Chapter 12
“As a little boy, my grandfather called me a prince.
Because I’m an heir to a powerful empire and have a legacy to uphold.
He told me it made me special in some way because our family’s talent runs through my veins.
But the thing I discovered?
Regardless of whether you’re a prince or not…
You experience agony all the same.
As monsters who feast on your flesh do not care about your bloodline.
They care about their cravings and your downfall.”
Florian
Florian, five years old
The loud whistling echoes through the space, mixing with the water dripping from the tap nearby as the concrete floor underneath us vibrates from the heavy footsteps, speeding up my heartbeat to the point of feeling it in my throat.
I scrunch my eyes and try to see something in the distance through the metallic cage’s bars, to study the monster who took us away in the middle of the night and brought us here.
Only a single bulb flickering on and off brightens up the darkness around us while disgusting sweet smells float in the air, making me cough a lot, and I do my best to ignore the weird noises coming from under the sink. By the red flashes, I think it’s rats, and I just can’t.
We’ve already had cockroaches running all over us, and I almost vomit in disgust at the thought, my bare toes curling into the concrete while sweat slides down my back because it’s so hot in here.
“Florian,” Frederick whispers, pressing his body closer to mine as my arm wraps around his shoulders. “I’m afraid, Florian.” He trembles, and I bite on my lower lip to keep myself from crying or whimpering because one of us needs to be strong.
Although it’s so hard.
All I want to do is call for Daddy so he can come and save us, but that’s not an option, and since Frederick refuses to act like the oldest sibling should, it’s my job to keep us safe.
Our family always warned us that due to our status and wealth, we have to be protected at all costs because bad men can use us to get money. If we do end up in a situation like this, though, we should remember that until they get money, they won’t touch us, so we should act as calm as possible.
In other words, do not antagonize them to stall time.
Padrino Lucian always said, Survive. Survive until you can beat them.
So that’s my main goal now despite my fear.
“What should we do?” my twin asks, and I just shake my head, squeezing him harder and hoping he’ll shut up so he won’t spill any beans in his nervous state.
That’s when three men enter the basement, or maybe it’s just a warehouse? They brought us here by covering our eyes, so we haven’t seen anything.
The one in the middle is more on the leaner side, wearing an expensive suit while a mask covers his face and a diamond watch glistens on his wrist.
He focuses his sharp gaze on me, and my insides clench, reading rage and anticipation in them. “Why the fuck are there two of them?” He barks the question, and the two beefy men on either side of him tense. Compared to him, they wear jeans and T-shirts while their shoes are smeared in dirt, and overall, they have a rather messy appearance.
They must work for him.
Then his words register in my mind, and my brow furrows.
So he wanted just to get one of us? Why? Maybe it’s easier to handle ransom for one kid rather than two.
One of them finally replies, “We didn’t know which one to take. They’re identical!”
Whenever someone says this, I find it so strange because we aren’t identical at all besides our blond hair and green eyes. We don’t even wear the same clothes, but to my frustration, practically no one can tell us apart.
Except Daddy and my godparents.
Uncle Lucian and Aunt Esme aren’t Frederick’s godparents because Mother refused, throwing a whole hissy fit, as Grandpa called it, and insisted that her friends have the honor.
It seems she favored him from the moment I was born, yet I’ve never known why.
“I’m paying you to know everything.” The suit man speaks up again as he rubs his chin and addresses us for the first time. “Frederick and Florian Price.”
We blink and tense when he steps closer, rattling the bars and making us jump in place as Frederick whimpers, but I meet the man’s stare head-on.
If you’re in danger, always be strong, ahijado. Because your pain and weakness are a weapon, and no enemy should know where it would hurt you the most.
My godfather’s words ring in my ears as I curl my free hand in a fist, ready to withstand anything in order to save us both from this awful place.
Dad once said that I have a great ability to think rationally during stressful times and stay outwardly calm. I hope it’s true because Frederick shakes like a leaf!
“I’m going to ask only one question. Who is older?” We both freeze at this, and I frown. “You’ll answer, and all this”—he swirls his finger in the air—“will be over for one of you.”
“Wh-what?” Frederick asks in confusion, burrowing deeper into my side while I watch the men warily. I don’t miss how the other two exchange a glance, smirking at each other.
“I only need an heir. So one of you is useless.” He sighs dramatically while a hideous glint flashes in his eyes. “But I feel generous tonight. Whoever is useless to me will go home back to their daddy.” He snarls, and what he says sounds more like an insult.
Listen to me well, son. If a bad person promises you something, chances are they’re lying. Never believe them. Because as long as you do not give them what they want or need, they will keep you alive. Sometimes silence is your biggest weapon.
“We want to go home,” I finally speak up, and anger crosses his face while the other two blink in surprise. “What do you want? Our dad will give it to you.”
Daddy loves us the most. He’d give up everything and anything in order to get us back.
The men in our family might not be known to be faithful, but they do love their children and always protect them.
