Chapter 10

COLTON

“It’s not what you think,” I said, facing the smooth rack of wine lining the wall.

The wine cellar usually ran cold. Sweat formed on my forehead, but it had nothing to do with the temperature. Dad sat at the block-shaped wooden table, eyes fiercely stamped on me with his back facing the door.

“Don’t insult me by saying that.” He rested his elbow on the table, propping his hand under his chin. “She’s your sister, Colton. Whatever this is has to stop. Stop circling her like she’s another conquest.”

I stood in front of him, present in body and absent everywhere else. I wanted a smoke. Something to clear my head from the fact that Poppy was alone in my room right now, and if she found that picture—

Dad’s tongue-lashing cut my thought short. “She doesn't have to be a collateral of whatever this is to you.”

I bent my head. “You don't know what this is.” Gripping the back of the wooden chair, I fought the urge to walk out. I let out air through my nose and finally looked up. My whole body went still.

Poppy hovered by the door, arms crossed and eyes shooting daggers at me. I was clueless on how much she’d heard.

“I know you’ll break her the way you break things you have no interest in,” Dad went on, choosing the wrong moment to speak. “Stay away from her. For her own sake.”

Poppy jerked back a step, chest rising and falling. I let my gaze rove with every step she took, then I forced them back to dad. “Fine.”

“Good. I only want to protect her.” Studying me for a beat too long, he exhaled. “Same way I want to protect you.”

My breath shortened. I nodded and pushed the chair, then started walking out. After I exited, I shut the door behind me, then started walking through the hallway and heading for the stairs that led to my room.

“Colton.” Celeste cornered me, tipped her toes up and leaned into me, hands sliding up my shoulder like I was her property.

My already bad mood tipped straight to worse. This woman could never read a single room she walked into.

“Not now.” I shoved her off and kept walking.

Her shoulder brushed the wall and she hit the floor but scrambled back to her feet almost immediately. The sound of her dusting herself echoed then next minute, it was her footsteps, chasing me down the hall.

“Why’re you siding with her? She attacked me.” “You said something to her.”

She stood. “What? That she doesn’t belong to you?” I stopped. Turning, I ducked my head, my eyes taking a different form. Celeste stilled too, hesitating. “That she’s—”

“Stay away from her, Celeste.” My voice remained calm and controlled, despite the rage I felt. “I don’t want to hurt you too.”

Without waiting to hear her response, I spun and climbed up the stairs. When I got to the front of my room, my hand was clammy against the door handle. I pulled away and wiped my hands on my pants before I pounded my fist on the door, bursting it open.

Poppy turned when she heard the sound, then took a step back with the picture in one hand. Fuck.

She glanced at me from my toes to my face and whispered, “What did he mean?” “Poppy—”

“Tell me! Why do you have a childhood picture of me?” She raised the picture up, though her hands were shaking. “Why does everyone have something to hide?” Her face flinched up, her forehead wrinkling up. “Did you send me those texts? You were stalking me before I came to the club, weren’t you?”

I didn’t answer. I just stared fixedly into her face.

She crossed the room, almost running, and grabbed the collar of my shirt then shoved me hard. “Say something!” She yanked her hands away, hitting them on her hips.

“I don’t know how to explain it.” Pain spread through my jaw as I watched her fall apart because of me. I dragged a finger through my hair. “I can’t explain any of it.”

I couldn’t explain it without making it worse.

What I didn’t understand was why, even now, some traitor part of me drove my gaze lazily around her boobs—rising and falling with each breath—as she stood in front of me. I hated myself a little for that.

Her voice lowered. “Find a way, Colton. Just make me understand.”

How I got that picture was a confusing story. A story that’d only scare her more. So the best I could do was not answer.

I reached over and tipped her face up. Tears threatened to fall from her large eyes. Her lips were half an inch away from me, all the bad decisions I’d made since I met her lined up behind that single fact.

She suddenly stilled, like the hand I placed on her face helped drive her rage away. She swallowed, her eyes not leaving mine.

There was room for either of us to step back. She didn’t, but I should have. Instead I stayed rooted there, stroking her face with my thumb and watching her gaze drop to my mouth then flick back to my eyes.

My other hand found her shoulder and I slid it up her neck slowly making her swallow again and vibrate beneath my touch.

“C-Colton.” She blinked, the tears finally sliding down her cheeks.

My chest tightened; I placed both hands on her face, slowly, giving her space to pull back. Her breath hitched. I wiped her cheeks, my voice coming out rough. “I know.”

“I’m scared,” her voice cracked. “Our parents are married. Someone is blackmailing me. And you have a childhood picture of me.” Another tear dropped. “We shouldn’t be—”

We shouldn’t be doing this. I already knew that. I didn’t let her complete that sentence—I kissed her. Screw whatever dad said. Screw his fuck-ass marriage.

Her body went stiff under my hand with her eyes widened and brows drawn together. And for a long terrible second, she didn’t reciprocate the kiss. An ugly feeling settled low in my chest—shame or something else I couldn’t place. That feeling was new. I pulled away, avoiding her gaze.

“Why are you doing this?” Fear sat plain in her eyes, and it gutted me even more. I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

I took a step backward, giving her the space I should have given her some minutes ago but then she grabbed my shirt and pulled me back in. And this time, her mouth crashed against mine.