by Caitlyn Dare
"Why? Do we leave all that to him?" I spit.
"He's in charge. We do as he says."
"He's a fucking power-hungry cunt."
Channing shrugs but neither affirms nor denies my statement.
"Alex, let's go." I storm over to where he's still fucking the whore and physically drag him off of her before gathering up his clothes and pushing him out of the room, much to his disapproval if his slurred diatribe is anything to go by.
My eyes lock on the staircase, and I wonder if that's where Mia has fled to, or if she was sensible and left the building. I know what I'd do if I were her. It's exactly what I want to do now: run and never return. But we both know we can't.
“Put some fucking clothes on, or I'm taking you back like that," I warn Alex, who thankfully has come to some kind of sense and, after stumbling around and using the wall for support, finally drags his pants up his legs.
"Let's go. You need to sleep that shit off."
Unsurprisingly, Alex passed out on the drive back to campus, and I didn't have the energy to find his key and dump him in his own room so I took him back to mine and threw him into my bed.
I already knew I wouldn't be making use of it. I was wired and had too many thoughts and concerns spinning around in my head to fall asleep.
After showering, I wrapped up my wrists and pulled on a clean pair of sweats and a shirt before slumping in my desk chair to torture myself with the events of the night.
I must have managed to drift off at some point, because a voice startles me and I sit bolt upright on the chair, having had my head resting on my arms on the desk.
"Where the fuck—Bex?"
I glance over at my disorientated friend. If the situation weren't so dire, I might laugh at the look on his face. But as it is, I can't find the humor in any of it.
"Morning. How good is your memory?"
"I remember the food, it tasted like shit. And then… then nothing…"
"Jesus fucking Christ." I scrub my hand down my face, already dreading having to repeat the details.
He's going to be fucking mortified.
20
Mia
“Hey, how are you feeling?” Sasha hovers over me with a mug of coffee. “Thought you might need this.”
It’s the morning after the night before, and I still feel sick.
A deep shudder rolls through me as I sit up and accept the mug from her. “Thanks.”
“Did you manage to get any sleep?”
“Surprisingly, yes.”
“It was probably the G.” She gives me a bitter smile. “I’m so sorry I didn’t give you a heads up, but I thought—"
“It doesn’t matter.” Cade would have embarrassed me either way. He would have spiked my drink and teased me in front of Bexley… just because he can.
“I still can’t believe he did that.”
“It’s all a game, Mia. I keep trying to tell you that. Cade is… well, he’s unstable.”
“Why do you all follow him so blindly?”
“It’s not like we really have a choice.” She shrugs, picking lint off her bed covers.
After fleeing the party, I’d run straight to Sasha’s room. I didn’t want to be in this godforsaken house, but I was confused and upset. Sasha welcomed me into her room as if she’d been waiting for me.
I slept here, curled up beside her.
The shame I felt last night has turned into something else this morning.
“We’re Quinctus heirs, Mia. It’s not something you just get to deny or walk away from. The first-born son of an heir must complete their Initium and eventually take their rightful place in Gravestone. It’s the foundation of this place.”
“And you?”
It’s different for Sasha; she isn’t a male heir. “I’ll be married off to spend my days breeding new heirs.” There’s a wry tone to her voice, but I know there’s an element of truth in her words.
“But it’s so—"
“Unfair? Life isn’t fair, Mia. Gravestone is one of the richest towns in the US. That kind of accolade isn’t earned just off of hard work and luck. It’s built into the fabric of the town. Nothing comes for free in this life… not a single thing. You’d be surprised what men are prepared to do for money and power.”
“W-what do you mean?” I place my mug down, my stomach too unsettled for strong coffee.
Sasha hesitates, probably unsure whether I’m to be privy to their insider secrets. But I’m Cade’s prosapia. I deserve to know this stuff—I need to know.
“It’s okay,” I say. “You can tell me. I won’t tell anyone.”
“This is so weird,” she laughs, but it comes out all wrong. “I’ve never had a girl friend to share this stuff with.”
Her words give me some comfort. Sasha might not always be able to warn me about Cade’s devious plans, but she’s a pawn like me, shackled to a life she seems to want no part of.
I wait, giving her the time and space she needs to reconcile things. Sasha wants to let me in; I see it in the small looks she gives me when we’re with the guys, silent shows of support and reassurance or discreet warnings when I’m overstepping the line or about to be blindsided.
“Gravestone isn’t as small-town as everyone thinks, Mia,” she says cryptically.
I want to ask what she means, but there’s a knock at the door.
“Sis, you awake?”
“Go away, Brandon.”
The door cracks open and his face appears. “Oh, hey, Mia. Does Cade know you’re still here?”
“Brandon!” Sasha shrieks. “Go away.”
“Geez, relax.” He slips into her room and closes the door. “If you must know, I came to make sure you’re alright after last night.”
“Like you care.”
I avert my eyes, hardly able to look at him after what happened. I saw him with Ashton and those girls… and he saw me with Cade… Oh God, how embarrassing.
“Just because you’re not looking at me, doesn’t mean I can’t see you, Mia.” There’s a hint of humor in his voice, but he also sounds apologetic.
