“I am your man.”
I start laughing. “So, you’re my boyfriend now? Sorry, I don’t remember you taking me out on any dates before asking me the question.”
Drake surprisingly smiles. “So you want me to ask you out on a date?”
I shake my head. “That’s not what I said. I’m trying to explain to you that you tell me I’m free for two years on one hand, but I’m not, am I? I’m already yours before I even turn eighteen. You treat me like your property.”
Drake sighs. “I don’t know how many times we’re going to go over this.”
“I’m never going to quit fighting you, Drake. Just you know that.”
Drake laughs sarcastically. “I already know how much of a stubborn little thing you are. You’re going to be quite a challenge, but I will look forward to breaking you.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll find out one day.”
I want to bite back. I want to scream and shout at the injustice of it all. Who does he think he is? “I should be able to choose how to live my own life.”
“Your life is with me. It’s as simple as that.”
“And in the meantime, you get to live yours, having sex with women while I sit at home, waiting until I turn eighteen. Is that it?” Drake smirks, and I know why. He knows I’m still fishing.
He doesn’t answer me. Instead, he chooses to turn his head toward the window, effectively cutting off our conversation.
Gritting my teeth, I sigh before looking out of the window myself. I hate that he winds me up so much that I bite. I hate that I always end up feeling that he wins every fight we have. He always ends up having the upper hand. He knows it, and he also knows that I know he knows it.
Another few minutes go by, and soon we’re pulling into my parents drive. Drake immediately gets out and proceeds to my side before opening my door. He offers me his hand, but I ignore it getting out. He just smirks at my stubbornness.
Once we reach my door, Drake pulls me to him and plants a kiss to my forehead. I close my eyes at his touch and again berate myself for doing so.
“Make sure you drink plenty of water before bed. You’ll most probably have a hangover tomorrow. I’ll call in the morning to make sure you’re okay.”
“Why does it bother you so much whether I’ll be hung-over tomorrow or not?”
Drake shakes his head. “You still don’t get it, do you? I care about you. I’ve invested too much not to care.”
I huff, getting angry. “Yeah, I must be a real disappointment to your wallet,” I reply sarcastically.
Drake smiles. “I wasn’t talking about money.” With that, he walks away, leaving me both angry, flustered, and bewildered at the same time.
I’m about to turn and go into my house when Drake calls me. I turn, and with a big smile, he says, “Just so you know, I’ve not touched a single woman since I met you.”
He immediately gets into the car, and I’m left standing completely dumbfounded by my door. He doesn’t drive away, and it’s only when the car slightly revs its engine that I realise Drake is waiting for me to get into the house before he leaves. He’ll never drive off until he knows I’m safely inside my house.
So, I turn, placing the key in the lock and walk into my house. As I quietly close the door and wander up the stairs towards my bedroom, I realise something that both annoys and confuses me.
I’m smiling.
Two Weeks until Eighteenth Birthday – Present Day
My parents are having another party tonight. They always seem to be having parties. I know I am a burden to them, but what they fail to realise is that if it wasn’t for me, they wouldn’t actually have the money to host all these lavish functions. Am I resentful? Of course I am. I should be treated like their daughter, not a valuable asset. I know they’ve already pre-booked their world cruise because I heard them gloating to one of the guests. They leave the day of my eighteenth birthday. They couldn’t even wait a day or two.
In the meantime, I’m supposed to smile, sit still, and look pretty. That’s my job. I do as I’m told, and I get to hear the odd conversation. Every now and then, they stare at me like I’m an object on display. I am to be silent unless spoken to. Sit unless asked to stand. That is my duty as the daughter of the infamous Montgomery’s. Apart from the odd leering from old men, the only person who acknowledges me—who ever acknowledges me—is Drake. It’s gotten to that stage where I look forward to when he comes, so I can at least have someone to talk to. Unfortunately, he’s not here yet, so I have to make do with sitting still and clamping my fingers together for support.
“Evelyn, meet Charles Bellingham. He’s the CEO for Channel Six.” My mother raises one tiny eyebrow at me like I should be impressed. I’m not impressed. Only my parents are impressed by this narcissistic show they like to put on every couple of weeks.
Putting on my best winning smile, I dutifully stand and hold my hand out to him. Already, he makes my skin crawl. His eyes are predatory and too big for his head. He’s bald, looks to be in his late forties, and has a slight beer belly.
“Evelyn,” he almost whispers, curving up one side of his mouth. I force down the urge to shudder when he takes my hand and kisses it. My hand instantly feels dirty.
“She’s almost finished school and wants to be a psychologist.”
“Really?” he asks, looking at me with a smirk. “Can you tell what’s on my mind right now?”
I almost screw my face up in disgust, but my mother’s cackling stops me. “Oh, Charles, you are such the outrageous flirt.”
I try taking my hand away from him, but he grips it tightly. “Well, I did try to woo you, but unfortunately, you are married to another.”
My mother blushes and cackles again. It’s only now I realise how much she sounds like a witch when she does it. “You are awful.” She lightly places her hand on his shoulder. “But, even though Evelyn is not married, she is promised to another.”
