Chapter 23
Diary 6- Fucking My StepBrother
Alice never thought she’d end up living under the same roof as her stepbrother, Ethan. Their parents had married a year ago, but she’d only moved into their shared home last week. It was supposed to be temporary-a way to save money and figure out her life after a rough breakup.
At 30, Ethan was everything Alice wasn’t. He was confident, charismatic, and frustratingly attractive. With sharp blue eyes that seemed to see right through her and a permanent smirk that screamed trouble, he was the kind of guy Alice had spent years trying to avoid. But now, she was stuck living with him. At 25, she was still piecing her life back together, and moving in wasn’t meant to come with distractions-especially ones like Ethan.
Ethan had been polite but distant since she arrived. He spent most of his time working out, tinkering on his laptop, or coming and going without much notice. But no matter how much Alice tried to ignore him, it was impossible not to notice him. The deep rumble of his voice when he took calls, the scent of his cologne lingering in the hallways, or the way his T-shirts clung to his broad shoulders-it was maddening.
She hated herself for noticing. It wasn’t just inappropriate-it was absurd. But the more she tried to push him out of her mind, the more he seemed to occupy it.
—
One morning, Alice walked into the kitchen, groggy and hoping for a quiet start to her day. Ethan was already there, leaning casually against the counter with a mug of coffee in hand. His hair was tousled like he’d just rolled out of bed, and he wasn’t wearing a shirt.
Alice stopped short, her breath hitching. “Morning,” she mumbled, heading straight for the sink to pour herself a glass of water.
“Morning,” Ethan replied, his voice low and smooth.
He didn’t move, and Alice could feel his eyes on her. She tried to focus on her water, willing herself not to look at him, but the silence felt heavy.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” Ethan said, breaking the tension. His tone was light, teasing, but the words made Alice freeze.
“I’m not avoiding you,” she lied, turning her back to him.
“Right,” he said with a soft chuckle. “It’s just a coincidence that I hardly see you.”
“I’ve been busy,” she said quickly, gripping her glass a little too tightly.
“Busy doing what?” Ethan stepped closer, and Alice could feel the heat of his body behind her.
“Work,” she blurted, her voice a little too loud.
Ethan laughed, the sound deep and genuine. “You’re terrible at lying, Alice.”
She spun around to face him, her cheeks burning. “I’m not lying.”
He leaned against the counter, his smirk firmly in place. “Alright, if you say so.”
He walked past her, his shoulder brushing hers, and Alice felt a shiver run down her spine. She stared at the sink, her heart racing as his footsteps faded down the hall.
—
For the next few days, Alice did everything she could to keep her distance. She worked late, spent hours in her room, and avoided common spaces. But no matter how much she tried, Ethan always found a way to disrupt her carefully crafted plan.
It wasn’t just that he was everywhere-it was the way he seemed to notice everything. The way she tensed when he walked into a room. The way her eyes flicked to him when she thought he wasn’t looking. The way her voice wavered when he spoke to her.
One evening, Alice was curled up on the couch, trying to lose herself in a movie. She’d made it halfway through when Ethan strolled into the living room, shirtless as always and carrying a water bottle.
“Don’t let me stop you,” he said, dropping onto the couch next to her.
Alice stiffened, her eyes glued to the screen. “You’re not stopping me.”
“What are we watching?” he asked, his tone casual.
“Just a movie,” she muttered.
Ethan stretched out, his long legs brushing against hers. “Mind if I join?”
Alice clenched her jaw, her fingers tightening around the blanket draped over her lap. “Do I have a choice?”
“Not really,” he said with a grin.
She sighed, trying to focus on the movie, but his presence was impossible to ignore. He was too close, too warm, too… everything.
“You always this tense?” Ethan asked after a few minutes.
“I’m not tense,” she shot back, though her stiff posture said otherwise.
“You are.” He leaned closer, his voice dropping. “You’ve been like this since you moved in. Care to tell me why?”
Alice’s heart pounded as she turned to face him. “I’m fine, Ethan. Just… drop it, okay?”
His smirk softened, his blue eyes searching hers. For a moment, it felt like the air between them shifted. Alice looked away quickly, her cheeks burning.
“Alright,” Ethan said, leaning back with a shrug. “But you know you can talk to me, right? We’re family now.”
The word family hit her like a bucket of cold water. She nodded quickly, mumbling something about going to bed, and fled the room before he could say anything else.
—
The tension only grew after that night. Ethan seemed to take pleasure in pushing her buttons, finding every opportunity to get a reaction out of her. Whether it was brushing past her in the hallway or teasing her at breakfast, he always left her flustered and frustrated.
Alice hated how easily he got under her skin. She hated the way her body betrayed her, responding to every touch, every look, every word. She hated how much she wanted him, even though she knew it was wrong.
One night, as she was making tea in the kitchen, Ethan walked in. His hair was damp from the shower, and he was wearing sweatpants and a fitted T-shirt that clung to his chest. Alice kept her eyes on the kettle, pretending not to notice him.
“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, his voice low.
“Something like that,” she murmured, her back to him.
Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “You’ve been acting strange ever since you got here.”
“I’m fine,” she said quickly, pouring her tea.
“You sure?” His hand brushed her arm, and she froze. “Because I don’t think you are.”
Alice turned to face him, her heart pounding. “What do you want, Ethan?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stepped closer, his blue eyes locked on hers. “You’re tense,” he said softly. “I’m just trying to help.”
“You can’t help,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“Maybe you don’t want me to,” he said, his lips curving into a small smile. “But I think you need me to.”
Before she could respond, he reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The simple gesture sent a shiver down her spine, and she felt herself leaning into his touch.
“Tell me to stop,” he murmured, his face inches from hers.
Alice couldn’t. She didn’t want to.
In a moment of reckless abandon, she closed the distance between them, her lips crashing against his. Ethan groaned softly, his hands gripping her waist as he pulled her closer.
It was wrong, it was messy. But it was everything she had been trying to fight.
And for once, she didn’t care.