"Okay, come back to bed soon," Dove says, yawning before retreating to the master bedroom.
"Thanks for that," I tell Nox with a sly smile. "I'm going to bed."
"This isn't over," he tells me darkly. "And you're still fucking grounded, kid."
"We'll see about that," I mutter, taking the stairs two at a time and locking my bedroom door behind me once I'm safely inside.
With a heavy sigh, I check out my reflection in the mirror. I did my best to wipe the traces of Raphael's cum off me in the Uber, but there's still some visible on my face. I can only hope Nox didn't notice.
I remove my makeup and take off my skimpy outfit, changing into my Disney princess pajamas and climbing between the sheets of my bed. My mind circles back to Raphael.
I spent two long years fantasizing about the man who turned me down in front of that club. For years, I devised plans to break him, to take advantage and make him give me what I wanted. But now that it's happened, I don't feel the gust of elation I’d anticipated. Instead, I'm stuck wanting more and more from the man I shouldn't have. And I already know I'll be going back for another taste.
"Can you turn the music down?" Nox appears in the door frame, glaring at me. I can tell our argument from last night still isn't forgotten. "Hi, Mercy."
"Hello, Mr. Miller," my best friend grins. "Sorry about the music."
"That's alright," he drawls out. He always had a soft spot for my friend – apparently, Dove and Nox knew Mercy's grandfather, though they're not very open with the details of that relationship. "Willa. Music. Down. Now."
With a dramatic groan, I pick myself up from the bed and turn the music down by a single octave. I can tell it's going to piss Nox off more, but I don't care. The rebellious side of me wants him to reprimand me, but the broken pieces that make me who I am are just waiting for him to kick me out of here, tell me I never belonged in the first place.
"Dove and I are leaving now," Nox says. "Your brothers are already at their sleepover, so you have the house to yourself tonight. But I'm warning you now, Willa. I allowed Mercy to come over, but you're not to leave the house under any circumstances."
"Or else what?" I hiss back. "You can't stop me."
He smirks. "Actually, I can. We're locking the house from the outside with the alarm system."
"You can't do that," I protest. "What if it catches fire or something? You want me to burn alive?"
"Don't be dramatic." Nox rolls his eyes. "You can call us if you need us. Bye, girls."
"Bye, Mr. Miller," Mercy replies sweetly as Nox closes my bedroom door.
"Ugh, why do you have to be so nice to him?" I demand as soon as he's gone.
"I can't help it," Mercy blushes. "Plus, your dad's hot."
"He's not my dad," I mutter. "Not even close."
"God, you're such a downer today, Wills," Mercy mutters. "When is your identity crisis going to end?"
"Never." I stick my tongue out at her.
"So... have you been checking the app?" Mercy waggles her brows at me. "I bet you got more hits."
I furrow my brows and reluctantly glance at my phone. With Mercy's help, I signed up for a sugar baby app with the sole reason of getting under Raphael's skin. But ever since I signed up, I've been getting more and more messages, though I haven't checked them. I already got the man I wanted.
"I haven't," I finally reply, shrugging. "Not really interested."
"Yeah, yeah," Mercy rolls her eyes. "I know, you're obsessed with Mr. Daddy."
"Don't call him that," I reply, even though a smile is already tugging on the corners of my lips. "Only I'm allowed to call him that."
"Greedy," Mercy giggles.
"Pass the popcorn." She gives me a bowl of caramel corn and I dig in, narrowing my eyes at her. "Anyway, did you end up making an account on the sugar daddy website?"
"No," she admits sheepishly, making me groan.
"Please don't tell me this is about Scott again."
"I'm sorry," Mercy whines. "He's just so fucking hot..."
"Mercy, that boy is bad news, and you know it," I mutter. "You've been letting him use you since you were fourteen."
"I can't help it." Mercy flushes, grabbing a fistful of popcorn. "Anyway, you're not allowed to say anything. At least Scott is only a few years older unlike a certain someone..."
I toss an unpopped corn kernel at her. "Shh."
"What, it's not like anyone's here. So, dish." Mercy leans forward on her knees. "Did you finally do the deed? Pop the cherry? Stamp the V card? Break the –"
"God, Mercy," I half-groan, half-laugh. "Gross visual."
"And the answer is..."
"The answer is..." I take a deep breath. "We did."