by Nova Edwins
After taking over, it didn’t take long for the first challengers to arrive. They were envious. They wanted to sit on my throne and taste my power and wealth.
I took care of things, and with every dark deed, I put more distance between them at the bottom and me at the top. And I intent to keep it that way.
But it’s lonely at the top, and I want a companion. Not a friend or a right-hand man since I already got those. What I want is far more delicate.
I want a plaything. A nice, little, somewhat obedient toy. Not too obedient—I like it when they’ve got some spunk. I want someone to be at my mercy and begging because they have to, not because they want to while ogling my wallet.
I want Bec to be my plaything, my helpless little prisoner. The thought of her at my feet looking up to me, pleading for me to be nice, is enough to make my dick hard.
Maybe if she didn’t have that fire in her eyes when we met three months ago.
But I saw her, and I fell for her. Hard. I have to have her. There’s no way around.
It’s almost funny that I knew from the start that there was a female Carson. But she wasn’t anything more than a name on the paper when I researched her brothers. And now?
Now, she is everything.
Thank god that I can hide how fucking obsessed I am with her.
"Why don’t we take a drink in the salon?" Jed tries to smile and fails miserably.
I follow him through the crowd, seeing all those familiar faces. The cream of the crop when it comes to money-hungry and dangerous people and my name happens to be my fate. King. I’m the king of them all. A few nods here, a little smile there, and I just made someone’s night because I recognized their existence.
I’m ruling with a delicate mixture of fear and compliments. Works for me and will probably work with Bec.
Francis has his hand on his sister’s back, which makes it look like he has to force her inside the house.
With her silky dark hair and astonishing eyes, Bec’s beauty is not from this world. She looks like a fairy about to grant you your dirtiest sex wish.
Her dress ends just above her knees. It’s almost modest with the length and the pearly gray color. Everything about her is small and delicate except her tits. Those gorgeous, luscious globes are pressing against the fabric of her dress, and I can’t wait to put my hands on them.
Her wrists, shoulders, and tiny collarbones on the other hand make her seem deliciously breakable.
Speaking of breakable—I just can’t get enough of the pain in her eyes. She looks far too smart and experienced for her age. Her eyes beg me to break her, end her suffering, and replace it with a different kind of suffering—a more enjoyable, exquisite kind of suffering.
Every single one of my thoughts is wrong. Deliciously wrong. So wrong my dick is already twitching.
"Rebecca, this is one of our business partners, Luke King," Francis introduces. "Luke, our younger sister, Rebecca."
"It’s a pleasure to meet you." Surprisingly, I have to force myself to smile.
She only cocks her eyebrow at me. "Is it, though?"
I hear Jed gasping, and Francis leans to her to whisper something in her ear. My smile is no longer tight. I feel it spreading over my face. She is perfect. Fucking perfect.
"I think it is." Since I feel the troubling urge to pull her close, I put my hands behind my back.
She doesn’t smile and doesn’t try to make polite conversation. She just stares at me with her iridescent eyes as if to figure me out. It drives me insane.
She radiates something. Something broken. Her face doesn’t show what she thinks, and it makes me want to peel away the masks she’s clearly wearing.
I should at least try to act normal for the time being. "Jed told me you just returned from college?"
"Yes. I graduated this week."
"What was your major?"
She casts me a glance and smiles. "Bullshit-ology."
"Rebecca!" Jed looks furious and grips her arm. "Tell him."
Her eyes narrow as she looks at him. "What does it matter? I clearly don’t want to be here. Can I go now?"
It’s kind of fitting that she doesn’t even wait for his answer and just leaves. I watch her back as she makes her way to the bar.
Francis looks embarrassed. "I am so sorry."
"What about? She is quite . . . fascinating. I think I might join her for a drink. Gentlemen." I turn around and follow her. As I pass my right-hand man Hamilton, I say with a low voice, "Please remind them that the payment is soon to be due."
When I arrive at the bar, she already has a glass of champagne in her hand. I place myself next to her, ordering a glass for myself with a motion of my hand, and lean closer. Our arms brush.
She flinches before she hides underneath her indifferent mask again. When I try to make eye contact, she ignores me. The second I put my hand on her arm, she tries to leave.
For me, it’s a simple movement to block her path. She probably thought she picked a good spot at the bar, quiet and peaceful, close to the wall. Instead she chose a nice little corner that I can cage her in.
The image of her naked in a cage makes my dick throb. Bec wants to escape from my presence. I can feel it. But I won't let her. I am enjoying her discomfort way too much to let that happen.
"You’re kind of rude," I say.
She throws me an innocent look and shakes her head. "I can be sweet as a peach."
"But not to me, I assume."
"I am not the one who threw me out of a club for no apparent reason."
"Would you believe me when I say that I had my reasons?"
"Probably not." She sighs. "Would you care to explain?"
It’s my turn to smile again. "I’m not in habit of explaining my actions."
"Funny. Me neither." And with that, she ducks under my extended arm and leaves.
That little bitch. She drives me insane. I love it.
Chapter 4
Bec
I hide in the salon, pressing myself into the dark shadow next to the fireplace, when Charlie stumbles into the room.
