I WOKE, cracking open my eyes. But this time, there were no vague memories of my soon-to-be stepbrothers, no murky darkness to hide the truth. No, this time, it came through neon bright. My heart sped even before they moved in.
One by one…
Tobias…
Nick…
Caleb.
I closed my eyes again and rolled over in the bed, tugging up the comforter. Mom’s wedding was less than a week away. Then they’d be family…for-real family. Not blood, but still. Shame filled me, pulling me down a deep, dark hole.
The kitchen pushed into my thoughts, the way they’d stood at my side while Mom glared at me. It wasn’t right, what I was feeling, wasn’t what good girls did.
Maybe you should take your pissy attitude back to bed?
Tobias’ growl rose inside me and that racing in my chest only grew bolder. I was starting to feel things for them, starting to find myself falling…and that was wrong. I shoved the bedding aside and sat up, lowering my head into my hands. What the fuck was I going to do now?
I lifted my gaze to where my laptop sat. I’d spent the next few hours after dinner alone in my room, submitting the assignment late last night. Nick had come in to check on me and Caleb had sent me a message along with the most perfect referencing I’d ever seen.
In the space of a day, they’d given me more than my parents ever had in my entire life. I rose from the bed, catching the bright glare of the morning sun. I needed to hurry, shower, and get ready. Nick would want to drive me to school, maybe we could stop at the park on the way?
The idea of that excited me.
I grabbed out my uniform and my stupid cotton underwear. Christ, I love it when you wear this. Nick’s words filled me, stopping my embarrassment cold. I lifted the white Hello Kitty panties. Anyone else would hate them, think of them as childish. But not him…it looked like my stepbrother had a thing for the schoolgirl look.
I scanned the drawer and pulled out my white knee-high socks. God, I’d never have been caught dead wearing these before. I could only imagine the ridicule. But Nick…he’d love them. That was good enough for me. I tossed them onto the bed, grabbed my clothes, and hurried to the bathroom.
I showered, washing my hair and rubbing my hands down my body, taking my time to cup my breasts. My body was different now, a slow burning ache hidden under the surface. I closed my eyes and tilted my head under the spray, touching my nipples.
That’s the way, princess, Caleb’s voice sounded in my head. I rolled the tender flesh and my body responded. I wanted to stand here, exploring the way they made me feel. Maybe another morning. I turned, switched off the spray, and stepped out, grabbing the towel as the sight of Tobias’ clothes drew my gaze. They were messy, leaving everything where it landed around them.
Brothers…
The word made me smile as I towel dried my hair and moved to the vanity, tugging on my panties. The door opened with no warning. I flinched, throwing my hands across my breasts.
“Seen them, licked them…and will lick them again, little mouse.” Tobias grumbled and yawned, striding past me to use the toilet.
“Tobias,” I hissed, jerking my gaze to the open bathroom door. “You can’t just barge in when I’m in here.”
“Why not?” He yanked down his boxers and a steady stream hit the bowl. “You seem to forget…I hate you, remember?”
“Fuck you, Tobias,” I snarled, grabbing my clothes and hurrying from the bathroom.
But underneath the burn of anger hummed a sensation that went straight to my core. I stepped into my room, muttering under my breath, and dressed for school, tugging the socks all the way to my knees.
I grabbed my laptop and strode out of my room, finding Tobias’ bedroom door now closed. I wanted to beat my fists against it. I wanted to rattle his cage like he seemed to rattle mine…every damn day. My gaze went to my mom’s door as I made my way downstairs. But instead of caring about how mom was…I was transfixed by the floor in front of the doorway.
Nick, no…what if she hears?
My own words echoed in my head as I made my way down the stairs, expecting Nick to be waiting for me…but he wasn’t. Creed was, standing in the middle of the foyer.
His shirt was wrinkled, with dirt smeared across his side, and as he turned to me, I caught the dark splatter of dried blood.
“Creed?” I stepped closer. “What’s going on?”
This was bad…whatever it was.
He raked his fingers through his hair, agony flaring in his eyes. “Ryth.” He started forward, then stopped, glancing at the laptop in my hand. “I’ll drive you to school.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s okay, I’ll—”
“I said I’ll drive you to damn school,” he snapped, then stopped and took in a trembling breath before muttering, “I’m sorry. Look…I’m sorry, okay?”
