“You’re leaving now?” David asked.
He looked worried, and I wanted to know why. Michael, Adam, and Julian all stood up with me. Adam grabbed the set of keys that I had accidentally left sitting on the table.
“Yeah, thanks for, uh…” I stopped talking.
I couldn’t bring myself to thank them for anything, especially not my father.
“But we haven’t had dessert yet,” David said as he stood up as well and pulled out his hands toward us. “Just wait one second; I’ll be right back with it. I made it myself just for tonight.”
The growing feeling of weirdness and unease was suffocating.
“Well, I’m glad we at least had this night to talk,” my father said.
He didn’t get up from the table, though. He knew that nothing he said would make me want to stay even a single moment longer.
I turned to walk away from the table with all the guys standing and ready to follow me out. David suddenly rushed back into the room with a platter in his hand and a chocolate cake sitting on the top. The cake literally looked as if it had been smooshed together by hand. It was a dark and muddy looking glob, carefully placed in the center of the platter alongside a large cake knife. As soon it registered in my head that there were no plates and no forks, it was too late.
David set the platter down on the table, grabbed the knife in his hand, and before any of us knew what was happening, he sliced my father’s throat open.
David stood there, holding my father’s head up with his fist wrapped around a handful of his hair, and watching the blood spew out of his neck onto the cake in front of him.
“Fuck!” Adam said as he grabbed me, and the three of them tried to get me out of the room as fast as possible.
We didn’t even make it to the door before an entire crowd of men blocked our way. Michael spun around on his heels and shouted at David.
“What the hell is this?” He yelled. “What are you doing?”
David looked perfectly calm, and his face looked utterly empty as he looked over at us.
“This is my birthright,” he said. “This man, my father, stole many things from me. He stole a mother that I never knew, and a woman that I thought of as a mother. He stole what was supposed to be rightfully mine, and any chance I had of knowing my sister that I thought was only a random childhood memory. I can’t have any of those things now. But I can have this school, and all the power and money that should have been given to me.”
I looked down at the folder in my hand.
“Here,” I shouted as I tossed it onto the table. “Take it, it’s yours. I don’t want it. You can have all of it and do what you want with it.”
Adam followed my lead and dropped the keys back onto the table too.
“Now let us go,” Michael said.
David blinked. “I can’t do that.”
The men standing at the doorway all pushed their way through and started to surround us. Michael and Adam and Julian were good fighters, but there were at least forty guys here. There was no way we could take them all.
“I don’t understand,” I said to David. “What is it that you want with us?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” David said plainly.
I screamed as the men started to grab each of us. The guys tried to fight them off and managed to get a few hits in, but it was only a matter of moments before they had each of us down on our knees on the floor with our arms behind our backs. When they pulled us to our feet, I saw them drag Michael away first, and then Julian, and lastly Adam. I tried to push toward him and tried to bury my head against him, but it was no use. I cried as we all got separated and the last thing that I saw before everything went dark was the image of my dying father in David’s hands.
When I woke up, everything was dark, and I didn’t know where I was. But somehow, it felt strangely familiar. My head was throbbing as if I’d been hit with something blunt and heavy, and I struggled to try to see something, anything, in the dark. I felt around me and immediately recognized where I was; it was the stone room. My hands felt more than just the stone floor and walls this time, though. I ran my fingers across the bodies that were slumped next to me and laying on the floor in front of me. All three of the guys were in here with me too. I reached for their faces and listened to make sure they were alive.
“Lisette?” Michael asked.
“Yes! I’m here, oh thank god you’re okay,” I cried.
“I’m okay,” he said. “How about the others, are they ok?”
I felt both Julian and Adam move next to me. “They’re okay too.”
“Where are we?” Julian asked.
“I know exactly where we are,” Adam said. “This is the place you told me about, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” I said, feeling too scared to be guilty about what happened in here with Michael.
“How do we get out of here?” he asked.
“We can’t.” Michael answered him. “The only way out is with the key that none of us currently have.”
“Why would he do this?” I cried. “Why are we here?”
I felt all three of the guys wrap their arms around me. Their hands overlapped, and I felt myself sink into their chests and tried only to focus on the sound of their heartbeats surrounding me.
“I don’t know,” Michael said as he gently kissed my cheek. “But we’re going to find out.”
And even in the darkest pits of desolation and despair, I trusted him. I trusted all of them.
I loved all of them, fully and completely.
And I hoped we all got out alive so I could spend the rest of my life showing them exactly that.
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Free Preview - Ruthless Saints
Ruthless Saints
Chapter One
BROOKLYN
Damn, damn, damn.
I ran down the stairs, yanking on my coat as I went. I was late again, and the Carlisle Manor was not a forgiving household when it came to tardiness. When I got to my car, I prayed a thousand times it would start on the first try—at least just this once. Shoving the key into the ignition, I held my breath, smiling in relief as my beat-up little Civic roared to life right away. I quickly peeled out of the driveway, knowing that if I could hit every light just right, I had a slim chance of being on time—maybe.
