Romance: Stepbrother On Top

by A. Valentine

  A Quickie Next Door

  © Kylie James, 2016 – All rights reserved

  Published by Steamy Reads4U

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

  This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return it to the seller and purchase a copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Warning

  This book contains graphic content intended for readers 18+ years old.

  If you are under 18 years old, or are not comfortable with adult content, please close this book now.

  Chapter One

  “Dave?” a voice sounded behind David Marshalls’ office door before opening. David looked up and furrowed his brow in slight irritation. He hated when Daniel, David’s younger brother, just opened the door without waiting for his reply. The younger man of twenty-nine casually walked through the doors and made his way towards his brother’s desk.

  “Why do you refuse to wait till I’ve responded before walking into my office?” David asked his brother. David saved the spreadsheet that he’d been working on to ensure that it didn’t somehow mysteriously get erased.

  “Because you’re not in here doing anything,” Daniel said and smiled revealing pearly whites and one dimple in his left cheek. The two brothers were handsome, Daniel stood at six-feet tall and it was apparent that he trained his body well. Even though he was wearing a dress shirt, his muscles rippled underneath the loose fabric. His tanned skin matched the color of his honey eyes and his unruly hair added to his adorable features.

  “You are such a pain sometimes, you know that right?” David ran his hands through his jet black hair. The brothers were similar looking, but the accountant had a more “refined” look to him. David spent much of his time indoors so it wasn’t a surprise that his skin was a little more on the paler side. The thirty-two-year-old stood at six-foot-two and though he was slimmer than his younger brother, he still had a muscular build. His chiseled jaw clenched and his dark brown eyes narrowed as he waited for his brother to tell him the meaning behind his intrusion.

  “Whatever, if I would have knocked and you found out that it was me, you would have brushed me off and told me that you were busy.”

  “I am busy,” David said and folded his arms. Daniel mirrored his movements and folded his arms as well.

  “I wouldn’t call staring at your computer to be busy,” Daniel said. He knew his brother was probably doing some type of spreadsheet that looks over his father’s business’ finance, but sometimes he just enjoyed getting under David’s skin. David could be too serious at times; he needed to liven up a little. “Anyways, dad’s calling us in for a quick meeting. He didn’t tell me what for.” David raised his eyebrow in curiosity and then stood up. David fixed his suit, brushed away lint that only he could see, and then made his way towards the door.

  “He’s probably calling us in to discuss some type of bad news,” David said. His father, Jeffery Marshalls, only called a meeting when things were going south. David felt his brother’s body stiffen next to him and he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. “Probably a mistake you made,” David said and Daniel grunted.

  “Why do you automatically assume me? This could be about an error that you've done.”

  “Unlikely,” David brushed off what Daniel had just said. David did his work exceptionally well and he never made mistakes, he was just that good at his job. David believed that Daniel, on the other hand, could do his job a little better. David and Daniel both worked on their father’s cattle ranch that made Jeffery Marshall’s a billionaire. There were many cattle ranches in Texas, but Jeffery’s ranch had all of them beat in profits and production. As David and Daniel grew up, Jeffery slowly started to implement his two sons in his business. He made David his Accountant and Budget Manager because of his Master’s degree in Accountancy and made Daniel the supervisor of several men. Daniel had a Bachelor’s in Business Administration which is why Jeffery felt that Daniel was fit for that job.

  “Tsk… you know there’s a fine line between arrogance and confidence.” Daniel said eyeing David sideways. David shrugged his shoulders and knocked on his father’s office door.

  “That ‘line’ is only for ordinary people. Men with power have a fair amount of both.” David cockily said. Daniel didn’t have enough time to offer a response before they heard their father’s voice.

  “Come in” The two men opened the door to find their father standing by his bar pouring himself a glass of what appeared to be whiskey.

  “A little too early for whiskey, old man,” David said and took a seat on the sofa directly across from the bar. Raising the glass to his lips, Jeffery eyed David, then Daniel, and then David again.

  “I always need a drink when I know you’re coming, David.” Jeffery placed the glass back on the table and looked at Daniel again. “Your brother made himself comfortable; you might as well do the same.” Daniel nodded his head and sat on the opposite end of David.

  “Thank you,” Daniel said appreciatively. Even though Daniel bothered David on the occasion, he was very kind-hearted and respectful. David was the absolute opposite of Daniel. David was intelligent and career minded, but he could be a disrespectful, arrogant jerk who only did things that benefited him. If something wouldn’t have a positive outcome for David, then he would not do it. Daniel has never met another person as selfish as his older brother. “How are you, dad?”

  “I’ve been better, but I’ve also been worst. Old age is starting to creep up on me.” Daniel looked at his father with concerned.

  “You’re not sick are you?” Shaking his head slowly Jeffery sat on the sofa in front of his sons.

  “No, I’m just not able to move around like I use to. I’m getting slower.” Daniel frowned. At seventy-three years old, his father was definitely not a young stud anymore, but his father kept himself together and he barely looked over the age of fifty. Sighing irritably, David waved his hand in the air.

