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52 || Number one
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Miss Gates hasn’t visited yet. I’m not happy but I’m relieved. It would have been awkward, as awkward as it was on Wednesday evening when Jackson knocked and Calum opened the door. Thinking about that day makes me annoyed. He’s not jealous. He doesn’t care what I do with my life.
Today is the game. I pair Jackson’s white jersey with a black jeans. Girlfriend duties but the thought leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Number one is written behind in blue colour. I smoothen the front of the jersey and smile at my reflection in the mirror. My pink hair contrasts with my outfit. I look like someone emptied a rainbow on me.
Calum’s door opens. I’ve become more attuned to the sound since we broke up.
People break up and get back together all the time. That knowledge and the fact he hasn’t played his guitar comforts me a little. Maybe I’m pathetic for waiting on him but I think this is a phase. Phases a
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To Tempt My Stepbrother 53 || Walk of shame
The walk of shame to Calum’s car is the longest walk of my life. I get in the front seat, fasten my seatbelt and we spend the next second glaring at each other because he hasn’t buckled up.Clenching the steering so hard his knuckles are white, he mutters, “You make things so hard for everyone.” Of course I do. It’s always my fault. My breath fogs the window, I wipe the moisture and draw a broken heart on the surface. “Practice is at four. Be on time.”I tug on the hem of Jackson’s jersey but he doesn’t get the hint. “There’s a game today.” My eyes fall to his chest. No seatbelt. This is plain wickedness. My mouth opens but I can’t find the words to reprimand Calum, neither do I have the strength or will to walk to school. Lowering my gaze to my jeans, I poke the cuts on the knee area. “By four.”“The game doesn’t affect practice.”
To Tempt My Stepbrother 54 || Anywhere but Tesco
Calum ignored the note.When I came in, he didn’t get a chance to kick me out before I offered him the note saying, “It was from my dad.” After that, we stared at each other for a while before he asked me to stand aside.Now, they are singing and I’m a bloody spectator who has front row view to everyone’s side profiles.I missed Jackson’s game for this.Rose offers me a smile but I can’t see past my fury. Brimming with annoyance, I shove my hands into my pockets. My back hits the wall as I rock on my heels to keep my anger in check. Regina smiles through her chorus. God help me but I want to punch her. I want to punch her, then punch Calum.The singing continues and I’m so upset I want to cry. As if it’s not enough that I’m unable to partake in the singing, the door opens and Miss Gates walks in. The others don’t notice her due to their singing but I do.
To Tempt My Stepbrother 55 || Red
Red. It’s the colour of lipstick on Calum’s shirt when I open the door for him. I wouldn’t have if Dad didn’t request me to. We were about to finish dinner when the bell rang. I step back for my stepbrother to enter inside and he grins. “Did you have fun at the game?” Calum asks. As carefree as he looks, asking me that without a hint of malice in his voice, something hot swells in my chest.My tone is chilly and robotic. “So much fun.” Calum clicks his tongue, obviously annoyed by my answer but I don’t care to take back my words. A lot of questions invade my mind. Did they kiss? They must have. Did he sing for her? That’s our thing. I follow behind him, making faces at his back. He joins us at the dining table and Dani pulls out a small plate for him. I can’t help stealing glances at him. How could he miss it? Why is no one talking about his shirt, even Dad? “How was your date?” his mum asks.Dani finishes up her meal and cradles her glass of orange juice. I stab my chicken,
To Tempt My Stepbrother 56 || Selfish brat
