The Unfortunates (Unfortunate #1)

by Skyla Madi

  “He’s a little caught up,” I tell her. “I’ll let him know you’re upset when he comes inside.” I can’t help it. I say it with a curve in my lips. My gaze flicks to Kathryn, who lowers herself into her chair and quickly brings her wine glass to her mouth to hide a rapidly growing smile. I feel a nervous giggle bubbling in my chest. I purse my lips together to stop it. When I look back to Elizabeth, the urge to laugh fades along with the curve on my lips. She has her own smile, one that sends regret hurtling through my chest.

  “I’m not allowed to toy with you, but Kade never said anything about making someone else toy with you.” She leans forward, resting her elbows on the table. “River!” she calls and I frown. Oookay…

  An arm brushes against mine and I startle, moving to the side.

  “Yes, Miss Elizabeth.”

  I peer sideways at the boy.

  “This is my Unfortunate. River.”

  I take in his golden skin, bright green eyes and unkempt, jet black hair. I guess all Fortunates make sure their personal slave is well taken care of. Not one bruise, scratch, or scar paints his flawless skin. I survey more of him, taking note of his fingers that twitch nervously around a small tray of drinks. He’s tall, much taller than me, and lean, too. Decent ropes of muscle can be seen as they make up his thick arms. He’s very masculine, but what kind of name is River? Why would she choose that for someone like him? He’d suit something a little more… tough. Like Blake or Tony. Then, her words float back to me; ‘this is my Unfortunate’ This is her Unfortunate? Doesn’t he make Kade jealous, like I make her jealous?

  “Now that she’s met your Unfortunate, let the girl go to bed,” Kathryn interrupts. “Master Kade will be furious if she’s not where he told her to be.”

  “All in due time, Kathryn. First, we’re going to have a little fun.”

  Fun? Fear awakens in painful spikes all through my body.

  “You know what River likes to do? He likes to kiss.”

  I clench my jaw imperceptibly and beside me, I hear River swallow.

  “Why don’t you show her?”

  “This is ridiculous,” Kathryn protests and I’m right on her heels.

  “You can’t make me kiss him.” I peer over Elizabeth’s shoulder and see Kade talking to a larger man at a single table. They’re engaged in a serious conversation—too serious to notice the events that are unfolding not far from them. I desperately will for his eyes to find me, to see me. Only he can stop this from happening. If I act out right now, these Fortunates can create any story to get me killed and it won’t take long for a moderator to be convinced. I wouldn’t put it past Elizabeth. She’s probably looking for a reason to end me. She’s consumed with jealousy and as far as she’s concerned, Kade is hers and I’m threatening that—not that she makes much sense. If Kade and Elizabeth decide to get married, personal slaves are the first to go. Only uncommitted Fortunates are allowed a personal Unfortunate, and besides, Kade doesn’t want to get married. He wouldn’t have offered me freedom inside his home otherwise. I’d tell her that if I wasn’t petrified of the repercussion from Kade.

  “I’m not making you do anything, Unfortunate. I’m asking my slave to kiss you. You can just stand there, if you want.”

  “Elizabeth—”

  “Kathryn, shut it.”

  In a huff, Kathryn pushes her chair back, rises to her feet and storms off. There goes my only defence. Beside me, River places his tray of glasses on the table and angles his body to me. I take a minute step backwards, willing him not to do this with my eyes.

  “Stop moving or I’ll force him to put more than just his tongue in your mouth.”

  He advances on me quickly then and forcefully takes my face in his hands. My heart beats in an unsteady rhythm, threatening to hammer up my throat. I shake my head at him, as best I can, but he doesn’t care. He has an order from his Fortunate and he’ll do anything to honour it. How can he be scared of Elizabeth? How can she punish him? He’s so much bigger than she is. As my thought finishes, River crushes his mouth to mine and my eyes flutter shut on instinct. I screw my face up and grip his hands, trying desperately to get away. His tongue pries open my lips and his taste floods me—the taste of bread, stale bread. Over the heavy thrum of my heart, I hear Elizabeth and her friends cackling. The cackling goes on forever—an incessant irritation filtering through my ears and lingering at the back of my skull. Then, River’s mouth is torn from mine, and the laughing ceases. My eyes shoot open and I see Kade towering over a cowering Unfortunate. I don’t have the courage to stop him from hurting River, not when there are so many Fortunates around.