He raises his eyebrow. “Is that so? Who is the lucky young gentleman?”
I smile as my mother is about to answer, but she’s quickly thwarted by one of her tennis friends virtually screaming at her for attention. That’s another thing they love to do here. It’s almost like they have to talk over the other because each thinks his or her voice is more important than the other’s is.
“Excuse me?” my mother says, leaving to deal with her friend.
I think Charles will leave also, but he doesn’t. Instead, he still holds my hand and makes an obvious attempt at showing me just how much he admires the way I look. “How old are you?” He looks down at my breasts when he asks.
“Almost eighteen.”
He licks his greasy, slobbery lips. “Hmm. Just ripe for the taking.”
I pull my hand away from his grip. “Excuse me,” I say, gritting my teeth. This man is disgusting.
“Hold on a moment. I haven’t finished with you—”
“Charles, there you are,” a woman behind him says. I see the moment his eyes look irritated by this woman’s arrival. She lovingly places her small hand on his shoulder and looks at me. “Chatting up the young ladies again, I see.” She laughs, extending her hand. “I’m Leyla, Charles’ long-suffering wife.”
“I’m Evelyn. Nice to meet you.” I shake her hand, and she nods her head at me. She then turns to Charles. “Saul was hoping to have a small word with you about tomorrow. I said I’d come and find you.”
Charles sighs. “Okay, where is he?” His tone is anything but eager, but I don’t care. All of a sudden, the room feels claustrophobic, and I’m desperate to wash my hands.
Leyla points across the room. “He’s over there.” She places her hand on his back to motion him forward and turns to me. “Nice to meet you, Evangelica.”
“It’s Evelyn,” I say, but I know it falls on death ears. They’re already moving. I take my chance then and leave the room. I quickly head to the bathroom, wash my hands, and walk outside onto the patio for some fres
h air. The night is warm, but not sticky. It has a fresh, summery breeze in the air making it feel more comfortable. I take in a deep breath and close my eyes, listening for the sounds of distant crickets. As I stand by the patio doors, I look up toward the stars in the sky, and immediately, I wonder how Drake is doing.
“Do you like the stars?”
I look up to the sky and nod my head. “I do. I think they’re beautiful.”
“If I could, I would travel the stars in the sky and pick out the biggest, most beautiful star for you.”
A huge smile spreads on my face. “You would do that for me?”
I feel when his finger brushes my cheek and I like it. “I would do anything for you, Evelyn.”
I smile as I think about the memory from when I was thirteen. Drake was always so sweet and charming back then. How innocent his words of affection were when I was that age. I know differently now.
“I wondered where you had gotten to. I was hoping to finish our little conversation.”
Jumping, I turn to the source and find Charles standing way too close for my liking. He’s behind me, blowing his hot, vulgar breath on my neck.
“What is there to finish?” I try sounding as aloof as possible when in fact my heart is racing a million miles an hour. I thought things were bad when I was standing in a room packed full of people. But here, I’m alone. Alone and vulnerable.
“When your spotty little boyfriend fucks you, does he make you come? I would put money on the fact that he doesn’t. You should try a real man, sweetheart. Someone who’s been around long enough to know the game.”
This man is vile. How he could even think I would consider sleeping with him is beyond ridiculous.
It’s at times like these that I wish I’d brought my phone with me. At least then I could call Drake for help. It pisses me off that I only have him to help me, but I know for a fact he would be pissed at this guy for daring to speak to me like this.
“If you knew who my boyfriend is, you wouldn’t dare speak to me like this.”
He starts laughing and pulling my hair away from my neck. “I highly doubt that for a second.” He then places his mouth on my neck. When I struggle, he grips my arms. “Now, now, come on. This is the sort of thing that happens at parties. Whenever I have one, it’s a free-for-all.” He starts pulling me around to face him. “Now, turn around and kiss me like a good girl. The more you struggle, the more I’ll like it. Just a word of warning.” He growls in my ear, and it sets me off struggling more than ever.
“Get off me, you pervert.”
He places a hand around my mouth, but I bite him. He starts grunting in my ear. “You fucking little vixen.” His hand starts moving down towards my breast, so I struggle even harder.
“Let go of me!” I scream.
He starts to laugh again, but then I feel him being yanked off of me. Turning, I straighten myself out and look toward my saviour. It’s Drake. I can’t help the huge smile that spreads on my face at his presence. He’s not smiling, though. He’s absolutely livid as he holds Charles by the scruff of the neck.
“Meet my boyfriend,” I say to Charles. I watch as his eyes widen in fear as he looks at Drake. He starts to shake his head.
“If I had known, I would never have—”
Charles has no time to finish that sentence. All too soon, Drake is dragging him out into the garden before starting to punch him over and over again. I hear Charles sob and protest his innocence, but Drake isn’t listening.
“You ever go near my fucking girl again, I will not hesitate to cut your hands off. Do you hear me?”
“Yes!” he screams as Drake kicks him. “I promise I won’t even look at her. I swear I didn’t know. I’m sorry. So, so sorry.”
