The boys had been scarce since coming home, I know they had talked to Thomas about tables and getting the grill set up. Dad and Virginia had given the boys a set of ground rules for their friends, and the upper level of the house was off limits to everyone except family, no exceptions.

And finally Friday was here, I had persuaded Dad and Virginia to go out to dinner, promising that I would make sure my phone was on me constantly and that if I wanted them I could call at any time. May and Thomas would be onsite in their cottage and they too had checked that I would go to them if I needed anything, but they would all be out of the way.

Now I was stood at my bedroom window watching the boys outside welcoming their friends with shouts and hugs, girls were already in the pool, nearly wearing their bikinis, a few more modest but it seemed the girls were there for the boys to watch.

Maverick had a blond wrapped around him as he stood by the grill. Beau had kissed so many girls in welcome I wasn't sure who he was with and Trent was sandwiched between two redheads as they swayed to the music that someone had started.

I straightened my spine as Beau sent another smirk up towards my window, it was time to face them all. A quick glance in the mirror showed me the fear in my eyes but I pushed it down, I could do this, they were college age students, people I would be mixing with soon, not adults who should know better.

I wore a simple white coverup over a plain black swimsuit with black flip-flops, I didn't bother with makeup and had plaited my long blue black hair into a side braid. This was me and I wasn't going to dress up for them. The house was silent as I made my way downstairs, aiming for the kitchen first to grab a cold bottle of water, not wanting to risk an open drink outside.

"Well, hello. Sexy girl who are you?"

I turned to see a tall shirtless blond guy looking at me from the doorway and shook my head before grabbing the water.

"Indiana, who are you?" I asked directly, watching him step towards me, his arms coming up to cage me against the fridge, as his body towers over me and I have to crane my neck to look up at him.

"Jackson, Beau is my best friend and you, sexy girl are not what I was expecting at all" he says with a smirk and I roll my eyes.

"Let me guess, horns and a wart on my face?" I say with a grin.

"Pretty much and not what's in front of me" his hands waves up and down my body.

"And what is that exactly?" I ask carefully looking up at him.

"You are stunning, I... Go out with me?" he tells me, his gaze roving all over me.

"You sure you want to ask me that, Beau would not be happy with you" I warn him with a wry grin and he smirks back at me as I shake my head at his antics.

"Jackson, what are you doing!" Trent barks from behind us, making Jackson back up, bowing slightly to me before he turned to face Trent, leaving me visible.

"Problem" Jackson growls and I watch Trent realise who Jackson had caged in.

"Fuck... Indiana really" he sneers before walking away.

"See you later sexy" Jackson calls over his shoulder as he follows Trent outside, both of them heading for Beau.

I hover in the doorway for a moment before taking a deep breath and stepping outside. I can feel peoples glance this way becoming longer, it felt like lasers pointed at me, but I kept moving forward towards my step brothers.

"Sister" Beau welcomed as I joined them, his word laced with poison. so that's how they are going to play it.

"Brother's" I said back in a bored voice. "Jackson" I add with a smile and see my brothers faces react to the difference in greeting.

"Sexy girl" Jackson smirks at me, before Beau is suddenly in between us, facing off with his friend.

"Don't go there man" Beau warns a hand on Jacksons shoulder pushing him back. Trent and Maverick watching from either side of us. The rest of the guest now all focused our way.

Maverick steps up onto the table and holds up his hands to get everyones attention. "Friends, thank you for coming to our party, we want to introduce you all to someone" he held out his hand to me and I squealed as Trent lifted me up onto the table beside Maverick. "This is our stepsister Indiana" I stood and blushed at all the attention only to be mortified by his next words. "Take a good look people because we are hoping she won't be here long, her diseased snatch is not worth your time, she's a first class bitch and all she will do is take what yours" I stood there my mouth open glaring at him with tears in my eyes, he jumped off the table and stepped back and then I noticed I was surrounded by all of them, "So friends lets give her the welcome she deserves" he shouts and I feel the first hit of liquid, the red stain spreading over my white top.

There was a second of silence then they all threw their drinks at me, I curled into myself, protecting my face from the liquid and only mildly feeling the hit of those who had cans in their hands and had thrown the whole thing. I could hear the laughter and jeering and peaked out to see my step brother faces all set in feral smiles as they watched my humiliation, my glance moved to Jackson and even he was laughing along,

I moved to get down off the table, slipping on the wet surface, before crashing off the table and to the ground, causing more laughter to spill, Pulling myself up, I stare at everyone, I can feel my head spinning and the fiery burn of torn skin of my side where I had landed, a trickle of something running down the side of my forehead, but my focus was on getting away. I staggered to my feet and pushed through the now hostile crowd, not feeling the shoulder checks, and elbows that dug for me as I passed, racing back to the safety of the house and my room.

I locked the door behind me, grabbing a chair and putting it under the door knob as I didn't trust a lock to keep them out, finally allowing the tears to fall as I stepped under the shower fully clothed. The aches and pains from the bruises starting to form finally making themselves know to me as I stripped off my clothing, letting the warm water clean away the drink, blood and tears.

Feeling weak and vulnerable after the shower I pulled out the soft onesie that Virginia had brought me, after I had fallen in love with the soft feel of the material, its warmth surrounding me as I hugged my arms around myself, rocking slightly as I thought back over what had just happened. I knew they wanted to drive me away and make me leave but I don't think they knew I had nowhere else to go, and now I had realised dad wanted me, I would never willingly put myself back under my mothers dictates.

I had expected harsh words, expected them to snub me but not to do anything physical. I could hear the party raging outside, the music louder now as was the laughter and I wanted to get away. To be somewhere no one would find me, till I wanted to be found and I knew just the place.

I headed for my closet, sliding my cloths aside to open the almost hidden door into the sloping roof void, it had been lined out for storage but to me it gave me a safe space, I had piled the spare bedding in there and a small battery lamp, creating my own panic room, which had made me feel much safer when I first arrived but now it was a godsend. I slid inside, pulling the clothes back in front of the door as best I could before shutting it, and curling up on the nest of bedding, the throbbing in my head and side now making me feel nauseous and tired, and before I could worry anymore I was asleep.