“Your daddy’s agony,” he replies, and a disgusting shiver rushes down my spine, my body growing tense even more when he steps closer, his leather shoes tapping against the bars. “Answer my question, boy.” Frederick whimpers and murmurs something I can’t understand.
“I have a name,” I snap, hating how venomous he sounds while fear envelops me, urging me to come up with something to change his mind or find a solution until Daddy can find us.
Surely, at this point, he called the police, and everyone is searching for us. I’m not sure how far away they took us, though, because they hit us hard after injecting something into our necks, and then we woke up in a van.
“Ah, stubborn and brave. Two character traits I love the most. They are the easiest to beat out of someone.” I curl my fist tighter so he won’t see how my hands tremble. “You’re not a Price here, boy. You’re my toy to do as I please. So watch your fucking mouth and stop wasting my time. Who’s the oldest?”
Frederick shakes even harder, and I turn my attention to him, hugging him and rocking him in my arms. “Shhhh. It’s going to be okay. Just don’t say anything,” I whisper in his ear.
I know it’s wrong, but I’m a bit annoyed he doesn’t remember any of Dad’s teachings and instead cries when we should support each other.
For once, can he act like my twin and not some stranger?
If Santiago were here with me…he’d act like my shield, ready to tear into anyone who threatened my safety, and I’d do the same for him.
He’s more my brother than my twin could have ever been in many ways, and his love for me is absolute.
Loyal to a fault, we even pinkie swore to always be on each other’s side no matter what happens in the future.
“Just think about it, boys. Once you tell me the truth, one of you will be free. I’ll send you home to your family and a warm bed where nothing can hurt you.”
He must not have any family to assume I would betray my brother for a bed!
“We won’t tell you anything!” I shout at him, and this time, he snarls, the muscle on his cheek twitching, and I swallow hard when even the two men behind him step forward, clearly not knowing what reaction to expect from him.
“Stop testing my patience, boy. I’m this close to killing you both and sending your remains to Jacob, but that’s not our legacy. We don’t want the ending of the line. We want suffering, and we shall have it.” He grips the bar hard and pulls at it, rattling the whole cage. I cover my face when something drops from the ceiling on us, and several rats run from under the sink in different directions. “I’m going to repeat my question one last time. Who is the oldest?”
“Shouldn’t you know that already if you kidnapped us?”
According to the books our various teachers and butlers made us read from a young age that urged us to learn different languages in order to understand other cultures better, whenever someone kidnaps you, they have a plan and a goal.
And they do extensive research to catch someone, so why is he asking us this?
All my thoughts come to a halt, though, when my twin whispers. Yet it sounds more like a loud shout in my head. “Florian.” He scoots away from me, licking his lips, and repeats this time with more confidence, “Florian is older by ten minutes.”
A gasp echoes in the night, and it takes me a second to realize it came from me as my entire being is consumed by shock.
How could he lie? But more importantly…how can he throw me under the bus like this?
I should scream all those things or announce to these men he’s lying, but the only thing I manage to do is ask, “Why, Frederick?”
He shrugs, avoiding my gaze and rubbing his arms. “Everyone loves me. Including Mom. Losing you will be easier to bear than my death.”
His words hang between us, their hurtful meaning piercing my heart and making it hard for me to breathe because they are not true.
They aren’t!
I’m loved, and our mother is the only one who despises my existence!
“You’re a liar, Frederick,” I whisper and decide to tell them all the truth, but it’s stuck in my throat. No matter my pain, I cannot betray him and cause him harm.
When all of this is over…I will never forgive him for this. Never!
The man clicks his tongue. “Ah, always go for the cowards. Their fear is stronger than any courage could ever be.” He steps back and calls, “Timothy.”
I expect one of the men to come to him, but instead, I hear heavy footsteps coming from above, and in a few seconds, a fourth man enters. “Take Frederick back home.”
He opens the cage and steps forward, grabbing my twin by his neck and dragging him upward to him. “Let’s go, kid.”
“I’m sorry, Florian,” he says, and I just turn away from him, refusing to acknowledge his apology that means nothing. I internally roll into a ball when the door behind them closes, leaving me alone with the three men.
“Finally, we can move to the most interesting part.” I grip my knees and look at the suit man who sits on the chair opposite the cage and turns on the camera, the red light disturbing my vision. “Alex and Peter, you can proceed.”
The two men grin and press my back harder into the wall when Peter picks up a metallic cane and leather belt, the buckle hitting over his knee while Alex just studies me, something odd filling his gaze while he bites his lower lip.
“Tonight, you will learn something, Florian.” He holds my gaze as fear sinks so deep into me, and my heartbeat speeds up even more while I do everything in my power not to show them my emotions. “The Price dynasty might be powerful, but it’s powerless when it comes to their heirs. Tonight, you will learn what hell on earth entails.”
“My dad will find me. My godfather will find me,” I tell him, desperately needing to believe that because I’m so scared.
So, so scared as I’ve never seen someone so cold and evil who hates me just for my family name alone.