I’m avoiding my stepbrother. Turns out that’s easier than I thought. Or, it could be that he’s also avoiding me. We don’t get to see each other except at the rehearsals. The only thing going well in my life is the choir practice. If I didn’t have the solo to look forward to, I might have hated practice.Six more days until the competition begins.Am I nervous? Hell, yeah.Will I kill it? Hell, yeah.But for now, I have to figure out a way to get to school without Calum. Jackson’s car is yet to be fixed. Dad was my ride yesterday and he spent half the time asking about Jackson, if I could handle dating in high school. I want to avoid that today.Standing in front of my room, I text Amelia to know her location. The door to Calum’s room opens, a little too fast for me to run into mine. I thought he was gone. I beep Amelia again.“Hey,” Calum says.His shoes appear inches away from min
To Tempt My Stepbrother 57 || She’s
She’s pretty.She’s sexy.She’s not in high school.She’s not his stepsister.She smells of money.She reeks of confidence.My head spins with a thousand reasons why my stepbrother is grinning at this beautiful woman walking like a model on the runway. The more I watch them, the more I realise how unsuitable I am for him. Calum doesn’t wait for the lady to cover the distance, he rushes over to her with as much grace as a teacher can and hugs her.They hug. I mean, they hug for ten seconds. Yes I’m counting. I’ve been counting every second away from him. Every second in this friendzone.I hate it there.The team erupts in murmurs, Regina leans over to Christie and whispers something in her ear. I’m the only quiet one. My eyes are glued to the pair speaking in hushed tones and hugging like lovers reconciling. The lady is tall and
To Tempt My Stepbrother 58 || Painful mess
Dinner is a painful mess. I’m forced to eat on the same table as Calum and Tessa. Dani is in love with Calum’s guest. Dad also seems to get carried away by her jokes. She’s not even that funny.Pointing a fork at Calum, Dani asks, “What time does the show start?” She looks at my dad with a small smile. “I’m not sure we can make it, Pete.”“It’s fine,” Calum answers. “You don’t have to be there, Mum.” To my dad, he adds, “We’ll be fine.”“Yep,” Tessa adds. “We will make you two proud.”I am so tempted to ask what show but I’m still on the mission: Don’t talk to Calum. He brought a woman to our house without my permission.Am I allowed to be furious with him for that? No. Yes. Watching the video and scrolling through the pictures Rose sent didn’t help. I feel like shit for refusing to hear h
To Tempt My Stepbrother 59 || Spill it
CALUMYou don’t know how much you miss someone until you see them again. That’s how I feel with Tessa. For the life of me, I can’t stop grinning at her. Tessa catches me smiling for the umpteenth time and smacks the back of my head. I almost forgot she used to be a fighter. Ben struck gold with her.Walking around my room, inspecting stuff and giving them a look of approval or disapproval, she says, “Your stepsister doesn’t seem chatty.”To tell her or not to tell her about us.I bring out my guitar instead. Tomorrow is the runway show. My nerves are in a knot. I can’t get my head out of my ass because I’m still thinking of Cathy. I knew I fucked up the first time with my words, so I went back a second and third time to fix it but it only got worse. Cathy was not wrong about me wanting her but unlike her, I can’t act on my emotions. I’m older and I should know better.The date wi
To Tempt My Stepbrother 60 || Once upon a time
CALUM“Don’t you think that was unnecessary?” I ask, making reference to how Tessa acted to make my stepsister jealous. “You didn’t have to kiss me.”“I kissed your cheek, Cal,” Tessa replies with an eye roll. She is a great actress, she fooled me for a second. A frustrated groan tunnels out of my lips. I am still thinking of Cathy, how heart broken she seemed. She is hurting and I don’t like it. I don’t like to think I’m the cause of her misery. “And no, it was not unnecessary.” She hands me a compact mirror and smacks her lips as she stares at her reflection. We are in the backseat of the rental car. “The only thing unnecessary was her rudeness.”“She’s being a teenager, Tessa.” Cathy didn’t mean any of the things she told me. She might act all tough but on the inside, she is soft, a good girl. It’s all a facade she drops around me alone and
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To Tempt My Stepbrother Epilogue
