Wildflower: Stepdaddy's Pet

CHAPTER ONE

INARA’s POV.

Standing in front of the door, I take a few breaths to steady myself before pressing on the doorbell. I haven’t been here in two years after everything that happened. This has been two years of me running from my past, the past that caused so much damage to me. The past I was afraid to face because I know what would happen If I dared to confront it but here I am now, wanting to confront that past and let it toy with me as much as I wanted. Part of me also wanted it and that is why I have come, to look that past in the eyes and maybe embrace it. I am a woman now, it shouldn’t be that hard. I am no longer that naive girl of eighteen, I know what I want now and I am going to go for it.

I am not sure what will happen if I press on the doorbell but I am here now, I can’t turn back.

Clenching my jaw together, I press on the doorbell lightly and wait. I clamp my hands together to stop my palms from getting too sweaty.

The moment he opens the door, my eyes wash over him and I force myself not to swallow hard. I haven’t seen him for two years and he has changed a lot. His hair was no longer short like it was two years ago and he looked much bigger, more muscular and had a more appealing physique. He is wearing a T-shirt and I can see how his chest is pushing against his shirt while the tattoo gracing his arm catches my attention for a moment, he didn’t have that two years ago.

His jawlines have become so sharp that part of me wants to run my fingers through it and see if it will nick me, his straight nose and thin lips all serve to accentuate his handsome face and he still has that cross tattoo on his neck. I remember the day I mentioned if I ever got a tattoo, it would be a cross and he came home with that the next day. When mother asked him, he said it was a way of creating a bond with me.

His presence, he has always had an intimidating presence since the day I knew him. Well, he owns evolution, the biggest game company.

This is him, my supposed step father, Valentino valesquez.

When mother decided to get married to Mr Valentino Vasquez two years ago, I was actually upset. He was three years older than her and I was eighteen by then. I didn’t understand the logic of getting married when she had me. But everything served as a reason to mask the main purpose of why I was against the marriage at first.

I later gave them my blessings then everything crumbled when she got into that accident and lost her life barely three months after their wedding and that actually crumbled the entire relationship me and him never even shared.

Since then I vowed that nothing was going to bring me to Seattle because coupled with the way I felt, mother died because of him and that was one thing I couldn't forgive.

All that was two years ago and now here I am standing in front of him staring back at the man who calls himself my step father.

I see how his eyes travel over me and the look of surprise that actually wash over his face. I know he was not expecting me to ever show my face to him again. I never called to thank him for the money he always sent to me or even the messages that pops up in my phone of him asking how I was doing in school. I guess he was trying to fulfill his fatherly duties but the earlier he understands that I will never be able to see him as my father, the better it will be for us.

“You?” He looks surprised, “I didn’t expect you to come here even in the next twenty years” Mr valesquez says.

Even his voice has changed, it has become much deeper and huskier than I remembered it, much more attractive if you ask me.

“I didn’t plan on coming here” I respond while dropping my backpack to the ground, “our school had a holiday so I decided to come to Seattle for the holiday. Wanted to go to our old house but discovered it has already been renovated and turned into a hostel, so i just came here” i shrug, “it’s not like I will be staying here forever”

My eyes travel over him again and I can’t help but gulp. Heaven forgive me for having such thoughts about the man who is supposed to be my father but how can I? I purposely kept away for two years hoping it would all go away but seeing him right now, my insides throbbed.

“But I can leave if you don’t want me here” I tell him, “I have been on my own for two years anyways.

“By all means stay, baby girl” his voice floats across to me again, “if you want to spend some time with your father, then I am more than pleased to have you around, inara”

The way he calls my name has not changed, still so gently and so attractive, I like the feel of my name on his lips.

“Technically you are not my father” I finally say with an eye roll and he chuckles lightly.

“Come on in, baby girl” he urges me before picking up my backpack.

As I walk past him into the house, I catch a whiff of his cologne and my lips curl into an unnoticeable smile. I didn’t know he still uses that brand.