His laughter rocks off the walls, only adding to the chills running down my spine in waves and suffocating me to death. “I’m counting on it, Florian. Otherwise, what would have been the point of all this?” More horrible laughter. “Oh, it will kill them both to see the results of my cruelty. They will find you, but they will fail to save you, and that’s a burden they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.”
I’m still processing his words when Peter enters, and my agonizing cry reverberates through the space when he raises the metallic cane and hits me hard with it right in my face, the pain assaulting me from every corner and everything around me while dizziness sweeps over me.
Bile rises in my throat, and I feel the deep need to throw up, but then a kick to my stomach follows. I fall face down on the ground, struggling for breath. “I want him bruised, abused, and scarred. I want him to suffer and beg. I want him to lose all traces of innocence tonight.”
“Say less, boss,” Alex replies, and through my hazy vision, I see him lower his zipper, the sound exceptionally loud and stilling me. “Say fucking less.” With this, he grabs my hair, arching my neck back while hurtful sensations wrap around my scalp. “Let’s start, shall we, Florian?” He looks at Peter. “You can choke him while I do the other thing.”
Peter chuckles, hooking the belt around my neck and twisting it, cutting off my oxygen supply at once. I try to slap him, but it’s no use.
I freeze when I feel Alex ripping off my pants, his hands settling on me, and the need to vomit becomes even stronger.
I struggle in their hold with all my might, wanting to escape them both, but it’s useless. My strength is nothing against theirs, and in a minute, Alex does something to me that slowly kills me from the inside out.
And for the next twenty-four hours, they continue to do hideous things to me, so disgusting in their nature that it slowly strips me of everything while I stay motionless, my throat hoarse from crying and screaming.
While the suit man, who later calls himself Death, orders them over and over again to do something to me while he films me and takes photos, promising to add them to their collection.
Knives. Drills. Hammers.
Hands. Tongues. And…and…I can’t say it.
Filling my mouth with water only to cover it up and make me choke on it while hitting me over and over again, giving me rest so I won’t die.
Through all this, though, only one voice keeps me alive.
Only one voice keeps me steady.
Only one voice keeps me sane and makes me hold on to the present despite it being unbearable.
Survive.
Survive until you can beat them.
Jimena
“Jimena.” I startle at the sound of my name, blinking several times and sitting up. “I brought you home,” Remi says.
I give him a grateful smile while a heavy breath escapes me, and I massage my sore neck. Falling asleep in an uncomfortable position is hell in itself.
After my rightful outburst at Florian, hanging out at the club took inhuman strength until Remi offered to drop Lenora and me home since my brother was wrapped around Briseis like an octopus.
The man is obsessed, and it fills my bruised heart with joy because he deserves to have something more in life than constant violence.
“Thank you, Remi. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” Sometimes I wonder how different my life would’ve turned out if my brother didn’t have such amazing friends who’d do anything for him and his family.
“Don’t you ever forget it.” He taps my nose and leans back, grabbing my bag and placing it on my lap while his dark eyes focus on me, and I hope he doesn’t see my pain. “You know you can tell me anything, right? Whatever you say will stay between us.”
And just like that, my hopes die.
Mustering up a smile that doesn’t fool him, I put my hand on his and squeeze it. “I know, and I promise I will once I’m ready. Right now, though, I’d really like to lie down.” He’s done so much for me over the years, so lying to him is pointless, but the difference between Remi compared to Santiago and Florian…he won’t ever push me. He respects my boundaries, and for that, he has my respect and love. “Once I’m ready, though…I hope you’ll muster up all the patience in the world.” Their relationship with Florian is complicated, so adding me to the mix would turn their usual fire into a whole inferno.
He kisses me on the forehead and nods. “Fine. I’ll always be on your side, Jimena. I don’t have any siblings, so you’re all I have.”
“And the dark four,” I tease, and he barks a laugh.
“And them, yes.”
Although judging by all the rumors and his weird behavior, he won’t be alone for long.
We’ve officially reached a point where the dark four are settling down, but the thought is too painful for me to focus on.
“Good night, Remi.”
“Night, darling.”
Getting out of the car, I groan inwardly that I’m spending the night at my parents’ place because we have a family breakfast planned in the morning. After the disastrous dinner we had recently, it’s the least we could do for Mom.
I exhale in relief when I find no one in the hallway. Even the staff must be asleep, and the last thing I need right now is to pretend I’m fine.
It’s such a hassle around the people who know you well.
Quickly reaching my room, I lock the door before taking off my dress and heels. I go straight to the bathroom, where I ignore my reflection in the mirror.
Stepping inside the shower, I turn on the hot water and stand under the spay, letting it hit my sore muscles, and finally the tears I held back all this time break through, falling down as water washes them away.
I spent a lot of time hiding in the shower, which was the only place where I allowed myself to cry. No one would hear me or see my puffy face afterward, so it was the perfect setup.
“I have a threesome waiting for me. Unless you don’t mind joining me? You can stay and watch if you want.”
I never cried here because of Florian, but I guess there’s a first time for everything.
How could he be so cruel to me? It’s one thing not wanting to be with me, but another to be this brutal.
