Page 2 of My Weakness

“I don’t know what you mean.” I’m quite tall; at five-foot-eight I’m often the tallest woman in the room, but River towers over me, even in my heels.

“We don’t like each other.” It’s true, we never have, but I can’t help but feel a pang of pain at his words. “So whatever this is—” His finger flicks back and forth in the small space between our bodies. “Cut it out.” His hand finds my own and removes it from his chest. “Let’s go,” he mutters as he pushes past me.

This is the first time he’s ever shown a chink in the armor he wears around me. I think I might have just found my new favorite way to rile my brother.

River

I’m in love with my stepsister.

I have been since the moment I first walked through the front door of what was to be my new life five years ago.

I remember when I got my first glimpse of her and realized that this teenage beauty risked it all, risked the happy ending my mom deserved.

So instead of love, I chose hate.

Instead of building a relationship with her, instead of being the person I should’ve been around her, I wore a mask. I have ever since.

As a result, I destroyed any chance of what could have been. Because you can’t fall in love with your stepsister, right? I’m pretty sure in some states it’s probably considered illegal. And I couldn’t risk my stepdad kicking us out; I couldn’t do that to my mom, I couldn’t have her go back to the life before. She’d finally found happiness, and I did everything in my power to ensure she stayed that way, even if it meant I lost the girl I think was destined for me.

The girl currently sitting next to me at the table. The girl I’ve compared everyone to for the last five years. The girl who is the sole reason I’ve not had a lasting relationship; how could I when I’d pushed perfection away and made them hate me?

“What are you getting?”

I don’t understand what she’s doing tonight, it’s like she’s body swapped for the evening.

“Probably the clam chowder, then the swordfish,” I mumble the words, still trying to work out what she’s playing at.

“Hmm,” she hums. “I always regret what I’ve picked because yours always looks better. Maybe I’ll get the same tonight.” She flashes her dazzling smile my way and I swear my heart stutters.

What the fuck is she doing?She can’t flirt with me. I’ve spent the last five years ensuring she hates me, because if she gives me even a hint of there being something between us, I won’t have the will power to walk away.

Every man has his weakness, and Ava Travers is mine.

Chapter Two

Ava

Ava: You’ll never guess what

Bella: What?

Mia: You can’t send a message like that FFS

Harper: What’s happened?

Ava: I’ve finally found a way to get to River

Mia: This needs a video chat!!!!

My cell rings in my hand and I pick up Mia’s video call to quickly find the screen filling with three familiar faces. The faces of my best friends, the absolute best girls in the world.

“Okay, what did you do?” Bella asks as soon as we’re all on the screen.

“I thought you were all going out to dinner tonight. You couldn’t have got up to too much,” Mia pipes up. She’s the daredevil of the group, so of course her mind would go to something not suitable for a restaurant.

“I didn’t do anything to your standards, Mia, but I definitely had him flustered. I’ve never seen him like it.”

“Girl, spill it.”