My Brother’s Best Friend

Seven Years Ago

ARELLA

WITH SHAKY limbs, I made my way into the elevator. Skip followed. He had not said a word after bidding goodbye to them. And now, I could pass out with nervousness and worry.

Honestly, I didn’t know what to say.

The door closed in front of us. He pressed the number eleven button. The elevator lifted, and each change of the digits made my heart race. I wondered if he would ever see me the same person again. He said he loved me more. Did he mean it? Because now that just the two of us, he had not said anything. It felt like he distanced himself from me and suddenly turned stone cold.

Argh! I’m over-thinking it, ain’t I?

The elevator dinged on the eleventh floor. I felt his hand on my lower back, but he remained silent, and I couldn’t even turn to look at him. I was afraid to see his raging face and hear the fury in his words.

Unable to fight the tears forming in my eyes, I stopped in the middle of the hallway.

I waited for a moment and raised my chin to face him, and my chest was already heaving. “Why are you not talking to me?”

Skip didn’t make eye contact, just grabbed my hand and dragged me, but I stilled on my feet. He groaned, briefly closing his eyes. A squeal escaped from me when he scooped me, lifted me, and threw me over his shoulder like I weigh nothing.

“Skip!” I wiggled, and all I got was a smack on my butt. “Put me down, please?”

Skip ignored and unlocked the room. Once we were inside, he kicked the door closed and threw me to the bed. I bounced, and it knocked the air out of my lungs.

“What was that for?”

I earned nothing. Complete disappointment flooded through me.

Panicking, I abruptly sat on the bed when Skip still didn’t say anything. I was beyond worried about how his face seemed emotionless. With a tight jaw, he shrugged off his suit jacket and kicked off his shoes, then sat silently at the edge of the bed. His elbows propped on his knees and his hands were cupping his face.

All of a sudden, his body shook. My eyes bulged out of each socket to witness Skip sobbing.

Oh, my God! No, no, no.

I almost had a heart attack with worries, and here he was crying. Slowly, I dragged myself and moved closer to him. Pressing myself against his back, I wrapped my arms around him. I could now feel all the emotions he’d been concealing all this time.

I pressed my nose on his head and sucked his scent that always calmed, but my eyes were leaking tears again. With him. He then took my hands and planted gentle kisses on each finger. He continued crying, and so did I.

I closed my eyes for a moment and felt him, listening to his breathing and heartbeat. He said he came for me before he met Rynna. Did something chance on us now?

“Say something, please? You’re killing me.” My words broke, but I felt his hands still on mine.

“I don’t know what to say, Reigh. You blow me away. What happened today seemed unreal, but here I am, crying my bloody arse out because I know it happened and everything is real.” He released my hand and faced me, wiping his tears.

My tears never stopped falling when I looked at him so sad, yet happy. He wiped my tears and finally smiled-the smile of acceptance, and he also blew me away.

“Don’t cry, please?” he said with a pleading voice.

“Yet you are crying.” I let out a soft laugh.

“Couldn’t help it. I could’ve lost my mind if I think of how you managed to do that all by yourself. For nine months, then.” He shook his head. The guilt flashed in his eyes. He then looked away. “Christ! I couldn’t believe I accused you of something.”

“We did and said terrible things, Skip, but that’s the good thing because what we said and done was already in the past.”

He slowly nodded. “She’s just beautiful. Just like her mother.” His chin trembled.

“And she got your eyes.” And that, he cried even more.

Good God! Skip was crying, and I couldn’t help it anymore. I pulled him into my arms and hugged him tightly.

I lied down, and he placed his head on my shoulder. I could feel him sucking the air through his nose, taking my scents.

“I was so scared that day when I saw blood. I felt relieved when the doctor told me it was normal to have spotting. That was when I realized I should keep the baby.”

“I was already three months when I finished high school. Mom and Dad didn’t like the idea that I should stop for a year. I was thrilled when they finally agreed, and Dad said I could take a break. I tried to lose weight because I couldn’t let my family knew that I was pregnant at eighteen. They thought I study hard were in fact, I almost failed. A day after graduation, I and Alys flew here because a week after that Brett would come home, and I couldn’t let him find out. He expects a lot from me, Skip.”

