Beautiful Sin - Chapter 9
Spicy BL/MM/GAY Stepbrother Reverse Harem Romance
Davis Brothers
Aiden stumbled into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him with trembling hands. His legs gave out, sending him sliding down against the frame until he hit the floor, his body a contradiction of exhaustion and electric awareness. The scent of honey and cherry blossoms clung to his skin, his clothes, seemingly embedded in his very pores—Haru’s distinctive fragrance, now mixed with the unmistakable musk of arousal and release.
“Fuck!” The word escaped in a harsh whisper, barely louder than his thundering heartbeat. He had just given his stepbrother a hand job. His adorably innocent, completely off-limits, utterly perfect stepbrother. The one he’d sworn to protect, not corrupt.
And yet...
His body hummed with satisfaction, a primal part of him purring with contentment. He’d touched Haru. Made him come apart. Heard his name on those perfect lips as pleasure overtook him. The memory alone was enough to reawaken his own desire, his still-hard cock straining painfully against his pants.
The possessive beast that had taken residence in his chest since Haru’s confession in the car growled with approval. Mine. The thought was as terrifying as it was thrilling. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was supposed to be the responsible one, the pillar, the protector. Not the predator.
But when Haru had looked at him with those tear-filled eyes, confessing his heartache over loving someone who didn’t see him that way... something in Aiden had snapped. The thought of Haru pining for someone else, someone who couldn’t appreciate the gift of his affection, had been unbearable. Before he could think it through, he’d been touching Haru, claiming him in the most intimate way possible.
“What the hell have I done?” he muttered, dragging his hands through his hair.
The questions started parading through his mind like a particularly aggressive marching band. Had he taken advantage of Haru when the boy was vulnerable? Was he that desperate? That selfish?
But beneath the guilt, a darker, more possessive thought surfaced: At least now he knows what it feels like to be touched by someone who truly wants him. By me. Not by whoever he thinks he’s in love with.
The thought should have horrified him. Instead, it settled in his chest like a weight, heavy but somehow right. Haru belonged with him. To him. The certainty of it ran deeper than logic or morality, resonating in his bones like an ancient truth.
His legs finally surrendered to gravity, and he collapsed onto his king-sized bed. The ceiling offered no answers as he contemplated how he was supposed to face Haru tomorrow. Should he pretend nothing happened? Play it cool like he hadn’t just crossed every line in the “How to Be a Good Stepbrother” handbook?
No, that wasn’t his style. Aiden Davis didn’t do denial—he faced things head-on, no matter how ugly. And this situation definitely qualified as ugly. Beautiful, but ugly.
He’d have to apologize to Haru.
But even as the thought formed, something rebellious and possessive coiled in his gut. Apologize for what, exactly? For making Haru feel good? For showing him how it could be between them? For taking the first step toward claiming what felt rightfully his?
His eyes drifted shut, only for his brain to helpfully supply a high-definition replay of Haru—flushed face, bright eyes, and that expression. God, that expression. Like Aiden had simultaneously ruined him and remade him. Wet hair clinging to that delicate face, those blushing cheeks spreading down his neck, milky pale skin that practically begged to be marked. When his mind decided to remind him of exactly how Haru looked spread out before him, trembling with need, Aiden knew he was royally screwed.
And then there was the moment they’d almost kissed. He’d felt Haru’s breath against his lips, seen those dark eyes drop to his mouth with unmistakable want. If Haru hadn’t pulled back at the last second, Aiden knew his legendary self-control would have shattered completely. He would have devoured that perfect mouth, claimed those soft lips, tasted the sweetness he’d been dreaming about for years.
Next time, he wouldn’t let Haru pull away. Next time...
“Shit!” His body was staging a mutiny, and his conscience was losing the battle. “This is going to be a long night.”
Sleep proved as elusive as his self-control, his mind torn between guilt and the intoxicating memory of Haru’s scent intensifying as pleasure overtook him. That sweet fragrance of honey, cherry blossoms, and something like lily had grown stronger with Haru’s arousal, wrapping around Aiden like a physical embrace. It had made his head spin, triggering something deep and primal within him—a sense of rightness, of belonging, of coming home after a long absence.
Dawn found him looking like he’d gone ten rounds with insomnia and lost spectacularly. Dark circles decorated his eyes, and his hair looked like it was staging a rebellion against gravity. But beneath the exhaustion, a new resolve had crystallized.
Haru was his. Had always been his, even if neither of them had realized it until now. And he would do whatever it took to make Haru see that, to forget this mysterious person he thought he loved. Aiden would be patient. He would play the long game. He would teach Haru pleasure, show him what it meant to be truly wanted, truly cherished.
And eventually, Haru would be his completely.
He changed into his jogging gear, his movements mechanical. Physical activity—that’s what he needed. Something to exhaust his body enough that his brain would stop its endless replay of last night’s highlights.
The kitchen was silent when he stumbled in, except for the judgmental hum of the refrigerator. He downed a glass of water like it might wash away his sins and headed out.
The streets were mercifully empty, perfect for a man trying to outrun his thoughts. But of course, his mind had other plans. Every stride, every breath, every heartbeat seemed to echo Haru’s name. He ran faster, as if the devil himself—or worse, his conscience—was on his heels.
