Stepbrother Untouchable (16 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“Are…are you alright?” she asks, taking another step toward
me.

“I'm, I'm just—” I break off as a sob escapes my lips. “I'm
sorry.”

“It's alright. I've got some tissues in my car—why don’t you
come sit down for a moment.”

I nod. In a saner moment, I might have questioned the safety
of getting into a strange woman's car, but this is not a sane moment. She wraps
her arm around my shoulders and leads me to the passenger side of her blue
sedan, parked just down the street from the gates of the house. She sits me
down then hurries around to the driver's side and gets in.

“Here you go,” she says, pulling a box of tissues from the
floor of the back seat.

“Thanks,” I murmur rather incoherently. She flips on the
car's overhead light. “Oh!” I exclaim. “You're the woman from the boathouse
parking lot.”

She smiles wryly. “I thought you saw me that day. I'm not a
stalker or anything. It's just, sometimes I like to get a glimpse of him,
that's all. See what he looks like, how he's doing.”

“I understand.”

“But what's happened to you? Is there anything I can do?”

“It's Pierce,” I murmur as more tears fall from my eyes at
the mention of his name.

“What'd he do now?”

“He…he made a pass at me at work. I mean, I actually wasn't
sure that's what it was right after, but then tonight he got on my case about
something I didn't even do, and that's when I knew for sure.”

“Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry,” she says, rubbing my shoulder.
“Pierce has a serious case of entitlement. He thinks that anything with a
vagina is fair game, even his stepdaughter, it seems.”

“I mean, I already knew he was an asshole from the way he
treats Nate, but I just hadn't felt it directed at me yet.”

She stills. “He doesn't treat Nate well?” she asks quietly.

“Oh, oh, I'm sorry,” I reply, looking at her through bleary
eyes. “He's…he's very hard on Nate. He calls him entitled, selfish, when I
think those are really things he knows deep down are true about himself.”

“My little Nate,” she murmurs to herself.

“But he's really…Nate is a good person, you should know
that. Well, to be honest, at first I thought he was more like Pierce, but
that's just a cover. Maybe it's that half his genes are yours, or maybe his
father raised him to be a better person than he is himself, I don't know. But
he's smart, funny, hardworking…”

“Thank you,” she says, taking my hand. “I'm sorry you have
to go through this. Did you tell your mom?”

“She found out at dinner, but…” I shake my head. “She's
completely under Pierce's spell. She gets like that about men, but I've never
seen her quite so enamored of one before him. She looks a lot like you,
actually,” I realize, studying her beautiful, slightly lined face.

“Pierce certainly has a type,” she says with a sad smile.

“There's another thing you should know…about Nate…I found
out after you called: he thinks you left because he was too much for you,
because he was a bad kid, basically. I tried to talk to him about it, really,
but he wouldn't hear it.”

“Nate was a wonderful child, and even if he'd been the devil
incarnate, I still wouldn't have left him.”

“Yeah, I figured as much. He said that the night before you
left, you and Pierce had a big fight over him, because he misbehaved, and
that's why you left the next day.”

“Oh, god,” she murmurs, covering her face in her hands. “He
must have felt so alone, so responsible. No…I remember that fight, because it was
our last. We'd been to some big gala that night, and we'd seen this woman there
who was in our circle at the time. I knew he'd cheated before, but he promised
me he'd stopped, and then at this party, I could just tell by the way they
looked at each other that they were sleeping together. I confronted him about
it at home, and he barely even bothered to deny it. I was yelling at him,
asking what kind of example he was setting for his son. I left…I never thought
that would be one of the last times I'd see Nate. I never thought that was even
a possibility.”

“I want to help you,” I say suddenly.

“What? No. You have too much going on already,” Eileen says,
shaking her head emphatically.

“No, I want to. Not just for you, either. For Nate. He needs
you in his life. I can tell that you're good, and kind, and he needs people
like that to love him. Please let me help you.”

“I don't want to put you in a position…I don't want to
jeopardize anything. You and Nate, you have a special relationship.”

“Um, sure, yeah, he's a great guy,” I hedge.

“Brynn…it's OK. I know.”

I swallow. “Know what?”