My eyes dart across everywhere and I nod. He has not changed anything since I left. I don’t say anything but I am impressed. The family portrait mother forced us to take before her death is still hanging on the wall and something inside of me throbs as I see the way she is smiling wildly, she didn’t even notice that my eyes were on Mr velasquez the whole time..

“Your room is just as you left it” he tells me, “I didn’t change anything”

“I was eighteen for crying out loud” I retorts, “my taste has changed”

“What are your tastes now, kitten?” He comes to stand in front of me again, “you have also changed so much in the span of two years, I am eager to know what your taste is now. Let me know so I can also change things to suit your taste”

“I am not sure if you will like my new taste, Mr velasquez” I stare at him deep into his eyes, “it might be a taboo” my voice trails off for a moment, my eyes still lingering on him, “this new taste of mine”

“Taboo is a word I am familiar with, Inara” his answers, his hot breath fanning my face, “I mean I got married to a woman who had an eighteen years old daughter but she died and now you are standing in front of me looking much more different than the last time I saw you with those beautiful hazel eyes of yours, what taboo can be greater than this?”

“It will consume me”i say while backing away from him and i grab my backpack which he has kept on the counter,

“I will take a shower”

“You are back after two years, kitten” he calls after me, “this taboo of yours, I wanna see it”

I don’t bother to turn to him but I can feel his gaze on me as I hasten towards the in-house elevator.

******

A little gasp leaves my mouth when I come out of the shower and I see him standing in the middle of my room, his eyes are on my lingeries which I have kept on the bed before heading into the shower. He gulps as he stares at them. Red has always been his favorite color and has become mine for two years now, I have almost everything in red.

He slowly turns his head towards me and I can see how his adams apple rises and falls.

“What are you doing in my room, Mr valesquez?” I finally ask him, my gaze not leaving him for even a moment.

“I knocked but you didn’t answer”

“I was taking a shower, I told you”

“Is that why you have put those little red things on the bed?” He asks as his eyes settle on them again, “are you trying to excite me?”

“What do you mean by excite you, Mr valesquez?” I bite down on my lips gently, “you are the one who came into my room unannounced, what If I was actually naked. You would have seen all of me.

Heaven help me, I am about crossing the line that I won’t be able to come back from.

The main reason I stayed away from him after mother died was because of the feeling I had for him. Wasn’t it too bizarre to have a crush on a man whom you are supposed to call father but here I was clearing breaking the boundary and pushing past that barrier. Whatever I was doing, it would be too late to back out as time will go on.

I keep staring at him as his deep husky voice floats across to me, he has become so different from the person I knew two years ago.

I keep wondering if I will fully fit into his body if I dare to hug him now, I will probably not even reach his shoulders, maybe I will.

“Why are you here?” I finally ask him while gently holding on to the towel which is loosely wrapped around my body.

“I have to rush over to the office, something came up” he says

“Okay, you can do you” I answer, “a group of friends are also coming over, we could use some of your wine”

“Do not get drunk”

“I can hold my alcohol” I almost rolls her eyes but stop

“I invited them over for just a few hours, it’s a holiday after all”

He looks over to the bed again and a slight frown appears on his face,

“Wear something else, baby” he tells her, “that’s too exposing. All the boys would be ogling at you”

He sounds so possessive and part of me loves it even if I know I shouldn't.

“I can wear what I want, you aren’t my daddy and this is the trend these days. I need to find a man who can make me feel like a woman. Who knows, maybe one of my friends would fit that criteria well”

“I can make you feel more like a woman than anyone else can make you feel, princess” the words are out of his mouth before he can even stop himself, his hands balling into a fist.

“What?” I raise an eyebrow at him.

“Do as I have said, Inara” he sounds a bit stern, “and I will have Alexander send some money to your account so you can spoil your friends rotten”

“I have more than enough and it’s just a house get together, it’s not a big deal”

“I am not asking for your permission, kitten”

I clench my jaw together “Stop calling me that”

“Take care of yourself”

He walks up to me and without asking for my permission, he presses a kiss on my forehead and I feel my whole body heat up at the touch of him.

Not saying anything again, he turns around and walks out of the room.