Chapter 17
T he dining room door opened, thankfully breaking the tension and Logan's piercing eye contact with me. He looked over at the door and nodded. I glanced over, all too aware that Ryder's hand was still on my thigh, to see Cole walking into the room. His hair was still damp from what I assumed was a recent shower, curling slightly at the ends. He wore a fitted black t-shirt that clung to his muscular frame and a pair of dark jeans that hugged his legs in all the right places. As my eyes travelled up to his face, I found him watching me with an intensity that made my cheeks flush.
The memory of Ryder's comment in the bedroom, saying that he wasn't Cole, and he didn't like pain, flashed through my mind. Was he saying Cole liked pain? Maybe it was the almost spicy freshly washed smell that was coming from Cole as he sat down opposite me, or even Ryder's hand getting higher up on my leg, but the thought of Cole on his knees with my nail marks in his skin sent a warmth real low in my body. I had to resist the urge to squirm in my seat from the slight ache between my legs that was quickly growing. Shit, if just sitting in the room with these three stupidly hot guys was doing this to me, then I was going to be royally fucked, and I was guessing in more ways than one. I heard Ryder chuckle a second before I felt his warm breath in my ear.
"What's getting you so excited, sweet Poison?" he whispered, pushing his hand between my clenched thighs and rubbing my jeans against my traitorous core. I tried to focus on anything else but the pressure he was causing on my clit, biting back the moan that wanted to escape. I grabbed his hand and pushed it away, relieving the pressure, but unfortunately the ache still remained. I glanced at Ryder as he chuckled and let his hand fall back on my thigh. He raised an eyebrow and smirked, almost daring me to say something.
The door opened again, and an older woman came in pushing a cart. The scent of bacon hit me, causing a whole different type of desire in me when I realised how hungry I was. Everyone sat quietly as the woman proceeded to put plates in front of us. I looked down at the food, seeing that I had a plate of what was pretty much rabbit food while the guys each had full cooked breakfasts.
"What the fuck," I blurted out. "Why do you get that, and I get this?" I pointed to Logan's plate and then to my own. Intrusive thoughts flooded my mind, and all my insecurities about my weight flared to life. I had battled with my weight my whole teen life, never being able to get down to the sizes that women like the ones in the Courts all seemed to make easy. "Is my body not skinny enough for you?" I spat at Logan, the insecurities morphing into anger. Logan held up his hand with, shockingly, a concerned look on his face.
"Calm the fuck down, will you?" he snapped. "This isn't our doing." He looked up at the woman who looked genuinely scared. "Rosa, who approved the Consort's menu?" The woman, Rosa, shook her head quickly, looking from me to Logan.
"I'm sorry Mr Bale, I haven't received Miss Turner's menu yet, so I used Miss Kinsley's." She looked at me again, "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to mess up." The genuine fear on her face made my stomach drop, and I realised she assumed I was one of those spoilt brat types who would be used to getting daddy to fire the staff for not worshipping them. I opened my mouth to apologise but Logan got there first.
"Rosa, it's okay," he said, his tone gentle. "I am sure that Cadence can meet with you later to go over her preferences." I nodded quickly, wanting to reassure the poor woman.
"Oh yes, I am sorry," I said quickly. "I didn't mean to snap." Rosa looked relieved as she nodded and collected the plate from in front of me.
"If you could make up another plate of our meal for now, I would be grateful," Logan said and again Rosa nodded.
"Right away Mr Bale." She rushed out of the room, letting the door close behind her. I looked at the three guys in turn, feeling like a bit of a dick.
"I'm sorry, I-" I started.
"Don't worry about it, beautiful," Cole said quickly with a smile. "We all know that this is an adjustment for you." He seemed to direct part of his words to Logan with a sharp look. Logan ignored him and picked up his plate and placed it in front of me. I looked up at him, shocked as he waved his hand.
"You need to eat," he said dismissively. "We still have a lot to go over, and we have a meeting at the University in two hours, so you need to get dressed for that."
"A lot to go over?" I asked. "Like what?"
"Like the rules, Poison," Ryder said with a grin as he finally took his hand off my thigh and started tucking into his food.
"Rules? What Rules?" I knew that I didn't want to know what these rules were, and I wasn’t going to like them.
