Holding a small grocery bag in his hand, probably containing food or snacks, Jake halts right where we are standing. That angry teenager with a flinty face is what I'm seeing right now. He looks at me, then at Adrian, and his forehead creases.

"Where are you coming from? Is Isla alone inside?" I ask him.

"Sally's with her. Who is he?" Like a father to his errant daughter, Jake throws Adrian a condescending look without any civility.

Everyone says that you're a hooker! I saw you going to that hotel! His words pierce back into my skull and I know it's exactly what's inside his head right now.

"Saying hi is the appropriate thing to do, Jake! Why are you being like this?" I scold him because behaving like a delinquent is not what I taught him to do.

And despite his ill-natured looks, he's never the type to be unnecessarily rude.

Full of judgment, he now stares at me, and that anger in his eyes flames up. "Is he—"

"I'm Adrian," that deep voice interrupts with gentleness. Our collective attention shifts to my dominant lover. "You must be Jake, right?"

"Yeah, so what?" Jake replies, his voice suddenly hard as if he's trying to prove his authority here.

I nearly laugh in response. This kid!

Adrian smiles and takes a nonchalant step toward him, no offense taken from my brother's remark. "I guess your sister was right. You're a little tiger indeed."

"Whatever, dude. Why are you bringing her home? Who are you?" Jake's voice bears no fear, as anyone would be easily intimidated by Adrian's majestic aura.

Panic strikes gushes over me as I wait for Adrian to respond.

Our relationship is nothing but a complex sizzling affair, without any name to officiate its validity. It's there, but it's too dark to be seen with mundane eyes.

I focus on Adrian. What will he say about our relationship?

I don't even know what I am to him and it never mattered until now.

"I'm her boyfriend," Adrian replies simply.

What? I choke quietly, eyes broader.

"Boyfriend?" Jake's voice turns low in a startled manner, parroting my thoughts exactly. "You're her boyfriend?" he repeats, staring at Adrian dubiously.

"Yes, I am," Adrian answers and looks at me. As shock amplifies my heart rate, he gives me a small smile before turning back to Jake. "Adrian Castle. Pleasure." As though what he's doing is nothing worth worrying about, he outstretches his hand toward Jake.

I need a breather. I sigh heavily to pull myself together, hoping my knees won't give me up as if he's just proposed to me to truly be his girlfriend.

"Jake." My brother accepts his gesture.

I watch the two of them in turns, and the tension is real. Are all brothers like this? Overly protective of their sisters regardless of their age? It's as if the late Mister Lincoln is back to life.

Dear God, let this pass smoothly.

I clear my throat as the boys part their hands. "Well, Adrian has a lot to do in the morning so he was just leaving. Go ahead inside, I'll catch up with you in a few minutes," I tell Jake.

Adrian creases one eyebrow at me.

What now? He doesn't want to leave or something? I can't dwell much as Jake throws a dubious look at me, then at Adrian, seemingly in doubt. But without saying a word, he climbs onto the stairs leading to our flat and leaves us alone.

"What do you think you're doing, Adrian?" I pull his hand and scoot him aside with difficulty. A smile dances on his face, bathed with amusement. "My boyfriend?" I yell quietly, gazing up at him through the golden lights coming from the driveway.

"Well, Arabella." He sighs dramatically. "I don't understand what you—"

"If he's your boyfriend, then why aren't you inviting him in?" We suddenly hear this from Jake.

He's standing in the middle of the concrete staircase, gazing down at us.

"He can't tonight. He's got to leave," I reply promptly. And back to Adrian, I hopefully ask, "Right, honey?"

Yeah, Mister Castle. You started this.

"Yes, honey," Adrian answers and I'm on the verge of bursting into laughter. Silly man! He grins at me. To Jake, he says, "But perhaps tomorrow I'll be here if Arabella invites me over for dinner."

Excuse me? I glare sharply at him. What the heck is he doing?

And Jake's glance finds me for approval. What do I say now? Should I dance Adrian's tunes as he stubbornly wants?

I clear my throat again before replying, "Of course, Adrian. You can join us for dinner tomorrow."

"Yeah," Jake utters in a monotone as if he's challenging Adrian to a dare. "Goodnight." He proceeds upstairs and we watch him fade, little by little through the stairs, until he disappears into the small patio leading to our home.

As I return my eyes to Adrian, something heats me. My body hurls forward onto his chest when he hauls me firmly by the waist. I whine a soft moan, holding his shoulders tightly for support. He looks at me closely and my blood flows in the canal of unbidden pleasure.

"You're not playing fair," I blurt out.

He scowls at me for a second, as if he's contemplating my accusations, before twisting his mouth into a delighted smile. "The world has never been fair, Arabella," he says simply.

