Love's Dangerous Game

Chapter I - Boundaries

Bang! He slammed the door. Actually slammed it, the sound reverberating through the house like a final note of a bitter argument. What did I do to make him so angry? Am I really the problem here? Damn it.

"Karla, are you in here?"

Oh great, who is it now? I'm already done with everyone today.

"Karla?! What the hell happened? Marcus just stormed out of here like he'd seen a ghost. Are you alright? What did you do?" Ah. Of course. That voice. My brother. I could recognize his sarcastic, overbearing tone anywhere.

"Liam? What are you doing here? Did Marcus tell you?" I scoffed, already bracing for the confrontation.

"Tell me what? What did you do to him? Tell me now, Karla, or I swear..." His voice boomed, the irritation in his tone unmistakable.

"And you'll do what exactly, Liam? Play the protective big brother card? You act like you care." I crossed my arms, glaring at him, my chest tight with a cocktail of frustration and hurt.

Ah, Liam. The world's worst brother. Somehow, he treats Marcus like family more than he ever does me. As if I don't notice the judgment in his eyes every time he looks at me, like I'm a walking disaster.

"Karla, seriously. Tell me what happened! Why did he run off like that?" His fists were clenched at his sides, jaw tight with barely concealed anger.

"Maybe because I tried to kiss him, alright?" I sighed, finally turning to meet Liam's intense gaze.

"You did what? Why the hell would you do that?" His voice rose, laced with both disbelief and disappointment.

"Oh, don't act so surprised, Liam. You've known how I feel about Marcus for years. Don't pretend this is some kind of shock to you." My voice came out sharper than intended, but I didn't care. I was sick of the pretense.

Now, I'm sure you're wondering how exactly I got into this mess. Let me walk you through it, though it's not some fairy tale beginning. If you were expecting that, you're out of luck.

So, there's me—Karla Daniels. Short, blonde, not exactly a waif but close enough. And then there's Liam. Tall, dark-haired, the perfect son everyone admires, especially the girls. To me, he's just an overbearing clown in expensive clothes.

And then there's Marcus. My brother's best friend. The tall, brooding, maddeningly attractive guy with dark hair and those impossible black eyes. Yeah, that Marcus. I've been infatuated with him since we were kids. He's always treated me like a little sister—ever since I foolishly told him I'd marry him when we grew up. Cute, right? I know.

So, how did I end up in this situation? Lies.

I told Marcus I wanted him to take some photos of me. He's a photographer, after all. Seemed like a simple enough pretext, harmless even. But I didn't exactly expect him to flee when I tried to kiss him.

I mean, who does that? What kind of guy runs away when a girl kisses him? If you've got the answer, please share, because I'm at a complete loss. And what's so wrong about kissing him, anyway? So what if he's my brother's best friend? It's not like there's a rulebook against it.

But now, here I am, feeling like an idiot. He probably thinks I'm some desperate creep. I know I've got feelings, but maybe I just don't understand them. Is this love? Or just some misguided infatuation? Who knows. I sure don't. But let's get back to the present, where Liam is staring at me like I've lost my mind.

"Are you seriously telling me you kissed Marcus? God, Karla, you're obsessed with him. And trust me, it's not exactly a secret. Pretty sure half of Jacksonville knows by now. Scratch that, all of Florida probably knows."

"I am not obsessed, Liam. And stop pretending you actually care about me. You're too busy worshipping the ground Marcus walks on to notice your own sister!" I spat, my words coming out more venomous than I intended.

He just stood there, looking at me like I was the one who'd gone off the deep end. God, I hated him in moments like these. The urge to throw something at his stupid face was almost overwhelming, but I held back.

"The problem, Karla, is that I do care about you. More than you think. And this? This is you doing something stupid. Marcus isn't what you think. He's not good for you." His voice softened just a little, but the tension was still there.

"And who exactly made you the expert on what's good for me? Last I checked, I'm allowed to make my own decisions, so stay out of it."

"No."

I blinked. Was he for real? Did he seriously just say no like that? I could feel my anger rising, ready to boil over. What did I ever do to deserve a brother like him?

"No? What the hell do you mean by no? You don't get a say in my decisions, Liam. You never have."

"Karla, I'm only going to say this once, so listen carefully." His voice dropped, low and serious. "Stay away from Marcus. Don't ever pull something like that again. For your own good."

I scoffed. "Or what? You're going to run off and tell mom and dad that their precious daughter is a lost cause? Spare me the lecture, Liam. Just leave."

And he did. He left, the tension hanging thick in the air, and I was left alone with my thoughts.

Marcus, what are you hiding? You're more of a mystery now than ever before. And damn it, I want to know the truth.