Puck Me Harder: A Stepbrother Romance [BL]

Micah’s POV

The heavy silence returned to the house, but my heart was beating at a frantic, wild speed.

The moment he sees me with any of the Silvers, I’ll stop being his son.

His words repeated in my mind, echoing over and over again like a loud chime. But instead of feeling heartbroken, instead of feeling crushed by his absolute lack of love for me, a strange, electric spark of pure excitement flared up deep inside my chest.

Was this... was this actually an opportunity?

A real, golden ticket to stop being his son forever?

I could easily let him catch me with Damon. I could purposely orchestrate it so he would disown me, throw me out of the house, and erase my name from his life completely. I wouldn’t have to live under his terrifying rule anymore. I wouldn’t have to flinch every time a door opened.

The only massive, terrifying problem standing in my way was survival.

If father disowned me, he wouldn’t just kick me out—he would cut off every single cent attached to my name. He would revoke my university tuition, cancel my bank accounts, and leave me on the street with nothing but the clothes on my back. I needed to get a job fast. I needed to build a safety net, save up a stack of hard cash, and then let him disown me. That was the only way I could ever truly live my life as a free person.

I quickly calculated the brutal numbers in my head. I needed money for rent, monthly utility bills, groceries, university fees, transport... It was an overwhelming, terrifying amount of money for someone who had never worked a single day in his life.

Pressing my lips together, I hurried back into the kitchen and picked up my phone from the counter. I opened my messaging app and scrolled down through the long string of unread texts I had received over the past couple of days from Raven, and her sister, Sunny.

Raven was always connected to different networks around the city. Maybe... just maybe, if I reached out to her about finding a quick part-time job, she could point me in the right direction.

Without letting myself overthink it, I typed out a quick message to Raven, asking if she knew of any urgent job openings. I hit send, tossed the phone back onto the counter, and immediately started preparing father’s dinner.

I worked as fast as my hands could move, wanting to get the chore over with. I pulled out a bag of russet potatoes, peeled them quickly, and boiled them until they were soft. I mashed them down with heavy cream, salted butter, a pinch of garlic, and fresh black pepper until they were impossibly smooth and creamy. Then, I pulled some pre-cooked roasted chicken breast from the fridge, shredded it into strips, tossed it into a hot skillet with a rich, savory brown gravy, and added a side of buttered green beans.

I arranged the entire meal neatly on a silver tray, complete with a glass of ice water and a polished cloth napkin.

Carrying the tray carefully with both hands, I walked up the stairs and knocked softly twice on father’s bedroom door.

"Come in," his stern voice called out from inside.

I pushed the door open with my elbow and stepped inside. Father was sitting at his large mahogany desk in the corner of the dark room, surrounded by piles of legal papers, financial reports, and official documents. He didn’t even lift his head to look at me as I walked across the plush carpet.

"Place it on the side table and get out," he commanded coldly, his eyes scanning a sheet of paper in his hands.

"Yes, father," I whispered, setting the heavy tray down gently on the small table near his armchair.

I turned around and walked quietly back toward the door, my hand reaching for the brass handle.

"I will be taking some heavy sleep medication right after I finish eating," father added suddenly, his sharp tone cutting through the quiet room. "Do not return to this room for any reason tonight. I do not want a single disturbance."

"Yes, father," I replied softly.

I stepped out into the hallway, pulled the door shut until it clicked softly, and let out a long, shuddering breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

I hurried back down to the kitchen, scooped a small portion of the leftover mashed potatoes and shredded chicken into a bowl for myself, and picked up my phone. A bright notification was flashing on the screen.

Raven had already replied.

My heart did a nervous little flip as I opened her chat.

Raven: OMG Micah! You’re actually looking for a job? Perfect timing! I’ve got a job opening at this small, high-end bar downtown. It’s really good and I’m 100% sure you’d love it. The base pay is 10,000 per night, and if you manage to get tips from the VIP customers in the private lounges, you’ll be able to make way more than that!

I stared at the screen, my eyes widening in absolute shock.

10,000 per night?!

My thumb hovered over the glowing glass as a wave of suspicion washed over me. VIP customers? A high-end bar downtown? Why did that sound so wildly secretive, almost shady? A part of my brain warned me that anything paying that much money to an inexperienced college student had to have a catch attached to it.

But 10,000 a night...

If I worked there for just two or three months, I would easily be able to save up enough money to rent a small studio apartment, pay for my own food, and cover my university expenses for the whole year. I could walk away from this gilded prison forever. I wouldn’t have to answer to my father, and I wouldn’t have to hide from Noah.

It sounded so shockingly perfect that my hands began to shake with a mixture of terror and pure excitement.

I quickly typed back a reply.

Micah: Can you introduce me to the bar owner? When can I start?

Her response popped up almost instantly, the typing bubbles bouncing on the screen before turning into text.

Raven: Haha, you don’t even need an interview! My older brother owns the place. I can just give him a quick call right now and voila! The spot is completely yours. Just make sure you have a really good, sharp suit to wear.

A suit?

I blinked at the screen, my mind instantly flashing back to the expensive, tailored dark suit that the Silver family had gifted me for the burial ceremony. It was sitting right in my bedroom closet, freshly dry-cleaned and spotless. It was more than enough.

A second text from Raven popped up right after.

Raven: It’s not the main employee uniform, but you need it for the formal introduction. If you’re ready, just let me know!

Ready?

Fuck, I was more than ready. I was desperate. Every second I spent sitting in this house felt like a clock ticking down to my destruction.

Micah: I’m ready right now. Can I meet him tonight?

Raven: Of course, darling Micah! Send me your home address right now and I’ll come pick you up in my car in twenty minutes.

I didn’t hesitate for a single second. I typed out my address, hit send, and shoved my phone into my pocket.

I stood up from the kitchen island, abandoning my half-eaten bowl of food, and practically sprinted up the stairs toward my bedroom. I closed my door quietly, walked straight over to my closet, and pulled out the dark, elegant suit hanging inside the plastic garment bag.

This was my only way out. My one real chance to escape my father’s cruel reign... and maybe, just maybe, escape the terrifying, possessive chains that Noah and Damon were wrapping around my neck.

I stripped off my sweater, my heart hammering against my ribs, and began sliding into the suit.

Tonight, everything was going to change.