Filed to story: Crushing on My Enemy Stepbrother
I don’t know what’s happening, but I do know that I’m in big trouble where that man is concerned.
Caleb’s POV
I sit bolt upright in bed, sweat drenching my skin as the shadows of my nightmare flicker in the corners of my room. Each movement of the curtain in the breeze and creak of the house is an enemy, waiting for me to make a mistake, reveal myself.
I have to take a second to remind myself that the shadows are just shadows, that I’m home, in my father’s house in Maine. I’m not back in that compound, my knee blown out and cuts littering my skin as my blood drips into my eyes, making it hard to see. I haven’t had to drag myself from the building that I’ve had to take cover in, unable to help as my team mates scream around me, fire and bullets engulfing them as men cheer loudly, enjoying their painful deaths. I can smell the lingering stench of burning flesh as my brothers are covered in gasoline, a lighter thrown at their still moving bodies, flames shooting up toward the sky.
I try to block out the images, I’m not there, my brothers are dead, and they are no longer suffering, but the guilt of my uselessness ravages me until I can barely breathe.
Grabbing my phone from the small unit beside my bed, I light up the screen, cursing under my breath as the time becomes visible. It’s three seventeen am, I can’t give up on sleep now, or I’ll be a zombie for the entire day. I’m used to functioning on three to four hours of sleep, but as I was still tossing and turning at two am, I know I need to grab a few more hours to be in any kind of shape to do my job.
I know I’m not going to find any peace without something to help me though, the dreams are always too real, I’ll just end up right back there again if I try without doing something to calm my nerves.
Throwing off my covers, I climb out of bed, padding my way to my bedroom door and pulling it open as quietly as I can. Moving down the hallway, I stop beside the room next to mine, my gaze trailing to the door handle of the room that is now occupied by my new stepsister.
Shaking my head, I growl angrily at myself before continuing toward the stairs and heading down, making my way into the kitchen.
I don’t bother to turn the light on, I’ve had the layout memorised since I got back. Part of being in the Marines, you always know your surroundings and all the exit routes.
I make my way over to the fridge, pulling the door open and taking out a beer. Not the greatest choice at three in the morning, but I’m not really a hot chocolate kinda guy and I desperately need some sleep if I have any hope of functioning tomorrow.
As I push the door closed, a shadow in the door frame has me on instant high alert. Flashbacks of my last mission caves in on me as I instinctively move toward the threat, dropping the beer can and grabbing the stranger who is in the room with me, pinning them to the wall with my arm.
The other person struggles desperately against me, but I’m a lot stronger, easily holding them in place as the shadows of my nightmares grip me.
‘What are you doing here, what do you want?’ I snarl angrily, pressing harder with my forearm as the intruder claws at my wrists. ‘Who are you with? How did you get here?’
‘Just . . wanted . . water . . ‘ gasps out the strangled voice, as those fingers tugging on my wrist start to weaken, a gargling sound leaving their throat.
The feminine lilt to the words carves through the haze, and I stumble back, shame washing over me as the woman I just attacked gulps in deep lungs full of air, coughing harshly.
Fumbling against the wall, I flick on the light switch to find Tessa almost doubled over, her blonde hair covering her face as she massages her throat.
Instinctively I reach out for her, wanting to comfort her, apologise, but she must feel me coming because she flinches away, from my hand. Lifting her fear filled eyes toward me, she is trembling, her gaze flicking from my face to my outstretched hand as I halt.
‘Sorry . . I just . . ‘ I start uncertainly, not really sure how to explain what I just did. Is there even an explanation, I hurt her, saw her as a threat even though we are alone in this house with a top of the range alarm system that I personally set.
‘I just wanted some water’ she whispers, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know that you would be up. I . . I . .’ she looks at her feet, swallowing hard, ‘I just wanted a drink’ she finishes quietly.
Nodding dumbly, I move back as she straightens up, her hand dropping from her neck that already has a nasty red mark from the pressure of my arm against her windpipe.
‘Glasses are in that cupboard’ I mutter, pointing to one of the cupboards attached to the wall, near the sink.
Watching me carefully, she slides around me, giving me a wide berth, as she makes her way to the cupboard and fumbles behind her for the handle, pulling it open. As she reaches blindly for a clean glass without turning away from me, I realise she’s reluctant to give me her back, wanting to keep me in sight in case I try to attack her again.
The knowledge that she now has no trust in me, rips through my chest like a bullet, carving me open in such a way that I can barely breathe.
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you, I thought . . ‘ I mutter desperately, wanting nothing more than to pull her into my arms and comfort her, remove that look of horror from her face.
Rubbing the back of my neck in agitation, I try again ‘I thought you had broken in’ I finish, my excuse sounding lame even to my own ears.
Tessa faces me, a glass in her hand as she studies me, her eyes moving over my face as though she’s trying to read me, see inside my head.
‘It’s OK, I shouldn’t have snuck up on you’ she replies softly, her sweet voice wrapping around me, somehow calming my frayed nerves, a feeling I haven’t had in years. ‘I should have cleared my throat or called out to you when I approached, it was stupid to just hover next to you like that.
She tilts her head cutely, giving me a small smile, ‘it is nice to know I don’t have to worry about anyone breaking in though’ she adds with a giggle. ‘I can sleep easier knowing first hand what will happen to anyone who tried to get in here.’
‘I’d never let anyone near you’ I blurt out before I can stop myself, my eyes widening before I quickly avert my gaze from her face, what the hell am I saying?
I jolt as a small warm hand touches my arm, drawing my attention back to her, my gaze lifting to meet with her ocean blue eyes as she smiles softly. ‘That’s very nice of you to say’ she murmurs, ‘though I’m not really your problem am I, we’re strangers.’
‘I meant I’d not let an intruder near anyone in the house, not just you’ I snap back, my tone biting as embarrassment floods my system.
I want to claw the words back as soon as I say them, shutting my eyes briefly as I silently berate myself.