Hollow Hearts (The Harkwright Trilogy Book 1)

by B C Morgan

  We swim a few laps before a splash indicates we’re no longer alone, looking around I can see someone moving under the water at the other end of the pool. It isn’t long until he surfaces and I can’t place him. I know he’s one of the guys and I’m kicking myself for not refreshing myself on the dossier like I had planned on doing.

  Daria looks at me before shaking her head and chuckling, guess I’m not hiding my freak out as well as I thought. Especially with him swimming closer and damn is he fast in the water, he may as well be a fish!

  “Hey Jake, how’s it going?” Daria asks, giving me the side eye and I think I may love this girl.

  “Not too bad D, not too bad,” his eyes travel over me, lingering on my arm and cheek and I can feel my skin flush.

  “So you’re the one getting everyone’s head in a spin, if you ever get sick of it all come find me. I can show you a good time,” he gives me a wink and a lesser lady would swoon, but I’m over the effect of the Harkwright looks and charm. Not that a lot of them have been using the charm on me, I don’t think they all possess it either.

  “Knock it off Jake, don’t make me get Bradley to kick your ass. Just like he did when we were kids.”

  “He can try, I’m not the scrawny kid I used to be,” he laughs and it’s a beautiful sound.

  With his long, dirty blonde hair, amber-colored eyes and swimmer’s physique he’s definitely easy on the eyes. Although, while the attention is off me, I think I will bow out and make a run for my room.

  “Wait up Lu, I’ll come with you,” D calls and I smile as I hold up my hand to stop her from moving.

  “It’s okay, I could do with a little time to study anyway, come get me before the assembly?” I say, knowing that although we can’t sit with each other, we can at least walk down together.

  She nods, hesitating slightly before turning back to Jake and I leave the pool, wrap a towel around myself and head into the showers to get cleaned up.

  Ten minutes later and I’m heading back to my room when Tucker appears out of nowhere and I hate the squeak that falls out of me. He smiles but there’s no warmth in it, as he holds out his arm for me to pass, following in my wake. He doesn’t wait for an invitation as I open my door and he drops down on my recliner and simply sits there, staring at me.

  “Tell me what happened last night and what Shane said to you this morning in the mess hall.”

  Straight to the point, there really is no messing around where he’s concerned.

  “Does it even matter? You and Emmet already knocked ten shades of poop out of him, it’s done,” I say, as I sit down and tuck my hands underneath my thighs.

  He leans closer, his elbows resting on his thighs while his steepled fingers rest beneath his chin. His eyes are roaming over my face before falling on my cheek and the band aid that is still in place.

  “For one thing, just say shit. Poop really lowers the tone when you’re trying to make a point, you just come across as childish,” I feel myself bristle at that, and he smirks before his mouth settles back into a straight line. “For another, I’m not asking and I shouldn’t have to remind you of the rules for how to react when you’re given an order by one of the men.”

  I rub at my eye, trying to buy myself a few minutes to compose myself. I don’t want to say something I’ll regret and I certainly do not want to start stuttering, fuck Shane and making fun of me for it. Too late you bastard, I’ve been dealing with it for most of my damn life!

  “He pulled me onto the ground by my hair and ordered me to… s-suck him off. I said that Emmet ordered everyone not to touch me, and he reminded me of my position and how he would be believed over me. He was freeing himself, I-I t-tried but my hands were shaking t-t-too much. He was d-doing it himself when you guys turned up.”

  “What about this morning?”

  I just can’t catch a break can I?

  “He said that I’ll be spending my night sucking and riding him,” my eyes drop to the floor and I’m glad I trapped my hands under my thighs, otherwise I’ll be fidgeting like crazy.

  His hand rests under my chin before he tilts it up so I am staring straight at him, although I can’t stop my eyes from dropping to the floor.

  “I want to know what he whispered to you Luna,” yeah that gets my eyes shooting to his. He doesn’t normally use my name so the fact that he is, has to mean something. I’m just not sure what.

  “He told me that Emmet left this morning and by the time he’s done with me, I’ll be nothing more than the empty vessel he already sees.”

  “Shane is a dickhead, ignore him. We’ll make sure he doesn’t get his way with you,” he takes his hand away from me and stands up.

  “What if he claims me?” I don’t know why I left that part out but I can’t add it now, can I?

  “Then there’s nothing we can do, I guess you’ll just have to hope you’re strong enough to make it through his bullshit.”

  That’s the answer I expected, the Tucker who doesn’t give two shits about me is back. The one from the dress shop may as well have been dreamed up from my imagination.

  “I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” I say, he walks to the door and pauses. He looks at me and opens his mouth but he doesn’t say a thing, instead he opens the door and leaves me alone. Only it doesn’t feel as freeing now, instead it feels like I’m in mourning. For the girl I’m going to lose once Shane makes his declaration today.

  A shiver courses its way through me as I stand up and walk into my room, pulling out a knee length pencil skirt and off white blouse before stripping out of my clothes. I don’t stop when my door opens or as the sound of footsteps fill my seating area. My door is wide open and no doubt whoever it is, will enjoy the show. Pulling my skirt up, I slip the blouse on before turning around and coming face to face with… an empty room.

