Malice (Dahlia Saga Book 1)

by Natalie Bennett

  “Then tell me how you got my sister’s necklace because she’d never take it off. Tell me why I’m here and what he wants.”

  She stared at me a moment, and then a slow smile spread across her face just before she turned and walked out of the room.

  What the hell was so amusing?

  “Hey!” I slammed the water down on the nightstand. The jerky motion reminded me that I wasn’t one hundred percent. My body was still bruised and welted. I was surprised at how little pain I felt leading up to this.

  Undeterred, I shoved the sheet away from me and went to stand from the bed. Bailey slammed the door behind her, a crystal-clear click followed her departure.

  The little bitch had locked me in.

  When I opened my eyes again, there was a warm glow coming from the fire now burning inside the fireplace.

  At least I hadn’t woken up in a new strange place, or worse, back in that shed. I felt oddly secure knowing I was in Julian's room.

  I concluded that’s where I had to be because every time I breathed I inhaled his familiar scent, and I doubted he’d put me in another man’s bed.

  As if I’d conjured him up, he waltzed through a doorway I could only assume led to a bathroom seeing as he was nearly completely nude, donning only a black towel around his hips.

  "How are you feeling?"

  “What?” I couldn’t believe he asked me that. I’d have been fine if it wasn’t for him. A million responses circled around in my head, but none of them were the kind I should voice aloud.

  I tracked Julian’s movements across the room. His toned body was absent of any scars. His jet-black hair was damp yet sculpted into a perfect sleek style. He turned to look at me, and for a minute or two that’s all he did. The tattoo on his chest gave me the glare I expected from him.

  I held his gaze and waited for the hatred or rage from what he had done to consume me, but there was nothing. Knowing what I did now I at the very least thought I should have felt some repulsion. Again, there was nothing. He was still Julian, only now he no longer had his wolf on a leash.

  "I may have went a little too far,” he began.

  “You had me kidnapped. You locked me in a shed after…after you raped me.”

  “Rape?” He made a sound in the back of his throat. “That would mean I took something that didn’t belong to me. Every inch of you, from the roots on your head to the toes on your feet belong to me.”

  There was a finality to each word he spoke. I wasn’t sure how to poach the largest elephant in the room without potentially angering him or speaking out of line.

  I wasn’t afraid of Julian, not even this extremely wicked version of him, but I was terrified of what he might do to my sister. So, I kept the snuff film comment to myself.

  “And the shed?”

  “That wasn’t a shed. It was the holding room my grandparents’ used.”

  My father told me this place had once been a swine farm, but common sense told me Julian wasn’t reffering to pigs. After baring witness to a man’s cock being eaten away by acid, I didn’t want to believe he meant humans. I didn’t want to accept that the man I adored was a vile monster. I didn’t want to believe he was responsible for my sister’s disappearance.

  All of that was true, though. A bitter, jagged pill to swallow, one that had somehow gotten stuck in my throat.

  "What is this place Jules? Why am I here? Where is Penny?”

  He regarded me studiously before seemingly coming to a decision. "This is Chateau Dahlia. A sanctuary for the twisted and depraved.”

  “So then why am I here?”

  “Because not only are you both, you’re mine.”

  My mouth opened and closed but nothing came out.

  I didn’t know how to respond to that. I almost wished I was afraid. Fear seemed like an appropriate reaction. Something a normal girl would have felt.

  That was the problem.

  I’d never been classified as normal, had no idea what it meant to be simpy mundane. People in Riverview could attest to that. Twisted and depraved had never made the list of names they called me though. No one had ever claimed me as theirs, either.

  Still…

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I know you don’t. I think that’s best for the time being. Not everything going on around you is as it seems.” He let that cryptic statement marinate between us, turning away to remove some clothes from the wardrobe.

  Trying to leave here obviously wasn’t an option. Fighting him was futile. Outsmarting him was laughable, Julian was disturbingly cunning. My only option thus far seemed to be me going along with this for now until I had a clearer picture of what was going on.

  There had to be a reason for this, one bigger than his desire for me. Otherwise, why would he have Penny too?

  "What do you really want?"

  He didn’t reply right away, continuing to dress in his usual immaculate attire. Once his shiny dress shoes were on he shut the wardrobe and came over to sit on the edge of the bed.

  Placing his hand gently on my knee, he looked me in the eyes. "I want you to be everything I need." Adding, "I need a partner.”

  It wasn’t a stretch of the imagination for me to realize what he meant by that. I felt the color slip from my face. “You want me to hurt someone?” I shook my head vigourously from left to right. "I can't do that. I won't."

  “You won’t?” A cruel, amused smirk added a tilt to his lips.

  “I didn’t mean that,” I rushed out, realizing my mistake. "I will do whatever you want. Just, please don't hurt my family or friends,” I stated in a calmer tone.

  He stared at me, his face set in an impassive mask. I stared back, refusing to look away and submit entirely.

  This was a petty act of defiance on my end, but I couldn’t stand feeling so weak and defenseless. I knew Julian held all the power right now, but I was going to pretend I had some of my own. I was certain he knew what I was doing, but he didn’t comment on it.