Slowly, I lift my eyes to meet his gaze. “Hey.”
“Don’t cower,” he says. “Not for me, not for Cade. Not for anyone.”
“I—“
“Brandon, just go,” Sasha rushes out. “We’re fine. I’m fine. Just go, please.”
Something passes between them, but eventually he concedes. “Yeah, okay. You two should think about staying in here this morning. I’ll have Mulligan bring you some breakfast up.”
“Mulligan?” I ask the second Brandon leaves.
“Yeah, the cook. He makes a mean omelet.”
“What did Brandon mean, we should stay in here?”
“It means their sluts have overstayed their welcome.”
“Oh.” I frown. “Did Cade—"
“Probably. I don’t need to tell you this, Mia, but Cade isn’t a good guy.” She keeps her voice low. “He takes what he wants, when he wants. But he can’t have you, not yet. Because there are some rules not even the mighty Cade Kingsley can disobey.”
“I hate this,” I admit, feeling a lick of vulnerability inside me.
“Yeah.” Sasha reaches for my hand and squeezes it gently. “So do I.”
“We could run away.” The words just spill off my tongue.
“Even if we did, they’d find us, Mia. You can’t hide from Quinctus or the Electi for very long.”
“But Hadley Rexford got out.” She was Alex’s half-sister and she’d just upped and disappeared.
“That’s different.” A strange expression passes over Sasha’s face.
“Different how?”
“I… uh… we’re not supposed to—"
“Sasha, you’re going to have to trust me eventually. I’m here, aren’t I?”
“She fell in love with the wrong guy,” she whispers, glancing at the door as if she expects someone to burst in at any moment.
“That doesn’t seem so scandalous.”
&n
bsp; “It is when the guy you love is an Electi three years your senior and promised to someone else.”
“Oh my God, who was it?”
“Tim.”
“Tim?” I clap my hand over my mouth, surprised at my outburst. “Sorry. But he’s engaged to Fawn and they seem so… together.”
She avoids the Electi like the plague, but whenever I catch glimpses of her and Tim together around campus, you can see how smitten they are.
“It was before he was officially with Fawn, but Tim’s old man brokered that arrangement when Tim and Fawn were just kids. Her dad is the district attorney.”
My eyes widen. “Hal Bailey?”
Sasha nods. “Anyway, when they found out about Hadley, Q went into meltdown about it.”
I frown and she adds, “Female heirs shacking up with male heirs is a big no-no.” Sasha stares off into space, and I can’t help but wonder if it has something to do with the weird tension I’ve picked up on between her and Channing.
“You know,” I say, testing the waters, “now Alex is initium, he’ll be the rightful Rexford heir. Which means Channing will be—"
“Don’t, okay?” She gives me a sad smile. “It isn’t that simple.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Upset me?” She scoffs. “There’s no room for tears in this world, Mia. If you want my advice, wrap your heart in thorns and sharpen your claws, because in a place like Gravestone, it’s a game of survival for girls like us.”
Sasha excuses herself to take a shower, leaving me with my thoughts.
Everything is such a mess. The Electi are lawless in the way that only young men with too much money and power can be. Cade assaulted me last night, spiked my drink and touched me without my consent because everything is a game to him. And me and Bexley… we’re pitted on different teams.
God, Bexley.
I’ve tried not to let my thoughts wander to him since I woke up with a feeling of dread deep in my stomach.
He resisted that half-naked girl. He sat there, stoic and unwavering, as he watched Cade make me come. Not once did he look away. I don’t know whether he knows it, but his resolve gave me strength. It fueled the fire in my stomach.
The fire that still burns.
But I need time to regroup, to figure out what the hell I’m going to do, because if last night proved anything, it’s that Cade is a cruel bastard.
And things are only going to get worse.
I don’t go to classes. After getting a ride back to campus with Sasha, I make my excuses and hurry back to my dorm room.
I need time to think. Time to process everything that’s happened over the last few days.
The guys had already left by the time we surfaced this morning. Someone—I assume it was Brandon or Channing—had texted Sasha to let her know the coast was clear. Whomever it was, I was grateful to them.
Facing Brandon had been mortifying enough, but facing all of them over breakfast… yeah, no thanks.
I spend the day binge-watching The Vampire Diaries, wishing I was more like Rebekah Mikaelson. She wouldn’t stand for Cade’s bullshit, for his demeaning, cruel, chauvinistic ways.
But the bottom line is, I don’t know what to do. My mother sees being Cade’s prosapia as a gift, something to be cherished. She truly believes it’s my birthright. And my father wouldn’t dare to go against Quinctus. They’re too brainwashed by Gravestone’s history and traditions.
No one would believe me if I tried to accuse Cade of assault. He’s Cade freaking Kingsley. Besides, Police Commissioner Walters is Phillip Cargill’s best friend. The police department protects the town’s most sacred secrets.
I’d never really given it much thought, but after my conversation with Sasha, I can’t help but wonder just how corrupt the town’s roots are. What was it that Sasha had said? ‘Gravestone isn’t as small-town as everyone thinks.’
