Prologue #2
Maybe she’d forgotten, but since the day I’d turned fifteen, I’d worked my butt off.
Even earlier, I’d babysat for anyone who’d allow me to take care of their kid.
I’d set aside every dime for my dreams. Walter had insisted on paying for my college education, choosing the only college acceptable for a girl like me.
I fought tears because I no longer recognized her.
“What are you trying to tell me?”
“That the freeloading is over.”
I had no idea what to say. “I don’t understand.”
“Of course you don’t.” The look in her eyes was one I couldn’t understand and certainly didn’t want to learn more about.
A sick feeling pooled in my stomach, cramps forcing me to pant. “So what do you want?”
“For you to finally learn to be obedient. Given your attitude, I feel I need to be blunt. You’re going to be married, Daniella.
Now, we’ll make all the arrangements to ensure the wedding and reception are the social event of the year.
Fortunately, Walter was able to make suitable arrangements given you aren’t blood.
This will bring our family name back from the shadows. ”
What? What in the hell was she telling me? Shadows? What shadows? “Married? I have no intention of being married to anyone Walter suggests. Ever.”
I was wrong. The savage slap across my face was far worse. Pain tore through the side of my head, my ears ringing. I fought tears and failed, two trickling past my lashes. My mother had never hit me, not even to discipline me as a child.
With my hand pressed against my burning cheek, I finally stared at her, furious and confused by the hatred I suddenly felt for her. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because it’s what Walter wants to occur and I owe him. You owe him. Fortunately, I’ve managed to convince him to allow you to finish college. However, you’ll be married and living with your husband. After you graduate, you’ll begin a family.”
The disbelief was shaded by my anger. “Who is this man?”
“A son of a very important client of your father’s.”
Translation. One of the Brotherhood boys, the twisted anarchists who ruled the city along with their powerful fathers.
Hell, they ruled the state and beyond. Their power and greed knew no bounds.
Neither did their sick proclivities. I’d learned enough about them that the thought of being married to one brought utter terror.
“Don’t ever call him my father again!”
“You bitch.”
Memories flooded the back of my mind, images of the life I’d had as a child. Loving, happy memories even in poverty.
When she acted as if she was going to slap me a second time, I backed away. “I’m not doing this.”
“You will. It’s been decided. You will not disobey me.” The ‘or else’ was implied.
My entire world just came crashing down. All the laughter and times together, Christmases and birthdays we shared. Even without money, we’d made them special. Now, this.
“I won’t do it.”
“Oh, yes, you will.” The strange look in her eyes frightened me. There was nothing left of the woman I’d known my whole life. “We’ll talk more in the next couple days, but you will comply.”
My mother was threatening me. Numbness settled in from the shock and horror.
I spun on my heel, furious with her for allowing herself to be used. I was finished with playing the games. No one was going to manipulate me. That wasn’t my personality.
That came from my father.
The moment I tried to flee, I knew what I’d find.
My stepbrother was standing just inside the doorway, blocking my exit.
He wore a creepy smile, more like a leer and as soon as we’d made eye contact, he swept his gaze with deliberate movements down to my thick boots.
The corners of his mouth upturned as if he was keeping a dark and dirty secret.
Since the day I’d met him, he’d tried his best to intimidate me.
Every single time he’d failed. That’s why he and his buddies had stalked me, enjoying the chase.
Or what they called the hunt. While he wasn’t bad looking, his arrogance created demons swirling around him, eager to feast on his soul when the time was right.
The imagery had developed the very first time I’d met him.
Now it did even more as he stood in bare feet wearing jeans and an open shirt, with mussed-up hair as if he’d just been fucking one of his Barbie doll girlfriend wannabes.
The man made my stomach turn. The glint of the gold he always wore around his neck shimmered under the LED lighting.
It was a damn symbol of the gang he ran with.
All the wealthy sons of powerful men, their acts of entitlement symbolized by matching necklaces.
He and his friends all but ruled the campus.
I could only imagine what they’d be like as fully functioning adults.
Their twisted criminal acts of sex and sin were emboldened by fear.
And the fact that their fathers had a wide-reaching influence.
From what I could see, the sons were worse than their fathers.
But I wanted nothing to do with their games.
I wasn’t certain of his intentions, but I wasn’t in the mood for bullshit, so I rushed past him without saying a word.
“Aren’t you concerned about your mother’s welfare?” His chiding voice did so get on my nerves.
“Are you threatening my mother?” A low blow even for him.
“Of course not. Why should I find the need?” He was even creepier than usual. “She’s very compliant. Which is what you’ll learn to be. After you’re broken in.”
Oh, my God. Huffing, I continued my path. The less interaction we had the better.
“We need to talk, sissy of mine.”
“For the love of God, I’m not your sister, Zane, and we have nothing to talk about. You have your world and I have mine. We’re not going to be one big happy family.”
“Oh, but you are, sister, at least in spirit, and yes, we do.”
God, his voice grated on my nerves.
This time, I chose to ignore him. There wouldn’t be any satisfaction in falling prey to his game of goading. That’s how he handled business, if not merely by bullying his employees, his clients, and his adversaries.
“Your dear mother tells me you’ve refused to see her. Your own mother. What a terrible daughter you are.”
