Forbidden Jocks [the step-brother series]

PINEAPPLE - Maria

Maria POV

The drive back home was quiet. Daxton was behind the wheel, and Henry sat in the front seat, leaving me alone in the back. Every now and then, I caught them glancing at me through the rearview mirror. Their silence was a stark contrast to the earlier chaos, and I couldn’t help but wonder if they felt ashamed for their ridiculous behavior. Good. They should be.

I don’t need protective brothers. I'm a grown-ass woman.

As soon as Daxton parked the SUV in the garage, I bolted out of the car, not bothering to look back at them. My only thought was to find Mom, tell her I got a job, and mention that I was considering an undergraduate certificate. Hopefully, that would keep both her and Robert happy, relaxed, and most importantly, out of my business.

"Mom!" I called into the hallway as I entered the house. "Mooooom!"

Silence. Not a sound. The house was empty. Neither she nor Robert was home.

I sighed, feeling the frustration building up inside me. Without another thought, I headed to my room and decided to take a shower. The warm water cascaded over my skin, washing away the tension of the day. I let the steam envelop me, closing my eyes as I ran my fingers through my hair, untangling the knots. The water was soothing, almost meditative, as it poured over me, easing the tightness in my shoulders. I stood under the stream a little longer than necessary, enjoying the rare moment of peace.

When I finally stepped out, I wrapped myself in a soft bath towel and padded over to the mirror. I started brushing my tangled hair, feeling the cool air against my damp skin. As I smoothed out the strands, I grabbed my phone to check w******p.

- *Robert and I will be home late, we have a dinner with some clients. Tell the twins you are on your own. Kisses.* -

Great. Just great.

With a sigh, I slipped into my comfy yoga pants and a tank top. I wasn’t in the mood to be alone, so I decided to find the two assholes somewhere in the house. I wandered through the lounge, the kitchen, the living room. Nothing. It was like they had vanished into thin air.

Finally, I found myself back in the hallway where our bedrooms were located. I took a deep breath and mustered the courage to knock on Henry’s door, the nearest one.

*Knock knock.*

A few seconds passed before the door swung open, and there stood Henry, shirtless, wearing just a pair of sweatpants. The sight left me momentarily speechless.

I mean, I have a god living under the same roof—well, two gods—both of whom seem to have a habit of walking around half-naked. How am I supposed to let my brain function properly?

Henry smirked, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he took in my obvious discomfort. "Ladybug, what’s up? Cat got your tongue?"

The nickname again. It never failed to throw me off balance, like a bucket of cold water splashed over my carefully maintained composure. I could feel the heat creeping up my neck, and I hated how easily he could fluster me. My thoughts scrambled to catch up, and after a brief pause, I managed to find my voice.

"Uh, nothing," I stammered, trying to sound casual. "Just wanted to let you guys know that Mom and Robert will be out for dinner."

"Yeah, Dad texted us in our group chat," Henry replied, his tone easy, as if my sudden appearance at his door wasn’t affecting him at all. He leaned lazily against the doorframe, his muscles shifting subtly under his skin.

"Okay, cool. See ya." My words were rushed, and I turned on my heel, desperate to escape before my cheeks betrayed me further. But as I moved to leave, another door opened with a soft creak, and Daxton appeared, just as shirtless as his brother, but with a towel slung low on his hips, teasingly revealing the sharp V-line of his abdomen.

My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, all I could do was stare.

"Princess," he greeted me with a playful bow, his damp hair falling over his forehead in a way that made him look effortlessly sexy.

Holy s**t. How was I supposed to think straight when they kept doing this?

"Dax," I replied, my voice wavering as I tried to mimic his bow, more to distract myself from the burning flush I could feel spreading across my cheeks. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears that I was sure he could hear it.

"We’re getting pizza. Is that okay with you?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with a mischievous glint that made my pulse quicken even more.

"Sure," I managed to say, forcing myself to sound nonchalant despite the way my entire body seemed to be reacting to his proximity. I tried to keep my gaze steady, but my mind was racing.

"Cool," he grinned, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on me. "We’re thinking of watching a movie together too."

"All together," Henry added, waggling his eyebrows suggestively from behind me, his smirk widening.

"Okay, whatever," I squeaked, my voice coming out higher than I intended. Was that even my voice? I cringed inwardly, desperately wanting to disappear. "I’ll wait for you downstairs."

Without another word, I hurried down the stairs, almost tripping in my haste to get away. I needed to put some distance between myself and the two half-naked gods upstairs before I completely lost my composure. My heart was still racing by the time I reached the living room, and I practically collapsed onto the couch, trying to calm down.

Why did they have to be so...intense? It was like they knew exactly how to get under my skin, and they did it with such ease, as if it was a game. I hated how flustered they made me feel, how I lost control around them.