So not like him, and I hate myself for thinking this too.
I should not find justifications or excuse his horrible behavior. Maybe I’m finally seeing him for who he truly is.
Once I cry all my tears, I pat my stomach and whisper, “It’s okay, little one. It’s going to be okay.”
Florian will take responsibility for his child, this I don’t doubt if his shocked and concerned expression was anything to go by.
Besides, he’s a Price, and they love their kids. Grandpa Atlas got married at eighteen because his ex-hookup got pregnant with Uncle Jacob. Apparently, he loved some other girl who he dated at one time and later on died in a car accident. He mourned her for a year. I think that was the only year in his life he stayed celibate.
God knows his wife was never shown the same courtesy, even during their marriage, and according to Dad, Grandpa Atlas never tried to hide his affairs.
Generally, I feel bad whenever I think about our grandparents and how tragic all their love stories had been.
Not that ours are going any better.
Drying my hair and body with a thick towel, I let my hair fall down my spine as I step out into the room and put on my short, silky robe. “I should watch some movie.” The words spill from my lips, only for me to freeze when thunder shakes the sky, lightning gracing it and brightening everything around me.
That’s when I see someone behind the balcony door.
My jaw about hits the floor at the sight of Florian standing under the pouring rain, and I run toward him.
Opening the door, I hiss as the whooshing wind slips inside the room. “What are you doing here? Did you just climb up to the second floor?” Has he lost his freaking mind? He could have broken his neck.
However, just as the thought rushes through my head, another replaces it. Like him basically showing me the middle finger tonight before he went off to have his threesome.
“You know what? Have at it,” I mutter and try to lock the door, but he pushes at it gently, getting in before I can stop him. “Get the hell out, Florian, or I’ll scream.”
“And you think that scares me, princess?” He shuts the door behind him, shaking his head as rainwater drips on the floor.
“If it didn’t, you would come in by the main entrance. Not like some kind of thief using a balcony to get in.” Tying the knot tighter on my waist, I step back as he moves forward. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have a threesome to attend?” I raise my hand before he can answer me. “You know what? I don’t care, actually. Just get out, Florian. If you want to talk about the baby, you can do that some other time.”
I’m doing my best to keep my voice as low as possible despite really wanting to yell at him and slap him in his handsome face some more so he’d feel at least an ounce of the pain he had caused me.
But my father walking in on us would be such an epic disaster, so my wishes would have to wait.
“I wasn’t having a threesome,” he snaps, and my brow rises at this while I hate myself for the relief rushing through my veins because, who cares if he did or not? I should grow a backbone when he’s concerned.
“Do you expect me to pat you on the back for it or something? Besides, you can do whatever you want. You’re a single man in his prime, right? And I can do whatever I want. Who knows? Maybe you won’t even have to take any responsibility for the baby. I’ll find someone else! It’s not that hard.” I regret the words the minute I say them as the energy around us shifts from tense to dangerous and angry instantly, creating an odd sensation all over me while filling my body with an anticipation that should be scary.
Instead, it’s exciting.
My gasp echoes in the night when he presses me against the nearest wall while his hand wraps around my throat. Gentle yet firm, and meant to keep me in place but not hurt me in any way. “I deserved that, so I’m going to let it slide.” He evades my kick, but fuck him and his condescending let it slide comment. As if I’m asking him for permission! “You’re mine, princess. There will be no other man touching this body or claiming my baby, but me. Do you understand that?”
The audacity.
My heart melts at the words I longed to hear for such a long time, but thankfully, my brain reminds me that this man broke the said heart just hours ago and treated it like shit for the past couple of years, so my heart can’t be trusted to make any rational judgments. “Is that so? And why may I ask? Last time I checked, I was single and free to do whatever. Don’t worry, though.” I pat his chest, and his eyes darken. “I won’t be hooking up with everyone left and right just to prove a point like you’ve been doing.”
His fingers flex on my throat, and the air sticks in my lungs when he leans closer and says, his voice dropping to a hushed whisper that causes goose bumps to break all over my skin, “When your lips touched mine so innocently for the first time, that was my first kiss too.” A hot flush zips through me. “Ah, princess. Do you like knowing my mouth belongs only to you?” I swallow and clench his shirt, keeping at least the appearance of distance between us. “Since that first time, I’ve been yours. I haven’t touched another woman in years. How could I let anyone else have what belongs to you?”
Oh my God, what?
So many thoughts flash through my head, but mainly his indifference and the countless women he kept parading in front of me. “For the past couple of months…”
“I never actually touched them or did anything with them, Jimena. You just assumed so because I wanted you to. None of it was true. I would have never done this to you. Contrary to what most people believe, Price men do not cheat on the women they love.”
