Corey dumped a lump of clothes at me and pulled Caleb away.
Taking them, I fled back to the bathroom.
Once inside, I shut the door and leaned against it. My chest heaved, my breathing turned erratic as I struggled against the overwhelming urge to touch my throbbing clit.
It took all my effort to get dressed in a pair of high-waist jeans and a cute pink hoodie with a yawning Garfield in the front. As I looked at the mirror, I realized my dressing style hadn’t changed much since middle school.
It’s not like you had a choice, a voice whispered in my ear.
Mom barely had anything left after paying for essentials like food and bills. All these years, she worked tirelessly even though Brian could provide her with everything.
Pride swelled in my chest.
She married for love. Not for Brian’s money.
Noah, Corey, and Caleb were so wrong about Mom and me. They thought we were after their money.
One day, we’d show them what true love was. I’d suffer every humiliation quietly for my dying mother’s sake. They could hurt me as much as they wanted but I’d never break down and shatter Mom’s dream.
A wry grin lifted the corner of my lips as I stared at myself in the mirror.
I’d never give them the satisfaction of breaking me. They already hurt me in the worst way possible.
For now, I was their slave because of that humiliating video Noah filmed yesterday. They thought they could bend me to their will.
While it was probably true, I’d never let them break me. They could possess my body, but never my heart. They would never have my willing submission.
A cold, unfamiliar look descended into my sapphire eyes. I was ready to battle them too.
20
Noah
Impatience nibbled at me as I sat in the entrance hall, waiting for my brothers to arrive. They were supposed to have come half an hour ago but there was no word from them. The assholes wouldn’t even reply to my texts.
“Do you think she’s taken an extra shift this evening?” Dad whispered.
The sight of him leaning against Eva rubbed me the wrong way. So far, Eva hadn’t bothered us, but the mere fact she was stealing the affection that should have belonged to my mother made me hate her.
“I don’t know,” said Eva, looking worried. “But I won’t be surprised. She’d been looking for extra cash since her laptop started malfunctioning. I should’ve given her the money already but I completely forgot. It’s all my fault.” She rubbed her forehead, looking mournful. “I’ve been so selfish lately. I’m an awful mom to her.”
“No, honey...” Dad took her hand and squeezed it. Leaning into her, he brushed his thumb over her cheek. “Don’t blame yourself. Look, I’ll order a new laptop right now. It’s time I acted like her father too.”
Surprise mingled with my rage.
Brian Amhurst wanted to act like a father? Fucking ridiculous!
However, as I watched them, I realized he was being sincere.
It was becoming pure torture to sit there calmly and listen to the crap falling out of his mouth. He rarely paid any attention to his own sons. How the hell could he want to be a father to a girl who’s not even related to him?
Was Eva that precious to him?
I glanced over at my stepmother.
Eva was in her early fifties with visible signs of aging. Other than the way she dyed her hair, there were no signs of any enhancements. Her clothes looked fashionable and elegant, but without them, she was just a homely, plain woman.
Maybe, she’s great at sucking his balls, I decided. That was the only explanation why someone like my dad would choose a woman with her plain looks and background.