"Start eating and I will go over them," Logan said as he pulled open a folder that had a pile of paper in it. I narrowed my eyes at him, as he so casually told me what to do, and despite my hunger, I wanted to resist like the stubborn idiot I was. Logan stopped looking through the papers and turned his attention on me, realising that I wasn't following his orders. He looked down at the plate and then back up at me. His jaw clenched as his eyebrows lowered into a glare. We stared at each other, neither of us wanting to back down.
"Oh, bloody hell," Cole said with an exasperated sigh. "Cadence just eat, you’re hungry anyway." I looked over at him and saw his strained expression.
"Cade," I said. His expression turned to confusion.
"What?" he asked.
"I use Cade, not Cadence."
"You use what we say you use, Princess," Logan grunted.
"The fuck I do," I retorted, glaring back at Logan. I wasn't about to let him dictate something as personal as my name. "It's Cade, or you can call me Ms. Turner if you're going to be an ass about it. And you can pack it in with the Princess bullshit as well." Logan smirked at my outburst.
"I'll stop calling you princess, when you stop acting like a spoiled princess," he said.
"Spoilt?" I asked, shocked at the notion. "At what point have I acted anything like a bloody princess?"
"I'd say more of a brat," Ryder mused as he shoved another piece of food in his mouth. His plate was almost empty already as he sat there and grinned at us like he was enjoying the show. "And you know what they say about brats, don't you Poison? They like to be punished." He put his fork down on his plate and reached up to caress my face with his free hand. His tone taking a darker edge. "Do you like to be punished, Poison? Because I am more than happy to accommodate." That warmth in my centre flared to life again, causing my face to heat up as I smacked Ryder's hand away. He chuckled and I mentally kicked myself, knowing I needed to get my reactions under control.
"Are we done?" Logan snapped. I turned to tell him to go to hell, but stopped when I saw him glaring at Ryder and not me. He turned his attention back to me and nodded expectantly down at my plate. I rolled my eyes but picked up my fork, deciding it was in my best interests to at least appear cooperative for the time being.
"Fine, let's hear these precious rules of yours," I said, trying to maintain a sense of defiance despite the knot in my stomach. Logan cleared his throat and looked back down at a pile of papers, before looking back up at me.
"First and foremost," Logan began, his gaze fixed on me, "your appearance and conduct are a reflection of Covenant House. As such, you will be expected to dress and behave in a manner befitting your position." I didn't even try to hide the scoff that escaped me.
"And what position is that, exactly? Your personal plaything?" Logan's eyes flashed dangerously.
"Watch your tone, Princess. This isn't a game, and it certainly isn't up for negotiation."
"Like hell it isn't," I snapped, my temper flaring. "You can't just dictate how I dress or act. I'm not your doll to dress up and parade around."
"Actually," Ryder chimed in, his tone light but his eyes filled with a darkness that scared me, "that's exactly what you are, Poison. We claimed you, remember? You're ours now, to do with as we please." The words sent a shiver down my spine, and a brief memory of being held last night while they claimed me flashed through my mind.
"That doesn't mean you can control my wardrobe," I argued, though I could hear the uncertainty in my voice.
"That's exactly what it means. The claim gives us the right to set rules and expectations for your role as Consort," Logan countered. "And right now, we're setting those rules. If you have a problem with that, I'm sure we can arrange a meeting with the university board to discuss the terms of your scholarship." The threat hung heavy in the air, and I felt the fight drain out of me. My scholarship, my grandparents' financial security, it all hinged on my compliance with their demands. I slumped back in my chair, defeated for the moment.
"Fine," I muttered. "What exactly do you expect me to wear?" Logan's lips quirked up in a satisfied smirk.
"We'll be updating your wardrobe to something more... appropriate for your position. Designer labels, tailored pieces, nothing off the rack at some low rate supermarket or chain store. You'll be expected to dress acceptably for dinner each evening, and for any events you attend with us." I opened my mouth to protest, there was no way I could afford designer clothes, even with the extra money that I had received, but Logan held up a hand to silence me.
"Before you object, Princess, let me make it clear that we will be providing your new wardrobe. Consider it part of your... compensation for your role."
The idea of them buying my clothes, of essentially dressing me like their personal doll, made my skin crawl. But I bit my tongue, knowing that picking this battle would only lead to more threats against my scholarship.
"And it's not just the clothes," Ryder added, his eyes raking over me in a way that made me want to shrink into myself. "We have expectations for your... personal grooming as well." I felt my face heat up at his implication.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Cole, who had been silent up until now, spoke up.
