Without warning, I reached down and gave her ass a hard smack.
"That's for spray painting my car," I said.
Her breath hitched, and she bit her lip, trying to suppress a smile. "You're such a caveman."
"Caveman? How about this?" I said, smacking her...
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Caleb's POV
As I lay there in the dim light of the room, Esme nestled against me, I couldn't shake off the whirlwind of thoughts spinning in my head. She looked peaceful, her chest rising and falling softly as she slept, and a part of me wanted to reach out and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, to protect her from the world. But another part screamed at me to remember the reality of our situation.
What the hell am I doing? I couldn't ignore the war waging within me. She was my enemy's sister and my step-sister, for fuck's sake. This wasn't me. I was never the kind of guy to let my guard down, especially not for someone like her. I had never done this shit for any girl before—cuddling, touching, losing myself in someone. I was supposed to be focused, driven by the hunger for power and control, not distracted by a girl who had "bad idea" stamped across her forehead.
But there she was, lying against me, and I couldn't deny that she had ignited something in me. She was worth it, in a way. I had never felt anything like this—like she could peel back layers of my armor and expose something raw and unfiltered. She made me feel things I thought I had buried deep, things I didn't have time for. But was it love? Hell no. I wasn't in love with her; it was fucking horniness mixed with a dangerous thrill.
I rubbed my face with my hands, frustration boiling beneath the surface. I didn't need this distraction, especially not now. My ambitions were at stake. I had plans to make, a gang to lead, and Trevor's legacy to steal. Every moment I spent wrapped up in Esme felt like a moment wasted, a risk I couldn't afford to take. She was a liability, an obstacle in my path, and I couldn't let my feelings cloud my judgment.
She was so naive, so innocent, and that made her even more dangerous. I couldn't protect her and pursue my goals at the same time. I had worked too hard to rise in the mafia world, to establish myself as someone formidable. I had sacrificed so much, and now I was supposed to risk it all for a girl I barely knew?
The weight of my thoughts pressed down on me, and I shifted slightly, careful not to wake her. I felt her warmth against my side, and it was maddening how easy it was to forget the world when she was close. I should have been planning my next move, strategizing my ascent, not lying here lost in a haze of confusion.
I was torn between wanting to kiss her forehead and push her away. I couldn't keep doing this. I needed to focus on my gang-related activities, on the plans I had crafted with painstaking detail. I couldn't risk everything for a fleeting moment of pleasure that could easily turn into a messy complication.
With a heavy sigh, I turned my gaze to the ceiling, feeling the exhaustion creeping in. I would have to figure this all out later. My mind raced, but my body was giving in, the weight of sleep pulling me down. I couldn't afford to lose sight of what mattered most.
As my eyelids grew heavy, I settled into a restless sleep, hoping that when morning came, clarity would follow. But deep down, I knew I was in over my head, and I couldn't let Esme derail everything I had worked for. Not now, not ever.