I should have taken Calum’s suggestion of a family dinner date. As I stare at the sauce in the pan, the colour changed by the black pepper I poured in, my brows wrinkle. This is not good. I touch the spatula to my palm to have a taste. It’s not horrible nor tasty but it’s edible. Turning off the cooker, I grab the plates for dinner from the cabinet.A kick from inside my belly has both hands lowering to cup my bump. I fold the hem of my shirt to reveal my protruding belly. This pregnancy is so much easier with Calum. I have someone to bother when the midnight cravings sweep in. Grabbing the plates and tray, I dish out dinner for Mace and I. Calum will be home past his son’s bedtime, thanks to Scott and the new album the band will be releasing next month.Through the open kitchen door, I try to spy on Mace. But the curly blondie is nowhere in sight. He must be playing with the guitar his dad gifted him on his last birthday. I’m not sure I want him to follow the same path as both of his
To Tempt My Stepbrother 59 || Use me
My ring is pretty. Too pretty. I stretch my hand in front of me and wiggle my fingers. Calum is all smiles beside me, and the rest of the table have similar grins. We changed tables when everyone arrived. Two bottles of wine sit open on the table. My glass is as full as it was when we shared a toast to my future with Calum. I can’t drink or eat with all the butterflies dancing in my belly.“Now we can call you Mrs Dissick,” Lucas says. The whole table laughs. They are all dressed so formally. No suits for them but matching button-up shirts and tailored slacks. Lucas even wore proper Oxford shoes.Rose smiles, and Taylor mirrors it. They are seated side by side. She glances at Calum, her red hair whooshing as she cocks her head.“You’re about to marry your stepbrother,” she whispers. Her voice is loud and carries round the table. The table falls quiet as nervousness creeps in. She brings her glass to her lips, offers a remorseful grin and gulps the entire content down. “Cheers.” Luca
To Tempt My Stepbrother 58 || Marry this man
CALUMI asked Pete’s permission to marry Cathy. I also asked Mum, and she was overly excited to give her blessings. Having both parents blessings builds my anxiety. I pace the entirety of our room, my sweaty palms closing and opening. Cathy is with her friends. Mace is with his grandparents.The phone on the bed rings. I jump. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and stalk to the bed to pick up the phone. It’s a missed call from Lucas. He didn’t even let it ring. I unlock the phone as a text from him enters. Luc: stop worrying. She will say yes.I roll my eyes at my screen, but a smile tugs the corners of my lips. Cathy has no choice. She’s my wife. Walking back to the front of the mirror, I smoothen my tux and adjust my stripped tie. My curls cling to my scalp, thanks to the excess gel I applied earlier. I massage my clean-shaven jaw, and the same hand slides to the back of my neck.The last time I had to dress formally was when I was Cathy’s music teacher. I spin as the door opens
To Tempt My Stepbrother 57 || You came
Dad’s here. Oh my God. Dad is here. Dad. Jason. Rose and Taylor. I’m vibrating with happiness, too stunned to move or react. Calum nudges me with his hip, and I snap out of it. I jump into Dad’s arms, trying to draw all four of them into a hug.Laughter rings out around me as we tear away from the group hug. Dad grins. I smile but it wanes when I notice more of his grey hairs. I pat the greying hairs at his temples and his hand covers mine. He has aged.“You came,” I say to him.“Calum arranged it,” he replies.I hug him again. Only him. My tears wet his shirt as he strokes my lower back. A tug on the hem of my top forces us to break apart.“Mama,” Mace says. Squatting to his height, I offer him a weak smile. He wipes my wet cheeks, and his lips purse. “Mama. No cry.” “No crying for Mama,” I whisper. I hear a chorus of awws and oos, but I don’t look around. Handing Mace to Calum, I take turns hugging my best friends. I hug Jason last, and I hug him the longest. He’s a huge reminder
To Tempt My Stepbrother 56 || Surprise
It’s the last day of the Manchester tour. We can spend a few days before leaving. There are mixed reactions to this. I’m excited to move to another city but reluctant to leave all the memories we created here. Calum doesn’t care as long as we are by his side.“What are you thinking?” Calum asks.His lips brush the space between my boobs. Hooded eyes stare at me, causing a flip in my belly. My lips part, but my reply dies on my tongue as his hairy jaw scratches my nipple. I shiver, and he offers me a wicked grin. On some days, like today, I find it impossible to believe this man was a virgin until me. I run my fingers through the mess of his hair. His fingers dip into my warmth, teasing a little to remind me how we spent our night. I’m quickly relearning his taste.Calum is always super hyped after every performance and if I don’t get away from him as fast as possible, we will fuck in whatever space avai