The looming clouds overhead boasted of a storm approaching. A dark storm, swallowing up everything in its path. It reminded me of the Carlisle Family and their fortunes and fames. It reminded me of the rich elite I tailored myself to for my job just to put myself through school. It reminded me of the wasteful byproducts of their parties I swept up after, and the women they trolloped through the house at all hours just to simply shove the scantily-clad women out the door before someone caught them. Not that they’d get into any real trouble. Oh, no. Their money saved them from things like that.
But apparently, the gods were in a forgiving mood, because I sailed through town effortlessly. Which meant less forethought was given to the work I was about to do just to earn myself a bit of cash. I knew the world wouldn’t stay kind to me, though. And when I hit the front entrance of the sprawling estate, the ‘luck’ I was all too familiar with in my life reared its head again.
Blocking the gate was a sideways-parked Ferrari, white smoke choking out of the back exhaust. A group of people, too well-dressed to even consider walking the five-hundred feet of concrete to the front door, milled aimlessly around the gate. I pulled up behind the overpriced piece of metal and leaned out the window. The only thing I cared about was trying to gauge if I could slip my car between its bumper and the iron bars. The thick smoke made it hard to see clearly, but I had a feeling I could do it.
It would definitely be close, though.
�
�Ew, Jude. Who’s driving up in a Honda?” A snotty voice that I knew all too well groaned from just beyond my window. Her golden blonde head peered through my windshield, trying to figure out who could possibly be behind the wheel of this car and headed into that house.
Not like I needed the reminder.
The vast dissimilarity between my life and theirs was wider than the distance between here and Mars. My only consolation was that I could take refuge in knowing I was not infinitely alone in my situation. Most of the world were mere paupers compared to the upper echelon of the wealthy elite. And when I say ‘wealthy elite,’ I’m not talking about pro football player money or entertainment money. I’m not talking about ten-million dollar contracts a year and owning a first vacation home down in Florida. I’m not even talking about famous actors and actresses that can afford to preach about climate change before dipping in and out of press conferences in their private, gas-guzzling jets!
No, I’m talking about them.
The ‘one-percenters’ whose family wealth started in the early days of America’s creation. The people whose net worth isn’t only derived from the land they own and the money they have in the bank, but how much of the world they possess at their fingertips. I’m talking about the top of the one percent. The people who threw their money around in politics to keep their position in life. The people who can’t flood the stock market with their money all at once for fear of crashing the rest of us into oblivion. I’m talking about the kind of wealth that makes The Queen of England look like a woman that might reside in a two bedroom, one bathroom apartment. That’s the kind of wealth I’m talking about. And it was gathered right outside this stupid gate.
Which brings me to the ‘king of heirs’ standing before me—Jude Carlisle.
Jude was… hard to explain. The man himself was a conundrum of frustratingly sexy with a huge dose of entitled jerk. Unfortunately, he was also the most attractive guy I had ever seen. Tall, ripped, with black curling hair that fell across his forehead and over his ears, he had the tan of someone who never sat inside for very long. He had no idea who I was, but I had worked for his family for a long time, and anytime he was near enough, it was his dark eyes that caught me. His brooding look and laid-back persona told the world he didn't give a fuck, but those eyes said something different. To me, it seemed like he was always watching… and always ready.
Ready for what? I didn't know.
This time though, he didn’t even look at me; instead, he flicked a dismissive glance at my car before turning back to the gate. “Just the help,” he said. “Yo, Manuel, you getting this figured out or what?”
This was directed to the poor security guard, who stood sweating outside the entry house, probably trying to both get the car towed and organize a ride for the group up to the house. I looked at the clock. Crap. My shift started two minutes ago. I sighed and leaned forward.
Nothing to it but to do it.
I eased my car slowly past the poor, wounded Ferrari, watching out for the feet of the people loitering at the gate. At one point, I sucked in my breath, absolutely positive I was going to scrape the side of the car that cost more than any home I had ever lived in. But thankfully, I squeezed by. I did it. I got past the loitering million-dollar madness without so much as a hiccup. Now, all I had to do was throttle it up the hill, park my car in the shadows, and throw myself through the front door with as much fervor as they used kicking women out. Easy enough, right? Wrong. Because just as I hit the gas to cruise up to the employee lot, a loud smack sounded, sending me almost completely out of my seat.
I whipped around to see the smirking face of Jude.
“Better leave more room next time, Dollface. Wouldn’t want to be responsible for ruining anyone’s car here, would you? Might not be the kind of problem you can get out of.”
I turned quickly before he could see the murderous rage in my eyes and took off, waiting to press a hand to my chest until I was out of sight.
What a prick.
