My face pales, all the blood rushing down my body leaving a burning sensation in its wake. I hear Jade gasp from beside me as I look over, her eyes are wide, fear written all over them. She turns to face me and fuck she looks terrified.
“Nephew, there are two. I thought I had only asked for one tonight.”
“Well, the other one showed up unannounced and to the rescue,” answers Ace.
Agent Servite walks over to us slowly, dressed in an all-black shiny suit, his blond hair perfectly combed in place, a slight stubble on his ruggedly handsome facade. His aquamarine eyes gaze into mine as a smug grin appears over his face. He knows he terrifies me, and he enjoys it so very much. His eyes run over my body and the fucker has the nerve to lick his lips slowly. It makes me cringe being held under his stare this way. Sure he’s only in his early thirties and is a damn good-looking son of a bitch, but the way he looks at me, the way he spoke of my mother, disgusts me. Bass grabs another chair from the dining area placing it in front of us as Agent Servite sits in it. He leans back crossing his arms silently staring.
“Alek and Beck, you boys can leave now,” he orders, and without question the two less valuable Horsemen retreat. “Bass lock the door behind them and stand guard. Nephew, grab a seat and come join us.”
Ace pulls another chair around sitting beside his uncle. The four of them move instantly at his command, like nothing I’ve ever seen them do. They’re usually the ones barking out orders but this man sitting with his arms crossed in front of me, smug grin on his face, looks like he’s the real man in charge.
“What the fuck do you want with us?” Jade eagerly wiggles in her chair trying to untie herself.
“Such an eager little girl, Miss Wolfe,” he answers slowly, and Jade’s lips tighten as her body stiffens under his gaze.
“Leave her out of this,” I shout, causing him to turn to me questioningly, while the realization comes over him.
“She doesn’t know, does she? You didn’t confide in your own sister, Miss Steele?”
“What’s he talking about, Scar?” she asks, turning to me.
“You know I didn’t, or we would be having a much different conversation right now.”
“I see.” He turns his attention toward Jade, who scowls deeply at him, and man if looks could kill, he’d be a dead ass son of a bitch. Unfortunately, they can’t. “What is it you remember about me, Miss Wolfe?”
“You’re the asshole detective who came that day, when Chaz and Lilith took off, asking us questions about your runaway Bonnie and Clyde,” she laughs, slightly raising a brow at him. “You never did get me my money back by the way,” she adds.
“What else?”
“You scared my brother into hiding because I haven’t heard from him since.”
“What else?”
“You’re the one who came with your brother to take us out of our new home and bring us here.”
“Anything else?” she shakes her head.
His gaze leaves her and moves to me.
“Your turn,” he sneers. “What do you remember, Miss Steele?” My glare hardens as I speak.
“When the social worker got there and you were leaving, you leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear.” I notice Ace’s hands turn to fists at his side. I look up at him and see an angry scowl is on his face.
“What did I say?” asks Agent Servite raising a brow.
“We will find them,” I pause just like he did that day. “And if we don’t, I’ll make sure the two of you pay for their crimes.” I pause again and look over to Ace. “Mark my words, sweetheart.”
“What else?” I look back into Servite’s eyes and they’re glazed over with desire. The sick fucker is getting a kick out of this.
“Then again when we arrived here, when we were in the headmaster’s office that first day, you held us back. I asked you what you wanted from me and you said, ‘that’s a loaded question, Miss Steele. I’ll have to get back to you.’”
He nods. “Anything else?”
I swallow hard and turn to Jade who eyes me curiously, her eyes red and glossy. “Outside his office, you leaned into me once again whispering in my ear so closely I could feel your hot breath on me.” I hear a grunt but don’t dare look to Ace.
“What did I say?” he demands.
“You look so much like her.”
He leans forward, his elbows coming down to rest on his knees.
“You’re forgetting something.” He says sternly.
I turn to Ace and find his glare on his uncle, quickly turning back to me. I close my eyes and swallow hard remembering his words.
