KALEN

Chapter |6| Fighting Temptation

K A L E N ' S P. O. V

I drill into the punching bag, rapidly beating away all my worries. I'm so zoned in, I don't even realise when the gym door opens and my younger brother decides to interrupt.

"Chill out!" He yells, but I ignore him, determined to finish my workout.

Five minutes later, I start to cool down. I unstrap the gloves, chucking them to the side with the intention of cleaning them later. My hands are warm and sweaty, my body aches but my mind feels clear.

My stupid brother is still waiting, sat on the mats with a cheesy grin. "What?" I finally bark out.

He's like a puppy eager for attention and the way his eyes are lit up does nothing to offer me any encouragement.

"I found twins. Twins! Can you f*****g believe it? They're blonde, huge t**s and they want to go on a double date with other twins."

"You're not a twin idiot." I swear, sometimes I believe Kai was dropped on the head as a child. Then I remember my mother's overprotective care and realise she would never ever let that happen.

"Yeah, but I do have a slightly older brother who looks just like me." Out of all our siblings me and Kai look like each other the most, yet his personality matches Kiara's.

"No way. Not happening."

"Why the f**k not?"

"Because I don't feel like f*****g anyone tonight."

"You never feel like f*****g anyone." My brother has made it his mission to see me laid since I got back. It's been a good solid couple of months and still he's yet to hook me up.

Before I left, I would have jumped at the chance. Now I realise how f*****g pointless it all is.

The scholarship changed me. I was bunking with guys from poorer countries and cities all over the world. I was the rich guy. The outcast for once.

They taught me life lessons I could never afford, and I realised what a selfish prick I was back then.

I never thought with my heart, and barely my head. All the fights I got into, all the people I hurt. Then there's Tessa. My biggest regret.

She told me she loved me and I f****d it up. Like always.

I told myself I would leave her alone, avoid her as much as I could, deter her away from me, but when I saw her standing there, beautiful as always, I just knew she everything I would ever need in life.

I used age as an excuse for being terrified of what a real relationship could be. I wouldn't make that mistake again.

"I just don't do casual s*x anymore." I leave him gaping at my response. Casual s*x is all he does.

My dad stops me on the way up to the shower. He's wearing a formal suit as always, and the bags under his eyes have grown heavier.

"Could you pick up Tessa and Kiara? Tristan can't make it today."

"Sure. I'll head out after my shower." He smiled curtly and leaves, probably for the office.

Tessa and I were solid friends now, even bingeing a tv show together. At times we hung out all together, sometimes just with Kiara and others, all alone.

Neither of us had pushed the friendship boundary any more, yet there was always a thick underlying s****l tension we couldn't deny. The brush of her finger against my bare skin sends my heart racing.

I try to not to think of her long creamy legs as I j******f in the shower. To push aside all thoughts of her perfect slim figure and the tight dresses she wears that hug her ass. Ignore the beautiful way her eyes light up as she smiles. Try to fight the urge to cry out her name as I c*m.

I fail. Hard.

I'm breathing heavily, hunched over, my fist clenching the edge of the glass panel. Why the f**k can't I get her out of my mind? For three years she's invaded it, consumed every dirty thought it manages to conjure up.

It was wrong. Maybe it's still wrong, but I just can't forget her.

***

I duck down as another group of school girls brush past the car. Thankfully they don't see me.

It's f*****g boiling so like a sane person I got out of the car and waited outside. That was until a gaggle of girls started running over to me, asking me if I was a male model and trying to feel up my biceps.

I calm down once I see Tess approaching the car. She looks beautiful like always, but the uniform she wears is like a dark stain on the feelings I harbour towards her.

Even though she's 18, I forget how newly exposed she is to the f****d up world we live in. I think about my little sister, and how I would feel if she started going out with a 21 year old.

It gives me a shivers at first, but then I know if she was happy...really truly in love, then it would be okay.

"Hey," She grins, sliding into the passenger seat.

I smile back. "Where's Kiara?"

Her face falls, and immediately my brotherly instincts are kicked into hyperdrive. "She's a little upset I think."

"Why?" My sister was crazy in every sense of the world. Her actions were completely unpredictable and you could never tell what her mood would be.

"I think she's just stressed because of exams and stuff." Tessa was lying to me. I hated that I knew it and I hated that I couldn't press her further because that would mean digging into her friendship with Kiara and in no way did I want to jeopardise that.

"Ok. What about you? What's new?"

"Nothing much. Just can't wait to be finished."

"What's next?" She had a whole life to live. Unlike mine, it wasn't plagued by guns and drug deals.

"College probably, but I have no idea what to study."

"What about your art?"

She'd recently opened up to me about her artwork. How she'd loved to have her own gallery one day or even teach art as a professor.