“I still talked to my family though, and I missed Brett a lot. They thought I traveled, but I was pregnant with Rynna.” I shrugged. “And that guilt was eating me alive for seven years.”

“I could’ve met you there if I came to see Brett, right?”

Skip hummed.

“Then Alys told her sister about my situation. They’re newly-wed at that time, and Anna wanted to have a child. And I couldn’t.” I took a deep breath and sniffed. “I couldn’t raise a child alone, but God knows how much I wanted to take my child home with me. I don’t want to be a disappointment to my family at the same time, and I was only eighteen, Skip. I couldn’t kill an innocent child, too. Alys and the Byrnes took care of me, gave me home, and provided what I needed.” I looked down at Skip and he was still in the same position with eyes closed. I knew he was listening as he was hugging me tighter and tighter.

“Then when she came, and her eyes…” I sobbed harder, shaking my head. That was the best feeling in the whole world. “I-I t-thought of you a lot, Skip. Your eyes and your smile. That was what kept me sane. ”

“I couldn’t imagine what you’ve been through, though I know you’re not alone. I just wished I was there with you. And fuck me what was I doing that time while you were suffering. It made me an awful person, Reigh. Then when I came back, all I did was to make you cry, threw you with hurtful words when you should be the one who should hurting me for being an arsehole, and not the other way around.”

“Stop blaming yourself. You were not aware of my situation, and I lied to you that I was on a pill. Let’s bury the hatchet, Skip.” I caught my lip between my teeth, then he lifted his head and looked at me with furrowed brows. But I didn’t miss the amusement that flickered in his eyes.

“Huh!”

“That’s it? Huh?”

“Well, we can’t take it back anymore, can we? And I could have checked the drawer or their luggage. I know they have plenty.”

“Oh?” Why it didn’t come into my mind?

“Oh? That’s it?”

“Why do I always forget things when I’m with you?”

“You asked that like a thousand times. To answer your question, you should definitely forget things when I’m with you, love.” Skip quickly hovered me. He met my gaze-a kind of gaze that could penetrate through my soul. The desire and love were pooling in his eyes. He kissed me quickly and crawled out of bed.

My brows furrowed. “Where are you going?”

“Not going anywhere.” He unbuttoned his shirt, unzipped his pants, and took off his socks.

I was momentarily stunned when he turned to me.

“What are you waiting for? To let me rip your clothes off from your body?” He smirked. His manhood already bulged against his white boxers.

I hid my smile, crawling lazily out of bed, causing him to groan.

“Hurry up, Arella.”

The more I made myself slower like a sloth.

“Don’t test me, woman!”

I faced him, rolling my eyes. “Then you should be helping me.” I was already on my underwear when he strode to my side, rounding at my back.

Skip hastily unclasped my bra, slipping it off my arms, then not wasting any seconds, he shoved my panties down my ankles. I stepped out leisurely, granting me another guttural roar.

“Ugh!”

Skip sank his teeth on the round of my butt-it definitely stung. But then, he licked the area where he bit me. A shudder rippled through me.  It was so arousing that I had to fist my hands and close my eyes.

“Wanna try to defy me again?” His hand was already on my inner thigh, tracing up slowly, then stopped just a thread-thin to my sex-my wet sex. The anticipation made me catch my breath. Then a moment later, nothing happened.

“Skip,” I called him in a shaky voice.

“Yes, love?” I could feel him grinning at my back. He continued to torture me on my other thigh, and I could feel his warm breath on my bare butt.

“Take steps forward until your knees reach the bed.”

I followed what he said, or rather ordered.

“Turn around.” His voice thickened.

So I did.

“Sit down.”

I sat down. Before I could talk he stopped me with another command. “Just do what I say. Now lie your back. Flat.” I did and I found myself exposed and vulnerable. The temperature of the room seeped through my bare skin, but I didn’t shiver because of it-It was from how Skip commanded me. It slightly terrified me, but it turned me on so much. I could feel the coldness as the air blew my exposed sex. I was dripping wet.

“Skip.” I bit my lip and closed my eyes.

“Reigh,” he said with a groan. “Spread your thighs wider for me.”

What?

Before I could protest, my body voluntarily did.