Page 24 of Stepbrother Obsessed

“Of course,” Kristie says in a clipped tone. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

I wince again because we’ve been antagonists for so long that I’m not sure we can break out of the habit. But I will myself to stay calm while looking into her blue eyes.

“The thing is that I haven’t been fair to you,” I say in a low tone. “I haven’t been fair tous.”

Kristie tilts her chin at me.

“What do you mean?”

I pause for a moment.

“You’ve always said that nothing happened between you and Steve. Over the years, you’ve never deviated from that line.”

“Because it’snota line!” she protests hotly, two spots of color burning on her cheeks. “It’s the truth!”

I nod.

“And that’s what Steve always said too – that I was jumping to conclusions, and that I often saw the worst when it was nothing but coincidence.”

Kristie shakes her head, her shoulders slumping.

“Yes, and that’s what I’ve maintained for years,” she grits out. “But where is this going? I don’t understand what this has to do with Riley.”

I take a deep breath.

“It has to do with Riley because Steve passed last week. I got a call that he had a heart attack, and I flew to Austin immediately. I’m sorry I’ve been out of contact, but it’s because our father died.”

Kristie gasps, looking up quickly.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry! When is the funeral? Is Milly okay?”

“She’s fine,” I say in a low tone. “Steve hasn’t been well for the last year or two, and in fact, when we were at the auction, Steve was suffering from chest pains. Did you know?”

Kristie is astonished and she shakes her head.

“No, I had no idea,” she says in a low voice. “I didn’t even know he was at the auction.”

“Right, because he had a mini-heart attack while we were in the bidding booth,” I say. “The paramedics were called and he was transported straight from the club to the hospital. Then, he flew home to Austin, but he was already incredibly frail by then, and our father passed about a week ago.”

Kristie’s face is now ghostly white.

“Oh my god,” she gasps. “I’m so sorry. Of course, I’ll come back for the funeral.”

I hold up a hand.

“No, there’s no need because there was no funeral. Steve was cremated, and his last will was read at his lawyer’s office.”

Kristie stares at me, blue eyes hurt.

“You guys didn’t contact me?”

I shake my head.

“No, because it’s not what my father wanted. He wanted something quick and easy, with only me and Mills there. You were never adopted, Kris, even if he treated you like a daughter. But Steve remembered you, Kristie, and spoke through his will.”

“I don’t want anything from him,” my stepsister immediately says. “Nothing at all. Riley and I don’t need anything from Steve Bradley. In fact, Steve didn’t even know about Riley.”

“He didn’t,” I confirm, my blue eyes grave. “But Steve was aware of the beef between you and me. In his will, he said that he knew that we were in love, and that somehow, he’d come between us. He reiterated that there’s never been anything between you and him, and he stated that he only dragged me to Vegas becausesomehow, he knew that you were going to be sold. The whole trip was carefully orchestrated so that we would meet again.”

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