Her Stepbrother, Her Hero Read online

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  Anthony King.

  He’d always been such a jerk to Gabriella, doing everything within his power to make her life miserable, from the very day she and her mother moved into his father’s house. For years, her stepbrother chased away every guy who displayed even a remote interest in her – he even went as far as to ruin her prom night!

  She hated him.

  When he’d enlisted in the Marines it was a relief, no more meddling in her personal life. And for those few years, she’d felt a smidgen of relief.

  But now he’s back, even sexier than she remembered and intent on picking up where he’d left off – making her personal life miserable.

  This time, however, he’s taunting her in very different ways…

  Her Stepbrother, Her Hero

  By

  Terry Towers

  Her Stepbrother, Her Hero

  Copyright 2015 by Terry Towers

  Cover By: Erin Dameron-Hill

  edhgraphics.blogspot.ca

  All rights reserved. With the exception of brief quotes used for critical reviews and articles no part of this book may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the author Terry Towers. Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Terry Towers can be contacted via her website at www.elixaeverett.com

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via internet or other means, electronic or print without the authors permission. Criminal copyright infringement without monetary gain is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov.ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors imagination and used fictitiously.

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  Prologue

  “I had fun.” Mark Gibbons gave Gabriella a smile, but it was strained.

  Sitting on the passenger side of the tiny car, Gabriella’s eyes narrowed at her prom date, Mark. Prom was supposed to be fun and exciting. It was supposed to be an all-night party, it was supposed to be the night she lost her V-card. But instead her date, a guy who wasn’t even close to the top of her list for dates, was dropping her home before 11pm. He hadn’t even hinted at wanting to have sex with her, hadn’t even attempted to touch her inappropriately.

  “That’s your opinion,” she retorted.

  He flinched and his smile faded. “I have to work tomorrow. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry? Seriously? Work, huh?”

  He shrugged.

  “For years now you’ve had a crush on me, you finally get a chance to fuck me and you’re dropping me home? You’re a bag boy at the supermarket! It’s not like you split atoms for a living!” Something wasn’t adding up in this scenario. For the girl prom was about the dress, for the guy it was about sex. Wasn’t it? Sure it was. Every single friend of hers was going to parties and renting hotel rooms.

  “I’m sorry. I just –”

  Anger boiled up within her. She knew exactly what was going on. Or suspected at least. “What did he say to you, Mark?”

  “I ummm. I –” He raked a hand through his hair and averted his gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Gabriella.”

  “My damned stepbrother. What did he do? Did he threaten you?” She’d been suspecting he’d been meddling in her personal life, but no one would come clean with her and rat him out. He didn’t even attend their school anymore, he’d graduated the previous year, but still had a hold on everyone in the school. The almighty Anthony King, and the name King had been so well suited to him. He’d ruled their high school – stereotypical jock, prom king, the whole bit. She had no doubt he’d gotten fucked on prom night.

  She held her hand up to her date, palm facing him. “You know what? Screw you, Mark.” Angry, she didn’t wait for a reply. Opening the car door, she got out and stormed into the house without looking back. Well, screw him. He was doing her a favour, she would have regretted giving up her virginity to him anyhow – but it was the principle of the matter that was really pissing her off.

  “Honey, you’re home early.” Her mother rushed to meet her at the door as she entered and began pulling off her heels, with a wide smile on her face, no doubt eager to hear everything about prom. It would have to wait; Gabriella had bigger fish to fry at the moment.

  “Is Anthony home?”

  Her mother’s smile faded. “Yes, he’s in his room. What’s going on?”

  She forced herself to smile. She didn’t want her mother getting involved; if her mother got involved, so would her stepfather and then her horrible prom would become a family affair. She could handle her meddling stepbrother all on her own thank you very much.

  “Nothing, Mother. I just want to speak with him a second.” She shrugged, attempting to hide her anger and appear nonchalant. “No biggie.” Seeing the dubious expression on her mother’s face she gave her a hug. “Honest.”

  Stepping back from her mother, she flashed her another smile, turned and raced up the stairs headed for her stepbrother’s room. That little bastard was going to get a mega piece of her mind. She had no doubt he was behind it all, the question was – why? And by god she was going to find out. He’d meddled in her personal affairs for the very last time!

  She allowed the anger to resurface, and didn’t bother knocking on his door, but opened the door and stormed in, slamming the door closed behind her. “What did you do!”

  “Huh?” Anthony looked up from the book he’d been reading to stare blankly at her.

  Planting her hands on her hips she glared at him. “I said, what did you do?”

  He huffed and focused his attention back to the book in his hand. “I think you drank a little too much at prom because you’re talking crazy. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  His dismissive attitude only amplified her anger. Rushing across the room to the bed he was sprawled out on, she snatched the book from his hand and tossed it across the room. “Don’t you lie to me. You’ve been meddling in my personal life ever since Mom married your dad. Admit it!”

