Page 7 of My Italian Stepbrother

Part of my prison deal was taking anger management classes, and while I was behind bars, I thought the techniques they taught me were helping. But here now, no amount of breathing could calm me down. A drink is what’s going to calm me down.

I hop out of bed and look at my watch to see that it’s only 12:30 in the afternoon. A little early to start drinking, but I still need to clear my head. I take my jeans off and change into a pair of black athletic sweats. Hopefully, a run will hold me over until I can go to Perry’s for a drink.

6

BRIE

I’m speechless. Did he just spank me? This can’t be real. This is some weird, seriously messed-up dream. It has to be. The only thing pulling me into reality and reminding me that my stepbrother just bent me over and spanked me is the stinging on my skin.

“Unbelievable,” I whisper to myself as I look at the mirror and stare at the giant red mark on my butt.

I stand in my room, completely at a loss for what to do. The moment plays over in my mind and the one thing I can’t shake is the look he gave me when he finished.

Benito’s eyes were filled with something... carnal. I’ve never seen a man look at me that way. It’s like he couldn’t control himself.

He barged into my room and spanked me. What the hell? Who does he think he is?

The more I think about it, the angrier I get. Seriously, what gave him the right to do that? It’s a huge boundary cross. I’ve known this man for a day, and he’s treating me like a toddler he needs to reprimand.

I didn’t even do anything wrong!

Abandoning every sensible part of my body telling me not to, I storm through the bathroom to go into his room. Of course, he doesn’t lock his door, so I barge in with ease, still in my crochet bikini cover-up and sandals.

“What was that?!” I roar at him, standing in the doorway with my hands on my hips.

Benito is shirtless and standing in front of his dresser, digging through the drawers. Maybe I should have knocked. His eyes slowly look me up and down, and I suddenly realize I’m practically naked. I control my breath and try to hold his gaze, but my eyes fall on his body. He’s absolutely chiseled, which I expected, but actually seeing it is something different altogether. His arms are covered in tattoos, and he has a few on his chest and ribs too. My stomach flutters as I take in his rippling abs and corded arms.

“That was me punishing you,” he finally says as he walks towards me. “You needed to learn a lesson.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I was swimming and that creep came up to me,” I snap back.

“He only came up to you because you’re walking around in this,” he accuses, gesturing to my clothes and still moving toward me.

I stand my ground and keep staring at him without wavering.

“You don’t know what these men are capable of. Some of these guys are really bad people, Brie.” I feel a shiver throughout my body when he says my name.

Benito is only inches away from me now, and I have to crane my head up to hold eye contact with him. He towers over me. He’s at least a foot and a half taller than me, and his broad, muscular body dwarfs mine in comparison. He’s imposing, to say the least.

“I was just helping you with that lesson. You need someone to protect you from people like that,” he adds in a voice so low it sounds like a growl.

He continues to trudge to me, and he reaches out to push stray hair off my forehead. Heat crackles between us.

“You mean protect me from people like you,” I whisper, my voice almost breaking.

My chest is heaving because he’s so close to me. I’m terrified but somehow, I’m still standing there in front of him—now less than an inch apart. I can feel the warmth from him, and my body responds in a way I never thought it would. My breath hitches, and I’m pretty sure my cheeks are burning.

Before I can speak or move, his hand reaches for my throat, and he backs me against a wall. I wrap both of my hands around his forearm to try and escape, but I’m pinned too well. His grip isn’t strong enough to choke me, but he has me solidly in his grasp. Heat rushes to my face as he lowers his head to mine.

I thought he’s going to try to kill me or threaten me. But instead, he kisses me. Something that’s even more surprising is that I kiss him back. His tongue parts my lips and fills my mouth, and a moan escapes my throat.

My body feels like it’s on fire, and I desperately reach out for him. He pulls his mouth away from me, his hand still pinning me to the wall, and he traces the red mark on my butt with his other hand.

“You’re mine now,” he growls at me as he takes his hand off my neck.

He stares at me while I stand against the wall, staring up at him, the flush on my face, neck, and chest giving away how I feel right now. His hand is still on my butt, and he slants his mouth over mine.

Our lips meet again, and I toss my arms over his shoulders in a dizzying embrace. He lifts me and grips my thighs. I can’t stop moaning and sighing as our tongues coalesce together. Every time I do, I can feel him losing more control over himself.

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