Chapter 10
Scarlett's POV
A light glows from the far corner of the front porch, casting a warm glow upon the dew-dampened grass. An eerie stillness blankets the neighborhood. The quiet is almost unnerving. Not even a dog barks or a car runs down the street.
“I'm sure he is inside, Jasper. That's his car there.” I point to a Hummer. Thomas always did like big cars.
Compensation and all that.
At my insistence, we were waiting until marriage before we slept together. One morning, I stumbled into the bathroom, heading for the toilet and Thomas came out of the shower.
My eyes locked onto his naked body and there it was...standing rigid and proud against his thigh—a surprisingly short and pink thing. My face burned with a mix of shame and yeah, a little excitement.
Without another word, I spun around and ran from the room.
Jasper and I head to the door and I use the key that Thomas had given me long ago. When we enter, we hear a rhythmic thumping from upstairs.
"Thomas must be in his gym room upstairs, working out. I'll be alright, Jasper. If I need you, I will call you, okay.”
Jasper hesitates for a second, probably thinking I can't handle my Thomas alone.
I'm not worried. Thomas once loved me; he would never hurt me. Not physically anyway.
Jasper nods and I head up the stairs, pausing at his bedroom door as that is where the noise is coming from. A soft, bluish glow comes from under the door, making me hesitant. What's causing it? The dim luminescence evokes memories of late-night stories, yet this feels all too real. My heartbeat syncs with the rhythmic thump, and curiosity tugs at me. Is it the house settling, or something more? As much as I want to dismiss it, my instincts tell me otherwise. Every fiber of my being whispers caution, but I can't help wanting to uncover the source. I press my ear against the wood, listening…
Nuuhhuh. Uhhhhuh. Ahhhh.
I push open the door, dread gripping my heart and squeezing at the figures, lit by Thomas' flat screen, reveal themselves.
My ex-fiancé, his hairy ass in the air, moves to plunge deep between the skinny legs of my stepsister Viola, his movement forceful and powerful. She gasps and moans beneath him, her eyes shut tight with pleasure.
Now I know whose panties were in his glove box.
In one fluid move, like they've been practicing it all their lives, they switch positions so that Viola is on top. Thomas' bare chest heaves with each breath and his eyes are closed in ecstasy. Viola straddles him with her long legs. Her back curves as she moves up and down on the cock I thought was just for me. Her long blond hair brushes my ex-love's thighs as she tilts her head back in blissful abandon. The words that come out of her mouth, chill me to the bone.
“You like this baby?” Viola says, moving her hips faster. “You like how I ride you?”
“Aargh, Uh,” grunts Thomas.
“You're so smart. So handsome. Scarlett was a fool to give you up. But you showed her. We did. Selling the shares in stepdaddy's company was a brilliant move. We can start our own thing and make our own money now, right baby?”
“Grrr-la,” moans Thomas.
The sight of them together sends a wave of revulsion through me. I'm a second away from throwing up the candy bar I'd eaten on the way over here. My heart races and a dull pounding erupts in my temples as everything around me becomes a blur of shock and disbelief.
I can only stand there, unable to move or look away from the horrific scene before me. My mind reels with confusion at why this is happening. I flip on the light.
Viola notices me first; she freezes mid-motion and stares at me with a blank expression on her face. Thomas follows suit when he notices her gaze has shifted from him to me; his expression quickly changing from one of pleasure to one of pure terror as he takes in my presence in the room.
The silence is deafening as no one speaks for what feels like an eternity; time seems to slow down as if it's waiting for someone to break it with words that will never come. Eventually, Viola slides off Thomas' body and covers her nakedness with a silk bathrobe.
My robe. The one I left here to use when I stayed over.
Thomas pulls himself up into a sitting position, still wearing a look of horror upon his face.
I want to scream at them both but I can't find my voice. All I can do is stare at them with an expression filled with hurt and betrayal.
Thomas rises, his arms held out in a plea. A mix of guilt and fear etched across his face.
Viola smirks at me, satisfaction at hurting me rests in her china blue eyes. The silence hangs in the air. After a moment Thomas breaks it saying," Scar, I--"
I hold up a hand, palm out. An indication that I don't want to hear his lies.
I feel betrayed and hurt. How could my stepsister do this to me? How could Thomas be a part of this? Not only has he ruined my father's company, but he betrayed me not with a stranger but my stepsister. My perception of those two who I once held dear, crumbles down around me. With one foot behind the other, I slowly back out of the room, tears streaming down my face. In the hallways I turn and head towards the stairs.
"Wait, Scarlett, I need to talk to you!"
The sudden grasp on my arm forces me to halt my getaway. The grip is firm, almost painfully so, and there's a sense of desperation in its hold. Turning, I find myself face to face with Viola, her features taut, brows furrowed.
There is something in her eyes, which darts with an emotion I can't quite place. I remember when we were kids, although she was a year younger,she'd always been the taller and the stronger of the two of us, always leading the way. The natural order of things had placed me behind her, forever trying to catch up.
But that was before.
"About?" I ask coldly, attempting to keep my voice steady and detached, while inwardly I grapple with the complex mix of emotions she evokes in me. Annoyance, nostalgia, longing for simpler times, and yes, more than a twinge of anger.
I take a deep breath. "Viola, do you even know that Daddy has passed away? Do you even care?”
She releases her grip but remains close, her breathing a tad labored, her gaze never leaving mine. "What do I care? He wasn't my father.”
“Viola…” I can't speak for the cruelness of her words.
“All his death means to me is that you have no one left to impress. Ever since you left for college, you've been a show-offy bitch. You think an education makes you better than me?"