“You said,” I take a deep breath before answering. “Wonder if you taste just as sweet. My bet is you taste even better, sweetheart. We’ll see.” I cringe at my words and hear a gasp from Jade beside me while Ace growls. I open my eyes slowly to look at him and he is raging. He stands up suddenly, pushing off the chair, making a loud sound, and walks away toward the kitchen behind them. Agent Servite starts to chuckle, leaning back in his chair, crossing his arms in front of him.
“You’re a sick son of a bitch!” yells Jade, but he only laughs harder.
“Now, now, Miss Wolfe, no need for name calling. I’m only telling you this to prove that if I wanted to hurt you girls, I wouldn’t have to kidnap you to do so. I’m on your side. We want the same thing.”
“And what is that?” I ask.
“To find Lilith,” he states, and now it’s my turn to start laughing.
“No, you’re wrong about that. I have no intention of ever finding my mother.” At the mention of my mom, Ace turns his attention back to us. Looks like he had no idea of his uncle’s true intentions.
“But you will help me find her.”
“Why? What do you want with her? If I’m not mistaken, you’re no longer a police officer. It’s not your job to find her.”
“Why I need to find Lilith is none of your concern.”
“Then you’re wrong again. I won’t help you. Not if you don’t tell me why or what she is to you. I’m done playing your stupid games, listening to your perverted innuendos, your sick little taunts.”
He sits up straight, his face stiffening. “Sebastian, take Miss Wolfe back to her quarters now!”
Bass quickly walks over, unties Jade, and carries her out over his shoulder.
“Put me down, I’m not leaving here without her!” She cries out but her screams are muffled by Bass’s hand over her mouth.
“Ace, I need you to step outside.”
“Fuck no, I’m not leaving!” He shouts back heatedly.
“Now, son! It wasn’t a question, it’s an order,” demands Servite without turning to face Ace. Ace reluctantly leaves but leaves nonetheless slamming the door on his way out. Now it’s just an irate looking Agent Servite and me.
“Listen to me carefully,” he says standing and walking toward me slowly. I lean back as far as I can without falling. I’m aware I’m now in his full view as his eyes travel down my body crudely. “You will help me find her or your little friends from your precious foster home will pay the price.”
He reaches a hand toward me running his fingers along my collarbone and down the middle of my breasts. I shut my eyes tightly trying to erase the image, the feel of his hands on me.
“You wouldn’t hurt them.”
“Don’t underestimate me or my influence, Scarlett. It wouldn’t be good for them to get expelled having nowhere left to go.”
I swallow hard at his threat, opening my eyes once I feel his hands leave my body.
“Fine, but you need to leave them and Jade out of this.” He nods in agreement. “And Ace, your nephew, can’t know.” He eyes me questioningly at the mention of Ace. “It’s none of his concern and I won’t let him use this against me.”
“Done. Do we have a deal?” he asks, and I simply nod.
He reaches down to untie my legs making a point to run his hands over them. I al
most kick him but the fear of what he’d do stops me. He comes behind me untying my hands slowly and when he’s done, I quickly stand heading toward the door.
“Oh, and Scarlett,” he calls out right before I open the door. “You will speak to no one about our little meeting here, or you know the consequences, I needn’t remind you. Make sure your sister keeps quiet as well. We wouldn’t want her to be a problem,” he threatens, and I head out without answering him or looking back.
Outside I’m relieved to find Jade still standing there with Bass and Ace, all eyes turning to me when I step out. Ace walks over to me but I quickly walk away heading toward Jade.
“Red, wait,” he calls out, but I ignore him, running to Jade and hugging her tightly. Bass steps back from her when he sees me approaching.
“I’m so sorry I never told you. I didn’t want to scare you, I never thought he’d actually…”
“No, Scar, I’m sorry I never noticed how weird you got when I mentioned his name. I should have been a better sister. I should have noticed. I should have protected you from him.”
“I’m the big sister, Jade, I do the protecting.” We both laugh and I wipe a stray tear from her cheek, and she starts laughing hysterically.
