SNAKE (a Stepbrother Romance) (14 page)

D
ays later
, I was alone and miserable at home.
So, nothing new, then.
I felt like I had no purpose or direction in life; work, come home, sleep, then repeat it all over again with nothing in between to make the heartache go away.

Surprised by the doorbell interrupting my feeling-sorry-for-myself session, I got up reluctantly and headed towards the door.

“Hello, Devan,” my mother greeted me from the doorstep, her eyes furious, and barged past me into the house.

“Er, hi,” I replied and shut the door.

My eyebrows shot up as I leaned in for a hug, which she refused. She was pissed, yet I had no idea why. Before I could ask, she started yelling at me.

“Why the hell are you back here?” she barked and I just stared at her in confusion.

“Cause this is where I live? What are you on about, Mom?” I demanded to know.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, mister,” she said as she jammed a finger into my chest.

I couldn’t help it - a smile appeared on my lips, it always amused me when my tiny mom, five foot two, shouted at me from all the way down there. But she was obviously angry, and even though I had no idea why, I had a feeling I was about to find out.

“Don’t you grin at me like that! This is serious, Devan!”

“Fine,” I said and wiped the smile from my face. “Care to explain what this is all about?” I asked as I followed her inside, finally stopping in the kitchen.

“As if you don’t know!” Mom huffed and puffed as she set her purse down on the counter and came up to me. “It’s about Mila, you buffoon.”

My expression darkened and I looked away.

“Oh, now he’s embarrassed,” my mother sighed dramatically. “I have a right mind to smack you silly, Devan.”

“How about you butt out instead?” I asked her through gritted teeth. I didn’t want a talking to from my mother, of all people, about this. It was embarrassing. The simple fact was Mila had moved on, and I had just started coming to terms with it.

“I will not, because you’re doing the wrong thing,” Mom said determinedly. “I kept my mouth shut the first time around, and you have a failed marriage now. But I won’t let you walk away from happiness. Not now that…” she trailed off.

“Now that what?” I asked.

She shook her head.

“I can’t turn her life upside down again,” I admitted weakly. “I went there and saw her with someone else… She’s moved on Mom! I was a prick to her, and she probably thinks I’m scum. I cheated on Monique.”

“Yeah, I can do the math, honey,” my mom said, but I didn’t fully understand her comment. We exchanged hesitant smiles. After that, she sighed and took my hand in hers.

“But - and I’m not excusing anything – do you love her?” she asked softly.

I didn’t have to think about my answer. Even if I had tried to lie, my eyes would reveal the truth. “I do,” I admitted.

“But Mom, she’s my stepsister,” I said next, and she interrupted me before I could get another word out.

“Stop finding excuses, Devan,” she scolded, her tone stricter than before. “Why are you so afraid to go after what you want?”

I was quiet for a long time.

“She called me, you know?”

I shook my head. “What did she say?”

With sad eyes my mom replied, “She’s not over you, either. I’m sure of it.”

“But what did she say?” I demanded.

“You need to talk to her if you want to find that out, Devan.”

My mom refused to speak on the subject after that, no matter how hard I tried to wrangle any further information from her. It was no use, so we had a quick cup of coffee together before she left on another errand.

After I closed the front door, I tumbled on the couch in my living room, feeling exhausted. But I couldn’t stop my mind from wandering. I knew my mother was right - I was being a jackass staying away from her. The only way I was going to either move on or find out what the hell was going on was to speak to her directly.

I’d been waiting all this time... and for what? I should have gone after her the moment she left the apartment above the garage.

Guilt and remorse flooded me. This time, I wouldn’t walk away, no matter what.

I
couldn’t stop
myself from thinking about Devan. I tried to keep busy - which isn’t a hard task with a three-month-old baby - yet the thought of my stepbrother kept invading my mind.

But the thought I kept coming back to - he didn’t say hello. He may have stopped in my town, be it for business or otherwise, but he never said a word or had the courage to knock on my door.

Maybe I was right all along. He’s a cold-blooded snake. If he really wanted me, he would have done anything to get me back. Instead he stayed away like a coward. Yes there had been a few phone calls but that wasn’t enough…

Then again, I had called him every name under the sun for turning me into the other woman.

I know he’s not fully to blame, I thought as I rocked George to sleep. Maybe I had overreacted, flying to another state just to stay away, and hiding all of this from him; keeping my pregnancy a secret, coming to the decision that it was for the best solution for everyone involved.

But my father was right; I knew that deep down. Devan had every right to know he had a son and I’d deprived him of that for all these months, yet now, I had no idea how to tell him. It would be a difficult conversation, and I was already dreading having it. Would he hate me as surely he did Monique?

I went downstairs and made myself a cup of tea, hoping to calm down. Tension was bubbling under my skin, ready to burst. Knowing I couldn’t go on like that for much longer, I sighed heavily.