“When I saw you that day at the boathouse, I could just
tell. At first I thought you were his girlfriend, and then I realized who you
were, and I saw the way you two looked at each other. You're in love,” she
whispers. I begin to tug at my hair nervously. Shit. Shit. “You've acted on
your feelings?” It's all I can do to nod. “Do your parents know?” I shake my
head. “Brynn, you don't have to be embarrassed. Life's messy. People find love
wherever they can. Hell, it's not like you're breaking any laws.”

My tears begin to slip down my face again, renewed. “I can't
believe it's so obvious.”

“Maybe I just caught you two in an unguarded moment. But,
see, if Nate and you are together, I don't want to come between you.”

“Honestly, I'd like him to meet you. I think it might do him
some good. When Pierce was chewing me out tonight, he didn't say anything.”

“I'm sorry.”

“So you'll meet with him?”

“If you're sure it's OK with you.”

“I'm not sure how I'll set it up yet, but write down your
number for me, and I'll get in touch with you when I know.”

She nods and tears a slip of paper from a paperback book in
the back seat. As she hands it to me and I get out of the car, she leans over
into the passenger seat.

“Brynn, if I could just give you a little advice…I would
avoid Pierce for the next few days. He doesn't like it when people stand up to
him.”

I nod and shut the door, walking slowly back to the house as
I run my fingers over her phone number. I peer cautiously through the first
floor windows, not wanting to walk back in on dinner, but it looks like they’ve
finished and the plates have all been cleared. I quietly open the front door
and tiptoe up the stairs to my bedroom, locking my door behind me. I put
Eileen's phone number on my bureau and am just about to change out of my dress
when I hear a soft knock on the door. Usually Nate just comes in now, so he
clearly knows that I'm upset with him. I walk over and unlock it, then open it
a few inches.

“You locked it?” he asks, looking hurt.

“I want to be alone right now,” I murmur, though a knot
forms in my throat at the thought of spending the first night in a week without
him.

“I…I can't choose between you,” he whispers. He looks so
forlorn, and I see a glimpse of the little boy that he once was, overhearing
his parents' arguments.

“I know.”

“They're going to some charity lunch tomorrow
afternoon…maybe we could spend some time together.”

“OK,” I nod, my mind already moving in a different
direction.

He pauses, unsure if he should kiss me. “Alright,
goodnight,” he says, and walks down the hallway to his bedroom.

I close and lock the door after him, then grab my cell phone
and put in Eileen's number.
Tomorrow afternoon,
I text her.
I'll let
you know when my parents are gone, and then you come meet Nate.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

I yawn as I sit by my window, waiting for the sounds of my
mom and Pierce leaving. I wasn't able to sleep well at all last night. There
were too many worries rattling around in my brain. Mainly, though, it felt
strange not to see Nate. I missed his presence in my bed with a physical ache
that gnawed away at me.

Finally I hear some movement in the rest of the house. I
walk to my door and crack it open, sticking my head out into the hall. I can
just hear my mom murmuring something to Pierce as they make their way to the
garage. Soon I hear the car pulling out of the driveway and I glance at the
clock. I'll give them ten minutes.

I wait impatiently, and as soon as it's up, I text Eileen
and head down to the foyer. Luckily Nate has been safely ensconced in his room
all morning. I don't know if he even got up to train this morning, which is
highly unusual for him. I glance out the window next to the door and see Eileen
walking up the driveway.

“Hi,” I murmur quietly as she reaches the steps and I open
the door.

“Hi,” she replies nervously, smoothing her blouse. “Do I
look alright?”

“You look fine,” I assure her. I can't imagine how she must
feel, finally seeing her son face-to-face after all these years. She looks
around the foyer.

“God, this place is even bigger than it looks from outside.”

“I know. It's ridiculous,” I agree, and usher her into the
den. “Pierce and my mom are at some charity lunch, so they'll be gone for a
while,” I tell her. She bites her lip nervously and takes a seat on the couch.
“I'll call Nate down, alright? I haven't told him anything…I wasn't sure he
would come otherwise.” She nods, and I head to the stairs. “Hey, Nate?” I yell,
and hear his bedroom door open. “You wanna come down to the den?”

I feel a fissure of guilt as he replies happily, “Sure! Be
right there,” and I hear him moving around. I don't like the idea of setting a
trap and lying to him, but I rationalize that it's in the service of a greater
truth, that of the true nature of his parents' relationship, and his father's
character.

