Page 6 of Bound By Secrets

The clanking of cutlery hitting china plates fills the room. In my peripheral vision, I see Cameron push out his elbow so that it jabs Callum’s injured torso. Callum lets out a quiet, pained hiss, and Cameron laughs, snorting like the pig that he is. Rolling my eyes at his immaturity, I pick up my fork, intent on eating and getting out of this place as quickly as possible.

As I move to spear a strawberry onto my fork, the doorbell rings and my body goes rigid.

"Calliope!" My father’s bellow has me dropping my fork and I look up at him instantly.

He smirks at me, mischief clear in his eyes. "Go and greet your Uncle Fraser at the door and bring him in here. He's joining us for breakfast this morning." Bile rises in my throat at his words, and my usually emotionless mask must slip because his smile becomes sinister and his dark eyes show his evilness as they sparkle with excitement.

I nod at my father and stand to go towards the door. Before I even take a step, Connor rises from his chair, nostrils flared, hands balled into tight fists and his head bowed, containing his rage-filled face from our views. My father’s eyes slide from me to my brother, and his lips tilt up in amusement. Cameron leans forward in his seat with a wide smile as he waits for Connor’s next move.

My heart beats wildly as I pray that Connor will sit down and contain his outburst until we're out of this house and on the way to college. Callum clears his throat across from us and Connor’s head snaps up to glare at him.

I see the subtle head shake and watch out of the corner of my eye as Connor scowls at Callum before turning his eyes to me. His face softens, but his gaze remains hard yet apologetic. Islowly move, taking steps to leave the room and he retakes his seat.

I plod along, wanting to waste as much time as I can, but the front door is only a few steps away and Fraser is leering at me through the glass panes. His beady, perverted eyes roam over the pale blue sundress that I slipped on this morning because I stupidly wanted to look nice. Now I'm regretting my choices majorly.

As I reach the door, his eyes trail leisurely back up my body to my face, the eye contact making me shiver. He gives me the same creepy smile that he's given me for the past two years as he taps the door handle outside, a signal to open it. I take a deep breath, steeling my face and masking my emotions before yanking the door open.

"Hello, sweetheart. You look rather desirable today. Give us a twirl, why don’t ya?" he drawls, his eyes greedily roaming over my body. I hold back the cringe and the hateful words that I want to spit at him, knowing that it will just make matters so much worse. I do as he says, slowly twirling around.

When I face him again, he has a predatory look in his eyes, and he steps forward so that we're only an inch apart.

"Hopefully, Derek's feeling generous again today. I didn't get enough of you the other night," he whispers, wrapping his arm around me and smacking my arse cheek hard enough for the sound to echo through the entryway of our house. He then grabs my arm in a tight hold and leads me back to the dining room.

I gulp, pushing the bile back down my throat at the feel of him touching me and painting a look of indifference on my face as we enter the dining room again. Connor and Callum are both shooting daggers at Fraser, who is still tightly gripping my arm and dragging me towards the table. I keep my face blank, knowing that if I have any reaction in this room, the twins willlikely turn feral and my father will be satisfied. Likely seeing it as a worthy reason to punish us all.

Fraser sits on the last empty chair and attempts to pull me down onto his lap but I hold my ground.

He looks over at my father, and he dips his head at Fraser, permitting him. Fraser looks up at me with contempt. "Sit with me," he says through gritted teeth. I shake my head, quickly glancing at the twins and seeing that both of them have their hands balled into fists and their faces screwed up in anger. "NOW!" He shouts, yanking my arm. I wince at the pain and practically fall into his lap.

“Calliope, I’d suggest you listen to your uncle otherwise I’ll be forced to contact that PI again. We wouldn’t want that would we?” My father's threat hangs heavy in the air, sending a spike of fear through me.

Connor punches his fist into the table whilst levelling my father with a look so powerful it sends a shiver down my spine. His face is red with fury and his gaze venomous. My father laughs at him, rolling his eyes. Fraser doesn’t acknowledge what’s going on in the room as he moves me around on his lap until he deems it comfortable.

"Fraser, I think we all deserve a little show this morning before the kids go off to college." My gaze snaps to meet my eldest brother’s. He winks at me and my stomach bottoms out, realising what he's going to make the twins witness.

"Hmm, good idea. Open these legs, sweetheart. I'm not quite comfy like this.” Fraser’s tone is joyful as his hands attempt to pry my legs open. I can feel his small member hardening underneath me, and my stomach twists in disgust. I shake my head. No, I can't have my brothers witness this. It will scar them both for life.

“You can’t let him. Please, Dad!” I plead. He grits his teeth and stands, hands placed firmly on the table, disgust evident in his steely eyes.

“It’s your own fault that you’re in this mess. You’re worthless to me!” He snarls. “Now shut that whore mouth of yours and sit still.”

"No, please. Let Connor and Callum leave and I'll do whatever you want!” I beg, my voice frantic.

Fraser tuts from behind me, bracing one arm over my lap to hold me tight against him as he grabs a sharp knife out of a holster under his jacket.

"You want to disobey me, Calliope? Maybe Callum should lose another finger due to your stupid mistakes? Is that what you want? You want to inflict pain on your brother?" He taunts. I look up at Callum. who’s staring back at me with a hard glint in his eyes. He nods, his way of telling me that it's okay to disobey Fraser. Of course my brother would be so selfless.

I shake my head. I can't be the reason my brothers get hurt. I especially can't be the reason for another finger being cut off. I remember how much pain he was in last time, and I remember Connor and I having to help him for weeks afterwards.

I can handle this. It’s just like every other time. Just block it all out.

Releasing a deep breath, I relax my legs, making it easy for Fraser to pull them apart and loop them over his. I glance at Callum, and then Connor who's also staring right at me. 'Don't watch' I mouth to them. Connor is furious, but he obeys and closes his eyes.

Callum, however, looks stuck for a moment.

Fraser's hand grazes against my inner thigh, nausea spreading throughout my body.

As his finger finds my underwear and starts to push it to the side, I throw Callum a pleading look and he quickly puts his head down on the table, eyes closed and hands over his ears.

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