Despite the relief penetrating every bone in my body, I focus on the pain that consumed me all this time and still find the strength to say through my shock, “And that’s supposed to make me feel better? You hurt me constantly, Florian.” I’m too scared to believe what he says or rather hear what he’s trying to tell me. What if I’m wrong? My heart can’t take any more heartbreaks. “Unless you have a justification for that…”
“I don’t.” I freeze at the steel in his voice and the intensity in his eyes as his thumb brushes over my pulse point and his scent calms me on some level. “How can there be any justification for hurting you? You’re the most important thing in this world to me, Jimena. Behaving like a dick toward you has been my greatest challenge in this life, as all I want to do whenever I look at you is drag you to my cave and never let you go.” He crowds me tighter against the wall, his pelvis digging into mine as our lips are inches apart, and his wild heartbeat under my palm matches mine. “You’re my madness, princess, and there is no cure for it. I’m irrevocably yours, and that’s your greatest curse.” He tips my head up and leans forward, his breath fanning my cheeks while we stare at one another. “I should stay away and let you live a beautiful life where darkness doesn’t exist. But I can’t. Because I’m selfish when it comes to you and want you all to myself. Te amo, Jimena,” he finishes in a whisper, his lips grazing mine as tears fill my eyes at such truth ringing in his words that soothe my wounds. “But I’m sorry my love comes with such sharp thorns.”
Ever since falling in love with Florian Price, I have had only one dream.
To have his love.
And while his confession should heal my wounds, they still bleed, and I can’t trust them.
How can you trust a man who hurt you so much without any explanation?
Before he can kiss me, I push at his chest, and he steps back while I wiggle free from his embrace, taking several steps to the right and gulping for breath. “Why?” Surprise flashes on his face as if this is the last thing he expected to hear after his confession. “If you love me, then why did you treat me like trash?” I swallow hard. “Why did you treat me no better than some kind of a whore after our first time?”
“I never treated you like a whore,” he snaps right back, and removes his jacket, throwing it on my chair and rolling up his shirt sleeves. “Since you lack experience to know the difference, let me make something abundantly clear, princess. I never touched other women the way I touched you.”
“Yet you showed them all more respect than me!” I shout the last part and quickly cover my mouth, groaning because I forgot our whereabouts. “This is getting us nowhere.”
“You want me to grovel? I’ll grovel, princess. On my knees if I have to.”
A scorching heat travels down my spine as his hushed voice paints carnal images in my head. However, no. Grovel is the last thing on my mind right now. Understanding why he acted the way he did is a priority. “I want the truth.” A beat passes. “And then we can decide on the grovel part.”
Mama raised no fool, after all.
“Okay.” He motions for the bed. “Please sit down. It’s a rather long and brutal story.” I do as he says, and he drops on the chair opposite my bed. “I’m sorry, Jimena.”
My brow furrows. “For what?”
“For what I’m about to tell you. No one knows about it except our fathers. I never wanted to burden you with it, but I have no choice.”
And he finally tells me the truth.
The truth that breaks my heart in ways his cruelty never could.
Death
Everything should always go according to plan, and while Jimena is acting a little bit difficult right now…she will play by the rules.
She’s a Cortez.
And if there is one weakness her dynasty has?
It’s their family.
Unfortunately for them, they love each other; love is our greatest weapon, not strength.
My laughter reverberates through the space as I flip through various photos that announce my upcoming victory and run my fingers through my blond hair.
The Price family will pay for all the disrespect.
But especially Florian.
Just killing their baby is not enough for me.
I want them both to watch and suffer, knowing they can’t do anything about it.
Cruelty is my greatest source of entertainment.
And compared to Florian?
I prefer to kill the innocent because, where is the fun in harming the monsters?
Jimena
Tears stream down my cheeks as I wipe them away and stare at Florian through my blurry vision, as he stands by the balcony door, watching me.
He told me about his past, a past that’s hideous and tragic.
“So now you know why I pushed you away and tried to protect you. He’s vicious, and I don’t ever want him near you. As long as he thinks I’m indifferent toward you, you’re safe.” His hollow laughter rings in the room. “How can I stay indifferent now when you’re carrying my baby?”
Oh my God.
How hard must it be for him to carry all of this burden and not be able to share it with his best friends?
To hide something so horrible happening to you and not be able to lean on the people you love and trust the most.
Florian has always been a protector who hid behind his charming facade while he kept their brotherhood together.
Always there for them but never allowing for them to be his support.
I get up and go to him as he watches me warily as if expecting me to either erupt in hysterics or look at him somehow differently after confessing all this to me. Although I shouldn’t be surprised.
I’d seen firsthand what this kind of trauma does to a person, and my brother at least didn’t bottle it up inside. He never shared any details, but we knew he was hurting.
Florian buried his hurt, and on some level, I think…he tried to pretend it didn’t exist or happen. Unfortunately, though, it did, and it screwed him up.
I was right.
No one becomes a serial killer just because. They all have their own reasons, but I didn’t expect his reason to be so hard for me.
A raspy breath escapes him when I start to unbutton his shirt, and he grabs my wrists, stilling my movements. “What are you doing?”
“I need to see them.”
The dark four rarely walk around shirtless, but over the years, I’ve seen them sometimes working out. Endless scars mar their flesh, some more angry-looking than the others, and my heart always squeezed at the sight of them.
