Bad Boy - A Stepbrother Romance Page 30

  He chuckled. “I meant I’ll keep an eye out for dorsal fins around you. I wouldn’t want my favorite stepsis being eaten, would I? Who would help to fix my career if that happened?”

  “Oh my god! You and your freaking sharks!” I replied, rolling my eyes before diving down into the water.

  It was freezing at first, but the cold water was exhilarating and soothed my warm skin. I powered through the water and surfaced several yards away from the yacht, and Cam wolf-whistled as I came up for air.

  “You should try out for Baywatch,” he called out. “You’ve got the swimsuit body for it.”

  “And you should try looking at a calendar,” I called back. “Pretty sure Baywatch ended a hundred years ago!”

  He grinned and sat down on the edge of the dive deck, watching as I splashed around in the sea. As I dived down and then came up for air again, I spotted something orange and white floating not far from me.

  “What’s that?” I called out, pointing over to it.

  Cam shrugged and called back. “I don’t know. Junk, I assume. Probably fell off the back of a boat.”

  I decided to investigate, and I dipped my head back below the water and began to dolphin-kick my way over to it, thanking my lucky stars that I’d had swimming lessons as a kid. Swimming was fun, and I couldn’t imagine being confined to a boat, too frightened to jump in the water.

  I surfaced a moment later to see that the floating object was still several yards away. After diving back under and kicking through the water for another thirty seconds or so, I came up for a deep breath of air.

  The floating object was directly in front of me now. Cam had been right. It was just trash.

  “You were right,” I shouted, not turning around to face him on the yacht this time. “It’s just a—“

  My words were cut off, replaced by a shrill scream as something roughly grabbed my leg from under me.

  “No! Help!” I screamed, terrified that Cam had also been right about sharks being in the area.

  My heart pounded faster than it ever had before, and I was fairly sure I was about to pass out from shock when Cam broke the surface right next to me, laughing hysterically.

  “Are you fucking serious?” I screamed, flailing my arms around as I regained my bearings and attempted to slap him.

  I wanted to kill him. I’d honestly thought I was about to be a shark’s dinner, and he thought it was an amusing prank? Immature bastard.

  He kicked away from me, and I swept my hand through the water, splashing him right in the face.

  “No splashing!” he called out.

  “Try and stop me!” I replied, my face burning with anger and embarrassment.

  I launched more water in his face again, and he shook his head like a wet dog and laughed. “Naughty. Everyone knows that’s a rule for swimming—you can’t splash people’s faces.”

  “Too friggin’ bad! We’re out in the ocean, so there are no rules, and you just scared the crap out of me. If you think I won’t get you back for this, you’re deluded!”

  “Aw, come on, it was a joke,” he said. “There’s no sharks here. I only said that to freak you out.”

  I huffed and swam closer to him, scared of the water surrounding us, even though I knew it was safe. The prick had almost given me a heart attack, and I doubted I’d want to swim again for at least six months.

  “A joke is supposed to be funny,” I said. “That wasn’t funny! I thought I was about to lose my leg!”

  He held his hands up. “Okay, okay. Sorry. I took it too far.”

  “Damn right you did,” I muttered as I began to paddle back over to the yacht.

  “Don’t be mad,” he called out after me.

  Me, mad? Never.

  Just kidding. I was beyond mad. I was going to get my revenge on him for this, and I was going to get him good…

  Chapter 9

  Anya

  “Looks like it’s just the two of us again.”

  I glanced up from my phone to see that Cam had returned to the dinner table at the hotel restaurant we’d eaten at after returning from our short yachting expedition. While he’d been in the bathroom, Mom and Pierce had left to spend some more time alone upstairs in their room, and I’d been polishing off my dessert while texting Kara at the same time.

  “Unfortunately, yes,” I replied, setting my phone on the table before taking my last bite of cheesecake.

  “I stopped by at the bar to pick up a drink for you,” he said, pushing a cocktail glass across the table. “It’s called a Shark Attack. The grenadine looks like blood.”

