“It’s great… thanks,” he says, unnervingly quietly.
Usually I’d dive straight into tacos like my life depends on it, but today, with dread sitting heavy in my stomach and the tension pressing down on my shoulders, eating is the last thing I want to be doing.
“Are you all set for the big party tomorrow night?” Stephen asks me after a long, painful minute of silence.
“Er… yeah, I guess.”
“Party?” Ashton pipes up.
“Oh yes. It’s Halloween. Every year the Rosewood students attend a haunted house party on the outskirts of town in an old mansion. It’s a tradition that’s been going for years, right?” Mom says, looking to Stephen with a soft smile as she remembers their previous life together.
When I glance to Ashton, he’s staring between the two of them, the muscles in his neck and shoulders pulled tight.
“Those were some great parties, eh?”
It’s no secret to me that our parents were childhood sweethearts back in the day, but it blows my mind to think of them both doing the same things I am now, believing that they were destined to spend their lives together. I guess it just goes to show that you don’t know what road life will take you on. It’s heartwarming to see that they’ve come back together now and reconnected though.
“Have you got your costume sorted?” Stephen asks, turning his eyes on me.
“Yep.”
“What are you going as?” Ashton asks, speaking for the first time in forever.
“Zombie cheerleader.”
“Wow, how original.”
“I’m sorry, who made you the Halloween police?” I snap, turning my narrowed gaze on him.
He widens his eyes, but he doesn’t respond. If it’s possible, his silence annoys me more than if he were to bark back an insult.
Stephen tries to maintain some less than stimulating conversation that Ashton clearly has no interest in engaging in, it doesn’t stop him trying though.
The meal is agonizing and all I can think about is escaping.
“You must be coming down with something. You’ve barely touched your dinner,” Mom helpfully points out sometime later.
“You should have some more, it might make you feel better,” Ashton says, turning his dark eyes on me. “It’ll give you some energy at least.”
My entire body jolts when his burning hot hand lands on my thigh.
My lips purse in frustration as I try to push it away without being obvious, not that our parents are paying any attention, they’re too lost in their own conversation once again.
“Get off me,” I whisper, putting more effort into pushing him off me.
Sadly, he seems to enjoy my attempt because as a smile tugs at his lips, his hand only slides higher up my thigh, his fingers dipping under the fabric of my skirt.
“Stop fighting, little one. You know you wore this to tempt me.”
“Like fuck I did.” Truth is that it was the first thing I found abandoned on the chair in my room after he left me earlier. I knew I was late and that Mom would start asking questions, so I just pulled on whatever and headed down, not putting any more thought into it.
“Are you even wearing panties?”
Standing abruptly, the chair squeaks on the tiled floor, turning all eyes on me.
“Is everything okay, honey?”
“I’m sorry, I really need to go and get some air.”
“O-of course. I’ll wrap some of this up for you in case you’re hungry later.”
I want to tell her not to bother, that as long as he’s under this roof that I’m not sure I’ll ever eat again. But instead I nod, and quickly leave the room, thankfully sucking in deep lungfuls of air now that I’m not surrounded by his scent.
Pushing through the back doors, I walk out across the deck until I get to one of the sun loungers that has its back to the house.
I rest my head back and close my eyes.
How did things get so complicated so fast?
Pulling my cell from my pocket, I ignore the message from Harley checking in on me after my fall and instead find my conversation with Dad.
Ruby: Hey, are you in town?
I hit send and wait with bated breath in the hope that he is and is willing to have a gate-crasher for a few days.
Going to stay with him isn’t unheard of, I’ve just never done it because I’ve needed to escape my own house.
Dad: Sorry, kiddo. I’m in Colorado on a shoot. Everything okay?
Blowing out a breath through pursed lips, I roll my shoulders in the hope it loosens the tension pulling at them. Sadly, it does shit all, just makes the one I’ve now landed on hurt that much more.
I reply to say that everything is good and that I just miss him. It’s not a total lie.
Placing my cell on the lounger beside me, I rest back and close my eyes.
I’m almost asleep when a shadow falls over me and a shiver of fear runs down my spine.
For fuck’s sake. Just leave me alone, I want to scream but I know it would be futile.
“What?” I bark without even bothering to open my eyes. It’s probably a stupid move, I should be on my guard with him at all times, but I’m just too freaking tired.
He drops down onto the lounger beside me, forcing my legs out of the way in the process.
“Sure, you can join me.”
“I don’t remember asking permission.”
Dragging my eyes open, my lips part ready to spit some more abuse at him, but I don’t get the chance, because his hot palm once again lands on my exposed thigh.
“Get your fucking hands off me.”
My entire body freezes and he pushes it higher, his fingers disappearing under the fabric, heading for dangerous territory.
“You don’t get to fucking touch me.” I try to move away, but his fingers tighten on my thigh.
“I get to do whatever the fuck I want. And right now, I want to play with my little toy.”
“I’m not a fucking toy, I’m not your little
