"Please don't make me do this."
His eyes glittered at me like polished obsidian. His grin was wicked and wide. He took delight in my discomfort and I hated him for it.
I shuddered and clutched the flimsy robe closer around my body. "Please, Jack."
"You knew the rules, Mel." Jack stood up and walked towards me, a hunter stalking his prey.
I was so screwed.
"Take off the robe. I want to make sure you're going to keep up your end of the bargain."
"This is blackmail," I spat while my hold tightened on the robe.
His dark eyebrows went up and he nodded. "You're right. Now take off the fucking robe before I change my mind about letting you wear a skirt."
A skirt. I could have snorted if I had an ounce of courage left in me. His hand rose between us and I tucked my chin down, afraid to meet his eyes. I knew what I'd see there and I refused to let him affect me more than he had already.
Just breathe,
I told myself.
Just breathe and keep your mouth shut and you'll get through this. It'll only be four or five hours and then they'll all be gone.
And I'd be alone with Jack again.
A shiver skittered up my spine and I at last loosened my hold on the robe. Jack didn't wait for me to take it off. He grasped one arm and yanked it from me. I immediately crossed my arms over my bare breasts and felt goosebumps prickle up and down my naked torso.
"Nice. You won't be able to cover yourself up while you serve us tonight," Jack said with a smirk and tossed the robe in the corner.
I scowled and didn't reply. He laughed and turned away. I followed him reluctantly from the room and downstairs.
In the living room space had been cleared for the octagonal poker table he'd hauled out. The chairs were placed around the table, six of them in all, and chips were stacked in neat piles before each seat. I stopped and stared at the setting, a sneer curling my lips.
How did I get here? Half-naked and shivering while my stepfather leers from the other side of the room?
I lifted my gaze when I felt Jack's eyes on me. He wasn't looking at my face and I covered myself with my arms again. His laughter rang out as he headed into the kitchen.
I sighed and covered my face with my hands. I thought back over the semester and thought of each moment I could have made a different decision. I could have passed that art history exam and handed in a better essay in applied theory. I should have studied instead of partied and gone to bed early instead of slipping naked into a guy's bed.
Jack was right. We'd made a deal back at Christmas break when he found out how badly I was doing. I'd thought I could sail through my second semester and his perverted threat to have me serve drinks – topless – during his poker night would be nothing but a threat.
Instead I'd pissed away every opportunity to improve my grades and all but forgotten about Jack waiting at home.
It was all so perfect for him, too. My mother traveled for her work and her exit from the house coincided with my return for the summer. I was alone in the house with Jack for a week. The first hour my mother was gone he'd announced his intentions to make good on our deal.
"You failed two of your courses, Mel." His smile had been filled with lewd promise. "I bought your uniform yesterday. It's lying on your bed."
Humiliation swept through me, heating my body and banishing the goosbumps at last. My 'uniform' was the flimsy plaid schoolgirl skirt that barely covered my ass. And that was it. No underwear, no bra and no shirt. Tears pricked my eyes as I considered what I'd have to endure for the night.
As long as Mom doesn't find out, I'll be fine,
I thought. Up until last fall, my mom had always been the so-called heavy in the family. Jack had been the indulgent one, letting me stay out late, encouraging me to go to school out of province. Then he'd almost casually made the deal with me over the holidays.
Make my grades, pass the courses and he wouldn't say a word to my mom about how I'd struggled in the first semester. Fail and I was to be subjected to this humiliation or else he would tell my mother. Who would probably lock me up and feed me nothing but gruel for a year if she found out how I'd pissed away the tuition she'd paid.
The doorbell rang, shaking my thoughts loose from the past. Jack walked out of the kitchen and threw me a grin before going to answer the door. I braced myself and tried to look as casual as possible.
First two through the door were James and Mick. They leered at me in equal measure while Jack explained I'd been 'hired' for the evening's entertainment. A few minutes later Tom showed up and then right after him came Zach and Ben. Once they were all there and seated around the poker table, Jack made introductions.
As if I didn't know these guys. As if I hadn't seen them in this house on countless other nights before I'd backed myself into this corner. My mom and Jack had been married for ten years and I'd met most of his friends before that even.
"She cleans up real nice, Jack," Mick said and guffawed as if he'd told the joke of the year.
I felt my cheeks burn anyway at their responding chuckles and looked down at my feet. At least Jack had allowed me to wear socks.
"Are there rules?" That was Ben.
"You mean for the Texas Hold 'em?" Jack asked with a laugh. They'd been playing poker here for years. They all knew the rules just as they all knew Ben wasn't asking about the game.
"No rules. Except you need to wear a condom. I don't need any grandbabies runnin' around." Jack said and I snapped my head up to glare at him. He just winked at me, damn him. "And don't get too crazy in front of everyone. No one wants to see your bare ass, Ben."
Ben laughed but kept his eyes on me. He licked his lips and nodded. "I guess that makes sense. I don't want to see any of your shriveled rods and tackle."
More laughter while I stood there, half-naked, ice in my veins and burning with shame.
"Hey, Mel." I looked over to see Tom waving me closer.
He was a nice guy so I walked over to his side and looked down at him with a tremulous smile. Then he reached out and palmed my breasts in his warm, calloused palms. I sucked in a shocked breath and tried to take a step back but Zach was sitting there, blocking my escape.
"These are nice," Tom murmured as he squeezed and tested the weight.
I shuddered and looked away, biting my lip. This was not happening. I was not being felt up by a man twice my age who'd seen me with scraped knees and pigtails.
"You've grown up mighty nice, Mel."