  I swallowed my mouthful of cake and rolled my eyes. “Hilarious. Ever considered quitting the modeling industry to pursue a comedic career?”

  He grinned, and then his face took on a more serious expression. “Look, I’m really sorry about the shark thing earlier. I honestly thought you’d think it was funny,” he said. “But I thought about it, and it wasn’t that funny. Though you’ve gotta admit, I got you good. Right?”

  “Right,” I said stiffly. Typical Cam. Just when it sounded like he was apologizing, he couldn’t help himself from bragging about how ‘good’ he’d gotten me with his prank. Just you wait, I silently seethed.

  I took a sip of the drink he’d given me. It was surprisingly delicious.

  “Anyway,” he said. “I need to take another shower. I already had a quick one after we got back, but I still smell awful from our swim; like a dead squid or something.”

  “Isn’t that just your natural scent?” I asked, affecting an innocent expression.

  He chuckled. “And you say I should be a comedian.”

  He finished off the last dregs of the soda he’d ordered earlier and then leaned across the table. “Well, I’m off to have that shower. You know, I have a spare keycard to my room…if you want to meet me up there later.”

  I was about to bite back with a witty retort about how I’d rather be eaten by an actual shark than go up to his room…but then inspiration struck.

  Oh. My. God.

  I had it. I had the perfect revenge plan, and Cam was too arrogant to see it coming.

  “Sure,” I said.

  His eyes widened. “Huh?”

  “I said sure. Give me the spare keycard,” I replied, slipping into my most seductive voice.

  “Anya, I was just kidding…I didn’t think you’d actually say yes,” he said, looking more confused than ever.

  “Well, I’m not kidding. Look, I’ve been doing some thinking, and I just…” I looked down and bit my lower lip before flashing him a coy expression. “I just can’t pretend anymore. I keep pretending I hate you, but I really don’t, Cam. And honestly, the fake shark attack was actually kinda funny.”

  “So…what are you saying?” he asked.

  I leaned forward, making sure my cleavage popped out of my dress. “I’m saying hand over that card. Let’s stop acting like we can ever just be plain old stepsiblings or friends. There’s a reason I kissed you back the other day in your apartment. So let’s just get it out of our systems.”

  His face lit up. “Jesus. I haven’t seen this side of you before, but I can’t say I’m complaining,” he said with a grin. “Screw the shower. Come with me now. Spend the whole night.”

  I shook my head. “Oh no, you really do smell like a dead squid. No offence. So take your shower, and I’ll go freshen up too. I’ll meet you up there in about half an hour.”

  He stood up and slipped me the keycard. “I’ll be waiting.”

  “And I’ll be panty-less.”

  His eyes widened again, and I knew I’d shocked him. I also knew he’d fallen for my ruse hook, line and sinker. I was a terrible actress, and to anyone else it would have been obvious that I was full of crap, but Cam was too full of himself to realize. He assumed that any woman in the world would want him, no matter what he’d done to them in the past…and I was going to take full advantage of that.

  “See you soon, sis,” he said with a smirk, before heading in th
e direction of the elevators.

  I smiled back at him as he left and then glanced across the room towards the bar. Tonight, revenge was a dish best served…bald.

  I had my target.

  Sitting by the bar was a balding middle-aged man I’d noticed earlier. I’d noticed him because he’d stared at my Mom all night and then tried to grope her ass when she’d gone to the bar to ask for another drink. Sleazy bastard. Cam wasn’t the only one I’d be getting revenge on tonight.

  I hiked my dress up a bit at the thighs and pulled it down in the front to maximize my cleavage, and then I headed over to the bar and slid onto the barstool directly next to the sleazy man.

  “Hi,” I purred. “Nice night, huh?”

  He leered back at me, displaying his yellowed teeth in a grin. “Sure is, sweet-cheeks. You after a drink? I’m buying.”

  I smiled. “I’m after a bit more than a drink. Did you see that guy I was with at the table earlier?”

  Please don’t say you recognize Cam from the papers, I silently prayed.

  “You mean the smarmy-looking kid who just left?” he replied.