"Bec?" His voice is rough, like he had too much to drink. "Where are you? Dammit. We don’t have time."
Reluctantly, I step out of my hiding place. "Nice of you to finally show up."
As he comes closer, I can see the swelling and bruising around his left eye. His lower lip is split, and I can see a red imprint on his neck. I gasp and cover my mouth with my hand. "Oh no! What happened?"
He just shakes his head and hands me my bag, which he must have taken from my room. "Come with me."
"Where?"
My brother doesn’t answer. He grabs my wrist and starts pulling me toward the door. It takes a few seconds of wrestling with him before I can free myself.
"Charlie, damn it. You’re scaring me. What’s going on?"
"You need to leave, okay? Jed and Michael made a mistake, and if you’re not leaving, you’re going to be the one paying for it."
"I’m sorry, but I don’t follow."
Charlie pulls open the zipper on my bag. It’s filled with clothes, my laptop, and two stacks of cash. Now I’m really concerned.
"This is all I could get my hands on. Take it and leave. Please, Bec, I’m begging you."
My heart is pounding in my chest, and although I have got at least a million questions, there’s something in his voice that makes me agree. "Okay, okay, I’m leaving. I’m already gone."
I turn to make my way to the door as it swings open, and two huge guys enter the salon. At this point, it doesn’t even surprise me that Luke King is following them, accompanied by my brothers Francis and Jed.
"Tell me, Charles, didn’t I make myself clear when I told you to stay away from her?" Luke crosses his arms in front of his chest and shakes his head.
I don’t know what bothers me more: that Charles suddenly pales, or the fact that Luke King has the audacity to talk like I’m not even here.
"Mr. King, we’re very sorry for his behavior
," Jed assures him.
I still have no idea what’s going on.
Luke ignores my brother and looks at me instead. He eyes the bag and cocks his brow. "Going somewhere, darling?"
"That’s none of your business." I’m shocked how timid and weak my voice is. That’s not like me at all.
And then the realization hits me like a fucking train. Luke King is here for me. There’s an empty feeling in my stomach as I remember how his goons told me that Mr. King is conducting business with my brothers when I was at his club.
Apparently, the deal fell through, and now Luke wants . . .
I don’t know what he wants, but probably something along the lines of harvesting my organs.
"That’s where you’re wrong. It is my business." He smiles at me, and those blue eyes seem to pierce my soul. I swallow before I have to look away. My stomach flutters, and I don’t even know why I’m reacting this way.
He turns to Charlie again and walks toward him. It only takes for him to nod, and his goons grab my brother and hold him.
"You really should’ve listened, boy." Luke King pats my brother’s shoulder before he sighs and motions for one of the men to continue.
"Fuck you, King!" Charlie’s voice is trembling despite his harsh words.
I’m shaking as one of the man grips Charlie’s right arm. My hands are balled to fists so tight that my knuckles are white and my nails are piercing my palms.
"No," I rasp. "Let him go."
"I’m sorry, darling, but that’s not for you to decide." Luke doesn’t even turn to me. His eyes are trained on my brother. "Charles chose to ignore my warning. It’s probably best for you to watch carefully so that you know what happens if you don’t obey me."
Francis grabs my upper arm and holds me so that I don’t interfere as the man breaks Charles’ arm with a loud crack. My brother’s scream rips through the room, and my knees buckle, but I manage to stay upright.
Luke just watches him with a cold smile, and my stomach revolts. It takes all I have not to puke on my own two feet. Little beads of sweat are running down my neck, and I’m freezing although it’s warm outside.
"So here’s what’s going to happen next." Luke stalks over to me and stares at Francis until he lets go of my arm. "You’re coming with me, darling, and you’ll stay with me until your brothers have paid their debt. You can, of course, refuse. But I have to warn you that every refusal comes at a price, and sooner or later, your favorite one here, Charles, will run out of limbs to break, and then the cutting starts. So, what’s it going to be?"
"You can’t be fucking serious." I’m searching the faces of my brothers, looking for evidence that this is all some kind of a sick joke. They don’t even have it in them to meet my gaze.
That’s it? I’m just a pawn? A piece of collateral?
I remember how they showed up at my graduation urging me to come home. Now it finally makes sense.
I’m trying to think about my options, knowing full well that I don’t have any. Not if I want to keep my conscience clean and my youngest brother alive.
"Fine. I’m coming with you."
Luke smiles, but I lift my finger. "After you let Charles go. I don’t give as much of a fuck about the other ones as they apparently give about me, but Charles walks free."
Luke chuckles. "It amuses me to no end that you really think you have a say in that matter."
"He walks free." I insist, although my heart is pounding like crazy. With trembling fingers, I pull the two stacks of money from my bag and walk toward my brother. The pain on his face kills me, but right now, there’s little I can do about it. He hesitates before taking the money, clutching it against his chest along with his broken arm. My legs are like Jell-o as I turn back to Luke. "Charles walks free. What’s one brother to you? There are three more you can torture if you feel the urge. Thirty more fingers for you to cut off if I don’t behave."
"Sweeten the deal for me." A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.