  "I'm going to find you some food, and then we can discuss what happens next." He stood up and adjusted his cuff links, leaning down to place a kiss on my forehead before leaving the room.

  As soon as the lock clicked into place I released the breath I was holding, fisting the silken sheets to keep my hands from trembling.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I watched her on camera from the comfort of my office.

  Her knees were pulled up to her chest, head down. Her body may have looked broken, but there was a fire in her eyes that gave me a sense of pride. The small defiant act she pulled was amusing, to say the least. It proved I’d made the right choice. My father had been on the fence at first, but now that certain things had come to light, we were both pleased with my decision.

  It worked out better this way, anyhow. Penny was the opposite of Morgana and not in a good way. She was also useless to me, but I didn’t need to share that little bit of information yet. Right now, I needed Morgana to become so entangled in my web of deceit that she’d never find her way out.

  When all was said and done, maybe then I’d let her know the truth. I was the only one in her life that would do so. The issue was her not being able to handle it. One must use caution when dealing with a fragile mind. Considering everything she knew to be true was a lie, it might be better to leave her in the dark. Regardless, I was going to take everything from her until all she had left was me. She would end where I began, and I would begin where she ended.

  My family was counting on me to keep the Andreou legacy alive. I wouldn't let them down. Morgana would be by my side till the end. All she had to do was look pretty, and occasionally get her hands a little bloody.

  It was really that simple.

  My world was her world now, and it could rival the sweetest dream, or become her worst nightmare.

  Chapter Sixteen

  When Julian returned with a tray of food, I was in the same position he’d left me in.

  He moved the pitcher and empty glass of water
out of his way, and then set down a silver tray.

  “I wanted to give you something that would be easy on your stomach.”

  I pursed my lips and eyed the tray’s contents. A bowl of chicken noodle soup, a pack of round crackers, and a small plate of fresh fruit.

  His actions continued to confuse me. The easy switch between hot and cold turned my brain into a spin top.

  After everything that had transpired, he was concerned about me having an upset stomach? It didn’t make sense. Whatever, I was too hungry to turn the food away. I grabbed the tray and placed it on my lap, running a finger over the plastic spork. Of course, I wouldn’t be given real silverware.

  Julian perched on the edge of the bed again, watching me closely. An unnerving silence stretched between us as I ate. I tried my best to ignore his presence, focusing on how good the soup tasted. I snuck a glance at him, quickly looking away when his eyes flashed to mine.

  Wolf, I thought bitterly, slurping down some warm broth. He was a psychotic wolf, and I was a mentally unstable sheep. Nothing good could come putting the two of us together.

  When I ate all that I could he wordlessly took the tray and placed it back on the nightstand.

  "I know what you're thinking." He slipped his hands into his pockets and turned like he was going to walk away, turning back at the last second. “I can see it in your eyes.”

  What the hell? “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “I beg to differ.” He grabbed hold of the sheet and pulled it away, leaving my naked body exposed. I crossed my arms over my chest, stiffening as he settled himself on the bed, grabbing my knees and spreading them apart.

  “Julian,” I pleaded.

  He ignored me and positioned his body in the space he’d created, and then forced me down onto my back.

  A hiss flew from my mouth as silk rubbed against welts. My hands instinctively went to his chest, pushing against solid muscle to dislodge him. With little effort, he took my wrists and gently pinned them above my head, making me sink further into the mattress.

  "You think I’m insane, don’t you? Like I don't know the difference between right and wrong.”

  “That's not the case at all. I'm very aware of the things I do, the boundaries I cross. Fuck boundaries; they don't mean shit to me."

  "I never thought...any of that," I whispered beneath the sound of my pulse pounding in my ears.

  "Good. In case you did, let me remind you. When I fuck you after you tell me no, that's not wrong. If I hung Tony from a meat hook, cut his balls off and then fed them to him for interfering with our relationship, that might be wrong."

  My lids fluttered in utter confusion. Where had that come from? How did he know Tony told me about him and his family? The only way that was possible were if he had been listening in on my phone conversations, or he had Tony too.

  That thought had renewed fear settling in my gut. Not for myself, but for my friend.

  "Who are you?" Even at his worst, Julian had never been this cruel to me, so cold and careless.

  "I'm the man who owns you, and that’s all that matters at this point."

  "I hate you.” I choked on the words wishing they were true.

  I dug deep within myself to find the hatred he deserved, but it was the equivalent of trying to light a candle in the pouring rain.

  "Oh, we both know that’s not true. Even if it were, you’re going to love everything I do to you." He lurched down, biting my lips until I squealed from the pain. Taking advantage, he pushed his tongue between them, skimming it over the roof of my mouth.

  Keeping hold of my wrist with one hand, he reached between us and undid his slacks, freeing his cock.

  “No," I whimpered.

  He gave me a dimpled smile drenched in sex and full of devilry. Moving at a slow, steady pace, he released my wrists and wrapped one of his hands around my throat to keep in place as he guided his head to my slit.

