05 | Her Breaking Point (Bella)

// Amabella's POV //

I nearly gave myself over to Kaden last night.

When I went downstairs for a drink, I didn't know I would find him sitting alone in the kitchen wearing nothing but his underwear. I'd been ignoring him for days and suddenly could no longer resist the urge to piss him off. I quickly realized I went too far, given how he handled me. The way that he effortlessly put me in my place was embarrassing and kind of a turn on. I would have followed him upstairs and pounced on him had my legs not turned to jello.

"This font is hard to read," I grumble while scanning the menu of the fancy restaurant Kaden dragged me and my mother to tonight. He's going all out because we're meeting his parents. "Is there a hamburger and fries option? If so, I'll have that."

"You're so American." Mom laughs when I push my menu off to the side. "Goodness, I'm so nervous!" She turns to Kaden and squeals. "I hope your parents like us."

"I'm positive they'll come to adore you and Bella just as much as I do." Kaden smiles.

I roll my eyes when he kisses my mother on the cheek. The server keeps me from walking out by returning quickly with our food. We went ahead and ordered after Kaden's parents phoned him a few minutes ago to let him know they would be running late. I start on my fries and resume staring at the hot guy sitting on the opposite side of the restaurant.

Kaden lasts approximately fifteen minutes before needing to take a swipe at me.

"Why don't you take a picture?" he says after my mother leaves to use the restroom. "It'll last longer."

"Excuse me?"

Kaden nods toward where my attention had been. "That guy you've been staring at. If you want him, why not go over there to talk to him? No need to eye fuck him from afar."

"Bet you wouldn't have said that had my mother still been here."

"You're right. I wouldn't have."

"Asshole," I mutter. "I'll do it when I feel like it, so fuck off."

"You're even sexier when you curse." Kaden smirks, boldly undressing me with his wicked green eyes. "Nice outfit, by the way."

I have on a full face of makeup and am wearing one of the new dresses that I bought from the mall, courtesy of Kaden's credit card. The dress is simple and snatches me up in all the right places. The minor slit in the front has captured Kaden's attention, and I'm glad I decided to wear a pushup bra tonight. All the better to tease him with.

"A picture will last longer, remember?" I tell him.

"Do you get a kick out of being a smartass?" He retorts, playfully.

"Only when you're on the receiving end." I wink at him before my mother returns.

Shortly after that, a well-dressed couple enters the restaurant and makes their way towards us. When Kaden stands, I know they're his parents. We all exchange kisses and hugs after they reach the table.

"I never thought I'd see the day when my one and only child would find his other half and settle down." Lauren Matthews wears a proud smile while eyeing her golden boy. She then flashes a warm look at me and my mother. "Though I wish he'd have introduced us to one another a lot earlier, it gives me such peace knowing my boy no longer lives alone inside that enormous mansion of his."

When his father and my mother strike up a conversation, I smile and sit quietly, enjoying being invisible.

* * *

LATER THAT NIGHT

Dinner with Kaden's parents went well after the awkward introductions were out of the way.

Lauren and I even bonded over my love of graphic design, which is what I do for a living as freelance work. I told her about what happened at my recent job interview and how they passed on me to go with someone who had more experience, aka a degree. Lauren told me she would be in touch with a few recommendations for better companies that I should apply to. As for Jack, Kaden's father, he wasn't much of a talker but ended up being as sweet as his wife.

Tonight was nice. I stayed on my best behavior and didn't even make a fuss on the ride home about how the whole thing felt more like a business meeting between colleagues instead of a casual night out with family. I've been busting Kaden's balls ever since I let him in on my suspicions that he and my mother were up to no good. Today was draining for all of us, so I figured I would cut him some slack.

"I don't know about you guys, but I am exhausted!" Mom groans while heading upstairs, heels in her hands. "I'll see you two in the morning. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Mom." I take a seat in the living room, not quite ready to make the long journey up to my bedroom. "Mind helping me out of these?" I raise my feet to Kaden after he joins me on the sofa. "Thanks." I smile as he removes my heels, tossing them onto the floor. He says nothing when I rest my feet on his lap. "Would I be pushing it if I asked you to carry me upstairs in a few minutes?"

"Yes." Kaden playfully rolls his eyes, then rests his head on the back of the couch. "I've never introduced a woman to my parents before. This was an important day for me, so thanks for not acting out."

"I know what lines not to cross," I reply. "Tell me something. Why was your dad so quiet during dinner? He really only spoke when spoken to. Kind of reminded me a little of my father."

"He takes a while to warm up to people, but once he does, you can't get him to shut up." Kaden lets things fall silent between us for a few minutes. His tone is much softer when he speaks again. "Your mother told me about what happened between her and your father. I'm sorry you had to go through that at such a young age."

"Thanks," I whisper, wanting to kick myself for getting us on this depressive topic. "Just curious... exactly what all did she tell you?"

"Not much. She never delved into the specifics of why she filed for divorce. All I know is that it happened while you were young, and you took it awfully hard. I felt it wasn't right to press her for more information after that."

"That was kind of you." I smile at him. "Don't tell her I told you this, but my dad was everything to me growing up. Mom stayed busy running her salons, so she was rarely at home. When it came to learning how to ride a bike or whenever I needed help with my schoolwork, my father was always there. But, one night after getting into a nasty fight with Mom, he stormed out of the house and never came back. I didn't find out until I was older that he had cheated on my mother and had gotten the other woman pregnant. He still tried to raise me despite moving to another state to be with his mistress. In the end, things just didn't work out for us."

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I wish things could have turned out differently for you two," Kaden whispers. "Do you still keep in contact with him, or is he completely out of the picture now?"

"It's been a few months since we last spoke, and it's partly my fault that we're so distant. I'm still working on getting over the pain he caused after breaking up our family, so any time he reaches out, I make little of an attempt to keep our conversation going."

Saying those words out loud hit me harder than I expected.

For years, I placed the blame on my father for our relationship having gone to shit. It was easier to do that than face reality knowing I shared some of the responsibility. I realize it's time I stop lying to myself and admit that I'm not as innocent as I've made myself out to be in this situation.

"Hey, now. Don't cry." Kaden wipes away my tears. "I'm sure things between you and your father will work out in due time."

I don't protest as Kaden pulls me in close, hugging me tightly. When we lock eyes, what happens next is completely out of my control. My body takes over and I climb onto Kaden's lap, my hands sinking into his hair while I kiss him. I've reached my breaking point with this man, and I know that after tonight, there is no going back for us.

Kaden doesn't seem to care. He grips my ass and slips his tongue inside my mouth, deepening our kiss. It's wrong on so many levels, but it also feels way too fucking good to stop. So I don't stop.

My hips grind against him and I moan into his mouth at the feel of his bulging erection. Only after he slips a hand between our bodies to touch me, two fingers gently stroking the outside of my damp panties, is when an invisible force slaps me across the face to remind me that I'm making out with my stepfather.

"No... W-We can't..." I throw myself off Kaden with such force that I almost end up falling backward onto the coffee table. "I'm sorry! I swear I didn't mean to ki..." I choke on the four letter word before I can get it out. "I-I should go. I'm so sorry."

"Bella, wait—"

I run out of the living room and fly upstairs as if I had a rabid dog chasing after me. I go straight into my bathroom to shower away the guilt sticking to my skin.