Chapter 22
“Hello! Where is the rest of my family?” James’s lighthearted question echoes through the house, bringing to mind nothing more than a sense of doom.
At least to me. He walks past me down the hall, and for a second, I think I can run upstairs to my room.
That idea dies a quick death for two reasons.
One, I imagine the door is still locked, so I won’t be able to get in.
Two, James notices I’m not following him and turns, giving me one of those wide smiles I now know hides something very dark. He’s even darker than his sons. “Come on. I would like to have the three of you together.”
I don’t even know what that means, exactly, but there’s an undercurrent in his voice that tells me it can’t be anything good. He’s loving this, that much is clear, smiling brilliantly as he strolls into the kitchen where his sons are making protein shakes in the blender.
I reach the room only a moment after James. If the guys were surprised, I would see it on their faces. They aren’t. Did they know he was coming back so soon? Or do they know better than to put anything past him by now?
They don’t even look surprised that I’m down here with them. I’d expect a question about how I managed to get out of my room, but I get nothing. There doesn’t seem to be any confusion over where Mom is, either. As a matter of fact, I’m the only person confused.
“How was the trip?” Colt asks while Nix pours the shakes into two bottles. I guess they’re on their way to the gym. For the first time ever, I actually want to go with them. I’ll clean the bathrooms if I have to. Whatever they need.
“It was fine. Amanda stayed behind. You know me, there’s no getting away from work.”
“We’ll stay out of your way,” Colt murmurs. He won’t look at me. Neither of them will look at me.
“I was thinking just the opposite,” James offers in the same jovial way.
Nix shares a glance with Colt. “What do you mean?”
“I wanted to take the opportunity to spend the day with my kids. Including Leni, of course.” He shines his smile on me, and my skin crawls like I just touched something slimy.
I finally find my voice. “I have work scheduled. I’ve been tutoring kids online and—”
“You can reschedule. Believe me, if a man in my position can reschedule a call, you can reschedule a tutoring session with some kid.”
“Didn’t you say you came home early because of a call?” I blurt out.
That might’ve been a mistake. The boys stiffen, and James’s smile slips a little.
“I can do what I want.” It’s the flat determination in his voice that makes me shudder.
I wonder what else he’s talking about. What else does he want?
What else is he going to do? Because he is definitely not talking about work.
He blinks rapidly and seems to shake himself. “Why don’t we watch a movie? We haven’t used the movie room in much too long. It just sits there, ignored.”
“I didn’t know there was a movie room,” I whisper, looking at the guys for understanding and getting nothing.
James throws his hands in the air. “See? That’s what I mean.
I spent all that money getting things put together, and we hardly ever use it.
That ends today. I declare this Family Day.
” He gestures to his sons, waving a hand back and forth between them.
“Pop some popcorn. Grab some drinks. I would love chips and dip if we have any.”
Then he turns to me. “Come on. Let me show you the room. It’s down in the basement.” I wasn’t even aware the house had a basement. How much don’t I know yet? How much is he going to show me?
“I can help the guys with the snacks,” I offer, once again looking at the guys. Yes, I don’t like or trust either of them, but I’d rather be with them than alone with James. Colt actually looks like he is about to agree with me, but James is on top of it.
“No.” His voice is stern, leaving no room for an argument. He only says one word, two letters, yet the tone of his voice and an evil glint in his eyes make the threat very clear. If I don’t come, things will be worse.
I don’t want to go, but I don’t feel like I have a choice. Either I follow him and keep him happy or things get really bad. I don’t ever want to go through that again.
He steps up to the wall running beneath the staircase and presses a hand against it, seemingly at random.
Like magic, a door springs open. I had no idea it was there.
It blends into the wall that well. He makes a grand sweeping gesture with his arm, so I step through the door and walk down the stairs.
“You know, Leni, I was hoping the two of us could have a minute alone together. I’ve done a lot of thinking about the way we left things.”
We? The way we left things? So it was my fault? I almost stumble but quickly regain my balance.
“I’m sorry for losing my cool before I left for the honeymoon.”
My hand tightens around the banister mounted to the wall as the memories come rushing back. He’s even wearing the same cologne. It’s amazing the things a person remembers.
“I didn’t mean to scare you. You just took me by surprise, and I panicked a little. That’s not going to happen again. I promise.”
We reach the bottom of the stairs, and I offer a tight smile because what else can I do.
Tell him I know he’s full of shit? Because he is.
You can’t get more textbook than that. I didn’t mean it.
It will never happen again. I don’t have many years under my belt, but even I know enough to see straight through him.
A person doesn’t act that way out of nowhere, and it certainly wasn’t the first time he’s ever hurt a woman. I would bet my life on it.
Unfortunately, I’m afraid that’s exactly what’s at stake here.
We’re standing in a fully finished basement, and even with my growing dread threatening to choke me, I can’t help but be impressed with the setup.
