Chapter 28: : Chapter 28

I SURFACED, my breaths easing…a snore trapped in the back of my throat as I opened my eyes. I blinked and shifted, then let out a moan at the brutal thumping in my head.

My mouth tasted bitter and strange. The corners of my lips were tender as I licked them. I shifted in the bed, trying to remember.

An ache pulsed between my thighs, not painful…just Then it all came flooding back. The dress, the alcohol.

And Lazarus Rossi burning neon bright in my head.

My own savage tone drifted from that throbbing inside my head. God, I couldn’t believe I’d said that…and to him, of all people.

But that wasn’t the only thing I’d done, was it?

That nagging tenderness between my thighs pulled me toward the truth. I closed my eyes, trying my best to back away from the realization of what I’d done last night.

Memories flickered. Tobias…Nick…Caleb with his hand fisted in my hair.

I moaned, and shook my head as faint sounds of movement came from somewhere downstairs in the house.

This wasn’t happening.

hadn’t happened. But I didn’t need to dig too deep to know it had…I’d fucked my soon-to-be stepbrothers, The ache between my thighs turned into something else, something sick and not quite normal. I didn’t need to touch myself to know I was wet with the memory.

My pussy throbbed as Nick’s voice came roaring to the surface.

I could still feel his cock inside me, that dark, merciless gaze fixed on me as he thrust deeper, harder, and growled, He came inside me…

my own stepbrother came inside me. I reached down, my lips plump and swollen, sending an ache deeper as I slipped my finger inside.

Tobias reminded me.

I bit my lip, the ache giving away to that sick desire inside me.

I danced my fingers around my clit, slow circles dancing around that oh-so-sensitive flesh. I ached, and hurt, and fucking came alive.

My orgasm hit me hard, flooding through me like a tsunami of molten desire. I shuddered, slid my fingers free, and clamped my thighs together, riding that wave of euphoria until I crashed back down.

Would they hate me now? Tobias’ rage was seared fresh in my memory. He’d be meaner, maybe more than he’d been before.

My bladder ached, reminding me I had to get out of bed.

I’d been in Tobias’…so how had I gotten here? The answer was a blur of darkness as I pushed up, climbed out of bed, and looked down. I was wearing Tobias’ t-shirt…and his boxers. I winced and pulled the shirt over my head, not knowing how to feel about that.

that nagging whisper said.

I shoved the boxers down, grabbed them both, and waded them up tight. I’d leave them in the hamper in the bathroom, no one would know.

I hurried, slipping on panties and a pair of cutoff sweats, before pulling on a bra and t-shirt and left my room with Tobias’ clothes in my hand. I couldn’t stop my gaze from traveling to his door, and my body clenched in response.

The low hiss from the automatic coffee machine came from the kitchen downstairs, drawing me back to the night mom and I had arrived. It seemed like forever ago now. Forever since I’d been here, trapped in this hell with three men who wouldn’t leave me alone. I stepped inside the bathroom and closed the door behind me, then marched to the hamper and tossed Tobias’ dirty clothes in.

“Getting rid of the evidence, I see.”

I flinched and spun, coming face to face with Tobias as he closed the door quietly behind himself and hit the lock. “You need to be careful now, Ryth. Don’t you know, locking the bathroom door is a must when you live on the same floor with three insatiable men.”

He came closer, gripping a small white bottle in his hand. I flinched when he reached for the strand of hair on my face, brushing it to the side. “Last night,” he started, and for a second, I thought I saw longing in those dark eyes. “Was what I wanted, but it wasn’t right for you. So, I need you to take this.”

He opened the bottle and shook out a small white pill. I lifted my gaze from his hand. “What is that?”

“Something to counter what I did last night.” He came closer, placing it in the center of my palm before moving to the sink. He turned on the tap and came back to me, a half-filled cup in his hands. “Do you regret it?”

I met his stare, seeing fear. Did I regret having sex? A good girl would be appalled, even sickened, especially by who they were soon to be. But I’d known for a long time there was a darkness in me, a hunger handed down through my bloodline.

dad’s words resounded as I stared into Tobias’ gaze. “No.”

The corners of his lips curled with a smile. “Good. Take this pill, Ryth, and we’ll get you an appointment with a doctor we know for the regular pills.”

The pill.

There was no way I’d even thought about that, Seeing as how I hadn’t even come close to having a steady boyfriend before. Now…now it seemed like I had three.

I took the pill, placed it in my mouth, and swallowed it with a gulp of water. Tobias took the cup, placed it on the counter, and turned, grasping me around the waist. “Can I trust you to keep your head about this?”

My mind was a blur, but he wasn’t, nor was the memory of what we’d done last night. He was telling me I could have it again if I kept my mouth shut. Was that what I wanted? My body knew the answer, sending my panicked pulse skyrocketing. “Yes.”

“Good.” He moved his hand to the back of my head. “Very good.”

Then he kissed me, taking my mouth until that familiar ache came again. But this time there was no alcohol to dull my emotions. No, this time I was breathtakingly aware of how much I wanted him. I melted into his forceful mouth, giving into him before he broke away.

“Get dressed, Ryth. Nick will take you to see the doctor within the hour. You’re to take the pills she gives you regularly, because if you don’t…I’m going to put a baby in that belly of yours.”

