THEY’RE GOING to get married…you need to be ready for that.
Nick’s words haunted me as we walked into that little diner, ate cheeseburgers and drank colas, then drove home. I spent the rest of the day trying to focus on my assignment, feeling numb and empty after seeing dad, until the thud of the front door sounded and mom’s voice rang out.
“RY! RY, HONEY!”
I shoved my chair backward and raced downstairs, to find the kitchen island loaded with bags.
Mom spun, her eyes shining with elation as she held out her hand. “Dresses.”
I stepped closer, confused.
“For you, as my bridesmaid.” She rushed forward. “Now these are all from the same place that has my dress, so when we settle on a design you like, we can get you fitted with me on Saturday.”
“Saturday?” I glanced her way, mentally calculating how much work I still had on that damn paper to get the passing grade.
“Yes, Saturday. The wedding is a week away.”
I swallowed hard. Of course it was. This was really happening…
“So, Saturday.” Mom stepped closer to grip my shoulders. “You’re okay with this, right? You haven’t changed your mind?”
“Changed her mind about what?”
I flinched at the sound of his voice, turning to watch Tobias saunter into the kitchen, wearing nothing more than tight black jeans. Mom’s gaze widened as she took in his hard stomach and muscled chest before looking away, a slight red blush rising to her cheeks. “The wedding, of course.”
Tobias grabbed a glass from the cabinet and slowly made his way to the sink to hit the tap. He didn’t need to do that. I knew he had a small refrigerator in his room, knew he kept it well stocked, too…so why the display?
He switched off the tap and turned, his gaze fixed on me. “Now why on earth would someone want to stand in the way of true love, right, Ryth?”
“Right,” I answered carefully, watching the glint shine a little bit brighter in his eyes.
“Oh, shoot, I forgot the shoes!” Mom yelled as she raced from the kitchen to the door.
Tobias just casually placed his glass on the counter behind him and sauntered toward me. “I heard your little drive with my brother was…interesting.” He glanced toward the front door and my pulse stuttered as he stepped closer, leaning down to murmur in my ear. “This is your last warning, pack your gold-digging whore of a mom up and get out of my house.”
His words burned like acid in the pit of my stomach. My mom might be a number of things…but a whore wasn’t one of them. I turned my head, meeting his gaze. “Or else?”
His lips curled, revealing a chilling smile. “Or else all bets are off. I’m giving you until the wedding, Ryth…then you’re mine.”
He expected me to cower from him, expected me to scurry away like the little mouse he thought I was. He thought he could scare me. I straightened my spine, looked him dead in the eyes, and answered. “I think you’re nothing more than a hurt little boy and you miss your mom. I get that. But taking out your anger and pain on me or my mom isn’t the right way.”
There was a twitch in the corner of his eye, one tiny tell. “You think I’m in pain? Oh, how cute. I’ll show you fucking pain, little mouse.”
Mom’s rushed steps drew my gaze.
He moved before I knew it, pinching my nipple hard until I flinched and cried out. Then he was gone, leaving me to hide the agony as mom hurried in, her cheeks flushed, breaths panting. “Oh, has T gone?”
His heavy steps thudded on the stairs. I fought the need to scream at him, to fight and kick…and cry. He was a bastard! A cruel, manipulative bastard who thought he could bully me into breaking my mom’s heart.
I’m giving you until the wedding…
I fisted my hands, fighting the urge to stride up those stairs, bang on his door, and scream in his goddamn face, “Fuck you! And fuck your ultimatums!”
My nipple throbbed like hell, aching and swollen. I hated how it echoed between my thighs. I hated how he hated me, and how he thought putting his hands on me was okay. I squirmed at the discomfort and fought the need to rub my breast.
He wanted a goddamn battle?
He wanted a war?
Well, two could play at that game.
“The dresses,” Mom said hopefully, drawing my gaze.
I forced a smile. “Let’s do it.”
