Chapter 39 What the Night Conceals - Chapter 3

Chapter 39 What the Night Conceals - Chapter 3
Samuel awoke panting, his body drenched in sweat, the sheets coiling around his legs like serpents. The room was shrouded in darkness, but the image of Alyssa, with her back arched and lips slightly parted, calling out his name in a husky moan, still seared behind his closed eyelids.

He rubbed his face with his hands, as if attempting to scrub away the vision. Damn.

It was the third such dream of the week.

The house was quiet, yet he could sense her presence in the neighboring room, warm, alive, within reach.

The cold shower provided no relief. Neither did ten minutes of controlled breathing. The image of her dancing in his lap, the scent of her perfume, the way her eyes sparkled when she challenged him in the kitchen — everything was imprinted in his mind as if a curse.

This needs to stop.

As the sun rose, Samuel was already dressed and brewing coffee, resolved to avoid any situation like the one from the previous night.

Alyssa appeared in the kitchen half an hour later, donned in a loose t-shirt that slipped off one shoulder, revealing the thin strap of her bra.

"Good morning," she murmured, her voice still husky from sleep.

Samuel didn't look at her.

"Coffee's ready."

She hesitated, picking up on his sharp tone.

"Everything okay?"

"Everything's great."

A heavy silence descended. Alyssa reached for her cup, her fingers grazing against his for a fleeting moment. Samuel recoiled his hand as if he'd been singed.

"Samuel..."

"I've got work. He snatched his car keys. I can't say when I'll be back."

She remained motionless, her cup suspended mid-air, as he exited the door without a backward glance.

Kaio found Samuel at the bar at 11 in the morning, which was not a good sign.

"Man, you look like a walking dead" Kaio chuckled, taking a seat next to him. Or someone who spent the night dreaming about something they can't possess.

Samuel looked at him with a blend of anger and recognition.

"Shut up."

Kaio ordered two whiskeys and slid a glass towards Samuel.

"Spit it out. It's Alyssa, isn't it?"

Samuel didn't respond, but his fingers clenched the glass hard enough to nearly shatter it.

Kaio whistled softly.

"Damn. You're really in a jam."

"She's my stepdaughter," Samuel growled. "My own daughter, damn it.

"Technically, no," Kaio leaned against the counter. "She's 22, and you didn't bring her into this world. You just married her mom.

Samuel took a long swig, feeling the alcohol scorch his throat.

"It doesn't matter. It's just not right."

Kaio stayed silent for a moment, his dark eyes sizing up his friend.

"Okay. So let's sort this out."

"How do we sort it out?"

Kaio smiled, slow and menacing.

"I'll take her. You get this obsession out of your head. Everyone wins."

Samuel nearly spit out his whiskey.

“What?”

"She's an adult, I'm single, and no one gets hurt."

Samuel looked at him, a dull anger building in his chest.

"You're talking like she's an object."

"I'm speaking as a friend," Kaio shrugged. "But if you'd rather keep torturing yourself, that's your problem."

Samuel didn't reply. But when Kaio suggested they head to his house later, he didn't object.

Alyssa was lounging in the garden when they arrived, absorbed in a book. She was clad in a skimpy bikini and a straw hat, her skin bronzed by the sun.

A knot formed in Samuel's stomach.

"Hi," she said, sitting up in surprise. "You've been gone all day."

"Work," he responded tersely.

Kaio, on the other hand, had no intention of being subtle.

"You look stunning, Alyssa," he said, his eyes unabashedly raking over her body. "Samuel hasn't stopped talking about how much you've grown."

Alyssa arched an eyebrow, turning her gaze to Samuel.

"Really?"

Samuel could feel his cheeks growing hot.

"Kaio's lying."

"Of course I am" Kaio chuckled, sliding onto the lounge chair next to Alyssa, encroaching on her space. But you can't fault me. Just look at you.

Alyssa didn't shy away. Instead, she held Samuel's gaze while Kaio toyed with a lock of her hair.

"Does Samuel think this is out of line?" she asked, her tone defiant.

Samuel swallowed hard. She was pushing his buttons.

"Do as you please," he replied, his voice harsher than he intended.

Kaio smirked, feeling triumphant.

"Perfect. Because I was planning on taking Alyssa out for dinner tonight."

Alyssa bit her lower lip, her gaze still fixed on Samuel.

"What do you think, Samuel? Should I go?"

Something primal stirred within Samuel — a possessiveness he didn't realize he had.

"You don't need my approval."

"No? She cocked her head. Seems like you have a say in everything I do."

Kaio watched the game, his face lit up with enjoyment.

"Samuel just cares about you" he interjected, feigning innocence. — But he knows you can make your own decisions. Isn't that right, Samuel?

Samuel didn't answer. He was too preoccupied with not picturing Kaio touching Alyssa, kissing Alyssa, undressing her—

"I'm leaving" Alyssa announced, standing up. "But first, I'm going to take a shower."

Alyssa walked past Samuel with deliberate slowness, her body just barely grazing his, the warmth of her skin radiating against his arm like an invitation. Her fingers traced a faint, nearly imperceptible path from his wrist to his elbow, and she felt his muscles tense beneath her touch. When their eyes met, she held his gaze, her lips curved into a smile that was pure temptation.

"Don't stay up waiting," he murmured, his voice low and sweet like poisoned honey.

Then she moved away, leaving behind the scent of sunscreen and something sweeter, more personal, something that made Samuel grit his teeth. He stood frozen as if his feet had rooted themselves to the ground, watching her disappear into the house, the sway of her hip accentuated with each step.

Kaio whistled, long and low, breaking the tense silence.

"Man, she's eating you alive," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. And you're just letting her.

Samuel spun around to face him abruptly, his fists balled up at his sides, his knuckles blanching from the pressure. Something primitive and possessive gnawed at his gut, a beast he didn't realize lived within him.

"If you so much as touch her..." His voice emerged as a growl, hoarse and filled with a threat he didn't fully comprehend himself.

Kaio raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, but the grin on his face was that of someone who had already claimed victory before the game even started.

"Take it easy, pal. It's just dinner," he said, his tone casual, but his dark eyes promised anything but innocence. Unless she wants more, of course.

Samuel swallowed hard, the mental image of Kaio with Alyssa, his hands on her, his mouth on her, invading his thoughts like a plague. He wanted to scream. He wanted to grab Kaio by the neck and wipe that smirk off his face.

He wanted to chase after Alyssa and...

Because they both understood it was more than just a dinner.

And, what's worse, they both were aware that Samuel had absolutely no grounds for complaint.