Ugh. I grab a pillow and press it against my face, screaming with frustration. I hate this. I hate Cade and all the secrets and lies and traditions.
The ping of my cell finally makes me leave my soft, feathery sanctuary, and I read the message.
Sasha: Are you okay?
Me: I’m fine, just needed some space.
Sasha: I get that. Do what you need to do but then strap on your big girl panties. The guys are busy tonight, and I’m surplus to requirements if you want to hang?
Me: Maybe. I’ll let you know.
Sasha doesn’t reply. I like that about her. She doesn’t push, but she’s honest in a way girls like Annabel wouldn’t be. I guess that comes from being on the inside.
I grab a handful of candy and stuff it into my mouth. As the hours pass, the hazy memories of last night become even more distorted. But I could still remember how turned on I’d been by it all. It was the drugs, whatever aphrodisiac Cade had pumping into the air and added to our drinks, but it felt real.
My skin grows warm as I remember watching the girl moan and writhe against Ashton as he touched her. It’s so fucking messed up, but I can’t stop myself, walking my fingers down my stomach.
I’d wanted it to be Bexley… when Cade had started touching me, I’d imagined it was him.
I press my thighs together, trying to tamp down the confusing sensations rushing through me.
I hate Cade. I do. But my body betrayed me last night.
Leaping off the bed, I hurry into the bathroom and splash my face with cold water.
“What the hell am I doing?” I mutter to myself, frustration bleeding from my words.
I feel like I’m losing my damn mind, all thanks to a guy who wants to hurt me and a guy who wants to hate me.
Just then, a knock at the door startles me. I didn’t text Sasha back about hanging out, but maybe she decided to take matters into her own hands.
When I yank open the door, though, all air leaves my lungs. Because it isn’t Sasha at all.
It’s someone much, much worse.
21
Bexley
The last thing I wanted to do today was go to class and risk seeing that motherfucker’s face. But I knew I didn't have a choice.
Skipping would make it look like I was running away. Hiding. And like fuck is that happening.
Plus, I needed to see Mia. I needed to know she was okay after last night. I needed to ensure he didn't go after her once we'd left and done… I shudder at the thought of him touching her again.
She might have enjoyed it, he might have tipped her over the edge, but it wasn't welcome. And it certainly wasn't welcome while I was witnessing it.
Anger swirls around me like a vortex as memories from last night flash through my mind.
After sending Alex back to his dorm to continue sleeping off his hangover and dying in his own mortification, I reluctantly grabbed my books and headed to class.
But Mia never showed.
They did. The King and his fucking sheep.
Thankfully they didn't talk to me. The closest we got was Ashton shouting some suggestive comments about the night before, but I walked straight past them with my head held high and my shoulders squared. It'll take more than his big fucking mouth for me to show any shame about what went down.
I was challenged to abstain, and I passed with flying colors, so they can fuck right off.
They don't need to know how it damn near killed me to watch Cade with Mia like that. I lock the feelings down and fix my mask into place.
By the time my last class of the day lets out—a class she should have been in—I'm more concerned than I want to admit.
What if they spiked her and something happened? What if he hurt her? He's sure fucking capable.
Instead of heading for my dorm building, I head in the opposite direction across campus toward where I hope she's hiding.
Thankfully, her dorm is empty when I walk through the communal area. The last thing I need is to be seen here. I have no idea who her dorm mates are or if any of them are in the Electi's back pockets. I've been lucky so fa
r, being able to slip in unnoticed, but I know my luck is going to run out at some point.
Sucking in a breath in the hope it'll tamper down all the emotions that are raging inside me, I lift my hand to knock, but my cell buzzes in my pocket.
Pulling it out quickly in case it's Alex, I stare down at the name, and the anger I was trying to cool surges back full force at the sight of my mom's name.
My entire body tenses, and my lips curl in disgust. I've refused to talk to her since she confessed that the man I've called Dad my entire life isn't actually the man who had a hand in making me.
Shoving it deep inside my pocket and locking any thoughts out of my head, I focus on the task at hand.
Finally, I rap my knuckles against her door and listen to her light footsteps as they head my way. My heart pounds as the handle twists and a sliver of her room becomes visible in the gap.
The second she reveals herself, my fists curl at my sides.
She looks perfect, beautiful, and I've spent all day fucking worrying about her.
Mia gasps in shock as she averts her eyes.
"Too late to be embarrassed, little mouse,” I say.
Without waiting for her to invite me in, I step into her room, forcing her to back up if she doesn't want to collide with me. The door swings closed behind me, and the force of the slam makes the floor beneath us vibrate.
"B-Bexley?" she whispers, making my body burn red hot with anger.
Reaching out, I take her chin between my fingers and push her back until she bumps up against the wall.
"How could you?" I growl. "How could you let him fucking do that?" I lean right into her, our noses almost brushing.
Her lips tremble and her eyes fill with tears, but neither are enough to bring me down off the ledge. Every time I so much as blink, all I can see is him with his hands on her.
"You think… you think I l-let him?" she whispers.
"Well, you didn't fucking stop him. I know that for a fact."