“I had no idea this was here,” I murmur, looking around, pretending to study everything when really, all I want to do is keep from looking at him.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean I can avoid the weight of his stare.
He watches my every move, and I can’t help but wish I had escaped only a few minutes sooner.
I could have gotten away before he reached home.
One thing is for sure: he spent a lot of money down here.
Large couches are arranged in a U-shape with reclining seats and cup holders between them like in a movie theater.
If this were any other situation, I might even look forward to curling up on one of them under a blanket to watch a favorite movie on the enormous TV that spans most of the wall.
Speakers are set up in the corners by the ceiling.
“You could charge money to show movies down here,” I offer with a faint smile.
“You’re probably right. Now, we can enjoy it as a family, the way it was always intended.
” He fiddles with the Blu-ray player in a cabinet under the TV.
What am I going to do here? I guess there’s no choice but to sit and watch the movie, keep to myself as much as I can, and pray it’s over soon.
Just being in the same room with him brings back all those terrible, panicky feelings, the fear, the certainty that I was about to die.
My chest is so tight it takes a conscious effort to breathe.
Am I going to have to spend the next hour and a half like this?
All things considered, that might be the best possible outcome. I’ll be lucky if all I have to struggle through is discomfort and fear.
“I even got a chick flick with you in mind.” He steps back from the Blu-ray player, wearing a look of satisfaction. “Fifty Shades of Grey.”
My stomach drops, and a cold, sick sweat begins to rise along the back of my neck and my temples. Not exactly the kind of movie I want to watch with him, much less his sons.
Footsteps on the stairs make my heart lurch, and a moment later, I find my stepbrothers coming down to join us.
Along with them comes the aroma of popcorn, something I usually enjoy.
Now? There’s no way I’m going to touch it.
Who knows what they’ve put in it? What seemed like a sick, childish prank last night now has a much more sinister feel to it.
I can’t trust a single person in this basement.
“Come on. Let’s all sit down and get settled in.
I haven’t had the chance to see this one yet, but I’ve heard it’s pretty good.
” I drag myself over to the sofa facing the TV and sit in the corner, making myself as small as possible.
At least James doesn’t try to sit close to me, so that’s a relief.
He’s on the other end of the sofa while Nix sits to my left and Colt to my right on sofas of their own.
In the center is a big coffee table now covered with popcorn, chips, dip, and sodas.
I tried to catch Colt’s eye, but he either doesn’t notice or refuses to look at me.
James picks up the remote and starts the movie, and the best I can do is stare at the screen and wait for it to be over.
I’ve never seen it, either, but I know enough about the series to know this is not the kind of material I want to be watching in this company.
It would be bad enough if this were any normal family, but there is nothing normal about these people.
As soon as we get to the first sex scene, my cheeks go deep red.
I stay as still and silent as possible, eyes focused squarely on the screen.
I’m afraid of what I’ll find if I look around.
One of my stepbrothers leering at me, thinking about how they’ve used me?
Or so much worse—my stepfather looking at me that way?
God, anything but that. No matter how I look at the situation, it’s a perverted nightmare.
Somebody starts breathing a little heavily as the action picks up, and I wish I could crawl out of my very skin.
It’s so embarrassing. At least I know it will have to come to an end eventually, and then I’m going to beg off with the excuse of work again.
The man has to have at least a grain of sense—how could he have gotten so far in his law firm if he didn’t?
I can’t disappoint my clients. Maybe I’ll add something about wanting to build a big business the way he has.
Soften him up a little bit. I’m so desperate that I would resort to heavy-handed flattery if it means getting away from this situation.
Nobody says a word for the most part except to ask for the popcorn bowl or a napkin.
This changes around the time the end credits begin rolling, and I’m gathering my courage to make an excuse and flee this room.
James finishes his soda and leaves the empty bottle on the table before sitting back and sighing.
“You know, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to that video you told me about, Leni.
The one of you servicing Nix on your knees. ”
Oh my god. Adrenaline starts pumping through my system as panic sprints through me all at once. What’s he trying to do? Get me killed?
No. As it turns out, what he wants is much worse than that.
“I’ve been thinking that I would like to see it.” He turns his body toward mine, staring at me through half-lidded eyes. “In real-time. Now. In front of me.”
My body freezes in shock and horror. It’s not possible.
This can’t be happening. I’m stuck in some ugly nightmare.
I have to be. This can’t be real life. Things like this don’t happen in real life.
My eyes dart around, landing on Colt and Nix, back and forth.
One of them is going to burst out laughing any second now.
Then all of them will start laughing. They’ll tell me this was all a joke, a way of humiliating me a little further.
I wouldn’t even be upset. I just want this to be a joke.
Instead, Nix nods. “Fine.”
“Yeah, sure.” Colt still won’t look at me, but he nods.
No way. No freaking way.
There’s deep satisfaction in James’s voice. “Good. I would hate to have come home early for no reason.”