His rough knuckles brush against my cheeks until they warm up. And I try to respond as he leans down to my face, stroking my bottom lip with his thumb, as if he's trying to make me suck it. My skin shudders and my stomach clenches.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Arabella. Be a good girl until then," he tells me in a deep whisper, but his lips don't touch mine despite the little distance served between our faces.

"Okay," I breathe. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess. Do I have a choice?"

Does that mean I want him to stay?

"None. I'll call you later," he states and I nod swiftly.

He doesn't kiss me. Disappointment congeals me inside like ice. I watch him reach the backdoor of his car, and my desire wins boldly.

"Adrian," I call while sprinting toward him. He stops, craning his neck until we're back into a zero distance. "I think you forgot this, as my boyfriend." My arms lace around his neck as I suck his lips and push my tongue inside his.

He doesn't stop me. He holds my waist and kisses me back with the same fire and passion. Oblivious of Mario who's been inside the car all this time, I smile at him, satisfied.

"You can tie me up and do whatever you want if you think what I've just done is punishable," I whisper in his ear. "I'm all yours, Sir." I kiss his neck gently-–almost seductively— and in response, I feel his cock hardening against my thigh.

I try to leave, but he stops me with a firm hold, my back against his chest. Now I smile fully, enjoying his control.

"You have no idea what you've just done, Arabella," he rasps, eyes glistening with otherworldly desire as I uplift my face to behold him. He sucks in a deep breath as though he's searching for the last thread of his composure, before muttering, "Please go inside before I lose my mind and kidnap you. And mostly, fuck the hell out of you." He frees me.

I think I awoke the Dom!

"Okay, I'll go." I slowly slip away from him, but my heart and soul stay with him even when I behold his smile for one last time before the dusky bleeds into dawn.

The Mercedes leaves only after I'm inside the house. Shutting the door with a five-star smile, I come face to face with Sally.

"Won a lottery, cousin?" she asks me.

My smile persists. I bend over and take off my sandals, once again, and the deja vu makes my cheeks flush insanely.

"Well..." I rise and kick both sandals away. "Not gonna lie, I feel like I have somehow. What are you two up to?" My attention is now on the little woman next to her, a laptop on her thighs as she plays a typing game in which a chameleon snatches the letters using its long tongue.

"Nothing. Just enjoying a cool evening with my little cuz," Sally replies with a yawn, casting a glance at Isla.

"Hey, you." I lay a sound kiss on my sister's hair.

"Hi, Ara." She grins with a similar joy she always exudes. That's my angel. But when Jake appears in the living room, her little eyebrows knit together into a frown. "Are you two fighting again?" she asks sadly.

"Fighting? No, we're not fighting!" I rumble a small laugh and stare at Mr. Troublemaker across the room. Isla's face softens. "Have you finished your homework?" I throw my bag on the couch.

"Yes. Sally helped me!" Her attention is back on the typing game.

"Thanks, Cuz," I mouth at Sally, who's already occupied with her mobile, typing a text or something at quite a speed.

"Anytime." Her glance at me fades as fast as her nod and smiley response.

I head to the kitchen the first place I always jump into when I return home. Seeing the three dirty plates on the sink, my smile resumes as I discern they've had dinner already. One less job for the day. Lucky me!

"You cooked?" I yell to whoever made my evening easier.

"Yeah. Just heated up whatever I found," Sally yells back.

"I love you," I reply.

"As you should."

I giggle in response, my hands wandering into the sink to wash the plates. Not such a bad day, is it? I blush and smile for several reasons. I tidy up the kitchen afterward, arranging everything to my liking.

"Is he really your boyfriend?" Jake's voice pokes into my little bubble.

I glance over my shoulder and he's standing near the kitchen counter, still dubious in the eyes. Jeez! I knew this wouldn't end soon.

"Yes, Jake. He is." I wash my hands and wipe them thoroughly with the kitchen towel before I turn around to face him directly. "It's his car that picks me up a few times, as you have seen earlier. If I go to the hotel, it's because it's where he stays. He's the man I hooked up with, as you plainly accused me."

Jake's face falls despite his attempt to remain stoic. He glances away for a moment before uttering, "I didn't say that. It's the people—"

"Jake, people will never stop talking. It's what they do best so you should start learning to pay less attention to them if you want your life to be yours, and yours," I interrupt, meaning it. How can we ever please everyone? "I know I'm not the best sister out there. I'm not perfect. I don't have the best job to provide for your every need, but I do all I can so you can never sleep on an empty stomach and fail to attend school because you lack your allowance. And for that, I don't care what kind of job I'm doing, as long as it's legal."

Even if it's not, I would do just anything for you two.

With that, I slowly take my steps toward him and halt a second to just give him a loving smile, from a sister to her brother, before walking back to the living room where Sally gives me a very quizzical look.

"What?" I chuckle.

"You and I have to talk, Missy. And I'm here just for that," she answers bluntly.