Two hours later, he was drenched in sweat and no closer to peace of mind. His legs burned, his lungs ached, and Haru still occupied every corner of his thoughts. If anything, the physical exertion had only sharpened his hunger, his need to claim what was his.
Great plan, genius. Now you’re exhausted AND obsessed.
Stumbling back into the apartment, Aiden aimed for the kitchen, desperate for water and possibly a personality transplant. That’s when the universe decided to test his composure.
A door clicked open, and there was Haru, sleep-rumpled and adorable in—oh god—Aiden’s old shirt. The navy cotton hung loose on Haru’s smaller frame, slipping off one pale shoulder and hitting mid-thigh in a way that made Aiden’s mouth go dry. It was the shirt he’d meant to throw out months ago, too worn and soft from countless washes, but now he knew exactly where it had “disappeared” to.
The sight of Haru in his clothes hit him like a physical blow. The contrast of that dark fabric against Haru’s milky skin, the way it draped over his slender frame, revealing tantalizing glimpses of collarbone and thigh—it was simultaneously the most innocent and most erotic thing Aiden had ever seen. His stepbrother looked delectable, beautiful in a way that made his hands itch to touch, to claim.
And that scent—even from across the hallway, he could detect it. Honey and cherry blossoms, delicate but unmistakable, calling to something deep within him. Mine, that primal part of him growled. Mine to protect. Mine to possess.
Their eyes met across the hallway, and Aiden watched as Haru’s face went through an impressive array of reds that would make a sunset jealous. The blush spread down his neck, disappearing beneath the collar of Aiden’s shirt, and wasn’t that an image his brain didn’t need right now? He couldn’t help wondering how far that blush went, if it painted all that hidden skin the same delicious pink. If it looked as beautiful as it had last night, when Haru had been spread out beneath him, trembling with need.
Time seemed to freeze. Aiden’s brain helpfully supplied: Say something normal. Anything. Just don’t mention hands. Or shirts. Or how he looks wearing your clothes. Or how much you want to see what else that blush covers.
Before he could manage even a “good morning,” Haru pulled a vanishing act that would make magicians jealous, complete with a door slam that probably woke the entire neighborhood.
“My, my,” came Noah’s voice, dripping with amusement and something sharper. “What did you do to the princess? Besides making him run away like you’re carrying the plague?”
Aiden turned to find his brother leaning against the wall, arms crossed, wearing that insufferable smirk he’d perfected over the years. The look in Noah’s eyes was too knowing, too intense, and something territorial flared in Aiden’s chest. The way Noah looked when he talked about Haru sometimes... it made Aiden want to bare his teeth.
“Nothing,” Aiden muttered, suddenly finding his sweat-soaked shirt fascinating.
“Right.” Noah’s tone could have cut glass. “Because Haru regularly slams doors in your face. Oh wait, he doesn’t, because you’re his precious Aiden-nii.” The honorific sounded like an accusation.
Aiden headed for the kitchen, Noah following like a particularly persistent shadow. He downed two glasses of water while his brother watched with predatory attention.
“It was probably something stupid I did last night,” Aiden admitted, grimacing. Like touching him in ways no brother should. Like making him come apart in my arms. Like nearly kissing him senseless.
Noah’s laugh held no humor. “You? The perfect older brother? Do something stupid? Alert the media.” His eyes narrowed, something dark and almost knowing in their depths. “Fix it. We have that dinner party tonight, and I’d rather not watch you mope around like someone cancelled Christmas.”
The command in Noah’s voice grated against Aiden’s nerves. Who was Noah to tell him how to handle Haru? His possessive instincts flared again, a growl building in his throat that he barely managed to suppress.
“Well, isn’t this cozy?” Reo’s voice cut through the tension like a well-timed referee whistle. He took one look at them and smirked, his eyes dancing with that ancient knowledge that always made Aiden wonder just how much he knew. “Oh good, family drama before coffee. My favorite.”
“Just discussing Aiden’s spectacular talent for making Haru run away,” Noah supplied, each word carefully chosen like ammunition.
Reo started pulling out pans with suspicious efficiency. “Ah yes, the morning-after awkwardness. Fascinating.”
Aiden choked on his water. “What?”
“The morning after whatever made Haru bolt like he’d seen a ghost wearing your face,” Reo clarified, his innocent tone fooling exactly no one. “What did you think I meant?”
Noah’s eyes narrowed fractionally, something dark and suspicious flickering in their depths. “I’m going for my run.” He pushed off the wall, tension radiating from every movement.
Once Noah was gone, Reo turned to Aiden with a look that said he knew exactly what happened last night. “So...”
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were thinking it loudly.”
“By the way, want to help shop for the party? Unless you’re too busy making our baby brother practice his door-slamming technique.”
Aiden groaned, desperate to change the subject. “That would be great, actually. A distraction would—”
“Help you stop thinking about whatever happened last night that has Haru hiding in his room like it’s a nuclear bunker?”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re insufferable?”
“Frequently. Oh, and Tina’s coming tonight, isn’t she?”
