by Sam Crescent
“And we all know he’ll be upset that he couldn’t exploit that tiny little detail to get in with our fathers,” River said.
“Which brings us back to why you didn’t say anything or why you helped,” Vadik said.
This time, I remained silent. There was nothing for me to add.
She growled out her frustration. “Can’t you guys just accept that I’m nice?”
“We can accept it,” I said.
“But anyone else would have worked this in their corner,” Caleb said.
Emily laughed, but it wasn’t a natural sound. It was forced. She wasn’t the least bit happy. Couldn’t say I didn’t blame her. We were a force to be reckoned with. If we’d gotten the call from her father, none of us would have been interested. She’d be another girl in a long line of those trying to get ahead in this world.
She hadn’t acted like other women.
She’d saved me and hadn’t exploited my weak position. My father was already aware of the mistake I made and had arranged practice for me to learn from it. That, for me, meant I was going to get the shit kicked out of me until I learned not to turn my back on the enemy. Not bad, all things considered. He could have stabbed me and refused the doctor until he felt I was on death’s door, then tried to save me.
My father loved me. All of our fathers loved us. We were the heirs to the thrones. The ones who would take over and keep this place our kingdom. Weakness wouldn’t be accepted. At this point, I was the weakest link.
“Wow, so because I didn’t want my dad to use this as some kind of negotiation strategy, you’re here to make my life hell?”
“Not to make it hell. To make it better,” River said, smiling.
“You really don’t know what it’s like to be a girl in this day and age, do you? To be female in this world.” She stared down at her clothes. “Look at the way I’m dressed. You think this is how I want to look?”
She held on to her hair. “That I want my hair this long? Or how about my shoes?” She pointed her toe out. They were heeled shoes, designed to emphasize the woman’s calf. “I can’t have a boyfriend and don’t even get me started on my driver.”
The thing about being a Monster and the biggest shark in the sea was that we had a whole lot of spies in our corner. Loyalty meant a great deal to us, and there were many staff members willing to spill every single little detail of what went on inside each of the homes beneath us.
We were aware, as of today, of the random virgin tests she had to undergo.
“I don’t need or want you to make this better for me. Just accept what I did and move on. That’s all I ask.” She pushed past us and I watched her walk away.
After a couple of feet, she tripped but caught herself before she fell. She bent down, removed her shoes, and carried them the rest of the way back into her home.
“I had no idea her life was like this,” River said.
I couldn’t help but laugh. They all turned toward me as if I was crazy or something. They weren’t wrong.
“Come on, you guys seriously didn’t think her life sucked? Like mega-sucked?” I shook my head. “She’s right. None of us are chicks and the ones we do really know are the kind that don’t have to wait around.”
“It explains a lot,” Vadik said.
“Her dad’s a dick,” Caleb said. “I don’t like him and what’s more, I don’t think he’s on our side. The deal he had going down for Emily, that kind of transfer of cash, it needed to go through one of our fathers, and it didn’t. You all saw the way they looked when they discovered that detail. If Crane becomes a traitor, the entire family pays the price of his sins.” Caleb folded his arms across his chest.
I didn’t like doing our business here, but until our dads were done, we were staying here. We had started this, and now we were going to have to see it through.
“I want her,” I said, sliding my hands into my back pockets of my jeans. I was going to buy Emily a pair of jeans just to see a smile on her lips.
She never smiled. I realized that now.
“Listen up, shitface, we all want her,” River said. “That was the point of our declaration earlier.”
“She’s not going to come willingly,” Caleb said. “And if our dads agree to the marriage, she’s not ours to have.”
“No, but she’s ours to take and no one will back down once we take her. You heard the terms, Caleb. So long as she remains a virgin.”
“You want to fuck the good right out of her?” I asked.
All gazes turned toward me.
I shrugged. “I’m already on board. She saved me when she didn’t have to. You’ve got me down with this chick. I’m intrigued by her. It’ll be good to finish senior year with a blast.”
Before we had a chance to speak anymore, my dad came out, giving us the signal it was time to leave.
Heading back into the house, I saw Bernard Crane’s hands clench into fists, and his jaw tense, as he almost shook with rage. If he so much as laid a hand on Emily, I’d be the one coming for him. Her mother’s eyes were glazed and she held a glass of wine in her hand. She wouldn’t remember any of this.
After leaving the house, I climbed into my dad’s car.
“I want you to be careful, Gael,” he said.
“Emily isn’t a danger.”
“No, she’s not, but I don’t trust Bernard. I’m going to talk to the others. I don’t like this deal he has going on the side. I’ve already initiated an investigation into the kinds of deals Crane’s got going.”
“She saved my life, Dad,” I said.
“I’m not proud of that, son. I taught you better than that. If she hadn’t been there, or if she’d been a real threat, you’d be dead. I have no one to replace you. Do not make that mistake again, do you understand me?”
“Yes.”
We drove away from the house. The main driveway wasn’t big enough for all of our cars. It was rare for us to drive with our parents. In case anything went bad, we all normally drove separately.