The doorbell interrupted my thoughts and I checked the time on the clock in the kitchen. Mid-morning - perhaps it was the postman delivering some packages.

Setting my steaming cup down on the counter, I headed for the door, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

I opened the door, saying, “I hope you have the newspaper today.”

“Nope, didn’t bring it,” a voice said quietly and I raised my eyes to see a very familiar gaze boring into mine. My breath caught in my throat and my eyes immediately watered as I stared and stared, his sparkling green eyes just as I remembered them.

It was Devan, right there on my doorstep. Dressed in a tantalizing black t-shirt and jeans. The t-shirt cut his frame, clinging to his muscles, and I noticed the sleeves covered and hid the head of his tattooed snake.

I opened my mouth, needing to say so many things, yet not a word came out at all. Besides, he was talking a mile a minute.

“Please, Mila - I know you’re tempted to close the door in my face, but give me a moment to speak?” he said quickly. Even if I wanted to tell him to leave - which I did not - I couldn’t have; I was glued to the spot, just staring at my stepbrother as he talked.

“I know you don’t want to see me, and that you’ve moved on with your life,” he said, and I could hear the pain in his voice. “I know you have a child now, a boyfriend…”

I tried to speak up, to correct his mistake, but he stopped me with a hand in the air. “Let me finish, please.”

Closing my mouth, I drank him in with my eyes, relishing every feature of his I’d missed so much. Even the winding length of the snake’s body around his arm.

There was no doubt about it.

Even one year after, I was still head over heels in love with my stepbrother.

“I couldn’t live my life one single moment longer without telling you how I feel,” he told me sincerely.

“I’ve battled with myself for a long time, Mila. I was so miserable, but I thought I was doing the right thing. I wanted to leave you alone to live your happy life with your boyfriend-”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I blurted out before I could stop myself, and his eyes filled with hope at my confession.

“Oh,” he smiled. I could see the relief and longing grow in his eyes and a smile appeared on my lips as I looked at him.

“Give me just a moment, would you? I’ll be right back,” he asked in a rush and I could only stare as he fled from the porch and disappeared around the corner.

You’ve said that to me before,
I thought.

My heart started to ache right away, even though he was still visible down the street. He was getting something out of his truck, an enormous bulky object covered with a dustsheet and topped with blue bow. He got it to my doorstep finally, beaming as he presented me with a gift.

“For you,” he said shyly. “Will you open it?”

“Why don’t we do that inside?” I offered softly, giving him a sweet smile when I saw how excited my invitation made him.

He grabbed the object, his muscles flexing under the strain, and carried it inside. He looked around the house as we walked in. Dev set the gift down in the living room and I hovered over it, the anticipation growing. I flicked my eyes up to him nervously.

“Just yank the sheet off,” he encouraged.

As I did what he suggested, Devan fidgeted and waited for my reaction.

“I hope you like it,” he told me. “I made it myself.”

The covering came away and finally, his gift came to life in front of my eyes.

It was a crib, a gorgeous, white, hand-carved one, adorned with tiny wildlife animals on each upright corner. My eyes immediately watered, it was hard to see, and I clutched my chest as I got up, staring at it, admiring it from every angle. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“I thought it would be nice for the baby. I didn’t know if you had one already… I’ll take it away, obviously - if you don’t want it.”

I thought of the crib George had now, something I had always said was temporary while I searched for the perfect one. And now here was Devan, presenting me with a crib he’d made all by himself.

“Dev, it’s beautiful,” I said softly. “I can’t believe you made that. Of course, I’d love to use it… George will love it.”

A smile lit up his face. “George,” he whispered. “Do you mind…” He hesitated and I encouraged him to go on.

“Do you mind if I see him?” he finally asked and I blushed lightly at the thought.

Father and son, finally in the same room together. Was I ready for this?

I would find out, I thought and bit my lip trying to find the courage to say the words. “Of course.”

We walked upstairs together, and Devan’s hand lightly brushed mine as we went. Electricity coursed through my body and it felt so good that I almost wanted to take him and drag him into my own bedroom instead, wanting him to wrap me up in his arms for the rest of time.

But soon, we reached the nursery and stepped inside quietly.

“Here he is. This is George,” I whispered as we leaned over the crib, looking at our peaceful son’s face. He was sleeping safe and sound, not a worry on his mind.

I watched Devan carefully for his reaction, biting my lower lip nervously. I had no idea how he would react, but as I saw a gentle smile on his face and the look of love in his eyes, I knew it would be good.

George had instantly transformed this man into a dad, even though he had no idea he was his child.

I needed to tell him.

“Mila,” Dev said all of a sudden, looking up at me with fierce determination in his eyes. “I know this might sound stupid, but I… I want to take care of you both. I don’t care if he’s not my son. You two are everything I’ve ever dreamed of. I love you and only you.”