  “Yeah, him. He’s my boyfriend. Or he was my boyfriend. I just found out he’s been cheating on me. The other girl sent me photos of them together, and I’d really like to get some payback.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  I nodded, arching an eyebrow. “Yeah. He always used to say he was worried that he’d lose me to an older, more experienced guy…a guy like yourself. Maybe you and I should give him a taste of that. We could even take some pictures and send them to him. See how he likes having it rubbed in his face.”

  “I’d be happy to,” he said, leaning right over to me and patting me on the thigh. His breath smelled like a cat’s litter tray, and I plastered on another smile, trying not to retch at the stench.

  “Well, I really need to go freshen up,” I said, tossing my hair back over my shoulders. “But I have a spare keycard. Why don’t you meet me up in my room in twenty minutes? I’ll probably still be in the shower….because I’m just so dirty. Just come right in.”

  “Will do, sweet-cheeks,” he said, winking.

  I slipped him Cam’s keycard and then began to slink away, casting one last smoldering look at him before turning the corner and stepping into the elevator.

  Oh, this was going to be good.

  Chapter 10

  Cam

  It was happening.

  Anya had finally admitted it. She still wanted me. I’d known that when she kissed me back the other day, but after what had happened with Jana showing up at my apartment, I’d thought she’d gone back to hating me again.

  Apparently not.

  She could scream at me all she wanted, but we both knew that all she really wanted to scream was my name as I fucked her brains out. Even though she’d ignored all my texts last week and thrown more insults my way in the last day, it obviously hadn’t been enough to stop her from realizing the truth: we were good together, and we damn well needed to drop all pretenses of being ‘friends’.

  I still couldn’t believe how quickly it had all happened, though. I’d thought that I might have to wait for months or even years for her to come back to me after all the ridiculous misunderstandings we’d found ourselves in.

  I thought back to her final words at the dinner table, about how she wouldn’t be wearing any panties when she came up to my room. Fuck, could she be any hotter? My cock ached from how stiff it was, and I couldn’t wait for her to show up so I could show her what we’d both been missing out on during our time apart.

  I was finally going to have her again. And fuck, I was going to have her all night long.

  Humming to myself, I finished washing the ocean smell out of my hair and then turned the shower off. There was a small clock in the bathroom, and I glanced at it to see that almost twenty minutes had gone by. Anya would be here soon.

  I decided not to get dressed after toweling off. What was the point? I was only going to get naked again two seconds after she arrived, so I might as well just stay naked from now until that moment.

  Just as I opened the bathroom door, I heard footsteps approaching my room, and then the sound of a keycard clicking in the lock as Anya lingered outside. Then the door slowly opened.

  It was now or never. Dropping my towel, I strutted out to the main room.

  “I hope you brought lube, because we’re gonna be….” I stopped short, cutting myself off before shouting. “What the fuck?!”

  Standing before me was a paunchy middle-aged man with less hair than a Sphynx cat. His reflection mirrored mine.

  Shock.

  Dismay.

  Horror.

  “Who the fuck are you?” he snarled. “Wait….I recognize you. You’re her ex-boyfriend! Why the fuck are you in her room?”

  “Huh? Who are you talking about? This is my room!”

  Suddenly it dawned on me. That sly little minx. I should’ve known Anya wouldn’t let the shark prank slide so easily. I’d scared the living shit out of her, and I should’ve known she’d want to prank me back. She’d always been a smartass.

  I couldn’t believe how easily I’d fallen for it. Of course it was a prank. Why else would she have changed her tune about me so quickly and suddenly turned into a seductive temptress?

  Even though I was disappointed that she’d led me on and didn’t truly want to jump my bones, I couldn’t help but grin at her sharp wit as the middle-aged guy stared at me.

  “Why are you smiling at me?” he asked, suddenly looking fearful. “Look, if this is some weird sex game that you and your girl are into, then I’m sorry, but I don’t do threesomes. Especially not a devil’s threesome.”

  “I wasn’t smiling at you,” I said. “Give my keycard back and get the hell out of here!”