I took a step closer, unable to look away from the blood. “Is everything okay?”
He wasn’t okay, that was easy to see. He was…frantic. I’d never seen him like this, not unraveled, not scared. Memories of home came flooding back, the home I’d had with dad before he went to prison.
Creed forced a smile, his focus on me. “It’s fine, Ryth. I just want to drive you, okay? Will you at least let me do that?”
I wanted Nick and fought the need to call out to him.
“Please, Ryth,” emotion choked his voice as that pain-filled stare seized mine.
I stepped forward, nodding before I knew it. “Sure…sure, Creed.”
He took a step closer, his shaking hand clenching to a fist before he glanced at the laptop. “I’ll…I’ll take you now.”
I’d seen people in shock, seen them do some crazy shit. I’d even seen some act like they never remembered a thing. Was that Creed? I didn’t follow as he turned for the door, just glanced over my shoulder, fighting the urge to call for Nick and tell him I was leaving.
“Ryth?” Creed opened the door and waited. “It’s just to school, honey.”
I tore my gaze from the stairs and walked out. The sun was glaring, causing me to lift my hand to shield my eyes before I yanked open the passenger door of his Mercedes. I leaned forward, stowed my things on the floor, and turned to scan the windows of my brothers’ bedrooms.
The engine started and we were moving down the driveway when the blinds shifted at Nick’s room. We drove a little too fast, hitting the asphalt with a jolt before Creed braked hard. My phone went beep.
I gripped the seatbelt, hanging on as Creed punched the accelerator, his hold on the steering wheel heavy, jerking the car hard.
“Looks like the meeting didn’t go so well.” I tried to make conversation as I grabbed my phone.
Nick: What the fuck, princess?
I gripped the phone, trying my best not to cry out as Creed spun the wheel and cut across the traffic.
“No,” he said. “Not as well as I’d hoped, anyway.” He jerked his gaze to me, something unhinged coming to life in his eyes. “But there’s always more than one solution to a problem, wouldn’t you agree?”
I didn’t know what to say, so I just gave a small nod and opened up the messages, typing out a quick reply. Creed made me get in his car. He’s driving erratically. Nick, I’m scared.
Cars flew past almost in a blur. I grabbed the seatbelt and looked at the speedometer. “Creed, please slow down. You’re starting to scare me.”
He didn’t seem to hear me. His hands clenched around the wheel as he muttered, “More than one solution…more than one solution…more than one—”
Creed’s phone started to ring, the number splashed on the screen between us. Nick. But Creed didn’t answer. He acted like he didn’t hear it at all. I leaned forward and, with shaking fingers, swiped answer.
“Dad?” Nick’s voice came through the stereo.
I glanced at Creed, catching his lips moving as he muttered the same thing over and over again, only there was no sound.
“Hey, I think there’s a problem with Tobias,” Nick declared, his words falling on deaf ears. “Hey, can you hear me?”
“N-Nick,” I spoke. “I don’t think Creed’s feeling well.”
“I feel fine,” Creed answered, and turned the corner hard. “Just fine.”
“Wanna tell me what’s going on?” I could almost feel the desperation in Nick’s voice. “I was supposed to do the school run, remember? You put me in charge, right? You put me in charge after mom died.”
Creed flinched at the words and jerked his gaze to the screen. A scowl cut deep before he jerked a frantic glance my way, as though he’d only just realized what was happening. His foot eased off the accelerator and we slowed as the turn to the school came up ahead.
Relief swept through me as Creed finally answered. “Yeah, yeah, Nick. I did.”
“Ryth,” my brother spoke to me. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I swallowed hard, watching the familiar buildings come toward me. “We’re at the school now.”
“Okay. Good, and Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“If you take my sister and drive like an asshole like that again, you and I are going to have problems. You understand me?”
Agony coursed across Creed’s face as he pulled into the drop-off zone, slowing the car until he braked to a stop. He didn’t answer, not for a long time. His cheeks reddened against his pale skin as he nodded. “Yeah.”
“Call me when you get out, Ryth,” Nick added, then ended the call.
My hands were shaking as I grabbed my laptop.