I can’t believe this man. "Isn’t it enough that I’m coming with you?"
"You’re coming with me either way, Rebecca. That’s nonnegotiable. But you forget that I’ve to uphold a certain standard with my reputation. I can’t have rumors going around that I’m softening because a pretty girl begged me to spare her brother."
"I’m not begging, I’m asking." I lift my chin.
"Well, maybe you should be begging."
The curse words are already on the tip of my tongue, but I stop myself. As long as I don’t know that Charles is safe, I shouldn’t risk making Luke King lose his temper. Who knows what could happen.
"I’m afraid begging is not my strong suit. Is there anything else I can offer you?" My voice is saccharin sweet and my smile as big and fake as I can muster. "Anything for you, Luke."
He seems to be barely able to contain his laughter. "You’re quite something, darling, I have to give you this. How about a kiss as a sign of your goodwill?"
I want to ask him if he has lost his mind, but the look from his eyes stops me dead in my tracks. He’s serious. As serious as he can be.
"It’s not like I have a choice, do I?"
"No, you don’t." He closes the distance between us, puts his arm around my waist, and pulls me close. So close that Charles gasps before the room is filled with silence again.
Like it isn’t worse enough already that he thinks it’s okay to touch me like this, he has to kiss me in front of my brothers? This is as awkward as it is humiliating.
I will never forgive my brothers for this. I will nev—
The thought just fades away as Luke lowers his head and kisses me. No, he devours me. Ravishes me like I’m his last meal.
He is neither gentle nor careful. This is a kiss to establish ownership, to claim my body, mind, and soul. And I’m afraid it’s working.
His tongue plunges into my mouth and steals my breath. His fingers are hot on my hip and at the back of my head.
As he lets go off me, he whispers next to my ear. "I can’t wait to hear you beg, darling. And you will beg because I’ll make you."
Chapter 5
Luke
I take a step back to enjoy her reaction. The way her pupils dilate, how her breath quickens, and how she pretends to be disgusted. We both know better. My little toy hungers for someone to take control, be in charge, and tell her what to do.
She’s been neglected all her life, and it’s time to change that. Her father ignored her, and her brothers traded her like a commodity, selling her off at the first chance they got.
Lucky for her I’m here to fix that. To fix her.
"I’m not scared," she huffs and avoids my eyes.
"Don’t worry. You will be." I point to the door. "We’re leaving now."
"No." Bec jerks up her chin. "We’re leaving when I know that Charlie is safe. You’ve had your kiss, so it’s time you fulfill your part of the deal."
I turn to Charles. "You heard the lady. You have ten seconds to leave. Be smart this time."
He hesitates and looks at his sister. Bec’s just shaking her head. "Go, Charlie. Go. I'm fine."
She’s able to get some sense into that boy, and he hugs her awkwardly with his broken arm and the money clutched to his chest before he actually leaves without looking back at his brothers. It’s probably for the best since I’m fairly certain that the trouble with the Carsons won’t end here.
I don’t care anymore because I got what I wanted. With my hand on her lower back, I guide my new plaything to the door. We’re following Charles out of the house, where he starts his car and drives off in a hurry.
"Do I have your word that your men won’t chase him?"
I shrug indifferently. "I don’t know. What are you willing to offer for that?"
"Is this how it’s going to be? You really need to be an asshole about everything?"
"No. This is not how it’s going to be. From now on, I’ll ignore all of your requests. You’re mine to do with as I please. You can thank your br
others for that. I don’t care. Letting Charles leave is the only mercy you’ll ever see from me."
Shock and terror are visible in her dark eyes as she stares at me. "You’re a monster."
My driver pulls up, and I grip her elbow to make sure she doesn’t run. "I can’t argue with that. Now get in, darling."
"Go to hell." She tries to free herself, but I only tighten my grip.
"Careful, darling, or you’ll be begging sooner rather than later." I basically force her to climb into the car. To be honest, I couldn’t be happier. Bec is every bit as reluctant and disobedient as I hoped she would be. Breaking her will be quite entertaining.
I sit down next to her and put my hand on her knee. She needs to get familiar with my touch anyway. Soon, she’ll crave it as she begs for my cock.
"We should get over the rules."
"What rules? My bedtime?" She cocks her head, pressing her lips together until only a tiny white line is visible.
"I want you to submit to me. Completely."
"Yeah, I figured that much. I’m not stupid."
"Stop behaving like a little brat and listen to me." I grip her jaw, my fingers digging into her soft skin. "What I’m talking about isn’t this nonsense vanilla idea about a little spanking to spice up your boring sex life. I’m talking about a total power exchange."
She stares right into my eyes. "How about you go fuck yourself?"
"I’m going to make you regret that," I warn her. "Maybe not today since you’ll need some time to get adjusted, but soon. The rules are fairly simple, so you should understand them the first time. I decide everything. What you do, what you eat, what you can and cannot wear, and how you’ll serve me."
"Serve you?" Her voice is barely audible, and her pulse has picked up speed. "That’s insane."
"No. It’s what you need. You want someone to control you. I saw the excitement in your eyes when I escorted you out of the club. You couldn’t believe that someone really cared about you."