brightly and I don’t think I’ve seen her happier than this. She would reach up to me once in a while and give me a kiss on the lips or on my jaw. I found out that Blaire didn’t mind a little PDA once in a while. She would happily hug me as we both listened to the music of the bands playing on stage.

The band played Scorpion’s ‘You and I.’ I leaned down and gave her a thorough kiss on the lips.

“You realize that was the same song playing when we first kissed?” she asked.

I smiled and nodded. “I know. I remember every moment we have together, baby girl.”

“If we haven’t met here at the concert that night, do you think we will be like this at all? If I’d met you at home and found out you were my brother first?”

That was a tough question. I know I would find her beautiful, but the protective brotherly instinct I always had for her would definitely prevent me from going after her. Knowing we weren’t related by blood nor on paper would definitely make it a struggle for me to fight temptations.

“Depends.”

“On what?”

“On you. I would never do anything against your will, baby girl. If you won’t allow me to touch you, I won’t. I was fated to be a good big brother. I would never take advantage of you.”

She narrowed her eyes at me and gave me a small pout, pretending to be offended. “You wouldn’t?”

I raised my brow and gave her a mischievous smile. I pulled her to me and took a nip at her earlobe. Then I whispered in her ear, “But I can’t be responsible for my actions… after dark.”

I planted a wet kiss on her neck, making her moan.

“Zach…”

“To answer your question… it may take a longer time, but yes. Eventually, I’m going to take you…” I kissed her on the neck again. “Possess you…” I kissed her jaw. “Make love to you…” I nipped her earlobe once again. Then I whispered in her ear, “Fuck you.”

“Zach…” I felt her weaken. She held on to me like she was holding on for dear life.

“Yes, baby girl?”

“Let’s…” she breathed, unable to finish her sentence.

“Let’s what, little sis? What do you want?”

“Take me back to our hotel suite,” she whispered.

I grinned at her. “Why? Do you want me to take advantage of you… again?”

“Yes, please,” she replied without hesitation.

I laughed and planted a firm kiss on her lips. “Well, I suppose heaven can’t wait.”

I pulled her toward the exit gates.

“Bee!” I heard somebody shouting on our right side.

Blaire spun around and then I felt her pull her hand back. I frowned when I saw her distance herself from me, her attention fixated on the girl approaching her. But as the girl came closer, I realized the reason behind her reaction.

It was the girl called Jessie. Behind her was the girl called Marie, holding hands with a very familiar-looking boy.

Fuck!

Jessie and Marie gave Blaire big hugs. In between the excited squeals and laughter, I focused my attention on Kenzo, who knew exactly what was going on in my mind… and possibly between Blaire and me. Why else would we be here together?

Jessie and Marie finally noticed me.

“Oh my God!” they said. They turned to Blaire. “I thought you two have lost contact after the Red Fest? I thought you haven’t seen each other since then?”

“Why wouldn’t they be seeing each other?” The boy who put his arm around Marie’s shoulders was no other than our cousin Damien. “They’re family.”

Can the world really be that small?

“What do mean, they’re family?” Jessie asked.

Damien stared at them like they were a bunch of imbeciles. “Zachary is Blaire’s brother.” He then turned to us. “What’s up, cousins?”

Fuck!

A moment ago, heaven couldn’t wait. But right now, I felt like we’ve opened the doors that led straight to hell!