  “You want to put your mouth on something that belongs to me?” he growls before punching River in the mouth. The sound of flesh slamming into flesh spikes my adrenaline. If my heart was beating fast before, now it’s off the charts, going so fast I’m sure any second now it’s going to rip a hole through time and space. When Kade lifts himself off of River, I see blood leaking out of his nose and gushing from a deep cut on his lip.

  “And you!” he snaps at Elizabeth, making the whole yard fall silent. Colour drains from her face, but she holds an expression of complete confidence. “What did I tell you?”

  “It wasn’t me,” she lies, flashing soothing palms to Kade. “He kissed of his own accord. He followed his own desire.”

  “That’s a lie,” I tell Kade.

  How dare she not take responsibility for what she did? Her Unfortunate is lying bloodied and beaten on the floor and for what? What did she achieve by forcing River to kiss me? If she wanted Kade’s rage, she got it. Elizabeth’s features darken.

  “Fine. I made him kiss her, but only for dinner entertainment. That’s all.”

  Kade steps closer to the table. Against his tense form, his suit looks tighter and I’d hate to be on the receiving end of an expression so fierce and frightening. “I’m going to tell you one last time, don’t touch her, don’t talk to her, don’t even look at her. Understood?”

  She makes no sound.

  “Do you understand?” he booms, making everyone within earshot jump.

  Elizabeth slumps into herself, defeated, but I still don’t miss the dark threat in her blue eyes. “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  Kade’s fingers curls around my bicep. His grip is incredibly tender, his fingers barely digging into my muscle. Before he drags me away, he gives Kathryn a subtle nod of the head that she sincerely returns. That’s where she went… to get Kade? Why would she help me? I glance at her from over my shoulder as Kade pulls me away. She doesn’t smile, but the look in her eyes says more than her lips ever could. Again, I ask myself, why would she help me? And naturally, I assume she has some kind of motive. She’s a Fortunate, after all.

  Kade pulls me through the house and with every step he takes, his grip tightens, growing more aggressive and violent than soft and caring.

  “You’re hurting me,” I whisper harshly as I pull against him.

  Ignoring my complaint he tugs me up the stairs, and when we reach the hallway, I notice immediately that we’re alone. So I dig my heels in. The balls of my feet glide over the polished wood, refusing to grip on and help me.

  “Kade—”

  He whips around on mention of his name. “You kissed him?” he demands, his eyes darker than dark and fear bubbles in my chest.

  “No, I didn’t.”

  In the next heartbeat, his hands are on my shoulders and I almost stumble over my own feet as he slams me into the wall.

  “You let him put his fucking lips on you?”

  I feel my face heat up as tears blur my vision. “I didn’t have a choice.”

  “You could have run. I would’ve defended you.”

  I shake my head. “It’s not that easy. As an Unfortunate, every move I make is life or death. If I have to let people kiss me in order to stay alive, then so be it.”

  His irises darken. “Is that why you’re helping me?”

  I nod and the movement is enough to cau
se a tear to spill over the rim of my eye. “You think I want to be used? You think I want to have sex with people I feel nothing for? No, I don’t, but I’ll do it because a useless Unfortunate is a dead one. I’ll do it because I know it’ll give you what you want, and I hoped by helping you, you would help me in return.”

  Kade’s face softens, but his grip doesn’t. “I promised you freedom once we’re finished and I’ll give it to you.”

  “But it’s not real freedom though, is it? It’s an illusion—a guarantee to get you what you want. What if you marry? Then I’m as good as dead.”

  I suck in an inhale to calm my racing heart. The fresh air barely makes it down my throat before Kade gingerly presses his lips to mine and sucks it back out again. His mouth on mine doesn’t feel claiming… it’s, dare I say, kind. As if he’s trying to fix my wounded soul. The kiss goes all too quickly and when he speaks, there’s too much distance between our lips for my liking. “Earlier tonight you said you trusted me.”