“I’m sorry,” Creed started as I yanked the handle and shoved open the door. I couldn’t get out fast enough. “Ryth! I, wait, I—”
I pushed the door closed, gripped my laptop, and stumbled away. My knees were shaking and the breaths sawed in and out of my chest as I stepped further from the car and called Nick.
“Hey,” he answered instantly, that low bass tone spilling through me. “You okay?”
“Y-yeah, I think so.” I looked over my shoulder, watching the gray Mercedes pull out and make a U-turn. “He’s gone.”
“What the fuck was that?”
I stared at the rear of the car until it disappeared. “I don’t know. But whatever it was, it wasn’t good.”
“Just as long as you’re okay. Goddamn bastard. Just wait until he gets home.”
That flutter came in the center of my chest, like wings expanding, brushing the cage around my racing heart. “Nick.”
“Yeah, princess?”
I stopped walking. That’s what he did to me…stopped me cold in my tracks. “I miss you.”
“You want me to come?” His tone grew deeper, huskier. “You can skip…I’ll take you to our park. Tell me what you want, and it’s done.”
I wanted that, more than anything. Footsteps crowded in from the other students around me. I caught sideways glances from some of the other females as they passed. God, if they only knew what I had waiting for me. “I can’t,” I sighed, and kept walking. “But the moment the damn bell rings.”
“I’ll be waiting,” he answered me. “And this time, you’re all mine, got that, princess?”
A shiver tore through me. “Yes.”
“Good girl.”
I ended the call with the words resounding through me and pushed open the door, descending back into Hell. Voices grew louder as I headed for the first class. I scanned unfamiliar faces for Gio, and the memory of our last interaction came roaring back to me.
My cheeks burned, remembering the way Tobias had grabbed my breasts in front of him, the act branding me, just as his body had. But there were things left unsaid between Gio and me, things that included Lazarus Rossi.
I ground my teeth, hating how anger followed. How could Gio have just stood there, knowing what they’d done? My father’s bruised and bloody face lingered in my mind, the way he’d hung his head in shame, knowing the position he’d put us in.
Flames blazed under the surface, burning my entire world to the ground. I pushed through a crowd that was gathered outside the classroom. “Let me through.”
But they didn’t move, leaving me to clutch my laptop and shove through, catching a glimpse of Gio with his back turned to me.
“Gio!” I called.
He stood, talking to others already seated.
“Gio,” I called again, catching the flinch before his spine straightened. But he didn’t turn my way, couldn’t even give me the goddamn respect of looking me in the eye.
“Look at me.”
The others glanced my way, two guys I barely knew. Anger cut through me like a goddamn razor at their gazes, and I tasted the burn.
“You don’t want to talk to me, fine,” I hissed. “Goddamn spineless asshole.”
“I’m the asshole?” His voice was thick and slurring as he turned to me. He tried to find my gaze, blinking thick tears that he wiped away with a tissue.
“What about what your fucking brothers did to me?”
I froze, stunned. He was a goddamn mess. I didn’t know where to look. Bloody lips. Swollen eyes. Ugly, deep purple bruises that covered one side of his face.
Knuckles.
That’s what had done that.
“You want to talk about spineless?” He stepped forward. “How about two on one? You wanna talk about that? No…I bet you don’t, you fucking hypocrite.”
“Okay, settle down,” the teacher called as he strode into the classroom. “Mr. Romano. It looks like your weekend was…interesting.”
Gio glared at me before turning and pushing past to take his seat at the edge of the classroom and far from me. I couldn’t move, even as others slid into seats around me. All I could see was Tobias’ ruined knuckles…and my own cruel words. Did you hurt him?
Yeah, Tobias’ answer followed.
Good…
Good.
I turned, slipping into the vacant seat in front of me, my movements in a fog. Voices came, the teacher speaking words I couldn’t hear. Gio glanced over his shoulder, that squinted, painful stare finding me before he looked away.
They’d beaten him…
Bad.
Because of me.
I sat there in stunned disbelief, unable to hear a damn thing the teacher said, and when the bell rang, I was one of the first to move.
“Gio,” I called and pushed my way toward him.
But he was already leaving, shuffling his way out of the classroom in an effort to get away from me. I swallowed hard, catching stares from the others in the class fixed on me. Heat burned in my cheeks and for the first time in days, I tugged my hair down, covering the side of my face, and walked out, desperate to get away from them.
