Love’s Dangerous Game

KARLA

Bang! He slammed the door. Actually slammed it with some force, since the sound of it made my ears hurt. What the hell was that? What did I do to make him so angry? Damn it. Never would I thought Marcus was so easy to scare. I mean, we’re talking about that Marcus. Oh, love of my life, what have I done to you?

“Karla, are you in here?”

Oh great, who is it now? I’m already done with everyone today. And for sure I don’t want to talk to him about this, even if he was the last person on earth. Liam.

“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. And of course he always puts the blame on me for everything. Classic brother.

“Liam? What are you doing here? Did Marcus tell you?” I scoffed, already bracing for the confrontation. And if I think for a second thought, maybe it was too much. For now.

“Tell me what? What did you do to him? Tell me now, Karla, or I swear...” His voice boomed, the irritation in his tone being unmistakable. His tone was so hard that I thought I killed a person for a minute.

“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 frustration and hurt. Even if deep down, I know he cares. But the way he shows it to me it’s the worst.

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. He had such a serious face that he scared me on the spot.

“Maybe because I tried to kiss him, alright?” I sighed, finally turning to meet Liam’s intense gaze. “Are you happy now?” I asked him, crossing my arms on the chest.

“You didwhat? 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. I was sick of his overprotection that was already out of discussion. The times I was a kid were long gone.

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. My life is not different from a drama movie, at least. Maybe some mystery too.

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. But that’s because I don’t understand all the hype he gets for nothing.

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 tofleewhen 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. I read so many books to find out they always get together. So why wouldn’t this be my case too? I had to try it, after all.

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. But I didn’t regret them since I was telling the truth. And even if I hate telling lies or hearing them, a lie was what got me into this mess. Stupid me.

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 Idocare about you. More than you think. And this? This is you doing something stupid. Marcus isn’t who 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.” I supported my hand on my hips and got close to him.

“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.” I almost screamed the words in his face, but since he was so much taller than me, I barely spilled them at his neck.

“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.” He got my shoulders and pushed me a little bit back.

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. I couldn’t bear to see him again today. If I hate something more than my brother, it’s him telling me what to do and lecturing me. I used to cry about this to mom, but after getting into university, things got easier with Liam and I tried to ignore him. Until today. Because you can’t have so much happiness when you’re Liam Daniels’s sister. Lucky me.

Now, Marcus, what are you hiding? What’s hidden under that bad boy mask? I’m intrigued. You’re more of a mystery now than ever before. And damn it, I want to know the truth.