  “I do,” I whisper.

  “Then show me. If you trust me, I can take care of you, Nine. I can keep you safe.”

  The question I’ve been asking myself since I met Kade falls from my lips. “Why? Why would you do that for me?”

  “Someone once told me that I should always give back to those that help me.” He clears his throat and softly shakes his head. “Besides, once I destroy your life, it’s only fitting that I try and repay you for your sacrifice.”

  Frustration pricks at me. “Why do you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Open up and be nice, then shut me out with cruel words?”

  His eyes rake my face in a way that makes my blood run cold, but my inside burn hot.

  “Because Unfortunates aren’t the only ones who have to toe the line… I have to watch myself or I’ll end up dead, just like—” He catches himself and swiftly puts an end to the conversation by turning his back to me. I push off the wall and curiously step forward.

  “Like who?”

  His broad, beautiful shoulder squares, and despite myself, I reach out and touch the hard back of his bicep. He snatches it away and snaps around to face me. “Stop being so damn curious.”

  “I’m not. I-I just want you to talk to me.”

  “And what good will that do? Whether or not we become friends or whether or not we fall in love—you will do this for me. You will fuck whomever I want you to fuck. You will sit, beg, crawl, and talk whenever I tell you to and you will do it without complaint. I can tell you everything there is to know about me and you can describe your pathetic life to me in detail, but it doesn’t change the fact that there’s something I desire more than pussy, companionship, and love.”

  I drag in a shaky breath. “Power.”

  Kade steps towards his bedroom door and pushes it open. “You got it on the first go, Sweetheart. I’m proud of you.” He gestures inside his room. “Get in. Clothes off. We’re going to shower.”

  I step forward, then stop. “Wait… together?”

  He smiles a smile that promises me something terrifyingly delicious and I can feel temptation tugging at my heart and flickering over my hardening nipples.

  “Oh, yes,” he declares in a sinister tone.

  I swallow hard, lower my head, and saunter into his room. The room is as spacious as ever… until he closes the door behind us—and then locks it. I don’t realise I’ve paused until I feel his hand slip onto my lower back and he spreads his fingers. He nudges me forward and we walk side by side—his steps almost in sync with mine.

  In the bathroom, Kade turns on the shower and the room begins to fill with steam. It fills my throat as I breathe and as a result, feels heavy in my lungs. My hair sticks to my skin as beads of sweat begin to form on its surface. Kade ignores me as he pulls off his jacket, and he folds it in half before tossing it onto the sink. As he pops the buttons on his light grey shirt, one by one, I finger the straps on my dress. I don’t know why I’m suddenly so scared. I’ve showered both with and in front of people before… I guess with Kade it’s different. I’ve never felt as exposed as I do when I’m with him. No one can make my insides burn as hot as a volcano and no one else can dissect my soul like he can. I take a deep breath and push the straps from my shoulders. My dress falls from my body and pools at my feet. Kade stops as his fingers brush over the tiny, silver button on his pants and my heart stops cold as he looks at me from under his brow. Despite the warmth already in the room, I feel my cheeks heat up, burning so hot I’m sure my eyes will water. I keep my stare on his and I take secret pleasure in the way his lips part as he lets out a heavy breath. A lock of my auburn hair sticks to my left nipple—Kade notices too and his hungry gaze zeroes in. Forgoing the button on his pants, he steps closer until he’s close enough to feel my breath blow against his skin. He reaches out and pushes the damp lock of hair from my nipple.

  “It’s a shame I can’t use you for myself…” he utters to himself. “The things I would do.”

  “Who says I’d even let you?” I challenge and he lifts his eyebrows in a confident way—a way that makes goosebumps form on the back of my neck, and each thump of my heart sends them scattering over my entire body.

  “Good, don’t let me. I like a little fight.”

  My muscles contract and retract as he runs an index finger up the centre of my stomach and between my breasts. My breath hitches and a subtle curve pulls at his lips. His thick fingers drag up the side of my throat and stop when they reach the very tip of my chin. I swallow as he lowers his head and angles my face to meet his.