“I… But how can I trust you?” I asked softly and he looked heartbroken for a moment. But then a smile lit up his face once again.

“Because you’re the only one I ever wanted, if I’m honest with myself,” he admitted in a quiet voice, and my heart swelled with love for the amazing man in front of me. “I know I’ve made mistakes in the past, and I have paid for them. But that man is not the man that stands before you today. I will never ever hurt you.”

I knew I had to tell him right there and then. I opened my lips and the words just spilled out. “He’s yours…”

Devan looked confused, his eyes widening as I admitted it out loud. I swallowed, needing to make it all even clearer.

“George is your son,” I finally told him.

“
W
hat did you say
?” My voice was shaking, my hands gripping the crib frame as I looked at Mila then at the quiet baby.

“He’s yours,” she repeated, and my world imploded.

This beautiful boy, a baby… all mine. After years of trying with Monique, Mila and I had conceived a child in one night of lovemaking.

Overwhelming feelings swam through my body as I came to terms with the fact that I had a son. How could I not have known sooner? The baby was about three months old, so she must have had him nine months after our night together. The maths was undeniable.

The maths…
I thought as the word reminded me of the conversation with my mom.
She knew.

My eyes filled with tears. I had never been a crier, but the new knowledge was too overwhelming.

“Thank you,” I managed to say softly, stepping away from the crib where George was sleeping safe and sound. Hesitantly, I walked over to Mila, unsure whether she would step away from me.

But she didn’t move an inch and stared at me expectantly. I knew we had both been waiting for this moment for a long, long time.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Are you okay?” she asked me, and I could see how unsure she was. She’d had no idea how I would react, how I’d accept the fact that I had a son.

“I’m more than okay,” I clarified for her. “I’m ecstatic, Mila. You just made me the happiest man on earth.”

Her face split into a smile and so did mine as I finally reached for her. I took her hand in mine, brought it up to my lips and left a fleeting kiss on her goose-pimpled skin.

“Come on, let’s have a cup of coffee,” she offered quietly, so as not to disturb the baby. I nodded, even though I had very different things on my mind than just a cuppa.

We headed downstairs and Mila told me about George as she prepared the hot beverage. He was doing well for his age; he was healthy in all aspects and a happy baby, too.

She told me about the long nights she’d had and how Suzanne had helped her for a while. Her cousin had left a few weeks ago, and now it was just Mila and George.

My heart swelled with emotion as I thought about her doing all of it on her own. I was filled with regret at not being there for her, and I voiced my worries to Mila as she set down two steaming cups on the dining room table.

“Don’t worry, Dev,” she said, giving me a genuine smile. “It was all my fault. I should have told you about him sooner, but you had so much going on… and I stupidly thought it was for the best. I didn’t know how my dad and your mom would react.”

I nodded. “Now that I know, though, I won’t take a step away from the two of you.” I gave her a solemn promise, and she smiled. “If you’ll let me, of course…” Hesitantly, I looked up into her eyes.

This was the moment everything depended on, the second that would determine our future - together or apart.

I could see the inner battle in Mila’s eyes, but soon, it was replaced by happiness. “I want you in our lives too, Devan,” she admitted and a huge smile took over my face.

The cup of coffee in front of me was soon forgotten as I stood and walked to Mila. Her hand fluttered to her chest as I pulled her up gently. She was looking down.

Gently, I tipped her chin backwards, making her look at me. She was so goddamn beautiful, and I couldn’t resist any longer. I had tortured myself long enough.

“I never stopped wanting you. I need you so damn much, Mila.”

I leaned down against her lips, tasting her one more time. It felt like I was coming home; her touch warm, inviting and sensual.

She melted into my embrace, moulding her body to fit into mine. Our kiss was greedy; we couldn’t get enough. I explored her mouth as she whimpered beneath me, grabbing and pulling at my shirt with shaky fingers.

“Still unsure?” I asked her, moving away just long enough to give her a cheeky smile.

“I never was, not really,” she admitted softly, which made me kiss her again and again. I knew I would never have enough of her taste, her feel. She was amazing and the only one I’d ever wanted.

“How about we celebrate?” I asked in a husky tone and she giggled, blushing at the thought.

Before Mila could object, I pulled her towards the living room where there was a cosy rug in front of the fireplace. Our motions were impatient and ravenous as we ripped at each other’s clothes.

My one night with Mila was the best I’d ever had. And I knew each one after that would be even more special.

The buttons of her blouse flew all over the room as I stripped her, and she looked away self-consciously, covering her belly.

I kneeled down in front of her, my lips leaving kisses along her skin until she moved her hands away, letting me have a full view of her glorious body.

“You were beautiful before, Mila,” I told her, “but fuck, you are even more heavenly now.”

