The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 52 - fifty two

Chapter Fifty-Two

Malachi’s POV

Dinner was quieter than usual. Just the three of us at the long table. Me, Alicia, and Sophie. The rest of the family was at some charity event I’d refused to attend. I had no interest in playing nice with people I despised.

Sophie was talking about her day, something about a book she was reading. Some fantasy story with dragons and princesses. She was animated, her hands moving as she described the plot. I found myself listening, actually paying attention instead of letting the words wash over me like I usually did with meaningless conversation.

"And then the princess found out she had magic powers," Sophie said excitedly. "But she didn’t know how to control them yet. Do you think that’s scary? Having power you can’t control?"

"Yes," I said. "Very scary."

Alicia’s eyes flicked to me across the table. She’d been quiet most of the meal, picking at her food more than eating it. Something was bothering her, but I couldn’t tell what.

"But she’ll learn, right?" Sophie continued. "She’ll figure it out and use her powers for good?"

"In stories, they usually do." I took a sip of wine. "Real life is different."

"Malachi," Alicia’s voice cut through. Sharp. "She’s a child."

"I’m just being honest."

"You’re being dark."

Sophie looked between us, confused by the tension. I didn’t want to upset her, but I also wasn’t going to lie and fill her head with fairy tales about how everything always worked out.

"Sophie," Alicia said, her tone firm. "Eat. Don’t talk while eating."

The girl looked surprised. Hurt, even. She’d just been excited about her book, sharing something that mattered to her. And Alicia had shut her down.

Sophie’s shoulders slumped and she went back to her food in silence. The rest of the meal was awkward, uncomfortable. The easy atmosphere from before was gone, replaced by something cold.

I watched Alicia. Tried to understand what had changed. Why she’d suddenly put up walls again.

As soon as Sophie finished eating, Alicia practically dragged her out of the dining room. I heard them going upstairs, heard Sophie asking if she could come back down to talk to me more about her book.

"Not tonight," Alicia said. "You need to rest."

"But I wanted to tell Malachi about—"

"Tomorrow."

The firmness in her voice surprised me. This wasn’t like her. Alicia was usually patient with Sophie, gentle. This was something else. This was her creating distance on purpose.

I stayed at the table for a while after they left, finishing my wine. Thinking about the way Alicia had looked at me during dinner. Like she was afraid of something. Like she was trying to protect Sophie from me.

Or maybe trying to protect herself.

I thought about Lucas, tied to that chair in the warehouse. The way his blood had splashed across my face when I’d driven the blade through his hand. The satisfaction I’d felt making him scream.

He’d touched her. Looked at her like she belonged to him. Like he had any right to her at all.

She was mine. She just didn’t know it yet. Or maybe she did know it and that’s what scared her.

I heard footsteps in the hallway upstairs. Alicia, probably going back to her room. I stood up and left the dining room, moving quickly but quietly through the house.

I reached the second floor hallway just as she was walking past. She wasn’t paying attention, lost in her own thoughts. She didn’t see me until she walked right into me.

I caught her arms to steady her. Felt the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric of her dress.

"Careful, little bird," I said softly.

She looked up at me, startled. Then tried to pull away. "I’m fine."

"Are you?" I didn’t let go. Instead, I took her hand and started walking.

"What are you doing?"

I didn’t answer. Just kept walking until we reached my room. I opened the door, pulled her inside, and locked it behind us.

"Malachi, this isn’t—"

I moved fast. Pinned her against the wall before she could finish the sentence. My hands on either side of her head, my body close enough to feel the heat radiating off her.

"Why are you running away from me?" I asked, my voice low.

"I’m not."

"Yes, you are. At dinner. Just now. You’ve been avoiding me all day. All week, actually." I leaned closer. "Why?"

"Maybe I don’t want to be around you."

The words should have stung, but I could see the lie in her eyes. Could see the way her breathing had quickened. The way her pupils dilated when I got close.

"Try again," I said.

