Chapter 1 My Step-uncle, My Savior

• Rachel POV
• I almost couldn't believe it when I saw my step uncle walking through the door of the police station, coming towards me like a prince charming to rescue me from the mess that was my life.
• I was nineteen and had just found out that Brad, my boyfriend, had slept with another girl right at my best friend's party with me literally on the other side of the room. That scumbag, couldn't he have at least chosen another place to cheat on me, and did it have to be at Bonnie's party with almost the entire college crowd there? I was already known as the poor adopted girl, and now I would be the poor, adopted, and betrayed girl?
• There was a big commotion, a lot of fighting and hair-pulling, and many of us ended up in jail because we were drunk and high. But then, Jeremy Morrow walked into that police station, ready to save me.
• Of course, I was drunk too, but I was quietly crying because I really cared for Brad. Now, I was frowning seeing the tall, handsome man approaching me. "Uncle Jeremy? What are you doing here?" I asked, furrowing my brow.
• "What do you think, my sweet niece? I came to get your ass out of trouble," he said with that sarcastic gentleness only he had.
• I was still underage for consuming alcohol, so they made me call my legal guardian, but I didn't expect Uncle Jeremy to come. "I called Mom," I retorted, throwing a tantrum. When I thought this night couldn't get any worse, there he was, appearing at this most disconcerting moment.
• "She got stuck at work and couldn't come, and you know your dad is traveling," he explained, making me roll my eyes. Of course, they were always busy. Not that I didn't understand my parents, who were billionaires and influential in the city with thousands of very important things to do, but I would have liked them to send anyone else but Jeremy, because I didn't want him to see me in such a deplorable situation.
• He was now standing in front of me, hands in his pockets, with an austere posture looking down at me. "So, Rachel. Getting into trouble again?"
• I rolled my eyes again, sitting in the chair in front of the police officer's desk. "Spare me that, you're not my dad."
• He chuckled at my words and leaned towards me, pulling my chair closer to him so that my face was inches from his. "And you're too grown up to act like a child, don't you think?" he practically growled harshly, his green eyes fixed on mine and his velvety voice surrounding me. I swallowed, suddenly losing my speech. My uncle was a very attractive man.
• Since the day I met him when I was just a silly, naive little girl and was adopted by the Morrows, Uncle Jeremy has always intrigued me. He was my childhood crush, my first crush, but he barely lived with us because he was living abroad. But a few weeks ago, he had come back and seemed to be settling in the city permanently, and, for God's sake, time had only made him more interesting.
• He was an older man but not that old, about ten years older than me, a fully grown man, popular, and a heartbreaker; Uncle Jeremy was simply irresistible. And having him close wasn't helping my childish self that still lived inside me and was still terribly in love with him.
• Falling for a family member when you're a child is something that happens in almost everyone's life, but reaching nineteen and still having those feelings is alarming, and in my case, the feeling only grew, especially when he looked at me so deeply with those reprimanding eyes of his as if he wanted to command me to do crazy things, things I would do without blinking…
• "She should have gone to jail with the others," said the police officer from the other side of the desk, suddenly bringing me back to reality. God in heaven, my uncle had this power over me; he could shut off the world around me and make me get lost in his gaze... "After all, the girl was caught doing what she shouldn't," the officer continued. "But the Morrows are the city's main contributors; the girl is just going through a rebellious phase. No need for such fuss." Of course, they wouldn't punish me; as always, things were much easier for me because of my last name.
• I gave a mocking laugh, looking at the officer. "Oh, so that means I can do whatever I want and get away scot-free? How about I call you an idiot, Mr. Officer? Because that's what you are, a big idiot!" I cursed the officer angrily.
• "Shut up, brat!" My uncle commanded, making me look back at him. "Or do you want me to punish you?"
• "You can't ground me," I retorted.
• "Oh, really? Then provoke me and see what you get," he whispered so close to me, it gave me goosebumps.
• "Hmm, you two seem pretty close. Intimate, actually," the officer commented, looking from me to Uncle Jeremy. I almost wanted to laugh; the sexual tension between us was so palpable even the officer noticed.
• "She's my niece, officer. Of course, we're close," he responded, straightening up and putting his hands back in his pockets. "Let's get this situation sorted out. How much do I need to pay to get her out?" He asked, ready to pay as always. I rolled my eyes at his ostentation.
• "Oh, you don't need to pay anything, Mr. Morrow. Just put her in line," the officer said, pointing at me.
• "As for that, leave it to me, I know how to do it," Jeremy replied, giving me a sideways glance.
• But at that moment, I heard Brad's voice before I saw him appear. He had just been released from the cell and was heading home. But he stopped when he saw me there, laughing mockingly. "Hey, Rachel, you slut! You got what you deserved."
• I stood up, furious. "Just shut the fuck up, Brad!" I shouted angrily.
• "Who's this idiot, and why is he talking to you like that?" My uncle asked, looking at Brad.
• "Idiot?" Brad laughed sarcastically. "I'm her boyfriend, man."
• "You're not my boyfriend anymore. You cheated on me, remember? Leave me alone, you piece of shit!" I yelled.
• "He cheated on you?" Uncle Jeremy looked at me perplexed.
• I lowered my gaze, sighing. "He's just an asshole," I mumbled.
• But Jeremy walked up to Brad with firm steps and delivered a well-placed punch to his face. Brad staggered and fell back onto the next desk, knocking everything to the ground and causing a big commotion there.
• "Nobody messes with her, idiot!" My adoptive uncle's fists were still clenched while Brad groaned in pain, lying on the floor.