Chapter 6 Thrill Of Conquest

• Evelyn's POV
• “Eve! Love, where are you?”
• My senses grow more heightened, and I shove Sebastian away from him so forcefully that he actually almost falls to the ground. I cover my mouth to try to muffle my scream as I once again cover my towel with my arm.
• Sebastian looks frustrated but doesn’t move to continue.
• Having that interruption brings me back to my senses. I point at him. “Don’t you dare do that again, you hear me?” I demand. “This ends here.” I’m not letting things go any further.
• Sebastian turns away from me and goes out the bedroom door, leaving me alone once again. My skin still prickles with heat, and I can almost feel Sebastian’s lips running up my neck. I touch the spot, urging my body and mind to calm down.
• A second later, Mom’s knocking lightly on my bedroom door. I scurry to look presentable as she asks to come in, forgetting I’m wearing a damn towel and there’s nothing to do.
• “Did you enjoy your shower?” She asks gently, pushing the door open just a crack.
• “Yep!” I say, high-pitched squeak and all. I close my eyes tight and groan to myself.
• “Just wanted to make sure you’re settling in. I’ll leave you to it.”
• Madelyn walks off, her heels clicking on the floor as she goes, and I collapse on the king bed in the center of the room.
• What the hell am I going to do about Sebastian?
• I quickly throw on a pair of shorts and a tank top before padding my way down the steps to find food. My heart rate is finally returning to normal now, but as I reach the landing, I see Sebastian heading out the door.
• “Son!” Gregory calls out, stopping the racer in his tracks. His father enters the room with a smile. “Maybe you should take Evelyn with you to Daniel’s party?”
• Sebastian says nothing, only raising a bushy eyebrow at his father before pointedly making eye contact with me.
• “Maybe she can meet some new friends tonight,” Gregory continues.
• Now I’m the shocked one, and I start coughing nervously at the idea of being alone with this man. Why does everyone keep insisting we spend all this time together?
• Surprising me, Sebastian hands me a tissue from a nearby table, smiling at me with bright eyes. He leans in close and asks, “How about it? Do you want to come with me?”
• He is deliberately getting in my face; I absolutely know it. There is no way I’m going to some party where Sebastian can either dump me to find my way home or trap me in yet another room.
• “It’s fine.” I shake my head. “I don’t want to crash. They’re Sebastian’s friends, after all.”
• Madelyn walks into the room, hands on her hips as she sizes me up. “Sweetheart, you have to go! Think about all the new people and how exciting it’ll be!”
• I wish looks could kill because Mom is absolutely killing me. She seems to be inside my head, pushing me towards these horrid decisions.
• “No, Mom, really, I don’t want to intrude.”
• “Nonsense!” She laughs. “Sebastian, tell her to join you, please! It’ll be a great bonding experience.”
• If I end up in an early grave before next year’s birthday, I know who to thank for that. Exasperated, I groan out. “Fine! I’ll go. Let me change and grab my bag.”
• My mother genuinely starts clapping with delight, but I hold in my anger as I trudge up the stairs. This is never going to get any easier, is it?
• Thankfully, Sebastian drives in silence to the party. I’m grateful and refuse to take my eyes off the road or speak to him. I just want to get this over with.
• When we pull up to the house where the party is, Sebastian and I exit the car to the sound of multiple voices. It causes a stir, and we’re greeted quickly.
• The man approaching us, whom I assume to be Daniel for no real reason, greets Sebastian with a big-toothed smile and does one of those boy high-fives, hugs, and back-slap things.
• “Seb!” He shouts out. “Finally made it here!” The man turns to look at me. “And who’s this short queen? This your new flavor?”
• Wow, I guess Sebastian’s friends are just as douchey as he is.
• Displeased, I roll my eyes. “For your information, I’m his stepsister, thank you.”
• “Daniel, you’re disgusting!” I hear from behind me.
• I turn to see this beautiful blonde approaching, her hair bouncing on her shoulders as she opens up her arms to usher me away from the men. “I’m so sorry about Daniel. He’s an acquired taste that most people never get used to.”
• “Ava! Take a joke! I didn’t know she was Seb’s new sis!”
• She rolls her eyes and tosses her hair to the side. “Don’t mind him. He was dropped on his head as a baby.”
• I can’t help but giggle at Ava’s quick insult and I hold out a hand to shake hers, feeling incredibly safe in her space. “Evelyn Walters.”
• Ava takes my hand. “Ava Remington.”
• Another girl with beautiful dark skin, hair, and eyes suddenly appears beside Sebastian and touches his shoulder. He gives her a small smile, and an unidentified feeling rushes through me.
• “Isabella Sanchez,” Ava whispers in my ear.
