Forbidden Jocks [the step-brother series]

CHOP CHOP LADYBUG - Maria

MARIA POV

"Dax," I breathed, my voice barely a whisper. "What…what are you doing?"

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, his gaze locked on mine, searching as if trying to read my thoughts. Then, slowly, a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth— that infuriatingly cocky expression he always wore when he knew he had the upper hand. “Couldn’t sleep,” he finally said, his voice low, almost a purr. “Thought I’d come see what you were up to.”

My mind reeled, a chaotic swirl of thoughts and emotions that I couldn’t seem to untangle. His arms were still around me, his hands resting on the curve of my hips, and the heat from his body seeped into mine, making it impossible to think clearly. This was bad. This was really, really bad.

“I…you…you should go back to bed,” I stammered, my voice shaking more than I wanted it to. “It’s…early.”

Yes, definitely go to bed, alone, ASAP!

Daxton’s smirk widened, and he leaned in closer, his breath warm against my cheek. “Maybe I don’t want to,” he murmured, his lips brushing against my ear in a way that sent a shiver down my spine.

Before I could respond, the door creaked open again. I turned my head just in time to see Henry stride into the kitchen, his expression as cold as stone. The light from the hallway cast shadows across his sharp features, making him look even more intimidating than usual. His eyes flicked to Daxton’s arms around me, then back to my face, and something dark and unreadable flashed in his gaze.

“Ladybug,” Henry teased, his voice a low rumble that made my stomach flip. He walked over to us, his steps measured, and I could feel the tension in the room ratchet up several notches. “What are you doing up at this hour?” His tone was light, but there was an edge to it, a warning hidden beneath the surface.

I tried to wriggle free from Daxton’s grip, but his hold only tightened. “Just…getting some water,” I mumbled, embarrassed by how breathless I sounded. “What about you? Why are you up?”

Henry’s lips curved into a smirk as he leaned against the counter, his arms crossing over his broad chest. “We’ve got basketball practice. Dax didn’t tell you? We always leave at six sharp. Nothing new, ladybug. Don’t get too worked up, there’s not much time this morning.”

As if to emphasize his point, Daxton’s gaze dropped to my chest, where I realized with a mortifying jolt that my n*****s were still hard, pressing visibly against the thin fabric of my tank top. A mischievous glint sparked in his eyes as he reached up, his fingers grazing one of the peaks through the material. “Looks like someone’s pretty taken with my irresistible charm,” he teased, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction.

OMG.

Why is he touching me like that?! And why is my traitorous body reacting this way?!

I rolled my eyes, more out of instinctive defense than any real defiance. But the moment I did, I saw Henry straighten up from his relaxed pose, his expression hardening. He stepped closer, leaning in until his breath was warm against my ear. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he whispered, his tone deadly serious. “You were a bad girl last night, remember? Are you sure you want to keep pushing your luck?”

His words sent a rush of heat straight to my core, my body reacting to the low, commanding tone in a way that made me curse under my breath. Damn it, Maria, get a grip. These are your stepbrothers, for crying out loud!

Henry pulled back just as suddenly as he’d approached, his demeanor shifting back to that of casual indifference. “Anyway,” he said, as if nothing had happened, “we’re heading out in twenty. You’re coming with us to campus today, right? We wouldn’t want you to miss all the fun.”

I blinked, trying to process his words. “But…my shift doesn’t start until 7:30.”

Henry shrugged, a sly grin playing at his lips. “Perfect. You can watch us practice from the bleachers. Get a good look at what real athletes look like in action. Chop chop, ladybug, move that round ass of yours and get ready, or would you prefer our help?”

Before I could argue, he turned on his heel and sauntered out of the kitchen, leaving me standing there, flushed and flustered, with Daxton still holding me firmly against him. He gave my waist a playful squeeze before finally letting go, stepping back just enough to give me a once-over with those piercing silver eyes.

“Better hurry up, baby girl,” he said, his tone light but with an undercurrent that made my stomach flip. “You wouldn’t want to disappoint us now, would you?”

I muttered a curse under my breath as I stomped back to my room, my cheeks burning with a mix of embarrassment and anger. How did they always manage to get under my skin like this? And why the hell was my body so damn responsive to their teasing?

Cold shower it is, I thought, stepping into the bathroom in a futile attempt to erase the lingering sensation of Dax’s fingers on my skin.

As I threw on some clothes, I couldn’t stop the thoughts from swirling in my mind. The dream had shaken me, sure, but this—this was reality. And it was becoming harder and harder to separate the two. No matter how much I tried to convince myself that they were just assholes, that they were my stepbrothers and off-limits, I couldn’t deny the way they made me feel.