Tonight was a strength in numbers, but I also knew it was a necessity. They had a loose cannon on their hands, and it was time to reel him in.
Glancing in the mirror, I looked back at the house. I spotted a curtain twitch, but I caught sight of her. Our woman was intrigued by us.
Didn’t she know that when we put our minds to something, we always get what we wanted? Right at the top of the menu was her.
I couldn’t wait for her to cave, for her to belong to us in every single way that mattered. My dick was already hard in anticipation.
Tonight had set about the groundwork. Now I just had to wait, and one day soon, I was going to get her alone.
By the time graduation came, she wasn’t going to be a virgin anymore.
Chapter Six
Emily
Tears filled my eyes as the pain from his grip intensified.
“I can’t hurt you. They’ve got you under their protection. You must think you’re so smart.”
Years of practice told me to keep my mouth shut, so I did. Staring into my father’s murderous eyes, I knew he wanted to kill me. To wrap his fingers around my neck and to squeeze the oxygen right out of me. What he didn’t seem to get was I wanted him to.
How fucked up was that?
If he killed me now, his life would be forfeit. Someone would know what he did, and he’d be the one running scared.
Instead, I stared right back at him, defying him. I’d always done this. Even as tears leaked from my eyes, the clear indication that my pain was at an almost intolerable level.
I counted in my head, wanting this to be over.
I’d begged before. He’d laughed at me, hurt me some more, and told me for every time I begged, he’d hurt me more. So, I never said a word. I kept my pain to myself.
“Dad,” Peter said.
“Fucking slut!” He raised his hand to hit me but the blow never came. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
His fing
ers were around my throat, cutting off my air supply.
“You fucking bitch!”
He was pulled away by Peter and I gasped for breath, hating that he’d been stopped.
Sitting back up, I stared at my dad. “Just do it,” I said. “Fucking kill me. Get it over with.” I didn’t know where these words were coming from, but the moment they started, I couldn’t stop. “I didn’t tell you because you didn’t have the right to know, and I still wouldn’t tell you. You’re weak and you would’ve used it against them. You’re not worth it.”
He raised his palm, ready to slap me, but I held firm. I wouldn’t let him see me flinch, not again.
“You better get the fuck out of my sight,” he said.
I got to my feet, but I didn’t run as I walked down the hall and went to my room.
I closed the door, flicking the lock into place. It wouldn’t save me, but for now, it offered me enough protection to believe I was safe for a short time at least.
After a quick shower and change, I dried my hair as the doorknob jiggled.
“It’s me,” Peter said.
There was no way I was going to open the door. My dad couldn’t hurt me at the Monsters’ request, but I was guessing they didn’t say anything about my brother. Knowing my dad, he would make sure there was a loophole.
“Are you okay?”
I didn’t answer.
“I know you don’t trust me, and I’m okay with that. You’ve been through a lot. I … killing someone, it’s not easy.”
I took a deep breath. He was wrong. I killed that man and felt nothing. No pain. No anger. I accepted what I’d done, and what was more, I was happy with it. Gael was still alive.
“If you ever need to talk about it, I’d be happy to be the one to help you. I know you’re a fighter, Emily.”
It sounded like he put his hand to the door, but I wasn’t stupid. That one action could be the difference between letting him know I was weak or staying strong. I opted for strong.
Hands clenched at my sides, I waited.
Nothing.
I took a deep breath, wanting this to be over.
“Goodnight.”
I listened to his footsteps and I collapsed to the bed. This wasn’t what I needed today. I touched my neck, feeling where my dad had held on to me, determined to make me pay for what I hadn’t really done.
Gael, Caleb, Vadik, and River, they’d been here, in my house. They were offering their protection. Why? I wasn’t born yesterday. I knew what it meant to be owned by them. Part of me was already owned by the Monsters, as my dad was a minion. It didn’t make any of this easier. In fact, it made it a whole lot harder.
Just as I was about to go to sleep, I heard a faint knock. Lifting up in bed, I looked toward my door, but there was no one there. No sign of someone waiting to hurt me. This was crazy, how I had to react in my own home.
Lying back down, I pulled the blankets up closer around me, desperate for sleep to take me away from this crazy day.
The knock happened again, only this time, more persistent.
I turned toward the window and was shocked to find Vadik outside my window.
I push the blankets off and rushed toward the window. “What the hell are you doing?” I asked, opening it wide enough for him to slide on through.
He didn’t answer right away, merely looked at me. I folded my arms and gave him a glare. He shouldn’t be in my room, so he really shouldn’t be judging my attire, but it appeared that was what he was doing.
“It’s not good for you to be here. I want you to leave,” I said.
“No, you don’t.” He turned away from me and looked around my bedroom.
My hands clenched into fists. “Excuse me?”
“If you want me to leave, that’s fine. But get this, I’m not leaving, at least, not yet.” He chuckled. “I’ve got to say I love this.” He moved toward the door, putting his back against it, and stared at my room. “You do this all the time, keep your guard up?”
