Claimed by My Stepbrother

Chapter 7

The room we enter has me wanting to run back the other way. The entire perimeter is lined with doors, and standing in front of each one is an evil-looking monster. I remind myself they’re all normal guys like Cord dressed in costumes, not really evil demons who want to hurt us. But with the way they are all silently glaring at us, it’s beyond creepy.

I try not to make eye contact with any of them as I do a quick scan, hoping I’ll see a familiar costume of one of our friends. Thankfully, I spot a clown holding a red balloon. It has to be Jax. I want to run to him and ask him to get me out of this place, but I won’t chicken out like that. Besides, at this point, I really don’t want to sit alone in the car while I wait for the girls to finish.

I tap Lexie’s shoulder. “Go to that one.” I point toward the clown. She nods and leads us to the door.

When we step in front of him, his familiar voice untightens the knot in my stomach. “Are you sure you want to come this way, girls? They won’t play nice if you enter this door. At least, not with you, Lex.”

For the first time, I can take a breath. Jax is here, and so are the rest of the guys. If I truly need help, I know they’ll save me. The panic begins to recede, and the truth starts to settle in. This is all fake. It’s just a seriously realistic set. But the actors are all guys like Jax and my brother.

“Cord told you, didn’t he?” Sam whispers in my ear.

I nod. He did. But what he didn’t tell me was sorry for dismissing me this afternoon, sorry for making me feel like something was truly happening with us and then ignoring me for Jenny.

I shove the thought away and focus on Lex. Her shoulders are now stiff, and her arms are crossed. She and Jax haven’t been on good terms since he decided to ask out the one girl Lexie despises. But I don’t blame her for being upset. If my best friend asked out my nemesis, I’dbe pissed too.

“Had I known it was you,” she growls, “I would have chosen another door. Now move, Jax.”

He lets out a growly sound himself, looking like he wants to say something but stops himself. He steps aside, shaking his head. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you, Lex.”

Lex turns the knob and storms right inside the room, charging right through and not paying a lick of attention to anything other than her irritation with Jax. I’m seeing all of it though. The clowns lurking around us, chuckling and snickering. Getting closer the deeper we get inside the room. Lex is so stuck in her thoughts she runs right into one of them.

The clown grips her arms and steadies her. “You should watch where you’re going. Now, you’re mine, little nurse.”

Of course, Lex is dressed as a sexy nurse this year. She’s in the tiniest little white dress with white knee-high boots and a little red and white striped hat. The clown is certainly taking notice of how good she looks as his eyes travel down her body and slowly back up. Landing right on the low v revealing her cleavage. “I think I feel sick. Will you take care of me?” he chides.

I shake my head. Lex is always getting hit on since she’s so beautiful, but these guys are working and are supposed to be in character. They aren’t supposed to be macking on the customers.

“No. She’s going to take care of me,” says another clown who steps up to her side. Lex is backing up into me, trying to get away from the leering creeps. I honestly don’t know if it’s real or if they’re in character, but whatever the case, she’s afraid and doesn’t like their attention.

“How about we share?” asks the first clown. The other nods, turning the creepiest smile on my friend.

“I like that idea. She can take care of both of us. What do you say, little one? Do you think you can handle two clowns at once? Bandaging his BIG booboo while you lick my very sore wound?”

Oh my God! Now, I’m freaking out again. I don’t think sexually harassing a patron is part of the job description. I mean…it’s definitely a scare tactic, but I highly doubt it’s allowed.

“She’s mine, fuckers. Back away now!”

The seething voice comes from our left. We all turn and see Jax glaring at the two clowns before us, looking terrifyingly menacing, and that’s not just because of the clown makeup he has on. He looks like a monster about to beat the shit out of someone. I’m not sure if this is all an act or if he’s really about to fight these guys for being aggressive with Lex. I’m so confused between what’s reality and pretend in this place, and I hate it.

“We didn’t realize she’d already been claimed. Sorry, man. We’ll just have to find ourselves another nurse to make us feel all better.”

The two clowns slink away, and Lex practically slumps into us girls. She was really scared. We all were.

Jax reaches out for Lex, and I think he’s going to wrap her up in a hug, calm his best friend down, but he grips onto her arm and starts dragging her away.

“What are you doing?” Lex asks,trying to pull out of his hold.

“You’re coming with me,” he states, clearly still in character from the sound of his menacing tone.

“No, I’m not, Jax.” She tries shrugging away from him again but fails. “I’m not going anywhere with you, you jerk.”

“You don’t have a choice. I warned you not to enter this room, Lex, but you didn’t listen. Too fucking bad. Now, you’re mine.”