"My mother would never approve. She says art is for people who smoke weed or braid their hair with feathers." Tessa immediately rolls her eyes to disregard the sadness in her tone.

"Don't let anyone decide your future but you. If you want something, like really want it, then go for it. f**k everyone else."

"f**k everyone else." She repeats with a small laugh. "Words to live by."

I grin right back, but it fades as I notice my little sister storming towards the car and brushing back tears.

I haven't been the best brother. I want that to change but I also don't know how to approach the situation. As Kiara gets in the back, I open my mouth to speak but Tessa shoots me a sharp look and shakes her head.

Instead, I turn the radio up, blasting The Cults whilst we drive back home.

***

"I can't believe you're letting them go to the auction." My father sighs and part of me feels terrible for bringing this up, but my protective side knows this is a f*****g terrible idea.

"They want to go."

"And you're letting them. You? Overprotective father is the year, is letting his daughter be sold like cattle to some random guy."

"I know almost all the men at this gala. If someone wins that I don't approve of, or is too old, or dangerous then I can negotiate with them. Or will just put a f*****g bullet in their skull."

I don't care if he's joking or not. "And start a f*****g war. Why not?"

"Look Kalen, I'm her father. I'll protect Kiara, always, you need to remember that."

"I know. There's no doubt in my mind that you won't but what about Tessa. Who will protect her?"

The thought of some old senile bastard with his hands on her makes my skin crawl. I can't even imagine her on that stage, with a thousand eyes pinned on her, her body sold to the guy with the biggest wallet. It makes me sick.

"She's like my daughter too. I'll protect her as well." Another reason Tessa and I can never be together. My father would f*****g throttle me.

"Now if there's anything else..."

"There isn't."

He nods, but as I'm about to leave calls out, "Wait. Do you want any money? I mean, are you planning to make a bid."

He's asking if I want to buy a date. The prospect disgusts me, but then an idea pops into mind. A bad one at that but it's the best outcome I can possibly think of.

"Yeah, I am." He seems pleased. Maybe Kai's not the only one noticing my lack of a social life.

"I'll put some funds into your account before the gala. Hey, if there was something wrong or you need anything or just to talk...I know I'm not always around but I..."

"Dad it's okay. I'm fine, really. I know can talk to you, and I know you're busy but that's only because you're working hard to support us."

He just smiles and there's more in that smile than could ever be conveyed through a conversation.

"So what did he say?" Kieron presses. For once, we're all in agreement that we don't want the girls attending the auction.

We have friends of friends that have participated in this charade. The things they've told us about what they make the girls do, that s*x is expected at the end despite the auction clearly stating it's only a date.

"He won't change his mind, but dad would never let anything happen to them. We have to trust him."

"The only reason I'm going to this thing is because Davenport is supposed to be. The bastard keeps evading my calls and his p*****t is f*****g due."

Kieron is the enigmatic sibling. The one you just can't ever figure out. He's the spitting image of dad in every sense. They're both workaholics and are devoid a sense of humour.

It's weird. I've never seen Kieron with anyone other than family. No friends, no dates. I don't think the man has ever even been to a club or a bar.

"Are you planning to bid?" My question is posed for Kieron but Kai can't help but interject.

"No way. I'm going for the girls that don't get picked. They're more desperate that way."

"f**k. You're the kind of guy we need to keep away from Kiara and Tessa."

He grins, taking it as a compliment rather than an insult.

"What about you, Kieron?"

"Why on Earth would I even consider participating in such a stupid f*****g thing?"

"I dunno. I guess me and Kai just don't really see you dating, and you don't talk to us."

"That's because I'm a private person and there's nothing to talk about."

"You've never had a relationship?" I find that too baffling to wrap my head around. Girls practically swooned when they saw my big brother.

"I have. Many in fact, both casual and serious." He shrugs. "I don't like to flaunt it though, and I would never introduce them to my family unless I knew they the one."

"You believe in that s**t?" Kai pipes up.

"Why not? Faith there's someone out there that will make all this violence somehow a little better keeps me going. I'm holding out for the one. You two should as well."

With that bit of knowledge, he leaves the house. Probably heading back to the office or to visit one of his secret hookups.

"He's crazy." Kai mumbles as he walks away.

I stand there, contemplating it all. What if I already met the one? What if you just let them walk you by not knowing they're your only salvation?

I vowed to fix my mistakes. Mending my friendship with Tessa was only the first step. I've yet to confront that night, where I let desires overpower sanity and then dragged her down with me.

I've already apologised but that's not enough. If I want Tessa, truly, then I'm gonna have to come up with something amazing.

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A/N: I know if you've read Chained Lovers then you've already read the auction scene but the next chapter will be everything you didn't see with Tessa and Kalen during that night.

Within every story, a million more can arise. And I plan on weaving the novels into the timeline of the Chained series!!