They spoke about their pain and what they had to go through, but even in these rare moments, though…I don’t remember a single time seeing Florian’s back or chest.
Not once.
Even during our first and only time so far, he was fully clothed and had the chance to admire me, masterfully hiding himself from me. Realization hits me. “You’ve never been naked in front of anyone, have you?”
Darkness crosses his face as he tries to gently push me away, but I hold my ground and continue to unbutton his shirt. “If you think I’m going to discuss with you—”
I place my palm on his mouth so he won’t say something mean again to make me back away. I think I’m starting to understand Florian’s behavior. “It’s okay, Florian,” I whisper as he swallows. “You can trust me with your vulnerabilities.”
“What if they are too hard and hideous to bear?” he asks as I finally remove his shirt, letting it fall on the floor and leaving him bare to my gaze. Tears fill my eyes. “Stop it, Jimena.” He makes a move to hide himself from me but my pleading gaze must stop him.
A raspy breath slips past my lips at the sight of the endless scars marrying his skin, red and deep slashes all over his chest as if someone burned his skin and then poured salt and acid over it for good measure so the wounds would never heal.
Never let him forget what he has experienced and in this make him hate himself even more.
My palm lands on a particular vicious scar on his six-pack that must have been done with a kitchen knife since his skin still holds imprints of its razor-sharp edges on it. “I’m so sorry, Florian,” I whisper through my clogged throat and slowly walk around him and cover my mouth with my palm because his back doesn’t just rival his chest in the scar department.
The back outshines it.
Countless small scars and long slashes; someone must have hit him with a belt buckle. One goes from his nape to his hips, angry and red, and I kiss his shoulder blade as his muscles grow rigid against me. “I’m sorry you had to be so brave at such a young age.” I hug him from the back, resting my cheek against him while my hands settle on his chest, running up and down his scars, gently rubbing over them and hoping that my touch…can show him that to me they don’t mean anything.
They don’t paint him to me as a monster or turn him into someone bad and dirty.
It shows me he’s a survivor and each scar speaks about his strength, never weakness.
Gradually, he relaxes in my embrace, a heavy breath escaping him, and his fingers lace with mine, holding me tight while Mother Nature causes chaos outside.
“Being brave has a high price.” His strained voice speaks about so much pent-up anger and frustration. The little boy living inside him will always wish for a better fate instead of the cruel one he received.
Listening to him and knowing about my brother’s past makes me realize that sometimes loving your child is not enough.
Santiago and Florian grew up with parents who loved them and yet monsters still found a way to hurt them.
Beyond repair, and it’s a hard fact to admit because then I have to face the horrible reality.
Part of them will always belong to the darkness and no matter how much you love and accept them…they will crave violence till the day they die.
Because only violence soothes their pain.
“Thank you, Florian.”
“For what?”
Stepping back I wait for him to turn to me before sliding my hands upward, circling my arms around his neck and raising on my tiptoes, our mouths inches apart while he hugs me tight, his fingers cutting into my waist from how tight he holds me. “For surviving and staying alive, fighting with your demons every single day. If you hadn’t have done that you wouldn’t be by my side my whole life. I wouldn’t have fallen in love with you. I…” The air hitches in my throat. “We wouldn’t have a baby.” His brawny arms flex around me, bringing even closer to him. “I’ll always accept every part of you because they make you, you. The man I love.”
I’m confessing my feelings to him for the second time in my life and I feel how his heartbeat speeds up and he swallows.
In true Florian fashion, though, he has one reaction. “Is it time to grovel, love?” His familiar charming nature pushes to the surface, probably trying to mask how much all of this affects him as he despises to speak about the past.
“No. It’s time to love.”
I kiss him as thunder bellows outside, my tongue searching for his, moaning into his mouth when they meet and engage in a passionate duel.
Lust and desire flare through me when he takes over the kiss, sliding his hand in my hair and angling my head for deeper penetration, his kiss turning hungry and raw and making me match him stroke for stroke, shooting heat straight to my core.
My fingers curl on his nape and I whimper as his thick length pushes into me, the silk barely protecting me from the rough texture of his jeans.
We separate for a second, gasping for breath, and his eyes shining with lust must reflect mine because he captures my mouth again, although this time around the kiss becomes sensual and hot. He explores my mouth as if it’s his favorite place to be and stakes his imprints all over it, never letting me forget that he’s the only one who’s ever been there.
My one and only.
We start to move backward, our mouths still glued together while every brush of his tongue creates a blissful fog around me and leaves me in this blazing fire that has one goal in mind.
To make me burn for this man with everything I am so there is no doubt I’m his.
A shiver rushes down my spine and a gasp slips past my lips when he spins me around, pausing in front of the bed, and pulls off my robe, throwing it away. Goose bumps erupt on my skin from the cold wind. “You’re so beautiful.” His palms move from my shoulders to my waist, the touches causing me to tremble, his lips skim over my back and leave small kisses in his wake that create a pressure within me and remind me that I might have had him only once.