"He means that your appearance, in all aspects, should meet our standards. That includes things like manicures, hair styling, and... other grooming choices."
"Other grooming choices?" Was he really implying what I thought he was implying?
"Your pussy, Poison," Ryder smirked as my face heated up again. "I like things to be nice and tidy when I have my face buried between your legs." The look on his face told me he was deadly serious, and his words sent a traitorous clenching to said pussy. Fuck me, I was losing a battle I didn't want to lose here.
"This is ridiculous," I muttered to myself as my face flushed again, and I tried to hide that Ryder's words were having the exact impact that he wanted them to. "You can't control every aspect of my life."
"We can, and we will," Logan said firmly. "Which brings me to the next point, your hair." I instinctively reached up to touch my fading purple locks.
"What about my hair?" Logan's eyes narrowed.
"The purple has to go. It's not befitting of your new position. You'll dye it back to your natural colour immediately." Something in me snapped at his words. My hair had been purple for years, it was a part of my identity, a small act of rebellion in a life that had often felt out of my control. And now they wanted to take that away too?
"Fuck off," I spat, surprising even myself with the vehemence in my voice. "I'm not changing my hair colour for you or anyone else." The room fell silent, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. Logan's face darkened with anger, his hands clenched into fists on the table.
"What did you just say to me?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. I knew I should back down, that I was pushing too far, but I couldn't bring myself to give in on this.
"I said, fuck off. My hair stays purple." Logan stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. He leaned across the table, his face inches from mine.
"You seem to have forgotten your place, Princess. Let me remind you, you don't have a choice in this. You'll do as you're told, or—"
"Logan," Cole called out, his tone stern. Logan glared at me for a few more seconds before backing off.
"I'm sure we can compromise," Cole said as Logan picked up his chair. "How about Cade can keep her purple hair," I felt a surge of triumph at his words "but she agrees to update the rest of her wardrobe and adhere to our other grooming standards." I wanted to argue, to say that I hadn't agreed to anything, but I knew this was probably the best deal I was going to get. I nodded slowly, relief washing over me at this small victory. Logan sat back down, his posture rigid.
"Fine," he bit out. "But the rest of our rules are non-negotiable. Understood?" I nodded again, not trusting myself to speak. The relief I felt at keeping my hair colour was quickly overshadowed by the dread over what other 'rules' they had in store for me.
Logan continued, his voice steady and commanding. "Next rule: you will join us for the evening meal every night. Your presence is required at the table to reinforce your position within the Covenant House." I swallowed hard, the implications of his words settling in. Every night, I would have to endure this tension, this constant power struggle.
"And what if I have other plans?" I asked, knowing full well that the idea of having plans outside of their control was a farce. Logan's eyes narrowed.
"Your plans are now our plans. You will prioritise our schedule and social obligations above your own. That includes dating. As our Consort, you are off the table for any other sexual relationships." I clenched my fists under the table, the knot in my stomach tightening. I knew this was coming, but a small part of me was hoping that it wouldn't go there.
"Other sexual relationships?" I asked. Ryder smirked at me.
"That's right, Poison, and this leads us to my favourite rule of all," he said. "You are expected to share a bed with each Regent at least once a week." There it was. My stomach dropped and I felt like I was going to be sick.
"And if I refuse?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Ryder leaned in, his breath hot on my ear.
"Then we'll make sure you enjoy it so much, you won't want to refuse again." I pushed him away, my heart pounding in my chest.
"You're disgusting," I spat, trying to hide the shiver that ran down my spine and the pulse between my legs.
"Ryder," Cole said with a sigh. "Give the woman some space." Something flashed behind Ryder's eyes, and the tension between him and Cole was thick enough to cut for a moment, before Ryder shrugged and sat back in his chair.
"Any more rules?" I asked, turning to face Logan again.
"That's all of them for now," he said. "We have a meeting with the University administration in a little over an hour, so if you are done picking at your food, maybe you can go and attempt to make yourself presentable with what you have available."
Another dig at my non designer clothes. Seriously, who gave a shit? But I wasn't going to pass up the chance to escape the imposing presence of these three dicks. I scraped back my chair quickly and rushed from the room just as Rosa was coming back in with a fresh plate of food, and hurried up the stairs back to my room, closing the door behind me before slipping to the floor and finally letting the tears fall down my cheeks.