Aiden’s head snapped up. “How did you—”
“Please. She’s been texting me about Haru all week. Something about making sure he’s eating properly and not being ‘corrupted.’” Reo’s air quotes spoke volumes, his knowing gaze making Aiden shift uncomfortably.
“Great. Just great.”
Mason and Isaac chose that moment to stumble in, both looking like they’d lost a fight with their pillows. Mason’s usual perfect hair was sticking up in ways that defied physics, while Isaac had somehow managed to put his shirt on backwards.
“Morning!” Isaac yawned, collapsing into a chair. “Why does Haru’s door have a ‘Do Not Disturb Or Die’ sign on it? And why does Aiden look like he went twelve rounds with guilt and lost?”
“Because our dear eldest brother has mastered the art of making Haru run away,” Reo supplied helpfully, sliding plates of eggs across the table.
Mason’s eyes flickered between Aiden and the empty doorway, something knowing in his gaze that made Aiden’s hackles rise. “What’s new about that?”
There was something in Mason’s tone, a subtle edge that made Aiden study him more closely. The way his eyes lingered on Haru’s empty chair, the slight tension in his shoulders... it was almost like he was... jealous? The thought was both absurd and oddly troubling.
“So,” Reo said, “shopping for tonight. Who’s helping?”
“Can’t,” Mason said, suddenly very interested in his toast. “Study group with Lucas and Carter.”
“You mean those two idiots who thought a potato was a fruit?” Isaac snorted.
“Better than someone who tried to microwave metal.”
“That was an experiment!”
“In how to burn down the apartment?”
“Children,” Reo’s voice cut through their bickering. “Focus. Isaac?”
“Also busy,” Isaac attempted puppy eyes that hadn’t worked since he was twelve. “Meeting friends.”
“You have friends?” Mason gasped in mock surprise.
Aiden watched the familiar chaos unfold, his mind still stuck on the way Haru had looked at him in the hallway—like he was simultaneously the best and worst thing he’d ever seen. Like he wanted to run both away from Aiden and straight into his arms. The memory of last night played in his mind again—Haru’s soft gasps, the way he’d trembled in Aiden’s arms, how close they’d come to kissing.
Next time, he wouldn’t let Haru pull away. Next time, he’d claim those perfect lips. Next time...
“Looks like it’s just you and me then,” he told Reo, trying to ignore how his brothers’ eyes kept darting to Haru’s conspicuously empty chair.
“Perfect,” Reo said, with the air of someone who’d orchestrated exactly this outcome. “We can discuss why our baby brother is currently attempting to barricade himself in his room.”
“Or,” Aiden suggested dryly, “we could not do that.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Reo’s eyes danced with mischief. “Besides, I’m curious about this new development. Our Shrine Maiden seems particularly... affected by you lately.”
“Speaking of fun,” Mason drawled, stabbing his eggs with suspicious intensity, “Tina’s coming tonight, right? Your work wife who’s appointed herself Haru’s guardian angel?”
“She’s not my work wife,” Aiden growled, his coffee cup hitting the table with more force than necessary. The thought of anyone else claiming a special relationship with Haru—even one as innocent as Tina’s self-appointed guardianship—grated against his nerves.
“No?” Isaac grinned. “Then why does she keep trying to set you up with her friends? And texting you about Haru’s welfare every other day?”
“Because she’s a menace who won’t mind her own business,” Aiden grumbled. “Like some other people I could name.”
“I feel attacked,” Reo said cheerfully, refilling coffee cups. “Also, someone should probably make a plate for our resident hermit. Unless you’re planning to let him starve, Aiden?”
The sound of a door opening down the hall made them all freeze. Footsteps approached, hesitated, then quickly retreated, followed by another door slam that seemed to echo through the apartment.
“That would be our Haru attempting breakfast,” Reo commented. “Should I make a plate for slipping under his door, or will you be handling room service, Aiden?”
In the bathroom, Aiden took his time showering, letting the hot water wash away at least some of his tension. He emerged feeling slightly more human, if not any less conflicted about last night.
Dark jeans and a gray T-shirt later, he was almost feeling ready to face the day. Almost. The thought of Haru—and what he’d done to the boy—still hung over him like a particularly persistent storm cloud.
But beneath the guilt and confusion, a new resolve had solidified. Last night hadn’t been a mistake—it had been the first step toward claiming what was rightfully his. Haru belonged with him. To him. And he would do whatever it took to make Haru see that.
First the shopping, he decided. Then figure out how to show Haru exactly who he belongs to.
Right. Because grocery shopping with Reo’s knowing smirks was exactly what he needed right now.
At least it couldn’t get worse than this morning.
Probably shouldn’t tempt fate with that thought, he mused, heading back to face whatever fresh hell his brothers had cooked up in his absence.
As he approached the kitchen, the scent of honey and cherry blossoms wafted to him—faint but unmistakable. Haru had ventured out again. Something primal and possessive unfurled in Aiden’s chest, and he quickened his pace, drawn to that sweet fragrance like a moth to flame.
Mine, that ancient part of him whispered. Mine to protect. Mine to cherish. Mine to possess.
And soon, Haru would know it too.