Chapter 5: The game's already began

Mirabelle’s pov

Two nights ago, after Vaughn left me alone, a strange desire and demonic curiosity got the best of me and I did exactly what Vaughn told me. I fucked my fingers, repeatedly and then licked my fingers clean.

Shame washed over me in heavy waves, and once the high of coming wore off? Reality hit me, hard. I’m going to hell, I’m going to burn right alongside Amelia, and she will scold me there, too.

I’ve had a whole night and half the day to let things settle, to wait for the guilt, but nothing comes. I tried to distract myself, but every time I move? I’m reminded of what happened here. I may have scrubbed the sheets clean but it doesn't erase the fact that I lost my virginity to my stepbrother. He didn’t deserve it.

Liam was supposed to take my virginity next semester. I had it all planned in my journal, I had a hotel picked out, the flowers, the booze, the condoms. Shit.

I’m fucked.

What will I tell Liam? After years of making him wait, I just spread my legs and let my estranged stepbrother fuck me? No.

I begin to panic, if I don’t have sex again will it tighten back up? I heard guys can tell when they are with a virgin. But it was just once, it won’t happen again.

“Miss Mirabelle,” someone calls out, lightly knocking on my door. “Hello, it’s Tanya.”

I scramble out of bed, glad to see I'm not exactly one with the sheets just yet. “Hi,” I open the door with a smile.

Tanya steps aside, “Dinner is in twenty minutes.” She says. “Mrs Thorne is home so you will all eat together.”

Oh.

The past two days, I've taken my meals up here. Amelia wasn’t home, neither was her husband, and Vaughn? He didn't come through.

“Is Vaughn here?”

“No, he left this afternoon,” Tanya tells me. I let out a short sigh of relief. “But he might be back. Mr Vaughn isn’t always on time, he keeps to his own time.”

“Breaking rules,” I grumble. I may have stalked him, and that's what he is famous for. Vaughn seems to love getting his way, and I fell prey to his ways.

“Yes,” Tanya giggles. “I see you know him very well.”

Do I?

I almost wince. “More than I’d like. I’ll be down in fifteen.” I say.

Vaughn and I have met but twice, and he introduced my pussy to its first dick, every darn inch of his thick, long cock. That devilish tingle between my thighs begins again, a painful reminder of how dirty I’ve been.

I close the door when Tanya leaves and bang my head against it, chanting ‘stupid, stupid, stupid.’ Until it begins to hurt.

A few minutes later, I find my way to the dining room. I’m the first one there, Marcus comes in a minute later and then Amelia enters with Vaughn.

I was hoping he wouldn’t show, but this is his house, and besides, I can survive him for three more days. Can't I? Dinner isn't one five-star meal, it's a whole course, from appetisers down to dessert.

“You will love Bradley Throne,” Marcus says to me.

I nod. “Of course I will, it's the top three of the best colleges and their campus? To die for. I’m hoping to find my interests there.”

Marcus nods, motioning to Vaughn with his folk. “Vaughn can show you around, he’s a sophomore.”

“What?” I nearly choke on my mashed potatoes. My eyes flicker between him and Vaughn, trying to see if I heard him right. “He goes there?” I swallow.

“Has to,” Marcus says. But the smirk on Vaughn’s face has already answered my question. “I put a lot of money into that school, Family business.”

“Bradley Throne,” I slowly repeat. I never once realised. I know about 80% of the school’s history, but somehow I assumed it was a different Thorne family, one richer, but turns out it's them.

“Don’t worry Dad,” Vaughn chimes in. “I’ll take excellent care of my stepsister.”

“Don’t let her around the wrong crowd, keep an eye out for her,” Marcus warns, his voice stern. I've noticed he speaks more softly to everyone than he does to his son. “You might not know each other well but she’s family.”

“Thanks Marcus, I can handle myself I don’t need a babysitter,” I say, already dreading having to see him on campus. I was never to see Vaughn again after I left and now? I know he will make it his life’s purpose to keep seeing me. “I want my experience to be for me, I’ll be fine.”

Thankfully, Marcus doesn't push further. “Of course, if you don't mind me asking, what’s your intended major?”

“Umm, undecided but business, I loved being around my dad’s business my whole life and having my—”

Amelia snickers, “Why not communications like your sister? Or architecture? Business isn't for everyone, just look at your father, he—”

“Amelia,” Marcus clears his throat, pinning her with a cold stare that immediately quiets her. “Mirabelle, do continue.”

“Business and social sciences.”

Marcus nods with a proud smile, “Excellent choices, that’s what Vaughn is studying. He can help you if you have any trouble.”

Instant no.

I don’t want shit from Vaughn, I’d rather we cease to exist in the same timeline. “Your housing?”

“Close,” I bite down on my folk. “It is within campus.”

“I see,” he nods. “Amelia, you should take Mirabelle car shopping when she’s free. She’ll need a way to get around soon.”

“No, no.” I blurt out. Marcus is nice, his heart is in the right place but I don't need anything from him right now, or anyone. “Thanks, but I have a car already.”

“Back home?” Amelia frowns.

“Yes,” I snap. “And I happen to like my car, Amelia. Paid for it myself, you wouldn’t understand the sentiment would you?”

That shuts her up and takes away her judging stare.

We eat the rest of our dinner in silence. Marcus leaves the table early to answer a business call, Vaughn excuses himself, and immediately after that, I excuse myself, not wanting to be around Amelia.

I escape to the kitchen, trying to figure out a way to slip back into my room without seeing Vaughn. I've felt his stare all night; he hasn’t spoken a word to me, and it scares me. Maybe I should have gone to Highland College with my best friend Chelsea.

I’m leaning against the island, staring out the window, when the door clicks shut behind me. I can feel him before I turn, “Little stepsister,” he quietly says. “Why so tense at the table? Do you need an orgasm to relax?”

“Leave me alone, Vaughn. I already gave you what you wanted.”

His face furrows, “Wanted? Oh, no, no, Mirabelle darling. You wanted it too, don’t pretend like you hated me fucking you.”

“You’re a disgusting, manipulative pig, and I regret every second.”

He walks toward me, slow and purposeful. I should run, but my feet feel cemented to the floor. “Liar.” He barks, “I have fucked enough women to know what pleasure looks and feels like. And you? You had fun, your pussy was strangling my dick and I bet you’re wet just thinking about my cock.” He says, cornering me against the island. “Aren’t you?”

“If I say yes will you stop?” I bite out, desperation fueling my contempt. I hate that he’s not wrong, I hate that I can still feel his hand on my throat, I hate that I can still see his face when he came inside me. “Why don’t you just forget I’m here and go back to coaxing the maids into bed.”

“Maria?” He scoffs.

“Yes,” I suck in a breath. “Maybe they’re willing to play your dirty little games but I’m not.”

“Wrong. We are already playing, and I happen to like this game. If you didn’t want to play then you would have screamed when I touched you.” He says, closing in on me. “You would have told Amelia, you should have asked me to stop. But you didn’t. Because you wanted to feed off rebellion. You let me fuck you to piss off your mother.”

“I—”

“Besides,” he sighs, his lips twitching with a grin. “I prefer you, and you’re mine now.” He says, backing away with a smile.