I’m jerked awake, breath gasping in my chest as I feel the mattress dip down beside me. I curl myself into a ball and scoot toward the headboard as a masculine chuckle cuts the air next to me.
“Who’s there?” I whisper, attempting to sound like I’m not scared out of my wits, but the truth is, I’ve never felt less safe in the middle of the night.
“Just me, sis,” a male voice says, seeming to echo in the dark.
I squint my eyes, attempting to catch any light in the room, and see an outline. “Bodhi or Brock?” I ask.
Another chuckle follows. “Both.”
I swallow and fight to remain still.
“What are you doing in here?” I feel around for my phone to figure out what time it is.
“Just want to get to know you better.”
“Can’t you do that tomorrow? I’m sleeping.” I put a stern sound in my tone, showing them and myself that I mean business, but they don’t buy it.
“Come on, sis. Let’s take a walk or a drive, whatever you want to call it.”
The mattress bounces as the body next to me gets off the bed, and I sway a little with the movement. I bite my lip and blink again, still unable to see well. Everything in me is screaming not to move, but it’s not as if I have a choice. I don’t know these boys, but something tells me they are used to getting their way.
“Why don’t we have a nice chat right here since you decided to wake me up?” I pull the comforter up tight against me, conscious of my lack of clothing, and try to work out in my mind how I’m going to get dressed.
“No can do. Let’s go.” A voice comes from my right.
A hand reaches down to pull the comforter from around my neck, but I hang on with all my strength until it’s wrenched from my hands. The cool air rushes across my skin, leaving goose bumps in its wake. I cross my arms over my chest even though no one can see anything in the utter darkness.
Fingers brush my arm, and I instantly jerk away, striking out with my arms before hitting flesh.
“Whoa, calm down.” The same fingers wrap around my arm again, looser and more comforting than before.
“I’m calm. Please don’t touch me,” I say as I grit my teeth, not feeling calm at all.
I swing my legs over the side, hopping down. I reach and brush along the ground, looking for the clothes I shed before slipping under the covers. A phone light is turned on, and I squint at the sudden brightness.
“Looking for these?”
The clothes are shoved in my arms, and I struggle to find the correct holes in each article.
I refuse to say thank you after they barged into my room, waking me up and performing some sort of hazing ritual. I wonder if this is how they welcome all the new kids. I snort a little to myself as I imagine them getting a new sibling each week.
“What the hell are we doing?” I plant my feet firmly and glare at the dark shape I can see walking around the bed toward me. At the door, a dim light flicks on in the hallway, highlighting a third form, so I assume Corbin must have decided to join these two clowns. “What the fuck, guys? What are we doing?”
Silence.
I feel a hand at my back, pushing, and I turn. Fist raised, I hit the first thing I come in contact with.
“Dammit, quit that,” one of the guys says.
I make another fist, raising it again. Whoever catches this swing must have really good vision or reflexes—or both.
“I’m not coming with you,” I say, spreading my legs out in front of me, making it hard for them to push me.
“Quit it,” one of the guys grunts, shoving with both hands now. “Get out in the damn hallway. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I don’t know that,” I hiss back and double my efforts to not go in the hallway.
I’m no match for three guys, though my leg does connect with a shin. I want to fist pump at the noise that comes out of whoever I hurt. It sucks, not being able to see well.
Now that we are out in the hallway, I can finally see the three guys. I have a twin on each side of me with Corbin walking a few steps ahead. I look like I have bodyguards. The idea is laughable since they are the ones I need to be guarded from.
“Tell me what we are doing before I turn around and go back to bed.” I fake confidence I don’t feel and flip the hood up over my bed-tousled hair. I shove my hands in my hoodie pocket and then stalk beside them, growing angrier by the minute.
We stop at a staircase. Corbin steps down, flipping the light switch on, and then he looks back at me. I hold his gaze for a moment, my breath catching at the emotions swirling inside his green eyes. Then, I jolt when a voice speaks beside me.
“If you two are done eye-fucking, can we continue?” One twin holds an arm out, indicating I should go first.
“Which one are you?” I look at him.
He smirks. “Which one do you want me to be?”
“Quit with the stupid games, Bodhi,” Brock growls behind him.
I smirk back at him. “Bodhi, apparently.”
I notice his nose ring, slightly shaggier hair, and a difference in their personalities. Bodhi seems to be a little more happy-go-lucky than Brock, talking more and not as broody. I don’t see any other ways to tell them apart. I guess an ugly mole is too much to hope for.
Once we are down the stairs, we enter a small room at the back of the hallway. Corbin opens the door in front of us and steps down, hitting the wall. Then, lights flicker on, seeming to go on forever. One by one, lights illuminate the garage, turning on and showing the assortment of cars, SUVs, and even a large truck.
I glance around, meeting each gaze for a few moments. The air is thick with tension, and no one talks. I put a finger to my neck, checking my heart rate, which is through the roof. I have no idea what is going on right now. I hardly know these boys, but they don’t seem to like me, and I don’t like this situation. I wonder briefly if Mom knows what kind of wacko family she’s married into.
“Well, you successfully pulled me from a night of sleep I’d desperately needed to drag me to the garage. What comes now? You kill me and stuff my body in the trunk of one of the vehicles?” I laugh nervously, but the boys don’t.
Bodhi’s mouth tilts up on one side, his amusement evident, but Brock and Corbin level me with serious looks.
“Killing you does sound fun,” Bodhi says, and I widen my eyes. “Just kidding. Torturing you is better.”
I don’t think he’s kidding. There’s a thudding noise across the room, and I look up, watching Corbin lean against the door of a shiny black SUV, propping one leg up and laying his head back. He stares down his nose at me, the picture of relaxation, but my eyes drift to his fingers as they tap against his crossed arms.
“Nice ride,” I say, but he doesn’t comment.
“Maserati Levante,” Bodhi says, running a finger down the smooth side. “Isn’t she pretty?”
“Come on,” Corbin says, not taking his eyes from mine. “If we are doing this, let’s do it.”
“Wait, what are we doing?” I plant my feet as soon as I feel them pushing me forward into the garage.
“Get in,” Brock growls behind me.
I lean back, trying to grab on to the door. The world goes dark, and it takes me a minute to realize they’ve put something over my head. Then, I feel hands around my wrists, holding my arms.