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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,rightnow!“
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. Theyweremy 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 inhisroom?
“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 overmylife,myhouse, andmymom’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.”
TWENTY