To Tempt My Stepbrother 55 || I love you forever
Voices from outside drag me out of dreamland. I blink fast, staring at the ceiling until my mind reels to a stop. Calum’s side of the bed is empty. Same with Mace’s crib. I roll over to the other end of the bed, smiling at Mace’s empty crib. A knot twists in my belly as the memory of our late night and early morning activities flood my mind. I’m alone in the room, but my cheeks still heat up due to shyness.If Calum is not here, he must have gone to get Mace. Father and son are most likely together, bonding. I grab my phone from the nightstand. There are missed calls from Dad. After a long call with Dad, Jason, Taylor and Rose, I head into the bathroom.The boys are performing today but I’m not. As exciting as yesterday was, I need a break. Mace and I will watch from the VIP section. I wear one of Calum’s big shirts over my skimpy nightwear. Calum can hardly keep his hands to himself and he proved that last night with the numbe
To Tempt My Stepbrother 54 || Are you scared?
I did great. Not good, great. And everyone who spotted me after the boys performance has not failed to mention that. The feeling of being appreciated and wanted builds in my chest. I rock on my heels, and my butt juts out in a happy dance. I’m happy. But the happiness dwindles when my eyes locate the phone on the bed. Dad isn’t answering his calls. Mace grabs the edge of his crib, his face registering the excitement missing on mine. He still has the headphones Calum had him wearing throughout their performance. I squat in front of his crib. I should put him to sleep but the nerves coursing through my body make it impossible to act or think straight. It feels like I unleashed the beast inside me going on that stage, and I haven’t figured out a way to keep it quiet. If Calum were here, I would maul him, pass off some of that energy to him through sex or a kiss. “Grandpapa Mace isn’t picking,” I tell Mace. My knees meet the ground, and my arms bracket the sides of his crib. He yawns an
To Tempt My Stepbrother 53 || Number one happy place
CALUMIt’s today. The boys are pumped, and so am I. Cathy and I won’t share the stage but she will perform before me, giving Mace and I a front row view of her performance. But it’s impossible to savour the excitement when she’s this nervous and threatening to bore a hole into the rug with her constant pacing. I stay as close to the door as possible. The more the gap between us, the lesser Cathy’s chances of getting mad. My last attempt at trying to calm her resulted in a shoe thrown at my face. This time I’m not alone. I’m with a reinforcement. The boys were nowhere to be found but Mace had no choice. His arms and feet dangle out of the carrier strapped to my chest. Mum wanted to take him while Cathy performed but I wanted both of us to watch from backstage. He has his noise cancellation headphones so he can’t hear a thing beside the playlists I created for him. “Cathy,” I mutter when she halts before the window. No reply. I clear my throat. “Baby.” Cathy turns on her heels and s
To Tempt My Stepbrother 52 || Whatever you want to be
Calum has been acting weird since he left me backstage. I want to believe it’s the talk he had with Dani that’s affecting his mood but she’s smiling. Mace too. I join grandma and grandson when Dani waves me over. Calum grins but makes no other attempt to welcome me. There are only two seats in the room. Usually, he would pull me down to his lap but nothing of the sort happens.I squat in front of Dani. Mace pouts. “Hey.”“Hey,” Mace replies.I giggle. I’ll never tire of hearing him speak. My eyes raise in time to meet Dani’s, and she tries to smile. I’ve been pushing Calum to talk to her but I don’t know if I have the heart to do the same. I’m not upset. I’m over it but don’t have the courage to face her.“How do you like the set up?” Dani asks.“Good,” I reply.They wanted to show us around. The boys prac
