Chapter 1 He's Back

ELOISE

I'm of the opinion that watching two grown horny adults fuck on live television is way better than attempting Mr Whitmore's calculus test questions; questions that got leaked anonymously to the class secret group last night.

The laptop in front of me cast a bright blue glow around my dark room. I adjusted the earbud in my ear, trying to get a clearer hearing of their moans, so I could get back to rubbing my hard swollen nip. But all attempts were in vain due to the loud music blasting from the basement downstairs.

Music that I'd texted Oliver to tell his college friends to turn down ten minutes ago.

Ten.

He probably saw the text and swiped it away in a breath. Why would he care what Eloise wants or do as Eloise says. Annoying bastard. Sometimes I wish he had just stayed in college and never come home ever again, then I wouldn't have to worry about anyone disrupting my night routine.

Angrily, I slammed my laptop shut, then moved to tuck my breast back into my night shirt.

"Fuck." I gritted, grabbing a handful of my hair and tugging forcefully, trying to stop the excruciating pain reverberating through my skull.

The music was loud and I was fed up, unable to accommodate his nuisance anymore. Oliver and his uncultured friends could find somewhere else to party.

I pushed myself up from my desk, fists clenching on both sides and teeth grinding against each other. "Motherfuckers," I murmured, bursting out of my room and heading down the stairs in the direction of the basement. I tripped on one of the stairs but didn't register the pain in my toes through the anger.

All I wanted to do was barge in there, smash whoever's phone was connected to the speaker on the ground.

The more I went down, the louder the song, the headache spiking even more. "Oliver!" I yelled out my brother's name in pure rage but I couldn't even hear myself through it all, though that didn't stop me from trying again, much louder this time.

I reached the top of the basement stairs and looked down at the bunch of irresponsible adults dancing in "my basement" while drinking what seemed to be alcohol in red plastic cups. The rage bubbling inside me pushed me forward until I was standing in the middle of it all.

My jaw dropped as my gaze swept around the place. This wasn't just a normal back-from-college party, it was a fucking freak show.

Ugh, one of the girls had her boobs out in the open and the drunk guy had her nipple in his mouth. It's disgusting, so why do I feel my nipples hardening from staring at them and something deep inside me wishing I was the one getting that much attention.

"Eloise, what the fuck are you doing down here?" A strict, familiar voice snapped me out of my daze and I turned to where it came from. "I told you to stay in your room, didn't I?"

My inconsiderate elder brother stared back at me, also holding one of the red plastic cups. I gave him a nasty glare, one which he immediately clocked, and grabbed me by my arm, dragging me to the corner.

"Wait till mom and dad find out that you invited your horny ass friends into their house," I said, wriggling my arm out of his grasp but to no avail. One of the many reasons I hated having him around.

Oliver chuckled, letting go of my hand and sipping his drink. I quickly adjusted my glasses that had fallen below my nose. "What are they gonna do, huh?"

That was a question I very much knew the answer to. Nothing.

"Thought so," Oliver finished when my face gave him the answer he needed. "Go back to your room and do something."

"I was doing something," I bit back, folding my arms up my chest.

"So why the fuck are you down here?"

"The music is too loud!" I yelled. We were both talking above the noise just so we could hear each other and he was seriously asking me that.

He gave me a look like I was being problematic and I scoffed. "Turn it down or I will." I threatened, one that was met with an "I dare you" stare from my brother.

Bet.

"Tell your friends to turn down the music now." I gave him a look that told him I wasn't backing down without him doing as I'd said, but when he grabbed my tiny arm like it was a stick and started dragging me back up, I snapped. "Let go of me! Oliver, I said let go!"

I went unanswered as he pushed me further, my feet gliding across the floor, and my glasses flew to the ground.

"Stop being such a nuisance and go upstairs." He let go of me, not without tossing me toward the entrance of the basement. And me not being able to see without my glasses, I felt myself falling to the ground fast, shutting my eyes and bracing myself for the immense pain that was going to come after.

But it never came.

Instead I felt a large arm wrap around my thin waist, pulling me into what felt like a hard, broad, muscular wall. My eyes were still shut but my whole front was pressed to the wall, one that smelt like sweet licorice accompanied by the prickling spice of cardamom. The scent was intoxicating and I felt an outright dizziness from it.

"Are you okay?" The wall seemed to whisper in a husky but soothing voice, a hot breath tracing the tip of my ear sending a tingling sensation through me.

My eyes fluttered open slowly, a slight familiarity in the voice washing through my memory. I lifted my head to get a glimpse of whose body I was pressed to. Only when I did manage to see him, my heart pounded in my chest, eyes widening at the face staring back at mine.

A face I hadn't seen in six years.

"Why did you drive her out?" He said, looking straight behind me to Oliver. I tried to calm my heartbeat but being this close to him after so long was overwhelming.

The last time I was this close to his chest, I was twelve and it was a goodbye hug. My eyes were fixed on his face, he was much more handsome than I remembered. "Was she not invited?"

The moment his eyes snapped back to mine I let my gaze fall back to his chest sharply. "No. She has homework." My idiot brother decided to insult me in front of him.

I peeked back at his face, his bushy brows furrowed. "Homework?" He repeated like he'd heard wrong.

"Yeah, homework. Eloise, go upstairs now."

The hand around my waist stilled, then the head above me came down, tilting slightly, eyes scanning my face and I couldn't breathe, even the spit going down my throat forced itself back up.

"Eloise? As in your little sister Ruby?”