“Oh my god! I can’t remember the last time I cried,” she yells, shocked, and we both laugh harder.
“My eighth birthday,” I say, reminding her of the night Chaz was arrested. I turn, remembering Bass and Ace are still standing here watching us closely, a strange look upon their faces. They’ve never looked at us this way, without hate, with understanding.
“My, the Little Wolf has a heart,” says Bass mockingly.
“Fuck off, Bass. I still am gonna kick your ass for manhandling me like you did.”
“Come on, you enjoyed it just as much as I did.” He smirks, and a slight blush appears on her cheeks. I look at her and smirk raising a brow.
“Red,” calls Ace again, coming closer to us.
“Give us a minute, yeah, then we’ll go,” I say to Jade, and she nods glaring at Ace.
She steps toward him, her finger poking at his chest.
“You drug her or tie her ass up again and I’ll cut your fucking dick off, Servite,” she hisses, causing both Bass and him to laugh.
“I’ll only tie her up when she’s begging me to, Wolf,” he answers back, and she gasps at his honesty.
“Holy shit,” she says, raising her brows to me. “That was kind of hot.”
“Ahh, so you like to beg, Little Wolf?” asks Bass teasingly, coming closer to her.
“No, but I’d like to see you beg,” she says turning away from him, flaunting her ass as she walks away.
“Oh no you don’t!” barks Bass as he follows after her, and I can’t help but start laughing at her flirtatiousness.
“Red…”
“You keep saying that with no follow up, Horseman.”
He steps even closer to me.
“What did he say to you?” he asks.
“Not so fast, Ace. I won’t spill my guts just because you ask nicely. What goes on between him and I, it’s none of your concern. It’s the one thing he and I agree on.”
“Fuck you mean it’s not my concern? I won’t let him get his hands on you, Red.”
“You say that, yet you’re the one who brought me directly into his arms. Dragged me here like a pig to slaughter. And then here you are begging me to tell you what he’s done.” Fuck it, let him make of it what he wants. He thinks his uncle wants to fuck me, then I’ll let him think he’s touched me. I don’t care what he thinks of me anymore, after all he’s the reason we’re here tonight.
“I’ll kill him if he touched you, Red.”
“Why? Cause you want to be the only one to lay a hand on me.”
He bends his head forward bringing his lips directly to mine.
“I won’t let him have what’s mine,” he whispers softly.
“You gotta stop saying I’m yours, Ace. Like I said, I may have been the one with my hands tied behind my back, but you’re the one who wears a leash like a noose around your neck. You’re his pawn, his servant, his puppet on strings.”
His mouth comes down on me aggressively, taking with it my unspoken words. This kiss is different from our last one. His urgency is suffocating me. He wraps his hand behind my neck and his other lands on my ass squeezing hard. I gasp into his mouth and he growls squeezing harder. He lowers both hands to my ass and in one quick movement lifts me up, my legs wrapping around his waist. I moan at the sudden movement and he pushes us back, my back slamming against a tree behind us.
“Ahh,” I yelp as the cold, rough bark scrapes against me. His lips leave mine for just a moment as I gasp for air. He brings them to my ear whispering softly against it.
“You say I’m his puppet, well you are my toy. Mine to play with, mine to fuck, mine to do with as I please. And you want to know the best part, you’ll love every fucking minute of it.” He brings his hand up and wraps it tightly around my neck. “You’ll wear my hand like a noose around your neck as my cock thrusts deep inside that tight pussy of yours, and you’re screaming out my name.”
The gesture is erotic, intoxicating, and positively demented, but the feel of his hand around my neck sends a shot of heat straight to my core. I chuckle softly as the cold mist that is now covering the sky is felt against my flushed skin.