But damn it, Maria, you’re not a helpless little girl. You’ve dealt with worse than their bullshit before. With one final glare at my reflection in the mirror, I grabbed my gym bag and headed out the door, determined to survive whatever twisted games they had in store for me today.

As I walked back into the kitchen to grab my now-brewing coffee, I heard Daxton and Henry talking in low tones in the hallway, their voices just a murmur on the edge of my hearing. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but I could feel the weight of their presence, their combined intensity pressing down on me from a distance.

I snatched my coffee and headed toward the door, my steps brisk and determined. If they thought they could rattle me, they had another thing coming. I wasn’t going to let them get to me, not today. But as I reached for the doorknob, I heard Daxton’s voice cut through the murmur, sharp and clear.

“Do you think she’s going to crack?”

I froze, my hand hovering over the cold metal, a chill running down my spine. Crack? What the hell did that mean?

Henry’s response was softer, almost inaudible, but I could just make out the words, “It’s only a matter of time. You saw how she reacted this morning.”

My breath caught in my throat. They were talking about me. And not just in their usual teasing, playful way—this was different. There was something darker in their voices, something that made my skin crawl.

“You underestimate her,” Daxton said, a note of grudging respect in his voice. “But that’s what makes it fun, doesn’t it? Pushing her limits… seeing how far we can go.”

My heart pounded in my chest, the implications of their words hitting me like a ton of bricks. This wasn’t just a game to them. They were serious. They were deliberately trying to break me down, to see how much I could take before I finally snapped.

And the worst part? A small, twisted part of me was excited by the challenge. I hated myself for it, but there was no denying the thrill that shot through me at the thought of standing up to them, of proving that I wasn’t as weak as they seemed to think I was.

I couldn’t let them see that, though. I couldn’t give them the satisfaction of knowing they’d gotten to me. So I straightened my shoulders, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door, stepping out into the hallway as if I hadn’t just overheard their conversation.

Both of them looked up as I appeared, their expressions carefully neutral. But I could see the spark of something in their eyes—anticipation, maybe? Or was it something darker? I wasn’t sure, and that uncertainty gnawed at me.

“You ready?” Henry asked, his voice casual, but there was a gleam in his eyes that sent a shiver down my spine. “Wouldn’t want to be late, now, would we?”

I forced a smile, though it felt like a lie. “Of course,” I said, hoping my voice didn’t betray the anxiety bubbling up inside me. “Lead the way.”

They exchanged a glance, some silent communication passing between them, and then Daxton gave me one of his infuriating smirks. “Sit in the front seat, baby girl,” he said, his tone dripping with amusement. “I’ll be happier behind you.”

My jaw dropped. Here and there.

Swallowing hard, I followed them out to the car, my mind racing. This wasn’t good. I had no time for their games, no time for those weird desires.

And as much as I hated to admit it, I was scared. Scared of what they might do next, of how far they were willing to push me.

But more than that, I was scared of my own reaction—of how much I was willing to take.

The ride to campus was silent, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife. I stared out the window, trying to focus on anything but the two of them, but it was impossible. Every movement, every breath they took seemed to echo in the confined space, heightening my awareness of just how close they were.

When we finally pulled into the parking lot, I was out of the car before it had even fully stopped, desperate for some space, for some air. But as I stood there, watching them get out and head toward the gym, I realized with a sinking feeling that there was no escaping this. Whatever game they were playing, I was a part of it now, whether I wanted to be or not.

I followed them into the empty gym, the smell of sweat and rubber filling the air.

But as I headed toward the stands, I felt a hand close around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. I turned, heart pounding, to find Dax standing behind me, his expression unreadable.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, his voice deceptively calm.

“To watch, like you said,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady and calm.

He shook his head, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Oh no, baby girl. You’re not getting off that easy. You’re staying right here. Front row seats.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the look in his eyes stopped me cold. There was no room for negotiation here. Whatever this was, I was in it for the long haul. I had to play along, at least for now.

Henry joined us then, his presence only adding to the weight pressing down on me. “We’ll make sure you’re comfortable,” he said, his tone almost gentle, but there was an underlying edge that made my skin prickle.

They led me to a spot right by the court, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off their bodies as they stretched and warmed up. I sat down, my pulse thrumming in my ears, trying to ignore the way their eyes kept drifting to me, watching me even as they moved.

And then, just as they were about to start, Daxton leaned down, his breath warm against my ear. “Don’t go anywhere,” he murmured, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. “This is just the beginning, baby girl.”

With that, he straightened up and joined the others on the court, leaving me sitting there, my heart racing and my mind spinning with questions I didn’t have the answers to.

What did he mean, “just the beginning”?