My knees shook as he turned and went to the door, stopping with his hand on the handle, his voice low and forceful. “We’re giving you time to heal after last night, but don’t take too long, little sister. Because knowing you’re two doors down from me is going to be pure fucking torture. I can’t wait to fuck you again.”

He opened the door and I caught sight of Nick standing in the hallway before Tobias was gone, closing the door carefully, leaving nothing but the frantic pounding in my chest behind.

“Oh shit.” I stumbled forward and grabbed the vanity.

I lifted my gaze to the mirror, finding my lips flushed and my eyes wide.

I couldn’t stop the heat roaring through my body, and the way he’d made me feel like nothing else existed. I pressed my lips together, feeling that dull, throbbing ache, remembering Nick and Caleb last night. They’d all looked at me like that, like I was the most important thing in the world to them. Like I…I stared at my reflection, lingering on the mark on my face and my messy bed-head, was an opiate they couldn’t kick.

Because they didn’t want to.

They wanted me…

Trembles coursed through me once more, until Tobias’ instruction resurfaced.

I turned and used the toilet, then stripped and hurriedly hit the lever for the shower and stepped in, wanting to obey my stepbrother’s commands.

I washed and rinsed, and by the time I raced from the bathroom wrapped in a towel, I was almost humming with excitement. I threw on underwear and dressed, pulling on jeans and a soft pink top before I yanked on my boots and hurried downstairs.

Mom was sitting at the island, her head in her hands, while Creed moved, slowly cooking eggs on the stove, barefoot and still dressed in last night’s very wrinkled clothes. He turned and slid a plate along the island to her.

“Do you have to breathe so damn loud?” Mom grumbled.

Creed just stood still, then slowly lifted his gaze to me and winked. I couldn’t help but burst out laughing, which earned me a bleary-eyed glare from my mom. “Shouldn’t you be at school?”

“Honey,” Creed whispered. “It’s Sunday.”

Mom just looked at him like she didn’t understand the concept of no school on the weekends.

“It’s okay,” Nick said, striding toward me from somewhere deeper in the house. “I’m taking Ryth out anyway.”

“Go.” Mom waved me away and closed her eyes, leaning over her plate of eggs. “Everyone…just go.”

Creed smiled and motioned to the door. “I think it’s best you guys are busy, at least until I can get her into her bed with some damn Advil.”

“Good luck with that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen mom that hungover before.”

“Apparently the night went well.” He glanced over his shoulder at her moaning in the kitchen and chuckled. “Maybe a little too well.”

Nick just jiggled his keys, which made Mom groan even louder, and grabbed my arm…in a brotherly way. “Good luck with that,” he smiled. “Looks like you and me, kid.”

I didn’t have time for coffee, didn’t have time to even say goodbye. Creed just opened the front door and ushered us out.

“Ever get the feeling you’re not wanted?” Nick chuckled, and pulled me with him.

“Just not for the next…say three to five days, that sound good to you?” Creed whispered, smiling and waving us out.

I left, following Nick, and laughed, like actually fucking laughed. Which felt alien and so damn good. He unlocked the Mustang and opened the passenger door. “Princess.”

That name sent a shiver along my spine as I climbed in, leaving him to close the door behind me. Everything had changed now, and yet as he climbed in behind the wheel and gave me a wink, I realised nothing really had.

He was still the same gorgeous bad boy…and I was still the naive girl he’d driven to school on my first day.

I clamped my thighs closed and raised my gaze to Creed standing in the front door.

“Smile, princess, and wave, like nothing has changed.”

I did as he said, lifting my hand, giving a flicker of a smile as Nick started the car.

“Good girl,” he murmured.

Heat surged inside me, pooling between my thighs. God, I was permanently wet around them, fixated on every glance and every damn sigh. He braked, then shoved the car into gear and slowly accelerated, reaching over to rest his hand on my thigh. “You okay?”

I swallowed hard and nodded. “Yeah.”

“You did well. T wasn’t sure if you’d unravel.”

I jerked my gaze his way. “And you?”

He gave a sly smile and gripped my thigh. “I knew you’d do just fine.”

His praise made something in my chest flutter.

“Now, how about we see to this doctor, yeah?” He pulled his hand away and drove, taking us toward the city.

My body craved his fingers, and his lips. Sitting there across from him, knowing what we’d done, was both awkward and consuming. “Did you…did you like doing that with me?”

He cut me a look. “Last night?”

“Yeah.” I swallowed, my face burning.

“Let’s put it this way. I’ve jacked off three times thinking about it this morning and I’m still fighting the urge to take you to the goddamn playground.”

Adrenaline raced through me at the thought.

I imagined it differently now. I envisioned the way he’d tackled me to the ground, imagined the way he’d demanded I turn in this very seat and face him while I touched myself.

I fixed my gaze on his lips, imagining his mouth between my thighs, and let out a tiny, tortured sound.

“You doing okay, princess?”

The way he said the words, he knew I wasn’t. I wasn’t doing okay at all.

I forced my focus back to the road and answered. “How much longer until we’re alone?”

He just laughed, then punched the accelerator and drove faster.