Daddy’s billionaire step-brother
Chapter 66: Trouble

The sun cast a warm glow over the terrace as guests celebrated Clara's baby shower, but Jessica couldn't shake the chill creeping up her spine. She had just spotted him-tall, older, and covered in tattoos that snaked up his arms and peeked from the collar of his shirt. His hair was dark, his features sharp, but it was his eyes that caught her off guard a piercing, intense gaze that locked onto her from across the crowd. For a moment, the world seemed to slow. Jessica felt her breath catch, and her heart picked up pace. There was something dangerous about him, something that screamed trouble, yet she couldn't look away. Finally breaking eye contact, she hurried over to Clara, who stood at the edge of the terrace, her face flushed, likely from crying not long before. Jessica put a hand on her friend's arm. "Clara, are you alright?" Clara smiled faintly, though her eyes still shimmered with the remnants of emotion. "I'll be fine," she murmured, taking a deep breath. "I just needed a moment. But... what's wrong? You look rattled." Jessica's gaze flickered back to the man, who had now disappeared into the crowd. "That guy... I saw him staring at me. He looked... intense."

Clara followed her line of sight, her brow furrowing. "Him? I don't know for sure, but I think he's one of Adrian's friends. He showed up earlier, but Adrian didn't introduce him. He... definitely looks like trouble." Jessica bit her lip, her curiosity piqued. "Do you know his name?"

Clara shook her head. "I wish I did, but no. Just... be careful."

Jessica gave a small nod, but the sense of foreboding-and excitement lingered. The rest of the party seemed to blur together, her mind wandering back to the mysterious man who seemed to have vanished. Until he didn't.

Later in the evening, when the crowd had thinned, Jessica wandered to a quiet corner of the terrace, needing a moment of peace. She felt a presence before she saw him. Turning slowly, she found herself face to face with him-the stranger who had unsettled her earlier. He was even taller up close, and his tattoos, darker in the evening light, seemed to tell stories she wasn't ready to hear.

"Leaving already?" he asked, his voice low and smooth, yet carrying an edge that made her skin tingle.

Jessica swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing. "I was just getting some air."

He stepped closer, not enough to touch, but enough to make her heart race. His presence was overwhelming, a mix of danger and allure. "I noticed you earlier," he said, his eyes never leaving hers. "But you ran off before I could introduce myself."

Her pulse quickened. "Jessica," she said, her voice quieter than she'd intended. "Alekos," he replied, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine.

She wasn't sure what to say next. The air between them crackled with tension, a mix of attraction and caution. Jessica could feel her own instincts warring within her-one part of her screaming to walk away, while another part, the part that wanted more, kept her rooted in place.

"You're Adrian's friend?" she asked, needing to fill the silence.

Alekos smiled, a lazy, confident smile that only heightened the danger in his eyes. "Something like that."

She narrowed her eyes slightly, unsure whether to believe him, but the way he stood, the way he looked at her-it was as if he knew he already had her hooked, and he was enjoying every second of it.

"You don't belong here," he said suddenly, his voice dropping lower, the words holding an unspoken meaning.

Jessica's breath hitched. "Neither do you," she shot back, though there was no real bite in her words.

Alekos chuckled softly. "True. But I'm not the one pretending to fit in."

His words struck a chord deep within her. He was right-she had never felt like she fully belonged in the world she was born into, with its rules and expectations. And here was this man, this stranger, seeing right through her, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"You think you know me?" she asked, stepping closer, defiance in her voice but her heart racing faster.

"I don't need to know you," Alekos replied, his gaze smoldering. "I can already tell you're not like the others."

His words ignited something inside her-fear, excitement, a dangerous curiosity. She knew she should walk away, that this was a game she had no business playing. But the pull was too strong, the thrill too irresistible. Jessica glanced up at him, her breath shallow. "And what do you think I am?"

Alekos leaned in, his voice a whisper that sent a shiver down her spine. "I think you're someone who's tired of pretending to be a good girl."

Jessica's heart was racing, her pulse quickening with every passing second as she stood face to face with Alekos. His presence was magnetic, his eyes holding hers captive, and the deep, smooth tone of his voice seemed to wrap around her like a spell. Every instinct screamed that he was trouble, yet something about him made her want to ignore it all.

Alekos tilted his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "Why don't we have some fun, Jessica?" he asked, his voice low and full of temptation.

Her breath caught in her throat. The invitation hung in the air, pulling her toward him. She could already imagine it-the danger, the excitement, the recklessness. It was all too easy to picture herself saying yes, to let herself get lost in whatever this was between them.

But then, a cold spike of fear cut through her thoughts. She barely knew him. This was a world she didn't understand, one that could swallow her whole if she wasn't careful. Despite the thrill, the unknown terrified her.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to take a step back. "I... I can't," she stammered, her voice barely audible. "Goodbye, Alekos."

Before he could say anything more, Jessica turned and slipped into the crowd, her heart still pounding. The party swirled around her, but all she could feel was the electric charge of the moment lingering on her skin, and the aching pull toward the man she knew she had to avoid.

***

After the party, Adrian and Clara were in their suite, the soft glow of the bedside lamps illuminating the room as they got ready for bed. Clara sat on the edge of the bed, brushing her hair, her mind still swirling with thoughts of the evening. She glanced over at Adrian, who was unbuttoning his shirt.

"Adrian?" she asked, her voice breaking the comfortable silence.

"Hmm?" He looked up, his expression softening as he met her gaze.

"Who was that friend of yours? The one with the neck tattoos."

Adrian paused, frowning slightly. "Which one?"

Clara raised an eyebrow. "The one flirting with Jessica earlier. I think he might be her type."

Adrian's eyes widened in shock, and he froze mid-motion, his shirt hanging loosely from his shoulders. "Wait. Are you saying your friend was flirting with him?"

Clara nodded, slightly amused by his reaction. "Yes, I think so. Why?"

Adrian's face darkened, his expression turning serious. He sat down beside her on the bed, his tone low and urgent. "Clara, you need to tell Jessica to stay far away from that guy."

Clara blinked, surprised by the intensity in his voice. "Why? Who is he?"

Adrian ran a hand through his hair, clearly unsettled. "His name's Alekos. He's the head of the Italian mob."