Prologue
Myron
She’s my stepsister now. It means whatever feelings I had for her must be kept under wraps. She is not mine, no matter how much I want her. My only job is to protect her because she is one of the most precious people in the world. For years I watched her, hoping one day I’d get my chance. She’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. She’s smart, sexy. I love her curves. For a long time, I saw her nervous and upset about being fuller than the other girls at school. But, to me, she has always been perfect, and anyone who even dreamed of calling her fat in front of me got a nice, fat lip. She’s not fat. She’s curvy, juicy in all the right places, and now that she’s old enough, I want all of those curves to myself. Then my father sprang the news he was going to marry her mother, and from that day forward, I knew I couldn’t have her. My dad would forbid it.
He’d told me how her life and chances were more important. She should go to college and live life before even thinking of settling down.
But now I’m tired of not getting what I want and he always being there to take it from me. I’m going to have Kate Reid, even if my father disowns me.
Chapter One
Kate
Coming back home is always a challenge. Not because I hate home or had any reason to wish I was somewhere else. No, I have a great home. An amazing, supportive family. I mean, my father died when I was little and I know it took my mom a long time to get over him, but she finally did, with a nice man. Frank Gates never fails to put a smile on my mother’s face, and for that, it makes him one of the best people around. I love my mom, and Frank’s not a bad person to like either. He’s always been fair and kind to me.
Now I can’t say the same about his son, Myron.
Nope, his son for whatever reason, the moment our parents got married, decided to put me in the “he didn’t care about” column. I mean, it’s fine. What is there to like about him in the first place? He just treated me like I wasn’t there. I didn’t exist.
Sure, he’s good-looking. Tall, muscular, and even before he turned eighteen, he had a whole lot of ink already. From what I found out, he’d found a crooked artist willing to ink anyone for a quick buck, and that was where he got the ink from. I don’t know if it’s true, but Myron has always been a rebel.
The moment the girls at my school figured out I was living with him, they all suddenly became my new best friend.
Most of my life I’d been a loner so having friends was really new to me, but I always knew why they were “friends,” so I always kept my distance.
Besides, he could be so distant at times, and even his silence was like I didn’t exist. I don’t know what I ever did to him, but I’m finally over him. I won’t let him bother me anymore. I’m over him in the best kind of way, and I don’t care. At least, I’m hoping so. This is the first time I’ve seen him in a long time. Now I sound like some desperate woman. I’m wrong. So wrong.
The cab pulls up in front of the house. My mom and I had moved into Frank’s place, only because he had a four-bedroom house with en-suite bathrooms, a garden with a pool, and in a nice part of town. Again, there was not a lot to hate about becoming his stepdaughter.
In the past seven years, they hadn’t had any more kids. I don’t think Frank can have anymore, but the moment the door opens, before I see any humans, four dogs come rushing down the path as the cab driver gets my bags for me.
It is the holidays, and all the festive lights are up around the house. Mom and Frank are both Christmas fanatics. They love this season and would often deck the house from top to bottom and do the whole of the outside. They even have a Christmas sweater tradition. Yep, I got mine in the mail, and I am wearing it. This year it is a reindeer on the front, cute. Another year it was a Christmas tree complete with flashing lights. It did look beautiful.
Duncan, James, Huwie, and Bernice all jump around me. One cocker spaniel, Labrador, German Shepherd, and finally a Pomeranian are dancing and yapping at my feet.
I love dogs. They are my favorite.
I crouch down to their level and end up on my butt in the snow, but I don’t care. All I want to do is rub, kiss, and love these little darlings. They are so incredible, loving, and I’ve missed them.