But once was enough to crave him so much, pleasure pulses all over me just thinking about him taking me and rooting deep inside me.
“I’ve committed so many crimes but my greatest one will always be loving you,” he whispers over my skin and nudges me forward until my splayed hands and knees land on the mattresses, gasping when he bites on my ass cheek, the painful sting quickly replaced with a lick that pours gasoline on the already burning fire. “Don’t worry, princess. For you…I’ll win any war, destroy any man, and commit any crime.”
“Live a happy life,” I reply, arching my back when he clenches my ass cheeks and parts them. “For me.”
I squeal when he flips me on my back and I sit up, throwing my wet hair over my shoulder while watching him looming above me, handsome and dangerous with a wicked grin that promises me pleasure and torture alike, sending hot flushes through me when his gaze roams over me.
My cheeks probably become red from all this attention, my naked body exposed for his viewing pleasure as I curl my toes into the mattress, shifting a little on it and widening my legs. Profound need fills me, my core clenching, demanding for this man to sustain the hunger hes created.
“Look at you all wet and dripping for your man. Missed me, princess?” I moan and nod, my hands running over my thighs while my center pangs in the anticipation. He unhooks his belt and removes it with a loud whoosh, the snap of the leather making me gulp as he drops it on the floor and unzips his jeans. His cock, thick and long, springs free and he palms it, stroking the length from base to tip. “Lie down, love. Let me show you how much I missed you.”
Despite the lust and possessiveness coating his tone, I rise up on my knees and crawl to the edge of the bed as his face darkens. “You promised me.”
“What did I promise?”
Swallowing past my shyness, I hold his gaze as I say, “That next time you’ll teach me how to take you in my mouth.” His hand stills on his cock as I crawl closer, clutching the sheets. “I want to taste you, Florian.”
He groans, his hand flexing around his length, and he shakes his head. “Princes, we can’t. Not tonight.” A beat passes. “Stop looking at me like that.” I’d take offense if it wasn’t for his raspy tone and the muscle in his cheek twitching along with the desire blanketing his gaze.
Oh, he likes the idea but something is holding him back and it won’t do.
My man just confessed his feelings for me, which means I finally have the freedom to explore his body and put my marks on it, and I want to do it.
Starting with my mouth.
“Why not?”
“We are at your parents’ house. Even your brother is in the guest house tonight, for fuck’s sake. We can’t.” He still comes closer, though, and something hidden and mischievous awakens inside me, a playful siren eager to learn.
“I can’t be loud if my mouth is stuffed with you.”
He reaches me in two short strides, his fingers threading in my hair and pulling me upward until our faces are on the same level, and slams his mouth on mine, trapping my moan in his throat as he punishes me with a sizzling kiss.
My splayed hands land on his chest and skim them down his muscled and scarred chest, my heart stills, hurting thinking about his pain, and this intensifies the earlier urgency to kiss them all better.
To show him that to me he is the best choice and I would never want another, for his bruised soul might be filled with vices but these vices don’t scare me.
They will never be able to hurt me because they will always protect me.
He bites on my lower lip and the sting travels straight to my core, my thighs clamping together while I gulp for air against his lips. “Eager innocent thing. You’re dangerous to my sanity.” He presses his thumb on my chin, gripping it almost painfully. “And my self-control is nonexistent when it comes to you.” Goose bumps erupt on my skin and he gives me a crooked smile. “Like that, don’t you?”
“Yes.” I trace my fingers over his scars and kiss the center of his chest, dragging my mouth lower and scraping my teeth over his six-pack, making him jerk and tighten his hold on my hair before turning my attention on his hard length. “Florian.” I place my hand on it, marveling at the prominent, pulsing vein, and squeeze it.
He hisses, leaking more precum, and asks, “Yes, Princes?”
“Teach me.” I swipe my tongue over the tip, and groan at the taste before sucking on the head, and his moan echoes through the room while his grip becomes almost bruising. My core dampness at the weird sense of power sweeping over me because this handsome and virile man seems helpless when it comes to me right now.
“Jimena.”
Pleasure ignites my blood, my skin growing taut as heat surrounds me. I gasp at the sound of my real name on his lips and that gives him more room to enter me farther, his length filling my mouth. Coughing on the unfamiliar invasion, I pull back a little and instead run my tongue over his cock, learning his scent and the softness of his skin there. Rubbing my cheek over something that has the power to make me forget my own name, I stroke it from base to the tip and suck on the tip, a bit nervous to try to the take the whole thing in.
What if I do something wrong, or silly and it will make him regret…
“Look at me.” He tips my chin up until our eyes collide and the fire in his seems to burn me from the inside and out along with his raspy voice drumming on the strings of my soul and awakening something wild and needy. “I’ll love whatever you do because it’s you. Everything I do with you is the best I ever had and I don’t remember anyone else. Okay?” His reassurance fills me with warmth and calmness along with appreciation. He palms my head and once again opens up my mouth. “Now, princess. Take me as deep as you want, but careful. We don’t want to hurt you.”