She pressed her lips together. Stubborn. Always so stubborn.

"Who were you with this evening?" I asked.

Something flickered in her eyes. Fear? Guilt?

"I was with Cassie," she said. "We had dinner."

I laughed. Couldn’t help it. Did she really think I wouldn’t know? That I wouldn’t find out?

"Try again, Alicia. Who were you really with?"

"I told you. Cassie."

Her jaw set in that defiant way I’d come to recognize. She wasn’t going to admit it. Wasn’t going to give me the truth even though we both knew I already had it.

When she opened her mouth to lie the third time, I kissed her.

I’d been wanting to do it all evening. All day, really. Since the moment I’d seen her through that restaurant window, smiling at another man. Since I’d watched Lucas try to act like he had any claim to her at all.

She stiffened for a second. Then she melted into me. Her hands fisted in my shirt and she kissed me back with the same desperate hunger I felt.

This was the truth. Not the lies she told with words, but this. The way her body responded to mine. The way she couldn’t hide what she felt when I touched her.

I bit her lower lip. Hard enough to make her gasp.

"That’s your punishment," I murmured against her mouth. "For having dinner with Lucas when you knew how much I hated him."

She went still. "How did you—"

"I know everything, little bird. Everything you do. Everywhere you go." I kissed along her jaw. "You’ve been avoiding me these days. Keeping your distance. Acting like nothing’s happening between us."

"Nothing is happening."

"Another lie."

I moved to her neck. Licked the sensitive skin there, felt her shiver. Then I bit down. Not hard enough to really hurt, but hard enough to mark her. To make sure everyone who looked at her tomorrow would know she belonged to someone.

She made a small sound. Half protest, half pleasure. Her fingers dug into my shoulders.

I knew the mark would be visible. Knew she’d see it in the mirror tomorrow and think about this moment. About me.

My hands ran under her dress to feel her thighs. Her skin was soft, warm. Perfect. I gripped her thigh and lifted it, hooking her leg around my waist.

"Tell me the truth," I said against her neck. "Tell me you feel this too."

She was breathing hard. I could feel her heart racing where our bodies pressed together.

"Malachi," she breathed my name. Just that. Nothing else.

"Say it," I demanded. My hand slid higher. "Say you want this. Want me."

"I—" She stopped. Caught between what she wanted and what she thought she should say.

I pulled back to look at her. Her lips were swollen from my kisses. Her eyes were dark with desire. She looked beautiful like this. Undone.

"I can’t," she whispered finally. "This is wrong. You’re my brother-in-law. I’m married to Travis. This is—"

"Travis doesn’t want you." The words came out harsher than I intended. "He never did. This marriage is a business arrangement and you know it."

"That doesn’t make this right."

"Nothing about any of this is right, little bird." I traced circles on her inner thigh with my thumb. "But I’m done pretending I don’t want you. Done watching you from a distance. Done letting other men get close to you."

Understanding dawned in her eyes. "Is that why you’re covered in blood? Did you do something to Lucas?"

I smiled. Couldn’t help it. She was smart. Too smart sometimes.

"What if I did?"

I expected her to be horrified. Expected her to push me away. Any normal person would have.

But Alicia just stared at me for a long moment. Then she said quietly, "You’re insane."

"Only about you."

I kissed her again. Slower this time. Deeper. Pouring everything I couldn’t say into it. All the obsession. All the need. All the darkness she’d awakened in me.

And she kissed me back. Like she understood. Like maybe she was just as insane as I was.

Her hands moved from my shoulders to my hair. Pulling me closer. Giving in to what we both knew had been inevitable from the start.

"This doesn’t change anything," she said when we finally broke apart. "Tomorrow—"

"Tomorrow you can go back to pretending you don’t want me." I kissed her neck again, right over the mark I’d left. "But tonight, you’re mine."

She didn’t argue. Didn’t pull away.

Instead, she pulled me closer.

And for tonight, that was enough.