By the time I was parked in the employee lot and made it to the kitchen, I was a solid ten minutes late, and my boss was waiting by the door. I avoided her eyes as I pulled on my apron and stuffed my hair into my Carlisle-approved cap.
“I know I’m late, ma’am, but Jude’s car was blocking the gate and—”
“I don’t particularly care to hear your excuses.”
Mrs. Janey Carlisle never budged an inch. She had more iron than calcium in her bones, and at five-eleven, she cut an impressive figure—her steel gray hair knotted tightly at the nape of her neck. Her long legs boasting of the years she spent in servitude to someone else. Her eyes, piercing and unforgiving.
Her penchant for perfectly-creased pantsuits only added to the overall effect
She sighed. “I’m going to have to dock your pay.”
“But the gate—”
She leveled me with a look. “When will you learn that the only reason you’re tardy is due to your own poor planning? You have no one to blame but yourself for being late. Now, go. You’ve missed enough of your shift already.” With that, she turned sharply on one heel and left the kitchen.
I suppressed a grumble as I opened the dishwasher and began to put away the clean dishes. The Carlisle Manor had dozens of low-level employees like me, a number of higher-level employees, such as assistants, chefs, and personal trainers. Plus, there were always guests milling around, enjoying the estate or gawking at the artwork on the walls. You could never be sure you wouldn’t be overheard, and Mrs. Carlisle did not stand for gossipy or whiny employees.
My job at the manor was pretty straightforward. I was part housekeeper and maid, responsible for any little tasks that came up throughout the day. In a home with this many bedrooms and bathrooms, the upkeep was an enormous task. The job didn’t pay all that well, and of course, there were no benefits, but it paid the rent, and even better, there was one advantage that made all the bullshit worth it.
And I kept a picturesque reminder of it taped on my bathroom mirror for me to see every morning.
I always saved the best part of my job for last. After making the beds up for guests arriving today, scrubbing toilets, sweeping, and dusting, I was ready. I pushed open the back door and was hit by the sweetest scent of jasmine, honeysuckle, and freshly cut grass. I took a deep breath and wondered if I would ever get sick of this feeling. Walking out to the shed to grab my tools, I decided I probably wouldn’t.
Here I come, you beautiful garden.
At the shed, I clipped on my tool belt and checked the list left for me by the head groundskeeper. Pruning, weeding, and harvesting, the perfect way to end a day’s work. I was a journalist, and one day I’d graduate and leave this snobby little rich town behind to go work for one of the top newspapers in the country. But, I also loved to garden. I loved tilling the land with my hands and watching my creations grow. I loved planting and eagerly watching every morning as their greenery slowly poked up from the dirt. And one day, after I purchased a reliable mode of transportation and established myself enough to purchase my own place, I’d have my own garden. I’d live off my own land as much as possible. And I’d be rid of the Carlisle Family for good.
Digging my hands into fresh-tilled soil, getting out in the sun after a long day of classes, and working for my incredibly spoiled classmates, there was no better medication.
I had been a student at Bryers University for two years. Two full years of walking the ivy-shrouded campus on charming cobblestone paths, of award-winning professors, gourmet café meals… and of being surrounded by absolute idiots. My classmates were a spoiled group of narcissistic, entitled douchebags used to having everything they ever wanted, not only on a silver platter, but a silver platter being presented to them by a white-gloved butler.
That’s not to say they were all bad. I had found one decent, reasonably human student on the campus that was often used to film blockbuster hits. My best friend, Tae Hawthorne, was--it had to be said--entitled, rich, and even spoiled. But she
was also funny, supportive, and kind. Other than Tae, this was a school chock-full of people who made me feel like stabbing myself in the eye within ten minutes of being together.
It probably doesn’t have to be said at this point that I didn’t quite fit in here. An outreach-student, I had been accepted into Bryers on a journalism scholarship. Between that and my need-based aid, I would be able to walk away debt-free from one of America’s most prestigious universities—home of alumni that went on to be NFL players, supreme court judges, and senators. Without my scholarships, no way would I have been able to go to any college, much less one of this stature. But I would be lying if I said that I never wondered if all the accompanying bullshit was really worth it.
So, I worked harder than anyone around me. I had a 4.0 grade point average while maintaining a full-time job at the Carlisle Manor, where I got an up-close-and-personal look at the many privileges afforded to my classmates, although it may be an unfair example.
After all, The Carlisle’s even made God Himself look lesser.
They were one of the most affluent families on campus, as evidenced by Carlisle Hall, the Carlisle Library, and the Carlisle Rec Center. Congresswoman Carlisle was the star of our little affluent town of Hampshire, where I’d been born and raised. Steadfastly conservative and hailing from a long line of high-class elite, the Carlisle name held a huge amount of influence here. All I could do was ride their coattails on my meager salary and Carlisle scholarship—you see what I mean when I say this family runs this town?—and keep my head down until I graduated and sailed out of this town forever.
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