All Chapters of Forbidden Desire:My Best Friend's Brother : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

[Kendall]“Thanks for inviting me,” I say, smiling at Elora as I nudge her with my shoulder.She laughs, lifting her champagne glass. “You needed a break, Kendall. It’s about time.”I wiggle my toes in the clear, saltwater pool and glance at her perfectly manicured feet. “Yeah, I don’t get out much.”Elora tilts her head knowingly. “Because you’re always at home taking care of your dad.”I nod, the usual heaviness settling in. “He’s not been the same since the heart attack. I’ve taken over most of the household stuff. Lucky he made enough money as a low-level guy before getting sick to take care of us. I owe him everything.”“You’re a good daughter,” she says sincerely before grinning again. “But today’s about mimosas and sunshine, so drink up.”I smile, taking another sip of my drink. Elora’s been my best friend since we were twelve, always dragging me into fun I didn’t know I needed. Sometimes I think she tries to live enough for both of us.When Marco Barone’s voice cuts across the

[Kendall] I’ve never been particularly popular, but there must be something to this dress, because men keep coming up to me, introducing themselves. Alessandro Barone, Marco’s younger brother, walks up to me, looking me up and down. “What’s your name, pretty girl?” he asks in a low tone, and I snort out a laugh. “You’ve known me since high school, Alessandro. I was the year ahead of you? We were in choir together?” He just looks at me blankly. “Kendall Risi,” I say, sighing, and his eyes widen. “No fucking way,” he says in a mumble, and for the first time I notice his eyes are a bit glassy. I don’t smell booze, though, so I suspect drugs. “You’ve been hanging out with Bruno too much,” I accuse, and Alessandro shrugs, smirking. “Maybe. I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you,” he says, stepping closer. I back away, not wanting to get cornered by him. “I guess that’s a compliment?” I say dryly. “Of course it is. Look at you,” he says, licking his lips. “I never noticed you be

[Kendall]I wake up with Camden's arms wrapped around me, and it takes me a long moment to figure out where I am and what’s going on.Then I remember last night—a flash across my memory of Bruno’s face—and I gasp.Camden murmurs something in his sleep and rocks against me, his morning erection pressing against my ass.I swallow hard.My teenage self would be over the moon right now, lying in bed with Camden, feeling his arms around me, his body pressed against mine—but I have no idea how to handle it.My mind is spinning between the confusion of this intimate closeness and the aching emptiness inside me. Part of me wants to cling to him and let myself forget, even if just for a little while.I just don’t want to think anymore. I don’t want to see Bruno’s dead body, think about the fact that he’s just...gone.I don’t want to think about Marco’s heavy breaths as he chased me through the woods.Or how I was only able to get rid of him by climbing over a rose bush that cut along my legs,

[Kendall] “You said you didn’t want to think. Did it help?” His words carry a weight, a quiet sincerity that makes my heart ache in a way I wasn’t prepared for. “I’m not thinking anything,” I whisper, my voice raw, as I look away, my fingers brushing over the marks he left on my skin. Camden laughs softly, rubbing a hand over his face. “Then it did work,” he chuckles, his laughter warm and somehow comforting, like a balm on my scattered nerves. I have no idea what to do with myself now. My body feels heavy and weightless at the same time, like I’m floating in some strange, blissful limbo. I stand up on shaky legs, unsure of what happens next, and mumble, “I think I’ll take a shower.” Camden nods, throwing a forearm over his eyes as if he, too, is processing what just happened, giving me space. I leave the room, the cool air of the hallway hitting me like a shock, and head to the bathroom. I stare at myself in the mirror for a long time, at the marks Camden left on my throat

[Camden]Kendall makes a surprised squeak, her head pressing into my thigh as I try to get a clearer look at the car on our tail.The sharp pop of gunfire rings out, followed by a shattering sound as a bullet takes out the back glass, splintering it like ice.“Fuck!” I curse, jerking the wheel hard to the left, cutting in front of an oncoming truck. If this asshole wants to play chicken, we’ll play.The truck horn blares, a deep, shuddering roar that reverberates through the car.I speed up, riding so close to the massive truck’s grille that the heat of the engine seems to pulse against my back. My heart pounds in my ears, but I hold steady, gripping the wheel so hard my knuckles go white. Just before we make contact, I catch a glimpse of the trucker’s wide-eyed, horrified face, and then yank the wheel to the right, swerving back into our lane at the last possible second.The old Ford behind us tries to follow but veers off-road, bouncing wildly in the dirt as it struggles to keep up