And he knows exactly what was in that fucking laundry bin.
"Nope," I tell him, refusing to let him get a rise out of me. "I know how to use a washing machine."
"Good," he says. "You can add this to your regular to-do list, along with making breakfast."
"What?" I deadpan.
"I told you we were a team, Ripley," Dax chimes in. "Remember?"
Yeah, I remember. And I'm the weak link."This isn't a team."
"This is a really good way for you to contribute to your team," he adds, ignoring me.
I turn away, making a face when I know they can't see me.I need to bleach my fucking hands.
Before I leave the room, Nolan comes downstairs, looking through me with lifeless dark eyes as he passes. Dax grabs him by the waistband of his sweats and pulls him down on the couch next to him, resting his hand on his thigh.
Elias seems completely unfazed, so their relationship must not be a secret—not from him, anyway.
"I ordered Thai food, Saige," Dax says. "You like Thai, don't you, baby?"
I fucking love Thai food, but I'm not going to tell him that. Because you know what I really love? Not touching my stepbrother's cum-calcified t-shirts.
I'm going to order rubber gloves.
"I guess."
"Good."
I hold my breath as I cross through the living room and then to that small bedroom around the side of the staircase, afraid that I won't make it before they demand something else from me.
"Hey, wait," Dax calls after me.
I freeze.
"What?" I ask without turning around.
"Do you want to watch a movie with us?"
"I want to take a shower," I tell him, hoping he can't hear the desperation in my voice.
"You want some company?"
I swallow hard. "Not particularly."
"Let me know if you change your mind."
Exhaling slowly, I round the corner into the bedroom to grab my things, preparing to dart through the bathroom next door.
"You should at least have her get tested before you start fucking her," Elias says loudly.
I don't hear how Dax responds before closing and locking the bathroom door behind me. I turn on the shower, strip down quickly, and once I'm under the water, I sink to the bottom of the tub and let myself cry.
But I bite down on a wet washcloth. I don't want Elias to hear it; I know how much he'd like it.
Shortly after my shower, food arrived. Dax insisted I eat with the three of them, and then that I watch the rest of the horror movie they'd started. I sat beside him on the sofa with his arm heavy across my shoulders and Elias's even heavier eyes boring holes through me, only getting up to fold their laundry.
My nerves are on edge as it is; I don't want to look at Elias, so I keep my focus on the television, but the movie they picked is about a woman who's stalked by a man, her family killed before she's finally kidnapped and tortured.