• “She’s pretty,” I say back. Sebastian and Isabella speak to one another, but I can clearly see her heart eyes as she talks.
• “An understatement, really. More like a beauty queen.”
• I nod, not knowing what else to say. Who is she to Sebastian? And why the hell do I care so much?
• “Sebastian chased her for a long time and back in the day. When they met up at this underground racetrack event, it was so clear the feelings they had for one another.”
• I still don’t talk because I can’t do anything but watch my stepbrother. I don’t see the hunger in his eyes or that smile he always brandishes towards me when he wants to get in my head.
• “First love?” I find myself asking anyway, though I didn’t even realize I’d been thinking those words.
• “I don’t think so. He was super depressed back then, so we all thought they were head over heels for one another. Or at least, he was until he slept with her.”
• I turn my gaze to the blonde beside me, shock growing on my face.
• “Even though I thought Sebastian was interested, I thought he fell for her; he was the one to call it quits. I don’t know why, but I’ve always thought he must enjoy the thrill.”
• “Thrill?” I feel my throat going dry. I have a feeling I know where this is going.
• “The thrill of conquest, of course. Now, Isabella refuses to let him go. But I don’t blame her. Who’d want to turn down Sebastian Cain?”
• I feel the heat rising in my skin as I glare back at my new brother for the pathetic games he loves to play. He can play with these women all he wants, but there is no way I’m getting involved.
• “What a jerk move,” I say with a bite, not realizing for a second that I’m louder than intended. Damn, way to be subtle, Evelyn.
• Sebastian’s gaze turns to me, but I refuse to let him run the narrative. Instead, I turn to Ava. “Show me around?”
• She doesn’t even hesitate, and the two of us go off together, leaving the idiot men behind.
• Sebastian's POV
• Isabella is talking, but I can’t focus on a single word. All I can see is Ava and Evelyn laughing with one another as they head into the party. She is captivating me as she always does.
• How does she continue to believe things can’t happen between us? Our night together was one for the history books, yet she pushes me away whenever I try to coax her back into bed.
• Why is she so painfully combative with me but laughs so easily and carefree with Ava after only just meeting her?
• Impatiently, I groan in the middle of Isabella’s sentence. “I’m not in the mood for this, Iz. I can’t watch your performance today. I’m sorry.”
• She stares at me with disbelief but doesn’t get a chance to argue back before Daniel slings his arm around my shoulder, pulling me away from the conversation.
• “So, Evelyn’s your Hawaiian stepsister, huh? Much more charming than I’d imagined, Seb.”
• Is this a sick joke? Does everyone want to fuck her?
• Cooly, I state, “Stay away from her, Daniel. I’m serious.”
• Daniel shrugs my threat off. “Do you consider her a real sister already, bro?”
• No. I consider her as something much different.
• As we approach the backyard, I see Jacob Cowley talking with Evelyn in the distance.
• “Looks like your new sis is already catching someone’s eye,” Daniel comments.
• This sleazebag? Jacob is incredibly well known for one thing: taking photos of naked women and showing them off to his buddies—a sick, disgusting, perverted act.
• Without thinking, I push off from Daniel and take long strides to get to the two of them. But before I can breach their conversation, Evelyn deftly pushes Jacob into the pool, causing onlookers to all break out in fits of laughter.
• “Nice!” Daniel hollers.
• I stop a mere few feet away, realizing Evelyn really doesn’t need my help.
• “Well, your Hawaiian girl is fascinating, Seb, I gotta tell you,” the man admits. I nod but don’t say anything.
• It turns out that’s a mistake because Daniel calls out to Evelyn. “Hey, Hawaiian girl! Want to go surfing with us next time you’re around?”
• I stand up straighter than I ever have, my anger turning towards the piece of garbage. What had I just told him? Why did Daniel think to ask her out when I’d made it clear she was out of his league?
• Evelyn’s eyes find mine as I brew in domineering anger. She must see something I’m not saying because her eyebrows arch up at Daniel. Looking at me while speaking to Daniel, she gave an innocent little smile, turning me on at her provocative voice.
• “Surfing sounds great.”
• Nope. That’s it. That’s the straw that broke the goddamn camel’s back.
• I grab Evelyn’s arm. “We’re going.”
• “What the hell, man?” Daniel shouts, throwing up his hands in the air.
• “Sebastian, stop!” Evelyn tries to rip her arm from my grasp but to no avail. When we return to my car, I shove her into the passenger seat, ignoring her annoyance.
• I get in and lock the door so she can’t exit.
• “What the fuck is your problem?!” She demands from me.
• I sneer, knowing there’s only one answer. “You don’t need to waste your time on shitbags like Daniel. No one will ever fuck you better than I have. No one can give you better sex.”