  With one last sardonic smile, he flexed his hips, burying himself inside my pussy. A sound between pain and pleasure unfurled in my chest, escaping from my throat. He repeated the motion twice more before settling into a brutal pace.

  The headboard rocked into the wall as he pounded into me. I clawed at his forearms, crying out every time his cock hit the end of my pussy. He pushed himself deeper, thrusting harder. Skin slapping against skin and our bodies coming together echoed inside the room.

  He shoved me down into the mattress. His grip around my neck grew firmer, restricting my breathing. Part of me didn't want this from him, despised him for what he took from me without permission.

  Then there was the other part. The fucked-up part of me I refused to acknowledge. The one that craved this man and all the pain he caused me. I needed to be fucked this way.

  Brutally.

  Possessively.

  Without mercy.

  My pleasure was his pleasure, but my pain was his ecstasy. The overwhelming desire to be hurt like this defied logic. I couldn't begin to explain it and when he was inside me, I didn’t care.

  "We’re getting married," he ground out suddenly, not slowing his pace.

  If my eyes could have bugged out of my head they would have. He lurched down again, capturing my mouth and cutting off my garbled protest.

  He slowed, rolling his hips to hit the sweet spot inside me. As pressure built in my core, my pussy began to tighten around his cock, his grip grew tighter against my throat.

  He pushed a little deeper, causing an inferno of pleasure to sweep over my body. As I floated down into an abyss, he picked up his pace, fucking me until he found his own release.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Julian was gone when I woke up.

  I had to of been out for a good few hours that this time because sunlight was streaming through a gap in his drapes.

  I brought my hands to my throat, wincing when I felt the raw skin from Julian's lingering throttle marks. I loathed the idea of moving much more than this, but my need to shower and scrub away what we did in the night trumped everything else.

  Forcing myself to get out of bed, I hobbled to the bathroom, dragging my feet across the cold marble floor.

  It was a masculine space much like the bedroom, done in black and smoke-y gray. I wasn’t surprised. Julian was one of the most eligible bachelors in Riverview.

  The shower was large and had more heads than necessary, but it was easy enough to figure out. I adjusted the nozzles, and then turned to my reflection as I waited for the water to heat up. There wasn’t anything remotely attractive about my appearance right now.

  The bruising on my body was fading to a dull, ugly color. My hair was a tangled mess, lips swollen. My eyes looked glazed, and there was a flush staining my cheeks that I didn't want to acknowledge.

  With a frown, I turned away and stepped into the shower cubicle. I tilted my head back and shut my eyes, sighing deeply as the hot spray soothed my aching limbs and helped take a bit of the edge off my frazzled mind.

  I turned to wipe a bit of condensation off the glass and jumped back in surprise when I spotted Bailey. She was leaning against the long vanity, watching me. Even caught she simply stood there and continued to stare. I crossed my arms to cover my chest, hoping the remaining fog hid my lower half.

  "Is everything okay?" I shut the shower off and poked my head out. "Bailey?" It took me saying her name to snap her out of the daze she was in.

  "Oh, I brought your dress for tonight. Julian wants me to help get you ready."

  “What’s—hang on.” I reached back and shut the shower off, so I didn’t have to yell to be heard. “What’s tonight?”

  She grabbed one of the plush towels, and then held it over the shower door so I didn’t have to step out completely nude.

  "Thanks," I muttered, wrapping it around as me as fast as I could to cover the scars on my thighs.

  She continued to watch until I stopped and returned her stare. I hadn’t forgotten the way she smiled at me the night before.

 
; I may not have been the best judge of character, but something was off about this girl. It was almost as if she didn’t like me. I wondered if that had anything to do with my sister since she was wearing her necklace.

  I slipped out from the confines of the cubicle, looking her over a little more closely. “How long have you been at Dahlia?”

  “Long enough.” Her eyes narrowed when they landed on the evident handprints around my neck. It felt intrusive, like I was letting her see something more personal than my naked body.

  "So, can you tell me how this place works?" The last thing I wanted to do was discuss my dark kinks and what Julian did to me

  She made a low sound in her throat and started to walk towards the door. "Have you ever heard of a snuff film?"

  "I know they're not real."

  "The concept behind them is."

  I tightened my grip on the towel and stepped forward, moving away from the small puddle my wet hair had created.

  "And that concept is?

  "Some people are perverse and twisted enough to pay good money for illicit things."

  I thought back to the video and the man whose genitals were doused in sulfuric acid. Why would anyone want to watch something like that, willingly? Why did I?

  "How does he get away with this?"

  “He has his ways, they all do.” She grabbed a large garment bag from the back of the door, and then turned back towards me.

  “They?”

  She all but thrust the bag into my hands, her features pinched in what I could only assume was irritation. I wrapped my fingers around the metal hanger, taking note of how long it was. Curious, I lifted a bit of the covering to see what the thing looked like.

  "Is this supposed to be a wedding gown?" I didn’t wait for her response.

  My heart was seconds away from flopping out of my chest. I tore the covering away, revealing a lace-y white gown that was light, but embellished enough to look glamorous.