Stepbrother Aflame (5 page)

It’s my third day working at the country club. It isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. The staff is pretty chill and I haven’t gotten too many looks of disgust from the members. I guess everyone with money isn’t as uptight as my dad. My long sleeve, button-up shirt hides my tattoos. I’ve noticed a few members are inked up. One of them I’m sure is a member in one of my favorite bands. I also spotted a chick who plays on some reality show my mom is obsessed with.

I’m working one of the biggest events of the summer, according to my boss. I spotted Leonard when he walked through the door, but he hasn’t said one word to me. He even went to a different bartender to order his drink.

“You the new kid?” A guy asks, coming back behind the bar. He’s sporting the same uniform as me: a black button up vest over a dress shirt, and black pants. This is the most dressed up I’ve been in my life.

“That would be me,” I say, drying off a glass. They decided to start me off behind the bar, which is perfectly okay with me. I’d rather be serving drinks in the air conditioning than riding around in a golf cart all day in the heat.

The guy slaps me on the back. “Welcome to the lifestyles of the rich, the famous, and the fucking annoying, whiniest motherfuckers you will ever meet in your life. Get ready to please some of the pickiest fucking people in the world.”

His accent is straight up east-coast style.  He’s short and bulky, his chest wide. His hair is black, darker than mine, and gelled down.

“The art of ass kissing is something I don’t think I’ll ever get the hang of,” I grumble.

“Just smile and nod, my friend. Some of them are actually pretty cool, and most of the girls aren’t as stuck up as they look.”

I whip my head over to look at him in excitement. Maybe I’ll find another proper girl to help me fuck Addison out of my system. I don’t want to have to resort to Savannah.

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. The daughters of these assholes always want to have a go at the bad boy.” A salacious grin forms on his face. “And don’t let me get started with the wives. They’re lonely women who want some younger piece of meat to screw. I mean, their husbands are out cheating, they might as well do the same.”

“Do we get fired for doing that shit? Fraternizing with the members?”

I can’t be losing my job over some pussy.

“Yeah, if you get caught, but that doesn’t hold me back.” I like this guy. He holds out his hand. “I’m Mikey.”

I grab his hand and shake it. “Zeth.”

“You working the bar tonight?” I nod. “Me, too. Let’s get this fucking party started. I need to make some damn tips tonight. My girlfriend caught me cheating, so I need to spend some dough for an apology gift.”

***

“Yo Zeth, we’re out of ice. Can you run back to the kitchen and get some?” Mikey asks.

“Sure, man,” I answer, giving him a head nod.

The boss was right. It’s a full house tonight. It’s some benefit gala or something. I’ve been slinging drinks for the past four hours. I’ve lost count of how many vodka sodas and bourbons I’ve poured, but I know I’ve gone through a few bottles.

I wipe my hands off with a towel and move around the bar. I dodge bodies and make my way through the packed crowd.

I grip the bucket in my hands, moving in slow steps, and head back towards the bar.

 “Fuck, watch where you’re going, asshole.”

My feet stop as the bucket slams into something … or someone. My eyes dash straight forward. Cam is standing in front of me. The bucket is perfectly in line with this stomach. It wasn’t incidental, but I can’t say I’m pissed it happened.

His face is pink and he’s wobbling in front of me. A glass is gripped in his hand. He’s drunk off his ass.

“My bad,” I say, taking a step back. I look over his shoulder in disappointment when I don’t see Addison.

“Yeah, it is your bad. Do your job and stay the fuck out of my way,” he fires back, stumbling a bit.

I ball up my fist and hold back my tongue. I can’t get fired because of this punk.

“Is Addison here?”

I’ve been trying to spot her in the crowd all night, but I haven’t seen her once. I hope she’s not hiding from me because of what my big ass mouth told Kelton. I’ve tried texting her the past few days, but she’s ignored me. She hasn’t shown up for breakfast, either.

“No, migraine,” he answers. I raise a brow. “She’s at home with a migraine,” he clarifies.

“And you’re here?”

I’ve never had a serious girlfriend, but if I did, I sure as hell wouldn’t be hanging out with my douche bag friends while my girlfriend is at home with a fucking headache.

“She doesn’t like to be bothered when she has migraines.” He looks at me with cold eyes. “Oh, and one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Stay the fuck away from my girlfriend or I’ll kill you.”

I chuckle. “I’d love to see you try, pretty boy.”

***

The house is quiet when I get home. I slowly walk up the stairs and open a few doors until I find the one I’m looking for. All of the lights are off, but I can make out her bed with the help from the hallway light. I feel around on the wall and hear a loud moan of disapproval when I flip the light switch on.

“Dead God,” Addison cries out. “Shut that light off or I will murder you.” A blanket is wrapped around her body and head like a tent.

I flip the light back off. “So you really do have a migraine,” I say, moving into the room, careful not to run into anything. I want to kick her boyfriend’s ass even more now for leaving her in this much pain all by herself.

“Yes, I really do have a migraine. Why would I lie about that?”

“I don’t know. I thought maybe you were trying to avoid seeing me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” she mutters. “I wouldn’t miss a Charity event because I know a rude asshole who talks behind people’s backs and thinks I’m a bore will be there.”

“Yeah, about that. It came out wrong.”

“Please stop talking.” I want to turn the light back on and look at her, but I can hear the agony in her voice. “Every time you talk it’s like torture to my head.”

“Fuck, sorry.” I change my voice to a whisper. “Is there anything I can do for you?” I make out her shaking head. “So you’re going to lay here in the dark?”

“This is how I handle them. I lay here until I fall asleep.”

“And it’s gone when you wake up?”

“Sometimes yes, sometimes no. So please, leave me alone. I’m not in the mood for you and your jackass attitude right now.”