“You think that scares me, your futile threats about manhandling me and bringing me to my knees with both immense pleasure and a rush of pain?” I whisper, back against his ear bringing my tongue out to lick it and nibbling softly on the lobe. “I might be screaming your name, but in the end, you’ll be dropping to your knees at the sound of mine. You’re a king among pitiful men, but I’ll be the queen who will bring your kingdom down. If a king is only as strong as his most loyal men, then how do you destroy his kingdom? You take it apart from the inside out. And I will destroy your kingdom from the ground up, until the only thing left standing is you, watching from above as it all vanishes. Then you’ll be at my mercy, and you’ll have only yourself to blame,” I moan breathily in his ear.
“Fuck,” he grunts, pushing his hips further into me. I can feel him growing hard between my legs, sending a burning heat to my core. Our teasing and banter is only making him want this more. This force between us is maddening, twisted and downright manic, but it’s there pulling us together. I look into his eyes as he brings his forehead to rest against mine.
“Everything about you is infuriating. Your defiance, your attitude, and that goddamn mouth.” He smirks deviously, a small dimple appearing on his cheek. It’s cute, boyish, and not at all how I’d ever describe Ace. He’s demanding, passionate, and dangerous. But as his forehead rests against mine, all I see is the delicate blue of his eyes and the small dimple in his cheek. He’s beautiful, confused and lost. All he’s ever known is loyalty and power but here he stands in front of me helpless and vulnerable.
Suddenly, a loud thunderous roar is heard in the distance as a heavy rainfall begins to pour down on us.
“Fuck, Ace,” I yelp, as he grinds against me; the cold rainwater cooling the skin he burns with his touch. The water is falling hard, instantly soaking us both.
“That’s right, baby, say my fucking name,” he growls against my neck.
“Ace, fuck, I can’t.”
“I need to hear you say it. I need to hear you tell me that you want me as much as I want you. That this isn’t just in my head. You and me, we are the same, we need to feel in control. This back and forth between us, the constant bickering, the never-ending show of power, we both need the last word. We need to prove our power is relentless, yet we are defenseless against this feeling. I was a heartless son of a bitch before you showed up here, an emotionless husk of a person. But now as I hold you in my arms,” he brings his hands around me pulling me closer against his body. “As I crash my lips against yours,” he licks against my plump and swollen lips that are itching for h
im to claim them once more. “I crave the feel of your body, the taste of your lips. I need to unravel you and find what’s buried deep inside.”
A sudden whistle breaks us both out of our trance and I turn toward the house to see his uncle standing behind the floor length window watching us intently.
“Fuck!” I shout, pushing Ace off me. “I need to leave.”
He grabs my arm pulling me back in kissing me once more.
“This isn’t over, Red.”
I bite my lip at the look on his face. Profound desire, a desperate need.
“I know, Horseman. I know,” I say before running off toward the campus.
Back at the house Jade follows me into my room. We try our hardest not to make any noise to wake up Ruby or Stella, but it’s hard with us dripping wet on the floor. I reach into my dresser pulling out an old sweatshirt and a pair of black underwear, quickly undressing and changing while I throw Jade some dry clothes and she changes into them before sitting down on the edge of my bed. I walk over to the bed, getting in and slipping under the covers, Jade doing the same and laying down beside me. I close my eyes as I hear her whisper my name.
“Scarlett…”
“Not tonight, Jade,” I reply, opening my eyes slowly facing her. “I just want to sleep and erase the memory of tonight.”
“All the memories?” she asks, smirking and I know she knows something happened between Ace and me.
“You tell me?” I ask, raising a brow at her and the way her and Bass took off after that flirtatious exchange.
“Touché,” she replies, and we both laugh trying to lighten the mood. “Are we not going to tell anyone?”
“What’s the point, Jade? He’s an ex-cop, probably has the entire department in his pocket. It’s not worth the trouble.” She frowns, but I know she knows I’m right. “Wesley Servite is untouchable, hell all the Servite men are. So are the Horsemen. It’s best we start to learn that,” I say, closing my eyes.
It’s time I come to realize I’m just a sheep in the midst of all these wolves. An innocent soul among the ruthless demons of Servite. And worst of all, I think I just made a deal with the devil.
The Four Horsemen : A Servite Academy For Troubled Teens Novel Page 16