  His jaw clenched and annoyance flashed in his eyes as he leapt from the bed to stand before her, towering over her, close to a foot taller than her. “I don’t know what you’re fucking talking about!”

  “Prom. That’s what I’m talking about. What did you do?”

  He stared blankly at her again. “You’re nuts, Gabby. Totally off the rails.”

  She’d had enough of his lies and lashed out, slapping him across the face, her hand leaving a faint palm print across his jaw. “I hate you!” She spun to turn away from him when he grabbed her upper arm and spun her back around to face him.

  “Now who’s lying?”

  She frowned. “Let me go!” She attempted to squirm from him, but he held tight. She pulled harder and stumbled. Attempting to pull her back to him, he pulled her with a little too much force and sent her tumbling onto her back onto the bed, him tumbling with her.

  He landed on top of her between her legs, bracing up his weight with a hand on either side of her head. Her anger reaching a breaking point, she began to fight harder, bucking up against him. “Calm down, Gabby!” Grabbing her wrists he secured them above her head.

  “No! I’m so sick of you being the pr
ide of this family. I’m so sick of living in your shadow. And if that’s not enough you’re the favourite, you have to chase off my boyfriends too.” She began to squirm again.

  “Gabby. Stop.” He spoke in such a firm voice that it caused her to still under him, but that wasn’t the only thing that startled her. His eyes weren’t angry, but there was something else in his gaze – lust. She suddenly became fully aware that her short skirt had become bunched up around her waist and his rock hard erection was pressed against her pelvis.

  Frowning, Gabriella stared up at him. The need in his eyes was painfully evident. Not sure what to say, but things were becoming clear for her. He’d been so damned mean to her for so long, could he…? “Anthony… Tony…”

  He pressed his erection against her again, his eyes lowering to her lips. She moaned softly. What in the hell was happening?

  Just when Anthony’s lips began to lower to hers, the sound of heavy footsteps came up the staircase and both froze. Alarm replaced the look of lust in his eyes and Tony sprang from Gabriella as if he’d been burned.

  “Get out,” he hissed. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her from the bed. “Go.”

  She wobbled on her feet, not sure what was happening. The door to Anthony’s room flung open to reveal his father, former Marine and her stepfather, Vincent King.

  Vincent looked from her to her stepbrother and back again. “Go to your room, Gabriella.”

  Gabriella didn’t hesitate. Vincent was a good man, he’d never laid a hand on her or Anthony and was quick to reward them when they deserved it, but he was firm with his parenting and expected to be obeyed without protest. At the door she glanced back at Tony, but Tony’s eyes weren’t on her, they were locked with his father’s.

  The very next day Anthony King enlisted with the Marines. He was gone within a couple of weeks without speaking a word to her about what had happened between them.

  Chapter 1

  "Yes, I promise to be nice to him, Mom," Gabriella King said, rolling her eyes in frustration. She had just spent the last thirty minutes on the phone assuring her mother that she would indeed play nice with her slightly older stepbrother Anthony when he came home. It wasn't as though they were teenagers anymore, and she hadn't seen him in five years so she was confident that they could put past differences aside and be civil to each other for one night. Although she had to admit, even after all these years she was still hurt and confused about what happened, or didn’t happen on prom night, whichever way you wanted to look at it.

  "Your stepbrother is a hero. He helped rescue –"

  "Yeah, I get it, Mom!" Gabriella cut her mother off. She swore if she heard one more story about how great her older brother the Marine was, she'd fucking lose it. "I gotta go check on supper. Bye, Mom."

  Without waiting for her mother's response she hung up the phone and walked into the kitchen. Her brother joined the Marines when he was nineteen and now at the age of twenty-four he was coming home. After spending all those years overseas, helping to keep their country safe, they would finally see him again. Yeah, she got that. And she appreciated and respected him for his bravery. She admired him even, but the fact that their parents were always bringing it up and praising him constantly was really beginning to annoy her. Each time they brought him up her mind would go back to prom night, pondering the “what ifs.”

  She couldn't remember the last conversation she had with either her mother or her stepfather that didn't circle around to how wonderful, honourable and courageous her brother was. Sure, she was twenty-three and still trying to figure out what she wanted to do in life, but was that so bad? She worked as a waitress at the local bar and grill, and it was an honest living. She even had her own apartment and paid her own bills. She had decided to work there until she was able to figure out what to do with the rest of her life. Bottom line was, in their little family he was the hero and she was the disappointment, and it was an open wound for her that never seemed to heal. Probably because of all the salt being thrown into it on a regular basis.

  "He helped rescue –" Gabriella mimicked her mother and immediately felt petty for it.

  He had been the star in high school: quarterback of the football team, and the reason most girls in school had been her friends. In retrospect, she always knew their friendliness was not genuine, they were being nice to her so they could come to her house, hoping that they would get the opportunity to talk to him. To make matters worse, after the incident prom night her crush on him had gotten stronger, which had made his leaving so abruptly even harder to handle. After all, he was one of the hottest guys in school, what girl wouldn’t have a crush on him? But she knew there was more to Anthony than just charm and good looks – a lot more. She had fallen for him hard and fast, and had endured years of watching him date bimbos with big boobs and double-digit IQs. Gabriella had managed to camouflage her desire for him with hostility – until that night.