  “We have to shower,” I utter, not proud that my voice sounds so shaky. “And you’re still in your pants.”

  “Is this your subtle way of getting me out of them?”

  During a lapse in my better judgement, I reach out and press my hand to his hip. The sudden touch of his flesh sends an electrical current shooting up my arm—as if I’ve touched an exposed wire—and I gasp. Under my hand, Kade’s body tenses and his brows pull in.

  “Let’s say for the sake of this argument that I do get you out of them… then what happens?”

  His irises flick between mine, searching for something. “Then, we shower.”

  “If all we’re going to do is shower, why are you trying your hardest to make me want more?”

  His stare briefly flicks to my lips. “Knowing you want to be with me as much as I want to be with you does wonders for my confidence levels.”

  My pulse stutters. He really, truly does want to be with me? As I ponder the revelation, he releases me and I almost slump against the sink. Kade pops the button on his pants and lowers the zipper. Then, he kicks his shoes off and drops his pants before stepping out of them. Once again, my heart stops cold at the sight of him completely naked, not caring that his big, beautiful cock is on display. My entire body turns to liquid as I recall the last time I saw him like this… I was watching him touch himself and he knew all along. Regardless of his unpredictable nature and the fact he’s a Fortunate, he really is striking, and broad and built. I never really noticed before, but he has abs—a lot of them. His ribs are concealed under pounds of sexy, rippling flesh and don’t get me started on his legs… so powerful and strong, roped with thick muscles and strong tendons. On his upper thigh, I see a scar… a big scar. Like a bullet has grazed the skin, taking a chunk of his flesh with it.

  I’m snapped out of my daze as the shower door closes, and quickly, I step toward it and pull it open. I step inside and notice, thankfully, that the shower is huge with plenty of room for us to wash without getting in each other’s way.

  “Quite the battle scar you’ve got there,” I mutter in passing, referring to the scar on his leg. I’m not going to lie, I’m curious to find out what happened.

  He ignores me, of course, and it takes all of my strength not to push it. Doing my best to not pay attention to him as he runs a sponge over his chest, I squeeze body soap into my hand, and immediately I recognise the scent. Cherry, like the o
ne we used in the Unfortunate camp, only this one is much sweeter, much richer.

  “Did you choose this scent?” I ask as I stare into the red liquid. The last time I used his shower I distinctly remember his soap being a pearly white. I look at him.

  “Yes,” he says without glancing at me. His tone is bored and it kind of irks me.

  “Why?”

  He lifts his stare and my spine falters. “Curiosity killed the cat. Learn it.”

  I lower my eyes and turn away from him as I rub the soap over my breasts. Its cherry scent engulfs me, and that’s when I feel him hard against my ass. I freeze and manage not to gasp or jolt forward and into the glass… just.

  “It smells like you. That’s why I chose it.”

  Just like that, my heart picks up in tempo. Why is he saying this to me?

  “Stop it,” I demand and whip around. “You’re confusing me and I don’t like it.”

  His suddenly hard cock twitches against my tummy, but (somehow) I manage to ignore it. “You asked the question, Sweetheart.”

  “You didn’t have to answer.”

  He gently presses his index finger against my chin, then slowly drags it up to trace the outline of my lips. “I did have to answer.”

  “Why?”

  He rakes his teeth over his bottom lip and it stirs something deep in my belly. “Because if I didn’t, you’d stop talking…”

  “And you like it when I talk?”

  “I don’t like silence. Your voice is a very slight step up from silence.”

  I scoff. “Here I was thinking you were going to say something sweet.”

  Kade steps away and I miss the contact the second it’s gone. “I don’t think I’ve ever said anything sweet in my entire life.”

  “You just did,” I inform him as I turn back around. “You chose this body wash because it smells like me.”

  Kade slips under the shower, letting the jets blast through his hair. “It’s all about intention, Nine, and I didn’t intend for that to be sweet. Informative, maybe, but not sweet.”