I CLENCHED MY JAW, willing the ache in my bladder to ease as I tossed and turned on the bed, wrestling the sheets. I’d taken too long trying to pretend I didn’t need to go and now it was all I could think of. That and the sound of his steps as they quieted outside my bedroom.
Not my bedroom.
Theirs.
This wasn’t my house. Wasn’t my family. Wasn’t anything other than a place to stay while we figured this all out. I turned my head, and tried to listen for movement. Had he gone to bed already? Had I missed the thud of his bedroom door? I had to pee soon.
That pressure in my belly grew, shooting agony deep inside me. I winced and curled my knees to my chest. Don’t think about it…don’t…think about peeing. I shouldn’t have had that second cola, no matter how much Nick urged me to take it. But I wanted to fit in…wanted them to like me. And look where that had gotten me now.
In agony.
My insides clenched, clamping around the heavy weight in my abdomen. I couldn’t wait, not any longer, or I’d wet myself. I opened my eyes and rose from the bed, wincing with the agony as I took a step toward the door and listened.
Silence.
That’s all I heard. He had to have gone. I reached for the handle and cracked open the door before waiting again. But he wasn’t out there, not standing at the entrance to the stairs watching me, or glaring at me from outside his bedroom. So I opened the door wider and tiptoed hurriedly for the bathroom just past his bedroom. My pulse boomed, filling my head with thunder as I closed the bathroom door and hurried to pee.
Relief made me shudder as I leaned forward and emptied my bladder. I wiped, then rose, panic filling me as I turned. Should I flush and risk them hearing? I couldn’t leave it all night. No way. They’d know it was me. I closed the lid quietly, praying the sound wasn’t loud, and pressed the handle, wincing as the rush filled the air.
But it wasn’t loud, just a muffled roar that was over in a second. ‘Thank God.’ I moved to the sink and washed my hands before drying them on my towel and left.
Half of me was expecting him to be waiting outside. But he wasn’t. He wasn’t anywhere. I smiled and walked past his bedroom, slower this time. No doubt he’d be in bed, or sulking, his hearing muffled by those gaming headphones I’d seen yesterday when I walked past the open door to his room.
Tobias was an asshole, unlike his brothers, who’d actually gone out of their way at dinner to be nice to me. They understood this was only temporary. By tomorrow, or the day after, mom would be able to access her accounts, then we’d be out of here. I licked my dry lips and glanced toward the open door to my room, my body still aching a bit from needing to pee. A glass of milk, then I’d be able to settle. It had always worked at home.
I eased down the stairs, until a muffled sound made me still. But it was gone in an instant. Probably nothing…until it came again…low…tortured.
‘Fuck, you feel good,’ a male voice growled. I jerked my gaze to the closed, darkened door and realized the bedroom was Creed’s.
Heat raced to my cheeks. I carefully turned away, until a woman’s voice followed. ‘Harder, Creed…for God’s sake, fuck me harder.’
I jerked my gaze to the door as an icy wave of shock slammed into me, punctured by the loud sounds of flesh on flesh.
“Creed…” Mom moaned.
I flinched, jerking my gaze to movement as it came from the shadows. I was frozen as Tobias stepped out from the shadows in the hallway outside their bedroom, those dark, unflinching eyes finding mine.
He was there…listening.
To the two of them.
‘Elle,’ Creed growled from that room.
And my mom cried out. The sound was muffled just as fast. But I knew…I knew what they were doing, and Tobias knew as well.
Revulsion hit me like a slap to the face. Tears sprang to my eyes as I stumbled backwards. Tobias just watched me as I scurried away, my feet almost slipping on the stairs as I lunged for my room, closing the door with a slight thump behind me.
No…
NO!
I clenched my fists as rage bubbled up to the surface.
The slow, methodical…thud…thud…thud of his steps grew closer as Tobias followed me up the stairs.
I spun, staring at the closed door to my bedroom.
I’d hit him if he opened it.
I’d scream and hurl myself at him, clawing out his eyes and slamming his head against the wall. I’d hurt him, hurt him any way I could. A whimper tore from my lips as the sound of my mother’s moans filled my head. The tears that threatened to fall blurred the door in front of me before I spun and threw myself on the bed, sinking into the soft mattress and the messed up sheets.
No…Mom. No.
Those sounds haunted me as I squeezed my eyes closed. A scream was trapped in the back of my throat. I slammed my hand over my mouth and shoved my face into the pillow. She…she fucked him.
She fucked a stranger in his own house while his kids were sleeping.
No.
Not sleeping.
Not all of them, at least.
And not a stranger.
I knew your mother back in college. I squeezed my eyes closed as Creed’s words came back to me. They knew each other. Of course they knew each other. They were lovers. I clenched my fists as that smothering scream of rage rammed itself down my throat.
I couldn’t breathe…couldn’t—I pressed my face harder into the pillow.
Tobias’ dark eyes haunted me as he’d stood outside his father’s bedroom, listening to them. Revulsion hit me, finally tearing that savage sound from my chest. I had to leave this place…and I needed to take mom with me.