  “I didn’t leave my desk to talk about how we are feeling. What’s with the meeting? What went wrong?” David asked and Daniel sighed as well. Why does his brother have to act like an impatient bastard?

  “I see your ma didn’t teach you any matters before she left us,” Jeffery said and David looked back at the older man unfazed. David and Daniels mother, Jeffery’s wife, passed on when they were young from a heart attack. Though Jeffery was a busy man running his billion dollar cattle ranch, he made an effort to fill the void that their mother left in his children’s hearts.

  “Dave, stop being an ass,” Daniel warned the other man and David only sat back in his seat and looked at his father bored. Jeffery looked over at David one last time just in case he had something else smart to say, when he concluded that David didn’t, he went straight to business.

  “I’m not getting any younger and I know that my age is going to eventually catch up with me. You two are my sons who I believe grew up to be responsible young men.” Jeffery paused as a cough took over his body. When Daniel stood up and extended his arm out to steady his father, Jeffery shook his head. “No… I’m alright.” After his fit had subsided, Jeffery continued. “I build this billion dollar industry and I don’t want it to end when I die.”

  “C’mon dad,” David chimed in again. “Look, I have a boatload of paperwork to sift through and all of it has to do
with me balancing out this billion dollar company. Please get to the point.”

  “And you call me annoying?” Daniel said looking at his brother. For a thirty-two-year-old man, David hadn’t learned the ‘whole respect your elders and your parents’ saying. Jeffery squeezed the bridge of his nose.

  “You really are something, David,” Jeffery said and looked at the two men again. “Long story short, whoever marries first and grant me a grandchild will inherit the ranch.” As soon as this sentence fell from Jeffery’s lips, David gave his father his undivided attention.

  Chapter Two

  “What kind of ploy is this?” David asked and stood up. He thought it was absurd for his father to drop that bomb on them like that. David knew for a very long time that he wasn’t the marrying type. He loved women, more specifically he loved what he could do to women, but he wasn’t trying to let anyone tie him down. He especially wasn’t trying to haul around a little brat either.

  “What’s wrong with having a business ran by a family? I built my business from the love and support from my wife and children. I want this company to grow to a higher level with you, your wife, and kids.”

  “I’m alright with getting married and all of that,” Daniel started. He wasn’t like David; Daniel wanted a woman with a lot of kids to spoil. “However, why can’t we both inherit it if you think it’s a family business?”

  “Let me be more specific,” Jeffery started to elaborate. “I want one of you to run the whole thing as the boss. You both can still work here; it’s just that there needs to be one boss.”

  “So you mean to tell me whoever the winner is, the other one works for them?” David asked raising an eyebrow. Daniel looked over at his brother and frowned, that shouldn’t even matter.

  “To put it plainly, yes,” David looked down at his brother and Daniel’s honey eyes looked back at David. David was pissed that his father wouldn’t just offer the business to him since he was the oldest. David loved Daniel, but he thought the man was weak and that he wouldn’t be able to run this business since he can barely supervise his men now. On so many levels their father’s scheme pissed David off; however, it did ignite the competitive flame in David. He couldn’t and he wouldn’t let Daniel inherit the ranch.

  “Fine, I’ll play this little game. Married and a kid, huh, I’ve done harder things before in my life.” David said and made his way towards the door without a second look.

  “That arrogance of yours will be your downfall,” Daniel called out after his brother. He saw the look in David’s eyes just now. Daniel knew that the look that David had in his eyes was his way of telling Daniel that he’d do anything in his power to win. Daniel hated that look, and he hated his brother’s greed.

  “Dad, why do you fuel him like that? You know he’ll do anything and everything to win, no matter how awful it might be.” Daniel would be lying if he said that he didn’t want the inheritance because he did, but Daniel wanted to marry for the right reason, not for money. Jeffery looked down at his younger son. He knew that Daniel was right, David would probably try to win by any means necessary and to be honest, that was precisely the determination that the company needed. David’s need for power and strength could keep their ranch the best ranch in Texas, but Jeffery also knew that Daniel’s kindness and compassion could also cause the company to flourish as well. Jeffery only wished that Daniel was more assertive with the way he acted, but for now, Jeffery will sit back and watch his children with interest.

  *****

  “Mr. Marshall” Daniel stopped and turned towards the sound of a man’s voice. He hated when the workers on the ranch called him Mr. Marshall, he wasn’t his father, he supervised them, but it was his dad who called the shots to who stays employed there or not.

  “Jordan, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Daniel? You don’t have to be some formal with me, I’m not uptight like my brother.” Jordan had to laugh at that. Jordan agreed that David walked around like he had a stick up his ass, but he wasn’t going to point that out. Jordan learned early on that Daniel was a good guy, David, on the other hand, was something else.

  “Sorry, I just saw your brother storm by here. He insists that we call him ‘Mr. Marshalls’ so I sometimes forget that you prefer Daniel.” Daniel sighed. Even though his brother was in his thirties and Jordan was in his early twenties, that still shouldn’t mean that Jordan should have to call David ‘Mr.’ anything.