She clapped her hands like an excited schoolgirl, her eyes shining and bright as she laughed. “I knew you’d be excited.”
She pulled out pink chiffon and gold satin, handing them to me one after another. I grabbed them, walked up the stairs to try them on one after another and parade them in front of her, and every time I stepped down the stairs, I looked at Tobias’ door.
We settled on a rose colored strapless dress that accentuated my waist and off-white heels.
“Amazing,” Mom beamed as I walked toward her.
The front door opened right as I stepped into the hallway.
“Wow,” Nick murmured, drawing mom’s gaze.
“I know, right? Doesn’t she look beautiful?” Mom stepped closer, grabbed my hair, and drew it away from the ugly birthmark, then coiled the strands on top of my head.
“Mom.” I yanked my hair from her hold, embarrassed.
“I think you look beautiful, Ryth,” Nick said, his tone careful.
“I think so, too, Nick.” Mom rested her hands on her hips and stared at me. “Thank you for noticing. My daughter is always so incredibly shy.”
She didn’t see the way his gaze drifted over my body, lingering on my breasts, before dropping to below my waist as though he was remembering what I’d done in his car. “I’d better leave you ladies to it.” His voice was husky as he turned toward the stairs.
I followed him as he took the stairs two at a time, leaving us in a rush, like it affected him seeing me like this. I scowled, then forced my gaze back to mom, who was packing the rest of the dresses into their bags.
“Saturday,” she said with a smile.
“Mom.” I stepped closer, still hearing Tobias’ warning in my head. “Are you sure you want to do this so soon? I mean, I get you wanting security. But you don’t have to marry to get it.”
Mom straightened, then turned to me with a look of pained confusion. “Marry to get it?” She came closer. ‘Honey, this isn’t a marriage of convenience and I’m not marrying Creed because of some misguided sense of appreciation. I’m marrying him because I love him and he loves me.”
But why so soon? I wanted to ask her, but the moment I opened my mouth to speak, the front door opened and Creed walked in. He took one look at me in my dress, then smiled as he made his way to mom. “You two look like you’re having fun.”
She kissed him hard, making me turn my head away, embarrassed.
“How about you ladies get dressed up and I’ll take you out for dinner?“ Creed suggested cheerfully.
“Yes, I’d love that,“ Mom agreed, then glanced my way. “I’ll just get dressed.”
“Honey, you’re perfect as you are.” Creed only had eyes for her.
Mom glance toward me. “What do you say, kid?”
“I can’t, I’ve got that assignment I have to get done, but you guys go ahead. Have a nice night,” I smiled, wincing with the ache in my breast, and stepped backwards.
“Then I’ll just grab my purse.” Mom headed for her bag, hidden underneath the bags of dresses, glancing my way as I crossed my arms over my chest. “Don’t wait up!”
“Oh, I won’t.”
I waited for them to leave, waited for the click of the front door closing and the echo of the Mercedes engine before I turned and strode for the stairs. I wanted to bang on his door, I wanted to scream in his face. I wanted to slap him and keep on slapping him until he felt the kind of pain I felt. I didn’t know why he hated me so much. I couldn’t comprehend hating somebody like he did.
His rage was fixated on me, like it was all he saw and all he wanted to see. I slapped my feet on the stairs as I climbed. What I needed to do was channel my anger into getting that assignment finished. I need to pass this year, needed to figure out what my next step was…now that my life had turned upside down. I needed a plan. Because staying here wasn’t an option.
That stayed with me, blending with the throb in my chest as I headed to my room. The moment I stepped inside and closed the door, I knew something was wrong. I spun, looking to the desk. My laptop was gone. Panic roared to the surface. I raced around the side of the bed, trying to remember where I’d had it. But my focus kept coming back to the desk. I’d been there, only moments ago.
Tobias…
It had to be. My rage bubbled up to the surface. I’d had enough of his taunts. I’d had enough of his cruelty. I’d had enough of him! Yanking open my door, the heat of anger seared inside me as I strode along the hall to his door.