He looks up to where I’m standing, but he’s not looking at me. He’s looking past me at something or someone. “Get this fucking scumbag off the property before I kill him.” I feel someone brush past me and see it’s one of Drake’s men. He picks him up and starts dragging him around the side of the house. “If I ever see you within a five mile radius of this house, I won’t hesitate to end you. Do you hear me?!” he shouts.
“Yes,” Charles answers in an almost wail. The man looks pathetic as he hunches over, blood pouring onto his bright white shirt.
As Charles disappears, I turn my head towards Drake and admire the chest-heaving beast before me. His fists are clenched, and his jaw is tight. I can tell he’s livid. I can tell he’s nowhere near done. For some reason, looking at him right now has a fire raging. I want to run into his arms, straddle him, and kiss that anger out of him.
“Are you okay?” he asks me.
I nod my head, and with a breathless whisper, I answer, “Yes.”
He’s still standing there, and the urge to go to him is becoming unbearable. He won’t move, and I can guess the reason being is because he’s still so pent up with rage.
But, like always, I can’t help myself when I’m around him. More often than not, I want to run from him, but tonight is having the opposite effect. Tonight, I realise that Drake—as usual—is my saviour. Whether I like it or not, he’s always there for me, protecting me the only way he knows how.
So, my body does the thinking for me and moves, gliding towards him effortlessly. Once I reach him, I throw my arms around his waist. He’s unmoving at first, and I can feel the anger pouring off of him in waves. But when I snuggle my head into his chest, I feel him wrap his arms around me and kiss the top of my head.
Smiling, I look up to him and see the smirk he returns to me. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Thank you for rescuing me.”
He silently laughs under his breath. “Baby, you don’t realise this, but I’m protecting you all the time.”
I frown. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. It’s just the type of people your family associates with.” I watch as he looks towards the house in disgust, and for some reason, it has an effect on me that I can’t comprehend.
Biting my lip, I watch him staring out towards the house. Then, I get a whiff of his scent. I close my eyes and feel when an ache pulses through me. Suddenly, everything about Drake is heightened. The feel of him against me. The touch of his hands around my waist. The smell and look of him are driving me wild. His brown eyes are orbs of fire mesmerising me. I can’t seem to take much more.
Pulling his head down towards me, I capture his lips on mine. At first, he’s hesitant, but when I moan and slide my tongue into his mouth, he relents. I feel his body go limp against me as our mouths explore one another. Ever since that kiss at the cinema, I have been dreaming about kissing him again and again and again. He’s simply addictive.
As we carry on kissing, my desire spikes to new levels. I run my fingers through his hair and grab a fistful, pulling him into me. I hear when he moans against my lips, and something snaps inside of me.
Grabbing his hand, I pull it up towards my breast and try to wrap my leg around his waist. “Drake, please,” I beg. I long to be taken. Right now, in this moment, I want him to take me.
I force his hand onto my breast, and at first, he relents, squeezing me. “Take me,” I whisper against his lips. “Don’t wait two weeks. Take me now.”
Suddenly, he pushes me away and stands for a moment, panting. “Fuck me, woman. What’s wrong with you? You’re going to be the end of me.”
“I don’t want to be here. Take me home with you now.”
He looks me in the eye—all anger gone. Instead, all I can see is the look of pain which crosses his features. “You know I can’t do that.”
My anger quickly surfaces. “Oh, yes … of course. The contract.”
“Don’t say it like that.”
I frown at him. “How else can I say it? In what way could I possibly say it that makes it any less fucked up than it is? What about free will? What about the fact that since the age of sixteen, I have had the legal right to leave? Why is it that I can’t?”
“You can
’t leave until you’re eighteen. Then, you’ll be one hundred percent in my care. If I take you before that date, then the contract will be null and void.”
“I guess I will have to leave of my own volition then.”
Drake stalks towards me and grabs my chin, forcing me to look at him. Gone are the lust, hunger, and pain I saw earlier. He’s angry again, but this time, it’s aimed at me. “If you do that, I will hunt you down. There is no escaping me. I keep telling you that time and time again, and you never listen. You have your last exams next week. The week after that, you need to prepare. If you even dare disobey me, there will be consequences. I mean it, Evelyn. I don’t fuck about. Do I make myself clear?”
I snap my chin away from him and pull away completely. “Crystal.” I hate him when he gets like this. One minute, I can’t keep my hands away from him, and the next, he says or does something that reminds me of our situation, and it really pisses me off.
“Are you okay?”
Snapping my head back to him, I scowl. “What?”
“That fuckwit, Charles. Did he do anything?”
I sigh, my anger fading once again. “No. You arrived just in the nick of time.”
“What did he say to you?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think you really want to—”
“What did he say to you?”
“Back in the living room, my mother told him I was taken. He asked who, but my mother was interrupted. Soon after, so was he. I left the room to wash my hands and came out here for some fresh air. He must have noticed that I had left and followed me here. He told me that he bet my spotty teenager couldn’t make me come. That’s when he started kissing my neck.”
His jaw started ticking again. “If you had told him who your boyfriend is, it would have ended then and there.”
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t have time tell him anything during his groping and slobbery kisses.” I raise my voice to him, and he comes towards me.
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