  “Excuse my brother; he thinks he’s bigger and better than everyone.” The younger man could see the irritation in his supervisor’s eyes. He could tell that Daniel and his brother didn’t exactly get along and Jordan knew that the reason for that was David. Daniel was a good guy, never disrespected anyone and saw everyone as his equal. Jordan initially thought that Daniel was going to be stuck up just because his father is the boss, but he was happy to learn that Daniel was laid back and he cared for other people. Meanwhile, his accountant brother was the stereotypical wealthy father's son.

  “It’s alright, as long as everyone keeps their distance from him, I think we would be alright.” Daniel cracked a quick smile at that and then he got straight to business.

  “How’s everything going outside?”

  “Everything is going well. The cattle just got fed, and a guy was inquiring about purchasing one of them. He’s starting his own ranch and he’s going around asking for tips from others.” Daniel frowned at this. He was well aware that his father had people wanting to follow in his footsteps. Daniel respected these types of individuals, but he knew that his father wouldn’t give anyone any of his animals, and Jeffery wasn’t willing to give out any tips. Jeffery Marshalls was a good man; however, he’s a businessman and Jeffery wanted to always have the upper hand. He’d be flattered that people looked up to him and wanted to be like him, but there was no way in hell that he would offer any advice to individuals who might become his rival.

  “I’ll let my father know about this. Can you write up a letter explaining everything that transpired with this person and hand it back to me by the end of the day?” Daniel knew Jordan would be wasting his time doing that, but Daniel still needed to follow the proper procedures.

  “Sure, I can manage that. By the way, I’m not trying to be in your business or anything like that, but are you alright? You look like you just ate something sour.” Jordan asked looking over his supervisor’s apparent displeased demeanor. Daniel scratched his chin for a quick moment contemplating how he wanted to respond to that. He wasn’t the type of person who would be walking around visibly pissed and tell someone that he was perfectly fine. Daniel honestly could not understand why people did that.

  “I’ve just got some rather shocking news from my father. It’s not something that you have to worry about.” Then again, is it something that his people should worry about? If David inherited the company, he would have the full power to do whatever he wanted. The question running around in Daniel’s head was if David was to acquire the company, would he rehire new employees and get rid of the old ones? Would David consider replacing Daniel as well and find someone that he feels is a better fit to supervise the people? The longer he thought about it, the more anxiety started to take over him. “Sorry, I remembered something important that I need to get done. Come by my office later and deliver the letter.”

  “Sure, talk to you later.” Jordan gave his boss a quick nod and made his way back outside. Daniel hustled to his office and shut his door and locked it. Leaning against the door with his eyes closed Daniel finally put more thought into his father’s conditions for inheriting the ranch.

  “Will David fire us all if he gets married and have a kid before I do?”

  Chapter Three

  “I honestly don’t have the time to go hunting for women,” David said out loud to himself as he contemplated exactly how he was going to pull off getting married and having a child so that he could inherit his father’s business. Work keeps him at his desk late and his weekends are filled with finishing up things th
at he hadn’t completed during the week so he didn’t exactly get out much to have fun.

  “Excuse me, Mr. Marshalls,” a feminine voice said knocking on David’s door.

  “Come in,” David said and looked up from his computer as Lydia, David’s personal assistant, walked through the door with some coffee in one hand and a bag in the other. David watched as the woman walked over towards his desk. She was a gorgeous red head with long legs, a curvaceous body, and breasts that any man would love in their hungry palms. Lydia licked her full lips as she noticed David checking her out. He’d slept with her several times, but David didn’t respect her.

  “Here is your food and coffee, Mr. Marshalls,” Lydia said and placed David’s lunch down in front of him. David could’ve easily made Lydia his bride. She didn’t ask for much and she gave it up to him whenever he wanted, but she was too easy to him. Plus, if he had to plant his seed in someone, even though he wasn’t the marrying type the woman had to have something brag worthy going on with her. Looks in Lydia’s case was not enough.

  “Thanks, Lydia,” David picked up his mug and sipped at his coffee absentmindedly thinking about ways to meet his goal as quickly as possible. Lydia stood there for a while looking down at David. Finally, growing fed up that she was still in front of him; David looked up at the woman. “What do you want?” he asked in his normal, ‘I don’t feel like being bothered’ tone. Lydia looked away from David for a few moments, blushed, and then looked back at him again.

  “Are you incredibly busy?” Lydia asked and bit her lower lip seductively. David leaned back in his seat and pressed his lips back to his mug. David knew exactly what Lydia wanted, something he hadn’t given her in a few weeks because of his increased workload. David’s eyes went to her red hair and then to Lydia’s full lips. He could actually use some of Lydia’s lip action to ease the stress that was slowing wreaking havoc on his exhausted body. He kept staring at Lydia’s mouth hungrily and she licked them again inviting him to come and have a taste.