  And now, on his first day back home after five years – for some insane reason he kept refusing to come home and barely spoke to her on the phone when he called and she was home, parents yes, her no – she was going to have to be the one to feed and entertain him for the evening since their parents were still away on vacation and she was housesitting. "Maybe he'll show me all of the medals he was given, that'll eat up a few hours," she grumbled to herself.

  Slipping on a pair of oven mitts, she opened up the oven, pulled out a cooked to perfection turkey and set it on the countertop. As she turned off the oven she glanced up at the analog clock on the wall, featuring a rooster on the face. Three minutes after seven. A grin touched her lips as she took satisfaction in knowing that her perfect stepbrother was now officially late for supper.

  Ha! I thought military men were supposed to be prompt!

  The thought of him being late had just crossed her mind when the doorbell rang. Fuck! Pulling her oven mitts off and tossing them onto the counter by the turkey, she rushed to answer the front door, hesitating a moment to peer at herself in the foyer mirror. Sapphire blue eyes stared back as she inspected herself and fluffed up her long blonde hair.

  She was wearing a simple blue sundress that matched her eyes, hugged her ample breasts and dipped low, giving a nice view of her cleavage. The flowing skirt fell to mid-thigh and as usual she was barefoot. Although she didn't want to admit it, she wanted to impress him; to have him lust after her again. Deep down the crush she'd harboured for him never died, despite how over the years they’d both claimed to dislike each other.

  Taking a deep breath she grabbed the doorknob, turned it and flung the door open to reveal Anthony wearing his dress blues with a duffle bag at his side. Her eyes widened as she peered upon him. He looked mouth-watering and her body immediately reacted to him. He'd always been broad-shouldered, but now he was built like a tank. His massive stature seemed to eclipse her tiny 5'2 body. He'd become one of the best-looking men she'd ever laid eyes upon. He had always been a good-looking guy and perhaps some of his now rugged good looks could be attributed to his uniform and the sexy, alpha-male demeanour he had gained.

  In that moment, she found herself completely smitten by him, unable to utter a single word. Does Anthony even know he's that hot? Pfft, of course he does. His steel grey eyes did a slow survey of her body, causing an unwelcomed stirring between her legs. When his eyes caught her bare feet with ruby-painted toenails he flashed her a dimpled grin. My God, even his smile is gorgeous! She growled at herself for allowing the thought to pop into her mind. He was still her pain in the ass older stepbrother, and she had to remind herself of that, nothing more than that. He’d made that perfectly clear he wasn’t interested when he left for the Marines without discussing what happened between them, or what had been close to happening.

  "So are you going to invite me in?" he finally asked, cocking a brow up at her and motioning toward the inside of their parents' house.

  Wiping away the look of awe that she was sure was on her face, she replaced it with one of indifference and steppe
d aside, motioning for him to enter. "Suit yourself. Dinner is ready."

  Grabbing his bag he made his way into the house. "You actually learned how to cook!" He feigned shock as he removed his cap and grinned down at her.

  She gave him a condescending smirk and brushed past him, heading toward the kitchen. "Yes, and it's getting cold ’cause someone was late," she called over her shoulder at him. Feeling his eyes on her, she made a conscious effort to put a little extra sway in her hips for his benefit.

  "It was only five minutes!" he called out in an arrogant voice.

  "Late!"

  She grinned as she heard him mutter a curse under his breath. "I'm gonna go change, this uniform is fucking hot. I’ll be right back. Plate it up for me."

  ****

  As Anthony stripped out his uniform and quickly into a pair of jeans and t-shirt his mind couldn't keep off of how much Gabriella had changed over the years. She had always been a cute girl – in a dorky sort of way. Perhaps that was why he’d crushed on her despite her being his stepsister, hell, maybe even because of it. However, she seemed to have really filled out in all the right places over the years. Just the sight of her barefoot and her gorgeous body in the little sundress had given him an instant erection. Of course, it had been five years since he'd had sex with anyone besides himself so perhaps that was part of the reason. Sure, there had been opportunities from time to time, but none he was all that interested in pursuing.

  And what was with that sexy little sway in her hips as she walked away from him? Was it for his benefit? Oh, he hoped so, but knew better. He'd been a major asshole to her when they were teenagers, playing pranks, picking fights with her and overall just a huge pain in her ass. And the way they’d parted ways, him telling her to get out of his room and not talking to her again, yeah, he was positive that hadn’t gone over well. Part of the hostility was due to the fact he resented his father for remarrying so quickly after his mother’s death. He hated the fact that his father was forcing another family into his life, and even worse he'd found himself attracted to Gabriella from the day she and her mother moved into the house.