Motherhood had been good for Mila - her figure had filled out, her curves were more accentuated, her breasts heavy and full. She was even more irresistible and I needed her… badly.

“Dev,” she whispered as I moved to her tummy, pushing down her skirt to reveal a lacy pair of panties that was driving me insane already. “I don’t want to wait any longer. I’ve missed you so much.”

I didn’t need to be told twice.

We fell on the shaggy rug together, our lips caught in a never-ending kiss. I couldn’t get enough of her.

She stripped my clothes off, too, until I was naked in front of her. My hardness was bulging, ready to claim Mila for my own once and for all.

She stroked my length and I nearly lost it, her fingers deftly running along my cock until I begged her for more. Mila gave me a mischievous smile, and before I could react, she climbed on top of me.

My heart sped up. During sex I’d always been the one in control, on top, but I let her take the lead.

As my heartbeat quickened, Mila slowly lowered herself against my tip, her luscious arousal coating my cock, until finally she rocked her hips and I blissfully entered her wetness.

“Fuck,” I groaned right away, overwhelmed with what seemed like infinite sensations threatening to claim me. She was so tight, snug around my cock, but it felt so goddamn right and perfect. I knew instantly everything else in my life had been a farce. This, right here - Mila and I, was all I’d ever need. That and our new family.

She rode me slow, her hands on my bare chest for stability. I ran my hands up her thighs as she began to speed up, her huge tits swinging as she got faster, until I nearly lost it. Swaying her hips, she drove me crazy with each motion, making me fill her deeper with each stroke into her pussy.

I took hold of her heavy breasts and thumbed at her hardened nipples, making her whimper and her breath hitch.

“Mila,” I said through gritted teeth. “I can’t hold on any longer, baby.”

“Then come in my pussy, Dev,” she purred in my ear, leaning down so her hair fell around us like a silken curtain.

I groaned at her command and grabbed her hips, helping her to grind against my shaft until we were both gasping for air, calling each other’s names.

With a final thrust, I knew I couldn’t hold back any longer. I filled her up with my seed, a blessed smile on my lips as I made love to her.

“I love you so much,” I whispered in her ear, and I could feel her heartbeat quicken against my hot skin. I pulled her down so we were both lying on the rug, and she smiled at me.

“I love you too, Dev,” she told me with all sincerity.

That was the happiest moment of my life as the woman of my dreams lay content in my arms, our child sleeping safe and sound on the upper floor. I grinned as I pulled her against me and she settled into the crook of my arm.

“I think we don’t have a choice,” I said cheekily. “We owe it to ourselves to give this a go. And to George, too.”

“Not to mention the amazing sex,” Mila teased. “Don’t forget about that.”

I pulled her closer, giving her a long and passionate kiss. “How could I? You just showed me what I’ve been missing my whole life, and there’s no way I’m going back.”

We lay in a hazy silence, my fingers gently stroking Mila’s skin, hers exploring the ink upon my chest. The rug felt nice and cosy against my back and if I had it my way, we’d stay like that for a long few days. Just making love and talking… we needed nothing else.

“Dev,” Mila started hesitantly, and I met her concerned gaze. “What will our parents think?”

I laughed slowly. “I don’t think it will be a big surprise to them,” I admitted with a grin. “I also don’t fucking care. You and me, Mila… we’re meant to be. I don’t care what anyone says as long as I have you and George.”

Her eyes lit up as I said that, and slowly she broke into a smile. I held her close, never breaking our eye contact. I had something else to say.

“I’ve been a snake, I admit it, Mila. A complete idiot,” I said with a heavy heart. “But now it’s time to turn over a new leaf. In just a few hours, you’ve made me the happiest man in the world. I cannot wait to see what else lies in store for us.”

Her fingers stroked my stubbled chin, outlining my features as she smiled at me. “I know, Devan,” she said softly. “I feel so guilty. I’ve called you so many names in my mind after what we did. I felt so much shame and I blamed you so much. And yes, we were so wrong to do what we did, but that didn’t automatically mean you were the bad guy, the cold-blooded snake…”

I felt my expression fall, but she made me keep looking at her. “Mila,” I complained.

“Shh,” she said softly. “I’m not finished.”

I made myself stay in place as I waited for her final words of wisdom, already petrified of what they might be.

“Now I see, it wasn’t as black and white or clear cut as I thought,” she finally started. “You needed the warmth of someone else to keep you going, to stop you from disappearing completely. You needed love to really feel alive, just like a snake needs the sun to survive. And I’m going to be there to give you that, Devan.”

I smiled, slow but ecstatic, as she left a long kiss on my lips.

“You’re my snake now,” she said proudly, her eyes full of love. “I’ll take care of you. Give you all the love you’ll ever need.”

I wrapped her up in my arms, tight as I could. “Come here, Tiger. I’m never going to let you go. You don’t know how much I need you; you’re my everything.”