The Victim (Book #1)

Chapter 6

I decided after breakfast to take a tour of the house and get more familiar with it. I saw the backyard which was a huge stretch of grass with soccer goals, and just behind it a square pool sat with a gorgeous blue color.

Inside I found a room with a bunch of couches and a movie screen, a gym, and what seemed to be a guest bedroom. I wondered what my room was, if not the guest room.

The only rooms I hadn't seen yet were the other bedrooms which I left alone, out of respect and nerves. If any of the boys caught me snooping, I bet there would be hell to pay.

I was watching TV on my bed again in the afternoon when I heard a knock at the door.

"Come in, Charlotte!" I said, sitting up.

The door swung open and my mouth turned into an 'O' of surprise.

"Damon?" I asked, raising my eyebrow. He stalked in confidently and said "Hey." He leaned against the wall and seemed unimpressed, at what, I didn't know.

"What's up?" I asked, trying not to be nervous. He couldn't do anything to me.

"Mom decided that you need new clothes and said it's our job to take you." He said, pointing his thumb in the direction of his brothers who must be getting ready to leave too.

"Uh... why?" I asked. "Does she think we'll bond or something?"

He snorted and said "I don't think she's that dumb, kid. She has a seminar coming up soon that she's speaking at, she's probably just prepping for that."

"Oh." I said, in reply.

"So. We're taking you now. Get your butt in gear." He said, waving a hand as if to rush me along.

"That's okay, actually. I don't have any money or anything." I said.

He rolled his eyes. "I know. But my parents do." He pulled a black credit card out of his pocket and waved it arrogantly.

"They don't have to do that..." I said, thinking of other excuses to get out of going. Could I fake being sick?

"Look, our mom wants us to take you shopping and she says if we don't, we're grounded. We are leaving now whether I am dragging you out of here, or not." He said, glaring.

I jumped off the bed immediately, hating how quickly I reacted to his authority. He just said everything with such confidence I didn't know what else to do. I never had a big brother before, and not that I counted him as one, but it was a new feeling. He smirked at that and gestured for me to walk first.

I headed towards the door, but then spun to face him and crossed my arms. He looked down on me and raised an eyebrow. He was definitely above 6 feet tall, and very strong. I still thought I could take him.

"I just wanted to say..." I began, looking him straight in the eyes. "I am not a kid at all even a little bit and I am probably stronger than you will ever be." I smiled at him innocently and spun back, walking out of my room and leaving him behind. "That's all!" I called out over my shoulder.

Instead of the anger or incredulity that I expected from him, I heard a loud barking laugh that echoed through the hall. My eyebrows furrowed in anger, as he sped his walking up ahead of me and led me outside to a black car that was running. He was still chuckling as he opened the door to the backseat for me.

I slid inside next to Brooklyn and looked to the front seat to see Dominic and Caleb already seated. Damon sat down to my left and Dominic asked him what was so funny, but he shrugged him off.

"Let's just go already." He said with a smile. I smiled too but looked at him strangely. Weirdo.

We got to a mall near their house and Dominic dropped us by the front, telling the boys to take me to a store called Forever 21 where he would meet us. As we walked inside, I looked up at the high arching ceilings and loud fountain in the center. People were bustling all around us and the smell of cinnamon rolls was fresh in the air.