“Tobias!” I screamed, and slammed my fist on his door. “I know it was you! Give me back my laptop, right now!“
But there was no answer, no thud of his steps, no yanking open his door, no smug fucking grin on his goddamn face. I leaned closer, I could hear the TV was on inside and the familiar, sickening slaps of flesh on flesh were punctuated with deep, guttural groans.
He was watching porn…again.
My pulse pounded, the heat that had consumed me seconds ago now cooling.
But he had my laptop.
And I wanted it back.
I moved without thinking, knowing Mom and Creed weren’t here. I twisted the handle and shoved open his door, stepping inside. My gaze went to the TV, and the sight of a man sliding his cock inside a woman as she lay on her back, her feet high in the air.
Fire found my cheeks as I tore my gaze away. Goddamn bastard…
I saw his room, his PlayStation and his controllers, and his cell phone. If his phone was here, then he wasn’t far away. My gaze darted around the room, frantically searching. I stepped closer to his desk, but I couldn’t see it anywhere. Where the fuck was it?
I turned, looking at his bed in the middle of the room, then glanced toward the open door of his walk-in closet. But there was no movement inside. His bed was made, even if the comforter was crinkled where he’d been lying. I glanced over my shoulder as his porn played out on the screen in front of me.
I stepped closer to the side of his bed, maybe my laptop was hidden…and caught sight of something white peeking out from under his pillow. My breath stuck in my lungs, I was drawn closer. Was that…my panties?
I reached down, grabbed them from under his pillow, and tugged them free. They were my panties, the ones I’d had when I ran from our burning home. I knew they were, because they were all I’d had left. But the question was, what are they doing in his room?
“What the fuck are you doing in here?“
I spun at the sound, coming face-to-face with my hated brand new stepbrother. “My laptop, give it back.“
His lips curled as he stepped closer, those dark, menacing eyes moving to the panties in my hand. “What makes you think I have your fucking laptop, Ryth?”
I took a step forward. “Because I know you do. Give it back to me now.”
“Or?” He threw the same word I’d used down in the kitchen at me now.
But I wasn’t having it. Desperation forced me even closer. “Or I’ll tell Creed everything you’ve been doing, from the way you touched me under the table, to the threats and the intimidation you seem to enjoy directing my way. I’ll burn your little world down, and I’ll fucking enjoy it.“
Hate raged in his eyes, sparkling with an intensity I’d never seen before, one that made me tremble. But I was too far gone now, too far beyond anything I’d ever felt before. He triggered something inside me, something dangerous.
There was a second when he sniggered, then smiled before he lunged to grasp me around the throat and drive me backwards until I slammed against the wall. “Did you think you could come in here, throwing your pathetic little tantrums, threatening me, and I’d just take it?”
I tried to speak, gasping for air as I wheezed. “Give it back.”
His grip tightened as he looked down, taking in the bridesmaid’s dress I still wore. “You look like a slut.”
I hated the tears that came to my eyes. I hated that his words hurt me. My hand trembled as I lifted my panties. “Why are you so obsessed with me?”
He was quiet for a second, rage shimmering in his eyes, before he lunged and shoved his face against mine. “I don’t want to be, can’t you see that?” he yelled, his voice etched with desperation. “You come in here and take over my life, my house, and my mom’s memory, and I want to hate you for it. I do hate you. But there’s more. I found an outlet for my anger and my grief, and it’s you, Ryth. What better way to let my mom go than to fill the void with an obsession, like hating you.”
He leaned closer, pressing his body against me, and I could feel how hard he was. I closed my eyes as his grip clenched, then eased. Anger…rage. It was laser focused at me. So help me God, something inside me welcomed it, some sick desire inside me screamed her own desperate howls of pain.
But he didn’t hear any of that. He just clenched his grip tighter, hard enough to choke off my air just a little, and whispered in my ear. “Now get on the goddamn bed.”