  I look around but I can’t see any signs that anyone had even entered until I see an envelope sitting on my sideboard. Walking slowly towards it, I think I’m half expecting someone to jump out and scare the ever living shit out of me, but no one does. I pick the envelope up and slowly lift the flap to find a letter inside.

  My Star,

  Today something will occur that although it angers me, cannot be avoided. You will be claimed and it will not be by me. However you should always remember that you are mine and despite whoever turns out to be your first, I will be your last. You have been mine ever since you hit submit on your application. The problem is, you aren’t ready for me yet, but you will be.

  Although I would love to claim every inch of you, I wouldn’t even know where to begin with a virgin and you should get the chance to know what it is like to be with someone else, before you give yourself fully to me. I know you’ve been warned about me, how I will consume you and destroy you and maybe they’re right. That’s not to say however, that you won’t enjoy every second of it.

  You were a zero first because you had to prove you wanted this, that you could handle me and you have gone above and beyond. I never expected someone to try and kill you, but yet you are still standing, holding your head high and carrying on with your day. You have more things to learn before we’ll come together but remember… although you are a part of this Academy, you are not a Harkwright girl, you are mine.

  I have set out a new rule which every man will follow, whether or not you are claimed, no one will claim your virginity. This is my gift to you My Star, to prove that you are worth the wait. Because although the thought of sinking myself into your depths is driving me out of my mind, I will not rush this. So you can choose who you lose it to, it is yours to give away. Then we can be together and the nameless, faceless girls who will fill the void of you will disappear, until we have both filled the void that is consuming us.

  See you soon My Star.

  P.S.

  I know you have no craving to become more than a Thirty-Four, but you should attempt to rise above the rest. You could have everything you ever wanted if you simply opened your eyes and realized that yo
u could use this place to fulfill your desires. Rise through the numbers, claim a higher spot and when your time is up, you will have everything you ever wanted and things you never even knew you craved, desired, needed.

  E. H. The dark to your light.

  I don’t know what possesses me to get changed again or why I choose the dress that Tucker got for me. The navy blue button up, but it isn’t against the rules and I feel more comfortable in this than I did the skirt and blouse.

  Daria isn’t talking and neither am I as we head to the assembly, knowing that Sir Harkwright himself will be up on the stage is more than enough to put anyone in a somber mood.

  We file in and we give each other a weak smile before claiming our seats. I don’t know any of the other girls in the thirty rank and I can feel how alienated I have become. I can’t help but look over them all and most turn their faces to the front and ignore me, but there are a few who look at me with what I can only assume is curiosity.

  “Hey, I’m Elena,” says a brunette with a southern twang and I smile in reply, but I don’t speak.

  “Speaking for myself only, but I’m sorry that your experience so far hasn’t been great. A few of us are still waiting for the bad to begin.”

  “I hope it doesn’t,” I reply softly and a few more stare our way before the lights on the stage start up and Ms. Vanderbilt steps out onto the stage.

  “Good afternoon, it will be a few moments before Sir Harkwright comes out. You are not to speak, fidget or even breathe loud enough for us to hear you from this spot and I will be watching and listening for it. This is your only warning. Secondly, in two months the men of the Academy will be leaving and will each be taking one girl with them. If you do not receive word by the end of day on Friday, then you will not be attending. The choices could change so do not become overly hopeful or excited if you’re chosen this early on. And finally the numbers will change today, if we move you into the top ten then you will relocate, otherwise only the door number will change. I do not want to hear any complaining if Twelve is put into the forty wing, if I do then you will either be pushed lower on the list or dismissed entirely,” she glances to her left before giving a quick jerk of her head and returning her narrowed gaze to us. “That’s everything, remember what I said, best behavior girls,” she strolls off and we all wait with bated breath for Sir to come out, and to let us know what the fuck is going on.

  At least I am, I can’t really talk for the other girls but I’d be surprised if they were as carefree as they like to act the majority of the time. The ever looming presence of the man himself sucks all the oxygen from the room, and I’m struck again by how unfair the gene pool really is. No family should be this powerful and good looking, I know it’s their hearts and souls that truly count. Because from what I’ve seen, most of them are sporting black souls and truly hollowed out hearts that no amount of money, power or girls will ever be able to fill.

  “King of the hollow hearts himself,” I hear it pass through the girl next to me, until every girl in the row is repeating it as softly as they can. I can see their lips moving but no one is reacting, is this normal? Because it seems hella strange to me right now. It isn’t until he takes his place in front of the microphone that everything else stops and there aren’t a set of eyes that are not riveted on him.

  “Ladies of the Academy, it is not often where I find myself in a predicament without a clear cut solution. As many of you are aware, a girl was recently attacked within our walls by one of you,” no one dares look at me or even whisper but there’s a new tension that wasn’t there before, and my body has never felt as stiff as it does right now. “The perpetrator has since been removed from the Academy and that should have been the end of the matter, however sometimes things cannot be as simple or straightforward as I would like. That being said, I did not feel the need to interject until one of you had the audacity to contact me directly. Not only did she dare to take a phone from one of the boys (oh, so he doesn’t have to call them the men) she used it to contact me. Offering me something that would be extremely hard to ignore. So I listened to what she wanted and had to offer, and I managed to secure a deal I never thought possible. Ms. Vanderbilt, please send Four out.”