Here we go. Asshole. Prick. At least the man was predictable.
I’d almost made it to the entrance foyer when he finally pushed a button that I wouldn’t tolerate. “Get away from me.”
“You do realize that with a single phone call I could destroy you and your mother. After what she did, it wouldn’t take much. One little phone call. That’s how much power I have in this city.”
I had no idea what he was alluding to, but I just didn’t care. That was it. I wasn’t usually prone to violence, but he’d plucked my last nerve to the point there was no holding back. “Try it, buddy, and face my wrath.”
His laugh was demonic. Pure evil.
“You will get married. Fortunately, he’s a buddy of mine and guess what? We’ve agreed to share. Much like we do with all our little lambs. You’re worth something, at least in the sack. We might even party with our friends. Would you like that?”
Oh, my God. The man was sick.
Taking long strides, I slammed him against the wall with a single hand.
You bet he was shocked. He’d never even seen me lose my temper.
I’d suffered in silence for long enough.
Never again. “Listen, you fucking prick. You’re a tired little boy who obviously didn’t get enough attention growing up.
You can play your sick games of power, but that won’t work with me.
I’m not marrying anyone from this shitty town.
And you’re never going to touch me. I’ll make certain of it. ”
Perhaps I’d underestimated the prick and his strength.
Before I realized what he’d done, he’d twisted the moment, spinning me around and shoving me into the wall.
Now with his one hand wrapped around my throat, he used the other to yank up the bottom of my skirt.
“You have no understanding of what I can do to you, sister of mine. Do you? There are no threats you can toss out that mean anything to me. You don’t understand who I am and what I can do. But you’re going to learn.”
“Get off me.” I jammed one hand against his chest, smacking and punching his other with my fist. I could tell by the look in his stone-cold eyes he’d been planning on using me for some twisted game. My instinct had told me all the accusations leveled at his father’s company held merit.
Zane purposely squeezed his fingers, cutting off a portion of my air supply.
His eyes were lit as if he was having the time of his life.
When he laughed, the stench of his breath from expensive scotch created a wave of disgusting nausea.
“It’s past time we talked about your future status.
Everything is falling into line. Soon, I’ll have everything I want.
Including the ultimate prize. You’re nothing but a whore.
So here’s what’s going to happen. I won the bet. I get a taste of you first.”
What in the hell was he talking about? I drove my fist into his chest and yanked on his hand slowly trying to crawl up my leg.
“Tsk. Tsk. A little wildcat, huh? That’s fine. I like them a little crazy. Tonight, you’re going to learn a lesson you’ll never forget.”
What the fuck? The asshole was completely out of his mind. If the understanding we were stepbrother and sister held no meaning to him, then maybe my hatred of him might jog his mind. “Not a chance in hell.”
The bastard didn’t use his words for rebuttal, squeezing my throat until I saw stars.
I was rarely shocked by anything any longer, but his horrid actions shackled my response for long enough that he slipped his hand to my leg, his fingers coming dangerously close to the thin lace covering my pussy.
His grip became too strong on both my throat and my leg. With my air supply being cut, I was already having difficulty breathing, a few stars crowding my vision. The second the son of a bitch moved his hand up my leg, a switch flipped.
If the fucker thought he was going to take advantage of me, he was dead wrong.
Using every ounce of force I had from years spent in the gym and a few martial arts classes, I maneuvered my hands just so and shoved with all I had.
The connection broken, I hauled off and cracked my hand across his face.
Hissing, I was thankful the force was enough he was pitched backward, smashing into a prized vase that had precariously been positioned on a stone column.
As it came crashing down, I backhanded him, finally sending him to the floor.
“You son of a bitch. If you dare touch me ever again, I will have you arrested on sexual assault. Am I being clear enough for you?” I certainly had no intention of waiting for him to resurrect himself. Spinning on my heels, I took long strides toward the front door.
Agony tore through me again as he yanked me by my hair, pitching me against the thick pillar holding some twisted piece of art.
I fell onto my hands and knees, the pain blinding. Winded, for a few seconds I was unable to move. My God. What was I going to do? There was no one here to help me.
He was suddenly behind me, ripping at my panties. When I heard his zipper, I gathered the last of my strength, maneuvering my leg until I was able to jam my foot into his chest. He went sprawling across the floor and I scrambled away, my fingers touching the sculpture.
Just as he lunged forward, his leer of lust unlike anything I’d ever seen, I twisted, issued a primal cry, and slammed the heavy piece against his head.
Very slowly, he was tossed back onto his heels, taking gasping breaths until he finally fell onto his side on the floor.
I forced myself to my feet, no longer able to feel my arms or legs, the knot in my stomach suffocating. He was still breathing, but blood had already started to pool under his head.
An ugly realization hit me.
This wasn’t my home.
All the memories I’d had with a beautiful past had been ripped away. Now they needed to be dead and buried. No one would ever believe my story. Zane Emmett was from a family of power. His father owned the police and the government.
And everything in between.
My mother had forsaken me.
I rushed to the door, tears blinding me. There was no returning to my life. No chance of finding a way through this.
My life as I knew it was over.
As of today, Daniella Dunham was dead.