I walk back into the den, and stand nervously next to the
couch where Eileen's sitting. She stands as we hear Nate walking down the
stairs, and then he turns the corner and sees us. His face is a blank as he
surveys the scene before him. He takes a step forward, looks like he's going to
say something, and then steps back.

“Nate, it's me, your mom,” Eileen whispers.

“I know who you are,” Nate replies quietly. He turns to me.
“You did this?”

“I think you should hear what she has to say. Please, will
you just sit for a minute?”

Nate's face twists into a sneer—an expression I haven't seen
in weeks. “You're unbelievable,” he spits at me, and storms out the front door,
slamming it behind him. Eileen sits down with a muted cry, and I run after him.

“Nate!” I call as I shut the door behind me and head down
the front steps. He's walking around the side of the house, probably headed for
the garage and his car to make an escape. “Would you just listen to me for a
second?”

“Why? So you can try to poison my mind against my dad some
more?” he yells, reeling around.

“I'm trying to tell you the
truth
about him! Eileen
can tell you—”

“Oh, so this is all about
you
! You can try to paint
it as some benevolent way of getting a mother and son to reunite, but really,
this is all about getting me to believe your story,” he turns again and begins
to walk away across the grass.

“No! That's not true!” I protest, pursuing him. “Your mom is
a good person—I wanted to help her, and you.”

“You're pathetic, you know that?” he says, spinning around
again. “Stop following me. Whatever mistakes we made together this summer, it's
over.”

“What? Nate, I—” I feel like he just punched me in the gut.
How did this all go so wrong?

“I thought maybe you were different than all the other girls
I've fucked, but you're not, OK? From now on, let's just smile at each other
politely from across the room at family events, like
normal
stepsiblings
do.”

“No, no! We
are
different, we are.”

“You're just attached because I was your first. Don't worry
about it, you'll get over it soon. You were nothing special to me, Brynn,” he
says and walks through the garage's side door. I stand in shock as I watch the
garage door slide open and his Wrangler come speeding out. I watch him head
down the driveway, then disappear around the corner.

I hear the front door open behind me, and Eileen approach
me. “I'm so sorry, Brynn, this is all my fault.”

“No, it's not,” I reply, biting my lip to keep from sobbing.

She puts her arm around me. “He's just angry. He'll come to
his senses.”

“No, he's just as stubborn as I am. It's really over.” I
collapse against her, burying my head on her shoulder as I begin to cry.

“First love always hits the hardest,” she murmurs as she
rubs my arm. “Come on—your parents won't be back for a while. I'll make you
some tea.”

After Eileen leaves and I've hidden away in my room, I can't
help but marvel at her kindness. It's been a long time since my own mother has
taken care of me and comforted me the way she did, even though the afternoon
might have gone even worse for her than it did for me. She told me that she's
learned not to get her hopes up for a reunion over the years, though it does
still hurt.

I keep picturing the anger on Nate's face as he ended our
romantic relationship. I could tell he really meant the things he was saying.
My body aches at the thought that I won't get to touch him again, and feel him
against me. Already I feel like it's been ages since I've seen him.

I hear my mom and Pierce come home in the late afternoon,
and I glance at my locked door. I don't want to see them now, or anytime soon,
for that matter. I think of how Nate begins to resemble his father when he gets
angry, but his mother in his kindness. Even though she was only in his life
until he was eight or nine, she must have had some influence on him in those
early years, in addition to whatever good traits she passed down to him
genetically. I suppose I wanted to tip the scales in her direction, to make
sure that Nate keeps listening to the side of himself that his mother has
passed on to him. But clearly, I don't have the power to make such a thing
happen.

Mistake.
He referred to what happened between us as a
mistake. My body curls around myself as though I've just been punched in the
gut. I can feel the pain reverberating in my bones.
I thought maybe you were
different than all the other girls I've fucked, but you're not. You're nothing
special to me, Brynn.
His words keep echoing around in my head, and I can't
make them go away. I don't know if I've ever felt so completely hollow before.