  He doesn’t bother to look towards Vanderbilt, instead his eyes stay trained on the far end of the wall, as a set of doors behind us open up. I want to look, of course I do but I’m not stupid enough to act on the urge. I watch as Four marches out onto the stage, looking smug until she stands beside Harkwright and bows her head reverently. She doesn’t even stand behind him, she is level to him in every way and even Bradley didn’t dare stand like that, and he’s related to the king of the devils.

  “My girl, when you called me I was ready to have you removed faster than you could blink, but you made me see the error of my ways. Thanks to you, I now control your Father’s previous hotel chain. So now, it’s time for your reward,” she’s practically preening like a peacock and it’s sickening. But power does rule this world, what more is there to say.

  “Vanderbilt, what number is the girl who got attacked,” if I thought my spine was stiff before, well it’s got nothing on how I feel now.

  “Thirty-Four, I made her higher after she saved Maddox from an idiotic girl who did not bother to read the dossier,” Ms. Vanderbilt supplies and I’m surprised she’d even add any of that.

  “Thirty-Four, stage now,” he orders, his tone never changes, I can’t tell if he sounds bored, entitled, professional or a culmination of all three. The last one, has to be the last one.

  I stand up on shaky legs and sidestep the other girls sitting between me and the aisle, I feel like I’m about to walk the plank as I walk down it and head towards the side of the stage, opposite to where Four is standing. The downside, I have to walk past the guys to get to Sir Harkwright and my stomach is already twisted up in a thousand knots.

  I don’t know how I make it without falling or even tripping once, but unlike Four I make sure to position myself so I am behind him and it only adds more glee to her pointless face. Come on Luna, you can do better than calling her face pointless.

  “Where was I?” He says out loud, stroking his chin in contemplation, but he’s faking it and I can’t understand why until Four says, “my reward.” He turns to her with the coldest smile I have ever seen, if it could birth evil I think we’d have hundreds of screaming demon babies lying at his feet right now.

  He snaps his fingers before nodding slowly, sweeping his gaze across the entire room, even the men are included and I feel his eyes linger on me before he returns to the front.

  “That’s right, but I’m afraid you misunderstand me,” her eyes widen and her lips part as he turns to face her fully, and I watch as her face turns ashen. She isn’t gleeful or smug now. “The reward isn’t yours to claim, it’s hers,” he looks at me fully and I can’t avoid his stare but I don’t react. I can feel the dread pool in my stomach, and I know something is about to happen that I will have zero control over.

  “B-b-but my f-father,” I guess I should feel sorry for her, but I don’t. I have no idea what that says about me as a person, but I’ll dwell on that later.

  “My business with your father has concluded, the hotels are mine and you played your part perfectly. However, you called out from the Academy, you came to me before going to anyone else and you organized a calculated attack on a fellow student. You are no longer my problem, now Thirty-Four here is going to make you pay. She can unleash all her pent up aggression on you and then we can move on and we’ll ensure you’re delivered back to your Father, relatively intact,” this man is fucking insane.

  He turns back to me, before waving his hand to indicate for me to what? Attack her?

  “Come along Thirty-Four, show us what you would have done if they had allowed you to hit her back. Strike the pathetic bitch who would sell her father out to be able to open her legs to a Harkwright man,” he isn’t shouting but I can feel his anger as though it’s a palpable thing.

&n
bsp; I look at him one last time, before releasing a deep breath and stepping over to Four. She’s shaking until she takes me in, and instead of apologizing or trying to better her lot, she’s fucking sneering at me.

  “Go ahead, take your best shot. I’ll be sure to laugh it off once you’re done, no doubt your strike will be as pathetic as you. Fucking daughter of a whore, I bet your Mother offed herself just to get away from her poor excuse of a daughter.

  Everything goes black…

  The next thing I know I’m sitting on top of Four, with the back of her head grasped in one hand while my other rains blow after blow on her face. It isn’t until a set of hands, on both my arms is lifting me away that I release my grip on her and her head falls with a resounding thump to the hard, wooden floor.

  “I’d say that business is now concluded, as for the final matter a claiming has been issued, and I may as well do that now to save myself another trip,” he looks down at his watch and I go still between - who I now realize is - Aeron and Tucker.

  “Yes Sir, I want to claim her,” Shane jumps to his feet and storms over to Sir, all while pointing his thumb in my direction. Sir gives another cold, calculating smile, right as he pulls his arm back and slams his fist into Shane’s one, good eye.

  Despite Ms. Vanderbilt’s threat, no one can hold their gasp in, only I don’t think I react at all. I feel rather numb right now. Even looking down at my hands, with my split knuckles covered in blood, it just isn’t reaching me.

  “Do not ever think to make demands of me, you want to claim a girl then you do it the right way. Not seeking my attention the moment I arrive, and hounding me endlessly to get your way. Besides, Thirty-Four has already been claimed, and by someone who knows how to do it in a way befitting of the Harkwright name.”