I turn around and leave.

She lets out another groan when I come back in. She thought she’d gotten rid of me. I bend down in front of her with a cold washcloth in my hand. She slowly pulls the blanket down from her face, sensing my presence.

“What are you doing?” She asks, wincing when I run the cloth along her cheek.

“I Googled what helps with migraines,” I answer.

She lets out a rush of breath when I move my hand to the other cheek, and then up to her forehead. She sighs loudly. It’s helping. I can tell by how her body is starting to relax. I sit the cloth down on her nightstand and walk around the bed.

“Now what are you doing?” She asks, when I sit down next to her.

“I’m hanging out in here with you,” I answer, making myself comfortable.

“Why?” She draws.

I shrug. “I don’t have anything better to do.”

She turns around on her side to face me. “You’re going to sit here in the dark?”

“Sure am.”

“You’re going to be bored out of your mind,” she grumbles.

I move away stray pieces of hair out of her face and then slowly start to massage her scalp.

“Don’t.” She says, trying to pull back, but I don’t let her.

“Relax.” I go back to massaging her soft strands.

I don’t stop until I notice her body loosen up and her breathing get heavy. I lean back against her headboard and notice her phone sitting on the nightstand. It hasn’t gone off once since I’ve been in here. Not one person, her boyfriend, her mom, her best friend, none of them have even checked on her while she’s been sitting in the dark in fucking pain.

This pisses me off.

 “Good morning, Sally,” I sing out loudly, sliding onto a kitchen stool. She slides my breakfast in front of me. It’s become a custom for us to do this every morning. “Has Addison been down here yet?”

I slipped out of her bedroom late last night when I heard the garage door opening. I made it down the stairs and into the basement just in time. It was a close call. I can only imagine what would happen if I’d been busted in her room last night. My dad would’ve shit a fucking brick if they found me in
her bed.
I’d definitely be packing up bags and kicked out on the streets.

I’m not allowed to touch the little princess.

“No, she hasn’t. She came down with one of them dang migraines again last night,” she replies, her face filled with concern. “That poor girl.”

“Does she get those a lot?”

“About once a month, depending on her stress. They’re terrible on her. Sometimes they last for hours, but I’ve seen them even go on for days.”

Shit, that would have to suck. I lean back in my chair, suddenly feeling bad, and hoping I’m not the
stress
that gave it to her.

“So she lays in the dark all until they go away?”

“Most of the time she catches onto them and takes her medicine before they kick in. If she doesn’t, then yes that’s what she does. She’s had them for years.”

I feel my jaw flexing and slam my hands down on the counter. “You know what really pisses me off, though?” Sally pinches her brows together, but doesn’t say anything. “No one even came to check up on her last night.” I blow out an aggravated breath. “Not her boyfriend, not her mom …”

“That’s not true because you did.” I can tell she’s fighting back a smile. “Don’t think I’m as blind as the others around here, boy.”

Fuck, I’ve been busted. I’m praying she’s the only one who knows. I don’t think she’ll tell on me.

“I noticed all of the lights were off and her car was here. I was only checking to make sure she wasn’t dead up there or something,” I say, impassively.

She lets out a lighthearted laugh. “Oh, I’m sure that’s exactly what you were doing.” She points a finger at me. “You’re a good person. Don’t let your father or anyone else tell you any different. You put off that whole bad boy vibe, but you care about people. You care about her.”

***

I’m gripping the edge of the bar, anger coursing through my veins like ice as I watch Cam from across the room. He’s parked at a crowded table. My pulse contracts with disgust when I move my gaze from him to the blonde chick sitting to his side. She’s too damn close, practically sitting on top of his dick. She eyes him eagerly when his hand slips underneath the table. I can't believe he has the balls to flirt with her in public.

What the fuck? My legs tremble, ready to jump over the bar and beat him senseless.

I discreetly take a picture of them with my phone and contemplate whether or not to send it to Addison. I don’t want to hurt her, but she needs to know her boyfriend is a fucking scumbag. I slip my phone back into my pocket, choosing against it for now. She had a rough night. She doesn’t need to be dealing with his bullshit right now.

“I’ll take a Jack and Coke,” Cam says, walking up to the bar, his friends following him like a shadow.

“ID,” is my only response.

He snorts. “You can’t be serious?”

“ID,” I repeat, trying my best to hold back my anger.

He smacks his palm down on the table. His friends give him curious looks, waiting for his next move. “Just give me the drink so you don’t lose your job, you damn convict.”

I grip a glass in my hand, trying to talk myself down from smashing it in his face.

“No ID, no alcohol,” Mikey tells him, slapping me on the back and joining my side. “So scram frat boy.”

“I’m not leaving until you give me what I want,” Cam argues, puffing out his chest, stupidly sizing me up.

“Fuck off,” I tell him

“No, you fuck off,” he fires back, obviously not that creative with his retaliation.

“Listen, asshole, the only time I want my come back is when I’m wiping it off your mom’s chin.”

His friends roar out in laughter. It takes him a second to get it and he kicks the edge of the bar, his face heated.

“You better apologize for that or you’ll be sorry,” he hisses.

“Can I help you sir?” I ask the man standing behind him.

Cam flips me off, throwing out insults, and stomps away when the guy gives me his order.

I snag my phone at the same time he hands me a tip for his rum and coke.

Me:
Are you coming to the club today?

My phone beeps with a response.

Addison:
No. I’m relaxing at home.

Me:
Your boyfriend is here.

Addison:
Yeah, I know. He sent me a text telling me to tell you to serve him or he’s getting you fired.

Me:
Fuck that little dick asshole.

Addison:
I know. Don’t worry about him.

My phone beeps again.

Addison:
And thanks for last night.