“Honey, can you get Rafael?” Mom asked. “I think he’d rather you get him than Hank or me.”
My stomach flipped at the request, but I nodded and made my way upstairs. Rafael hadn’t come into the house for three hours after I left him. He must have skated around the park or something. When Rafael finally returned, he looked awful. He ignored everyone and went to his room, where he’d been for the last few hours.
I approached his door and knocked, standing outside his room for a few moments waiting for him to scream something shitty from inside. Nothing. I did it again, but there was still no answer.
“Rafael. Dinner’s ready,” I called out—still nothing.
I should have just turned my ass around and walked downstairs and told them he was sleeping or something, but, like the dutiful son I was, I opened his door to check on him.
Rafael lay on his bed, completely naked, listening to music through his earbuds. His eyes were closed, and a hand rested on his chest. Dark hair dusted his pecs, and his abs clenched as he yawned. My eyes couldn’t stop drinking in his olive skin. The veins on his arms bulged, and his hands were massive. Nestled between the thickest thighs I’d ever seen laid his cock. Even though it was soft, it looked enormous. I couldn’t take my eyes off Rafael’s cock.Why can’t I take my eyes off Rafael’s cock?I don’t know how long I stood there, silently creeping on my stepbrother, but his voice snapped me out of my trance.
“Whatcha looking at, Cody?”
My eyes bolted to his, and I swallowed. Hard. Hard enough that I started choking on saliva.
His blue eyes grew wide as he watched me choking like a fucking idiot in his doorway.
“What the hell is happening to you?” he asked.
I gasped for air. I heaved and tried to speak, but couldn’t. I coughed again and finally croaked out the word dinner.
“Fine! Just close the fucking door you freak. I’ll be down in a second.”
I did just that and ran downstairs.
Fuck. My. Life.
I reached the bottom of the stairs and leaned against the wall before sliding down it. What was that? What just happened to me? I walked in on Rafael naked. I should have slammed his door shut and turned in the opposite direction, but instead, I froze. My feet sealed to the floor, my breathing stopped, and I became hot.Really hot.
No. No, that didn’t just happen.What’s the matter with me? And he saw me! Please, God, don’t let this be happening. Please let me wake up in my bed and let this all be a horrible nightmare.
Chapter 10
Rafael
I took a moment to mime a chef’s kiss in response to the un-fucking-believable gift that landed on my lap before hopping out of bed and getting dressed.What’s this spring in my step?
This wasgood.Cody may have won round two, but I knew what to do for round three.
Never did I suspect Cody of havingthosekinds of feelings—I didn’t know he was interesting enough to be gay or bi or whatever. He’d come off as such a wound-up noob during the wedding. He followed his mother like a puppy, swooping in and doing whatever she needed like a little kiss-ass. His mask of devotion barely hid the contempt he felt, though. Nobody would ever notice, but I looked closer than your average idiot. I could see the exhaustion in Cody’s eyes. The slightest tremble of Jill’s voice put him on high alert. He maneuvered like a seasoned soldier, assessing the situation and formulating a tactical response to minimize damage. He looked so over it.
Fury must have clouded my more intuitive senses, because I never got the inkling that Cody had any feelings other than contempt for me. Did I miss him looking at me like he wanted to lick the salt off my balls? Well, I didruinthe wedding, so maybe I didn’t allow him to lust after me with reckless abandon.
Cody’s Bambi-like eyes turned hungry and dark. He practically drooled while creepily staring at me.Who could blame him?
I’d mainly messed around with girls, but I didn’t care about dudes being gay. I was a modern man for fuck’s sake—not some Joe Rogan incel who panicked and turned fascist when he realized he might like having his prostate prodded. Truth be told, I was kind of curious. Bucky sucked me off once when we were both rolling on molly, and neither of us said a word about it the next day. He had a wet mouth, and I had a hard dick. Ergo, fellatio.
But, perfect fucking Cody with his self-righteousness looking at me like I could have told him to get on his knees right there in the hall and swallow my load was just too good. What was that coughing fit? I almost laughed as he stood there choking to death in my doorway.I can use this.
I knew from the car ride that the way to Hank’s demise was through his wife and stepson, but I had to be subtle about it. I couldn’t just unleash an all-out assault on them. I needed to be lowkey or my ass would wind up in military school. At first, I thought I’d target Jill. Stalk the weaker prey. I could tell she was one fry short of a Happy Meal at the wedding—it would be easy, but buttoned-up little Cody would be a far greater challenge. I could sink my teeth into that.Into him.
This would be so much better than just beating the hell out of him. It would be subtle. Secretive. He wouldn’t go running to mommy and stepdaddy, and this would truly destroy the family. Stepbrothers boning? One breaking the other’s heart? Oh, it was just too good. I’d never used my sexual prowess to dominate another dude before. The idea of it invigorated me.
I’d peel every layer away from that control freak and expose all his vulnerabilities. I’d have Cody Bramble eating out of the palm of my fucking hands—lapping up whatever scraps I gave him. He’d beg for more. I’d push him until I cracked his rock-hard, priggish shell and turned him into a pulsating mess of emotions and need, and then BAM! I nearly drooled thinking of those big brown eyes breaking to pieces once he realized it was all an act. I’d get him in the most vulnerable position imaginable, and then pour the acid of my ire all over him. He’d be scarred, and I’d win. Hank’s little family would be in tatters.
I bounced down the stairs with more vim and vigor than I had any right to until I passed an entire wall curio filled with those awful, precious moments figurines. You know, the figurines of the little kids with the sad eyes?This house can’t be parodied.It took every ounce of strength I had not to projectile vomit on the thing. I made sure to avert my gaze from the mantel. I was not getting distracted this time. I had an agenda and needed to focus.
The Cleavers sat at the dining room table; the only open chair was across from Cody.