  He tossed the card at me and then pelted out of my room at full speed, probably afraid that I was either going to kill him or have sex with him.

  Still grinning at how evil Anya was, I hurriedly dressed and headed out into the hall, trying to remember which number her room was. 404? Sounds right….wait, no, Dad said she was in 406.

  I sharply rapped on the door to room 406, and Anya appeared a second later, clad in a fluffy old dressing gown with cartoon characters on it.

  “What’s up?” she asked, her face drawn into an innocent expression.

  “Don’t give me that ‘what’s up’ crap. You know exactly what’s up,” I replied. “You call me a player, but my god, Anya…you played me tonight, better than anyone. I’m actually kinda proud of you.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she replied. A soft blush was creeping into her cheeks.

  I leaned closer. “Liar,” I murmured. “You gave that guy my keycard, didn’t you? Well, the joke’s on you. You would’ve had to actually flirt with him in the first place, in order to convince him you were gonna screw him. At least I didn’t have to do that.”

  She folded her arms. “I really don’t know what you’re talking about. After you left, I came straight to my room and got into my pajamas.”

  “You’re a terrible liar, and you know what happens to liars?” I asked, leaning in even closer.

  I expected her to pull back, but she didn’t move an inch. “What?” she asked.

  “They get punished,” I said, pulling my lips into a smirk. “They get punished hard.”

  “That’s nice,” she replied, her voice wavering slightly. Her gown fell open a little at the front, revealing the thin satin camisole she was wearing underneath….with no bra. Damn, she certainly knew how to put the ‘sex’ in ‘sexually frustrating’.

  “It’s a shame you’re wrong, though,” she continued. “I really don’t recall doing anything with your keycard…nothing you didn’t deserve, anyway. So you’ll have to take your disciplinary mood elsewhere.”

  “Hmm…that really is a shame, because I’ve got something nice and big to punish you with. Here’s a hint: it’s not a wooden spoon.”

  I was onl
y kidding, and I expected her to grimace at my ridiculously cheesy line, but instead she gave me a half-smile. “It’s not how big you are, Cam…it’s how big you play. And like you said, I outplayed you tonight. So you lose, and you get nothing. Goodnight!”

  With that, she pulled her gown shut and closed the door in my face, but I didn’t miss the deeper blush rising in her cheeks as I caught my final glimpse of her for the night. I couldn’t help but feel smugly satisfied that she was blushing because of me. It reminded me of the flush she’d had in her cheeks after she’d come over and over again on that first night we’d met.

  Anya might have played with me and won tonight, but I was in this game for the long run.

  And I wasn’t accustomed to losing.

  Chapter 11

  Anya

  I was unbelievably wet.

  No, not in the way you’re thinking. I was soaked through from the rain. It had been three weeks since I’d arrived back in the city from the Hamptons trip, and winter had finally started to creep in. I’d been on my way to Cam’s Aubé photo shoot in Brooklyn when it had started to bucket down.

  Dammit, I should’ve accepted a ride from him. He’d texted me and offered to drive me to the studio with him earlier, but I’d wanted to show him what an independent woman I was, so I’d said no and headed to my nearest subway station, determined to prove that I didn’t need anyone or anything.

  Of course, the minute I’d stepped out of the station closest to the studio, it had started pouring, and my hair and clothes were now soaking wet. There were no cabs to be seen, so I’d ducked into a bookstore to try and escape the downpour, and I was still waiting for it to stop, seeing as I hadn’t had the good sense to bring an umbrella.

  So much for being independent.

  I sighed and sent an apologetic text message to Marko Schreiber, telling him that I’d be at the studio soon. Hopefully, Cam wasn’t causing trouble for him.

  I doubted he would be causing too much trouble, though. Since our prank war in the Hamptons, which I’d clearly won, Cam had seemingly developed a whole new level of respect for me. We’d still been catching up every so often to work on rescuing his career, and he’d been purely professional. No sleazy comments, no cheesy jokes—just plain old professionalism. I was suspicious at first, but he didn’t seem to have an ulterior motive...at least not one I had picked up on yet.