I ignored him.
“You don’t have to answer. I’ve seen the way you are. At the cafeteria, in school. You rarely allow anyone the privilege of seeing your back. Is that why you walk so fast?”
“Why the sudden interest in me?” I asked. “You know my dad could come up at any minute.”
“I know.”
“I want you to leave.”
“Not happening.” He actually bent down and unlaced his boots.
“What the hell? What is … I don’t know what I’ve done to earn this kind of special treatment, and I don’t know if you can tell, I don’t want it.” I stepped toward him, but he’d already kicked them off. Next, his jacket, and then I was silent as he pulled off his shirt.
I stepped back.
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
Shaking my head, all I could think about were those damn doctor appointments. “If my dad finds you here…”
“He won’t. Believe me, he’s got a lot on his mind.”
“I don’t know why you’re here.”
“To hold you, that’s all.”
This was insane. “You can hold any other girl. Why me? Is it because I don’t fall at your feet, is that it? You want me to fold, to be yours? Is it because I saved Gael?”
“You think this has to do with you killing someone or because you’re not a slut like some girls?”
“Ugh, don’t do that. Don’t call girls that. They’re no different than you. I hate that.” My hands clenched into fists. I found the double standards between men and women so fucking stupid. Like they were perfect. Yeah, right. A woman goes around sleeping with random men, she’s a slut, a guy does it, he’s a stud.
Vadik held his hands up in the air. “Sorry, my bad.”
“I don’t find this funny.”
“Have you ever allowed yourself the chance to relax?” he asked.
There was no point in answering.
“I’m not going to try anything, but learn to trust me. You’ve been on your own for too long. I’m going to prove to you we’re not all bad.”
“Are you kidding me right now? The last guy I trusted turned against me.” He was my brother. He was the last person I’d given a shit about and look what happened there.
Vadik didn’t say anything. He stepped toward me.
I stayed firmly in place. There was no way I was going to be intimidated by his getting closer. My heart raced. The moment he was in front of me, he cupped my face.
“I think it’s time you learned to trust me, to trust us.”
“The Monster Boys?”
He smirked. “We’re more of a crew, don’t you think?”
“I don’t think about you.”
“Now you’re just breaking my heart.”
“So there is a heart to break inside your chest?”
“Baby, there is always a heart to break. I’m not a complete monster.”
He took hold of my hand, placing it directly over his chest. His heart beat firmly beneath my palm.
“Do you feel that? It means I’m alive. It means you’re not alone. You will never be alone. Not while I’m here. I will always come to you.”
“You don’t even know me.” There was no way I could trust this. I wasn’t stupid. This had to be some kind of trick.
“But I want to get to know you. Is that so hard for you to believe?”
The truth was yes.
For the past few years, I wasn’t the kind of person people noticed unless they wanted to hurt. In school, I kept a wide berth of friends. It was easier. In our world, betrayal ran deep. Loyalty was everything and yet so very rarely given.
I nodded my head.
I was tired and no longer wanted to argue. I pulled my hand away from his very firm, muscular chest. Hard not to notice with my hand flat against him.
After climbing into bed, I pulled the blankets up to my shoulders and turned off the light. I heard him moving around. His footfalls were light, though. Seconds later, he climbed in beside me.
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My bed was large, but he seemed to make it so much smaller.
I couldn’t help but smile, only to freeze up as he curved his body around mine. His pelvis and a very hard cock pressed against my back. I bolted upright, turned my light on, and glared.
“What the hell?”
“You say that a lot.”
“I didn’t … we’re not going to have sex.”
“Baby, I told you, you’re safe with me, but don’t think I’m not going to get turned on. I am.”
“Why?”
The smug smirk was back in place as he put a hand on my knee. “Would it be so hard for you to believe it’s because you’re fucking hot?”
“I don’t … huh?”
“Emily, you’ve got a body that I want naked, beneath me. I’m not going to force you though. You’ve made it perfectly clear you don’t want that, and I’m not into rape.”
“But you are into holding me, so Gael can lift my dress?”
“I’m into finding out all the answers to what makes you tick. It’s what I’m good at. You won’t like it, but the truth is I don’t give a flying fuck. I like you. This is me stating that to you.”
“Okay, you like me. I don’t know what that means because you know I can’t … we can’t…”
“Not yet, but it’s your life.”
“Don’t sound like an idiot, Vadik, it doesn’t suit you. None of this is my life. I don’t have a choice. My choices were wiped away the moment my mom gave birth to me in this shithole. You saw her. She’s as good as dead inside.” I stared down at his hand. He still touched me. “That will be me one day.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
I hated that tears filled my eyes. I didn’t allow them to fall as I gritted my teeth. “You need to learn not to give people false hope. It’s not very nice.”
With that, I pushed his hand off my thigh, turned off the light, and settled back into bed. Vadik wasn’t done.
His arm banded around my waist, and he got himself comfortable right against my back. At first, I was tense, but the truth was, it was the safest I’d felt in a really long time.