Eventually, I fall asleep, my body finally giving in to the
exhaustion I feel. When I wake up, it's almost ten at night. My mom didn't even
try to wake me for dinner, I realize. I feel a surge of anger against her.
Mothers are supposed to protect their children, but of course she's taking
Pierce's side. She thinks he's some kind of savior, rescuing her and her
abandoned daughter from some lonely life. I want to scream. I want her to be
stronger, to be there for me like I've been there for her countless times. But
I know my anger is useless; I've long ago realized that I can't change her,
can't expect her to be any different from the way that she is.

My stomach grumbles, reminding me that I've skipped a meal
or two today. I don't even feel like eating, but I know that I'll never be able
to get to sleep again tonight without a little something in my stomach. I sigh
and get out of bed and head over to my bureau, pulling a sweatshirt on over my
t-shirt. I cautiously open my door and listen. I think I can just hear the
sounds of the TV from my mom and Pierce's room. Should be safe, then. I tiptoe
down the hallway, pausing at the open door to Nate's dark room. Still out, I
guess. Probably drinking somewhere.

How long can this situation last? I wonder as I walk quietly
down the stairs. I feel like we're all tightly-wound strings, and one of us is
bound to break sometime. I know I for one can't keep creeping around the house
like this, avoiding everyone.

In the kitchen, I fix myself a grilled cheese sandwich,
feeling the need for some comfort food. I'm just turning off the stove top when
I hear the door to Pierce's study open. I hurry to grab the spatula and slide
the sandwich onto my plate before he comes in, but I'm too late.

“Brynn,” he says from the doorway. “We missed you at
dinner.”

Ugh, that asshole, acting like nothing happened. “Just
fixing something now,” I answer shortly. As I put the spatula and pan into the
sink, I see over my shoulder that he's walking toward me. He plants himself
between the island and the fridge, trapping me by the counter.

“Your mother is very upset,” he tells me, his eyebrow
bending into a concerned frown.

“Is she?” I ask through gritted teeth. If he expects me to
apologize, as though her mood is my fault, then he's mistaken.

“Brynn, I think you've gotten the wrong idea about me,” he
murmurs, taking another step toward me. I reluctantly turn to face him. “You
have no idea how hard it is for a man, to have a beautiful woman like you in
the house.”

“I'm your stepdaughter, Pierce,” I practically growl as my
heartbeat jumps in my chest.

“You've really blossomed this summer, Brynn. You've become a
woman,” he says, stepping into me. I can feel his warm breath on my face.

“I want you to get away from me,” I whisper, my throat tightening.

“Just for a moment…I need to feel…” he moans pitifully,
sliding his hand onto my hip and then over my ass. My anger ignites at his
touch, blasting away my fear. I get my arms up between us and shove him away.

“Get off me, you fucking asshole!” I scream. He looks at me
in shock. “You think you're some gentleman with your fancy suits and your
mansion, but inside you're just some sick pervert, taking advantage of anyone
you can. I see who you really are, even if no one else does.”

His face twists with anger, and I feel my cheek light up
with pain before my brain can process that he's slapped me. I bring my hand up
to my burning face, my head still pulled to the side, just as Pierce disappears
in a blur.

I straighten up with a gasp as I realize Nate has just
tackled him to the floor, and they are now grappling fiercely on the kitchen
tiles.

“Don't you fucking touch her!” he yells at his father, whose
face is turning red in an effort to defend himself against his much stronger
son. I hear footsteps from the stairwell and see my mom running down the
hallway and manage to unfreeze myself.

“Nate! Nate, stop!” I yell, as he manages to find the top
position. My mom screams as Nate punches Pierce hard across his jaw. I throw
myself on Nate's back as he cocks his arm back in preparation for another
punch. “Nate, I'm OK, I'm OK,” I repeat in his ear. I feel him relax a little
and begin to pull him up. He drops his arm and stands up with me. Pierce pushes
him away as he stands up, too, and they face off, each breathing heavily,
Pierce with a trail of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

“What's going on?” my mom finally whispers, her voice full
of fear.

“I saw everything,” Nate growls, addressing his father. “You
hypocrite.”

To my shock, Pierce begins to laugh. “I knew it, I knew it!
Look at you two!” he says, pointing at us.

“What's he talking about?” my mom asks, glancing at me.

“They're fucking!” Pierce bursts out.

“No…what?” my mom murmurs.

“Oh, Christ, Holly, are you really that fucking stupid? You
didn't even suspect?”

My mom shakes her head. “That's why you're fighting?”