I grabbed the remote and started flipping through channels, desperately searching for something—anything—to focus on that wasn’t Daxton’s towel-clad body or Henry’s teasing grin. But it was no use; their images were seared into my mind, refusing to be ignored. A few minutes later, I heard them coming down the stairs, their voices low and indistinguishable. I steeled myself, determined not to let them see how rattled I still was.

When they joined me in the living room, they were fully dressed, thank God. Daxton had thrown on a t-shirt and jeans, while Henry wore a hoodie and sweats. They looked like any other college guys, but I knew better. They were anything but ordinary, and their teasing was borderline unbearable.

"We ordered a couple of pizzas," Henry said, sitting down beside me on the couch. He was close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from his body. "Hope you don’t mind pineapple on one of them."

"Pineapple on pizza?" I raised an eyebrow, trying to focus on something safe, something neutral. "Are you trying to start a war?"

Daxton chuckled, taking the seat on my other side, effectively trapping me between them. "It’s a classic. You’ll love it."

"Yeah, right," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "I’ll stick to the pepperoni, thanks."

But as they exchanged a knowing look over my head, I couldn’t help the feeling of unease that crept in. I could practically feel the conspiracy brewing between them. I tried to brush it off, but I knew better than to underestimate them. They were up to something—they always were.

When the pizzas arrived, we set up in the living room with the boxes spread out on the coffee table. I grabbed a slice of pepperoni and settled back into the couch, trying to focus on the movie Daxton had chosen—some action flick that I couldn’t care less about. But of course, they wouldn’t let me be.

"So, Maria," Henry said, leaning closer, his breath warm against my ear. "What’s the deal with the coffee guy?"

I nearly choked on my pizza. "What do you mean?"

"You know," Daxton added, his voice dripping with amusement. "The guy at the café today. James, was it?"

My cheeks heated up, and I cursed my traitorous body. Of course they’d noticed. "There’s no deal. He’s just my boss."

"Just your boss, huh?" Henry raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "He seemed pretty interested in you."

"Oh, please," I scoffed, trying to dismiss it with a wave of my hand. "He was just being nice. It was a job interview, for crying out loud."

"Nice, huh?" Daxton’s smirk widened, and he leaned in closer, his voice a low murmur. "He looked like he wanted to do more than just hire you."

I rolled my eyes, but I could feel the irritation bubbling up again, this time mixed with a touch of embarrassment. "You two are ridiculous."

"We’re just looking out for you, Ladybug," Henry said, his tone teasing, but there was an edge of seriousness beneath it that I couldn’t ignore. "Can’t have some random guy hitting on our little sister."

"Little sister?" I shot back, narrowing my eyes at him. "I’m not your little anything. And I don’t need you ‘looking out’ for me. I can handle myself, thank you very much."

"Sure, you can," Daxton said, his tone unconvinced, his eyes searching mine as if he didn’t quite believe me.

My appetite vanished, and I set my pizza down, frustration building in my chest. "Listen, I get it. You’re both used to getting your way, but I’m not some helpless girl who needs your protection. I got this job because I want to work, to make my own money, and I don’t need your approval or your permission."

They exchanged another look, this one more serious. I could see the gears turning in their heads, but I didn’t care. They needed to understand that I wasn’t some damsel in distress, waiting for them to swoop in and save me.

"Okay, okay," Henry said, holding up his hands in mock surrender, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "We get it. You’re an independent woman."

"Damn right I am, I do not need you two go on a caveman rampage nonsense" I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest in a defensive gesture, trying to regain some semblance of control over the situation.

"Alright, Princess," Daxton said, his voice softer now, almost apologetic. "We didn’t mean to upset you."

I sighed, feeling the tension in my shoulders start to ease, just a little. "Just...let me do my things, okay? I’m here for a mom, and not to be coddled by you two."

"Deal," Henry said, offering me a slice of the pineapple pizza with a tentative smile. "Truce?"

I eyed the pizza skeptically, then took it from him, deciding that it was a peace offering I could accept. "Truce," I agreed, taking a bite.

The sweetness of the pineapple surprised me. It blended well with the salty cheese and ham, creating a burst of flavors that I hadn’t expected. I gave a small nod of approval, and Henry’s smile grew triumphant.

As the movie played on, I found myself relaxing more and more. The twins kept their teasing to a minimum, and for a little while, it almost felt like we were just regular siblings hanging out. The thought was both comforting and strange, given everything that had happened between us.

By the time the credits rolled, I felt more at ease than I had all day. The earlier tension had faded, replaced by a tentative sense of camaraderie. Maybe, just maybe, living with these two wouldn’t be so bad after all—if they could learn to keep their protective instincts in check.

"That wasn’t so bad, was it?" Daxton asked as he stretched and stood up, his expression lighter than before.

"Yeah, yeah," I said, waving him off with a smirk of my own. "Don’t let it go to your head."

Henry chuckled, helping me gather up the empty pizza boxes. "We should do this again sometime."

"Sure," I said, giving him a playful shove. "As long as there’s no more pineapple pizza."