Chapter 2 My Stepbrother, My Obsession

-A Year Later-

"Hurry, Teyana! Your brother is here and wants to meet his stepsister!"

I groaned into my pillow and ended the FaceTime call with Sean, my boyfriend-though even that label felt... loose lately. I knew better than to wait for the third shout. My mother would storm in if I didn't move fast.

I checked the time. 8:40 a.m.

It was a Saturday. A freaking weekend that made two weeks since I moved into this house. And instead of sleeping in or pretending I didn't exist, I had to meet my new stepbrother. A stepbrother I hadn't asked for. A family I hadn't agreed to join.

I wasn't ready for this life. Not the billionaire mansion. Not the fake smiles that wealthy people did and the all-time elegance they had to maintain-having to pretend to be happy for my mom's latest social climb. Married to a billionaire Tycoon who dealt with motors and motorcycle business, including many other things.

To be honest, I hadn't even wanted to move in with her.

But Stanford was my dream school. The only one I applied to. And it just conveniently happened to be in the same city as my new home.

The silver lining?

Carol-my chaotic, beautiful best friend since high school, lived here and we both got into Stanford together. She'd practically screamed when I told her I was moving. She'd also invited me to a party tonight when I whined about how bored I've been in this house. She said it was her newly found lover's birthday party. I still wasn't sure I'd attend. My mood was in the pits, and nothing about this so-called new chapter was giving me excitement.

This house didn't feel like mine. My nerdy, introverted self didn't belong here, and I sure as hell didn't know how to behave in it.

Let alone smile for a stepbrother I wasn't even sure wanted to meet me.

The relationship I had gotten into was just an excuse to avoid thinking about my all-time obsession-Jeremy Carter. After the kiss which happened roughly a year ago, I just couldn't cope with imagination alone. I tried to see Jeremiah in Sean but just couldn't. Even though he was hot in appearance and had a cool personality. He wasn't what I wanted.

The man I wanted...I shook him off my thoughts.

As I dragged myself out of bed and down the ridiculous hallway, I heard his voice.

"I can always meet her later. I've got somewhere to be," came a muffled, deep tone. My so-called stepbrother's.

So... he didn't want to meet me either. Perfect.

"She'll be here soon, love. Let me go fetch her," my mother said in that syrupy voice she reserved for impressing people. It wasn't real. I knew it. My stepbrother would know it too.

She once told me her stepson was a total jerk-barely spoke to her, had no interest in taking over the family empire, and was "obsessed with motorcycles and rebellion."

Not that I'd asked.

We nearly collided in the hallway.

"Mum, really?" I grumbled, stumbling back a step.

She shot me a tight glare. "Why did you take so long?"

"I was-"

"He's waiting," she snapped, cutting me off before whirling around and heading back toward the living room.

I rolled my eyes so hard they nearly got stuck in the back of my skull.

I wasn't going to fake anything. He better not expect any politeness. I'd greet him the way he probably deserved-a dry, flat "hi" and then disappear. Let's see how her perfect stepson handled me.

But the moment I stepped into the lavish, open living room of the Carter estate... my plan fell apart.

There he was. What? No way. No...this wasn't real. Was it?

Leaning behind the gray suede couch like he couldn't wait to leave, hair longer than I remembered, chest broader, tattoos peeking out from beneath a fitted black tee, was Jeremy Carter. Wait...my step dad is a Carter. The surname explained it. Why hadn't I done the math? I freaking thought it was a mere coincidence. I mean...there are thousands of Carters on earth right?

Jeremiah looked like sin standing there. Matured. More... dangerous appearance. And definitely more good- looking. I used to think it was impossible for him to look better. The kissing moment between us surfaced in my head.

My knees almost gave out.

I had to be dreaming.

He looked straight at me-and for a moment, his gaze froze. Like recognition hit him. Like something clicked.

Did he remember?

But the moment passed.

He blinked, blinked again, and the expression vanished.

"Hi," he said flatly, like I was an Amazon delivery. I opened my mouth to say something, nothing came out.

But he continued, "I'm Jeremy. Glad to have you here...Stepsister" he mentioned 'stepsister' like it was strange on his tongue.

And just like that, he looked away like he wasn't expecting a response.

I stood there, frozen and speechless. Because just like before, just like every year I'd watched him pass me in the hallways at Summer High without a single glance-Jeremy Carter took my breath away, again. And now, he was my stepbrother.

He said something to my mom, then turned and walked out the front door like none of this mattered.

Which, to him, it probably didn't.

But to me?

It ruined everything. Maybe he didn't remember me. I mean...who would remember an introvert nerd like me, when they could bag any hot girl they desire?

"That didn't go well," my mother muttered beside me, scowling. "You were supposed to honor him."

I didn't answer. She had no idea what was happening inside me. How the world I'd tried so hard to keep upright had just crumbled again.

I turned around and headed back to my room before I exploded.

*

Carol's boyfriend's birthday party was already loud by the time we arrived. I should've been excited, or at the very least trying to have fun since it was my first party in Los Alamos city, but my mind was still spinning from this morning.

From him.

From the fact that Jeremy freaking Carter, the boy I once wanted to offer my soul to in high school, was now my stepbrother who happened to be in Stanford college like me.

I had told Carol about it on the drive over-well, dumped it on her, really-and she nearly ran the car off the road.

"Hold on. Hold on." She'd pressed one palm to the steering wheel and the other to her chest like she needed to catch her own heart. "Jeremiah Carter? That Jeremy? Tall, broody, hot as sin? That's your new stepbrother?"

"Unfortunately," I mumbled, staring out the window as streetlights blurred by.

"Gosh, you kissed your own stepbrother at that party last year."

"Exactly. Thanks for reminding me." I said sarcastically.

Carol squealed like she'd just been gifted a year's supply of Louis Vuitton bags. "Girl, what?! That's so hot it's illegal."

"It's disturbing," I corrected, trying not to remember the way his lips had tasted or how my knees had nearly given out. "He didn't even recognize me today. It's like the kiss never happened."

Carol was practically bouncing in her seat. "Oh my God, Tey. You're living in a damn Wattpad novel. I was just about to tell you-Jeremy is one of Chris's closest friends. Like, they grew up together. He might even be at his party tonight."

I turned to her sharply. "Excuse me?"

She gave me a sheepish smile. "Surprise?"

This wasn't about to get any easier.

By the time we stepped into the party, I was still trying to digest the avalanche of everything. The house was packed with people, a mix of college students and Chris's friends from the motocross world. The bass from the speakers was so deep it vibrated in my chest, and bodies were everywhere-dancing, laughing, and drinking like no one else existed.

I tried to act normal, or at least look like I wasn't about to faint.

Carol slipped her arm through mine as we walked further inside. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I lied.

"You sure? You look like you don't want to be here. We could..."

"Just trying to breathe," I muttered. "I mean, I knew Jeremy...you know... He looked more like someone who eats sin for breakfast now. And the fact that we're...related by our parents' marriage? It's all a bit much."

Carol let out a low whistle. "You still have a crush on him."

"I don't," I said too quickly.

"You so do."

"I have a boyfriend, remember?"

Carol rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Sean. The one who cheated on you?"

"Well, I'm still safe. Not like we've had sex yet." I reminded her.

"Fine, fine," she said, grinning. "Sean is hot too. Wonder why you two haven't..."

"Stop."

"Fine, okay." But even as she dropped it, I felt my gaze flicker across the room, scanning faces. Looking for someone I swore I didn't care about.

And then I saw him.

Jeremy. My stepbrother.