Chapter 5 Caramel and grapes

Roman.

The screen of my phone lit up in the dark car. I picked it up, intending to text back whoever pinged me, but then I caught a glimpse of her, sitting in the passenger seat, staring out the window at the passing lights of New York. I thought about my father. He had made it very clear—take care of her. If she so much as got a scratch on her while she was with me, he would blow a fuse.

I put the phone back down. I didn't need to be distracted by chats or work. I just needed to get through this night without losing my mind.

“How long are we going to be there for?” she asked. Her voice was quiet, but it had that sharp edge she always used with me. She wasn't scared of me, and that was one of the most annoying things about her.

“Two or three hours max,” I said, gripping the steering wheel and turning right onto a main avenue.

A street light cast a sudden glow into the car. For a second, I saw her side profile perfectly. She had these slightly perked-up lips, a high, straight nose, and long eyelashes that fluttered as she watched the city. Even when I had walked into that salon earlier to pick her up, I felt a knot in my chest. Why did she have to be not hard to look at? It made everything so much worse .

She’s your freaking step-sister, I told myself. Stop looking at her like that. It’s wrong. It’s messy.

I forced my eyes back to the road, my face returning to its usual cold mask. We finally arrived at the event. It was one of those high-end charity galas.

Lots of expensive suits, fake smiles, and people talking about money while pretending to care about the world.

Sienna didn't want to mingle. As soon as we got inside, she headed straight for the bar. She grabbed a mocktail and found a corner to stand in, looking at the crowd like she wanted to be anywhere else. I wanted to tell her to stay close, but I knew she’d just give me attitude, so I let her be.

“Roman?”

I heard a familiar voice behind me and turned around. It was Ethan.

“Yo! My man,” he said, giving me a firm handshake before bumping his shoulder into mine.

“What are you doing here in New York? I thought you were in Cali,” I asked.

“I was going to text you, Cassy—”

He didn’t even finish his sentence when another voice called my name. A voice that made my mood shift from neutral to irritated in a split second.

“Roman Reyes.”

Cassy walked toward us. She was wearing a dress that cost an arm and a leg, and she had that look on her face—the one where she thought she owned the room.

“Since I was inviting you, I thought I should invite Ethan, too,” she said with a fake grin. “I wouldn’t want you to be alone here.”

Ethan saw the look on my face. He knew the history. He knew Cassy was toxic and that our ‘relationship’ had ended in a total wreck. “I’m gonna go find a drink. Call me later, Roman,” he said, making a quick exit.

Now it was just me and my ex. Or whatever she was. She used to call what we had a ‘situationship’ whenever it suited her, usually when she wanted to see other people while keeping me on a leash.

“You didn’t need to do that,” I muttered, my voice cold. “I’m only here to honor your dad. I'm not here for you and I’m here with my girlfriend.”

The smile on Cassy’s face faltered for a second, then she laughed. “A girlfriend? Please. How do I know you aren’t just saying that to make me jealous? I know I did something bad, Roman, but we can talk it out. We always do.”

She stepped closer, trying to use that manipulative charm she had. I looked away, searching the room for a specific dark red dress. I saw her. Sienna was standing by a food table, eating grapes while looking up at a massive crystal chandelier in awe.

“Her,” I said, pointing.

Sienna’s eyes caught mine from across the room. I gestured for her to come over. She didn't look happy about it, but she started walking our way, her heels clicking confidently on the marble floor.

“You’re kidding,” Cassy laughed, looking Sienna up and down. “That girl? She looks way too naive for you, Roman. She’s not your type at all.”

I felt a surge of anger. I wanted to say something mean, something that would cut Cassy down, but I kept my mouth shut.

Sienna reached us and stood by my side. Cassy held out a hand. “Hi, I’m Cassy. Roman has said a lot about you,” she said. The lie was so obvious it made my skin crawl.

Sienna shook her hand, giving her a very genuine-looking smile. “Nice meeting you. Are you in charge of the food? It’s really good.” 

A smile tugged at my lips.

“What? No!” Cassy said

“I’m so sorry, the dress was giving catering vibes, I’m really sorry.” 

“This is a limited edition Chanel…”  

I reached down and grabbed Sienna’s hand, interlocking our fingers. She startled a bit—her hand was so much smaller and softer than mine—but she didn't pull away. In fact, she squeezed back.

“Excuse us, Cassy,” I said. Not giving her another chance to brag about her dress.

We walked away quickly, heading toward the balcony. I didn't let go of her hand until we were outside in the cool night air, looking at the New York skyline.

“Is this some kind of party for the elites?” Sienna asked, leaning against the railing.

“Something like that. It’s for charity donations. They do it every six months,” I said. My heart was still beating a little too fast from holding her hand.

“It’s not like I care about your personal life,” she said, looking at me sideways, “but who’s that lady? She looked like she wanted to eat me alive.”

I hesitated. “It’s complicated. She’s sort of my ex.”

“Sort of?” she asked. She reached into her small bag, pulled out two wraps of candy, and handed one to me.

“I don’t eat sweets,” I said, trying to maintain my ‘tough guy’ image.

Sienna rolled her eyes. “One piece of caramel isn’t going to kill you, Roman. Don't be such a baby.” She unwrapped hers and popped it into her mouth.

I sighed, took the candy, and unwrapped it. The caramel was sweet and rich.

“It’s good, right?” she grinned.

I just nodded, looking out at the lights. For a moment, things felt okay. Then my phone vibrated. It was an Instagram DM from Cassy.

I need to show you something. Storage room One. Now.

“I’ll be back. I need to sort something out,” I told Sienna.

She looked at me, her eyes narrowing. “Is it her? Are you going to meet her?”

“Mind your business, Sienna,” I said, turning on my heel and walking back inside. I hated that she could read me so easily.

I found the storage room at the end of a quiet hallway. Cassy was leaning against a stack of crates.

“I know you’re not dating that girl,” Cassy said as soon as I walked in. “She’s not your type. You like girls with an edge. And she?”

“People change, Cassy. Maybe I’m tired of the drama,” I said.

Cassy walked closer, her eyes locked on mine. “Blocking me everywhere won’t stop me. I’m yours, Roman. And you’re mine. You know that.”

“I have a girl—” I started to say.

The door slid open suddenly. Sienna walked in, her head held high, looking completely unbothered.

“Hey babe, I’ve been looking all over for you,” she said, walking right up to me.

“Hey... Sienna, right?” Cassy said, her voice tight with annoyance.

“Yes.”

“Roman and I—“

Before Cassy could finish, Sienna reached up, grabbed the collar of my jacket, and pulled me down before her mouth slammed onto mine.

I froze for a split second. My mind went blank. Then, the taste of the grapes she’d been eating and the sweetness of the caramel hit me. Something inside me snapped. I stopped thinking about my father, the gala, and the fact that she was my step-sister.

Instead, I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her body tight against mine. I kissed her back, hard and deep. My tongue met hers, and the heat between us was sudden and overwhelming.I could feel her heart racing against my chest.

At that moment, with the taste of her on my lips, I forgot everything else. I just wanted more.