Opening my lips wider, I let him slip into my mouth, my tongue gliding over him, and my hand moves in sync with my movements while he stands still. Only his heavy pants and rigid grip in my hair lets me know how much it actually affects him and he must be reining in his urges so he won’t be too rough with me my first time.
My man tries his best to give me all the room to explore without rushing the process or scaring me and this causes the sparks to fly inside me. “My beautiful, beautiful girl. Do you know how much I fantasied about this mouth in the last couple of mouths?” He rocks his hips forward when I moan around him, putting my free hand on his stomach and raking my nails over him, and my eyes water when he thrusts deeper. Breathing through my nose, I move back and suck on the tip before skimming my lips over him, all the while he groans and tilts my head farther back, driving into me again, his taste hitting my tongue while the ache spreads, becoming almost unbearable.
Putting my splayed palm on my core, I press the heal of it into my clit and focus on him while sucking and licking him. I whimper in protest when he tugs on my hair so hard until he finally slips from my mouth.
I want more time to explore but Florian denies me the right as he pulls me to him and captures my mouth in a hard kiss before gently pushing me until I end up flat on my back, gasping for air that turns into a moan when he shoulders my thighs apart, settling between them.
Hiking my leg up and digging my heel on his back, exposing myself more to his hungry gaze, I arch my back when his hot breath tickles me and sends scorching heat down my spine in waves. His hands brush the underside of my thighs, each touch akin to blazing lightning rivaling those currently flashing in the sky as thunder still booms in the air, the pouring rain creating a sense of mystery and isolation. “Florian, please don’t.”
He skims his lips over my core but holds my hips in place when they rise up at the contact. “Don’t what?”
Clenching the sheets underneath me, I whimper. “Don’t torture me. I ache. Right here.” Sliding down my hand to my center, I run my fingers over my folds, and he groans. “See? I’m desperate for you.”
I cry out when he covers me with his mouth, licking me from top to bottom, and thrusting his tongue inside, roaming between my folds and stabbing me deep.
Grabbing the pillow near me, I whimper into it to mute my sounds as he fucks me with his tongue, his hands sliding to the inside of my thighs and opening me wide for him while devouring me, his hot licks and thrusts driving me mad.
I lace my fingers in his hair, grinding on him and doing my best to hold on to the pillow, wanting to find my release because the heat and lust surrounding us push me closer to the edge that has pleasure written all over it.
He slowly takes his tongue out, my core clenching at the emptiness, and a moan escapes me when he licks me up, sucking on my lips one by one before trapping my clit between his teeth, pulling and swiping his tongue over it. I sway my hips, trying to catch his rhythm, as it creates a friction that sends titillating sensations down my spine.
Throwing the pillow away, I grab his hair with both hands and place my foot on his shoulder as he clenches my ass and continues to lick me, slipping his tongue inside, the inferno burning in the pit of my stomach growing and threatening to shatter me if he continues this…madness.
If he just pushes it in a bit deeper, a bit harder, and puts his whole mouth on me, I will chase my high and break apart in his arms, my whole body flushing just thinking about it, and I sob. “Florian, please.”
He ignores me, though, and bites and kisses my flesh, soothing every sting with another lick that consumes me and finally drags me to the edge, so close I can almost feel the pleasure…
“No, no, no.” I whimper when he glides his tongue over my folds one last time and skims his mouth upward to my stomach and kisses it gently, resting his cheek on it for a second, and I inhale air into my lungs, enjoying this sweet moment.
Desire and lust might rock my whole body but his affection is what really sets me off and makes me crave him like no one else.
“I’m very happy about the baby, Jimena. Keep it safe here. And I’ll do everything to protect you both.” He kisses my stomach once again, whispering something incoherent against it, and resumes his journey to the underside of my breasts, nipping lightly on the mounds. “Do you have any idea what knowing that you’re going to have my baby does to me?” he whispers, flicking his tongue over my nipples one by one and scraping his teeth on my collarbone as he slowly settles between my legs. We both jolt when his bare tip touches me, circling my center. “Everyone would look at you and know that I’m the one who put our baby in you. They’d know that you’re mine.” So much ownership and possessiveness drips from his tone while we stare at one another, and I moan when he pushes the tip in, my core pulsing around it and wishing for more. “Tell me you’re mine, Jimena.”
“I’m yours, Florian.”
Our mouths meet, locking in a kiss, and our combined tastes add to the fire spreading through my veins as he swallows my sob when he finally thrusts inside me hard, rocking us on the bed. Thunder booms in the sky, the wind slipping inside and whooshing over our sweaty bodies. The coldness nips at my skin and yet it pales in comparison to the fire igniting my veins.
He sways back and slams into me again, my core stretching along his length, and rising up a bit, I deepen our kiss while my fingers thread through his hair and my legs wrap around him. I want to be as close as possible to him and silently show him that I’m his.
And I’ll never be anyone else’s either, and if my love for him is my undoing then I’ll gladly meet my fate, for the idea of spending my life without him is unacceptable.
Not after he let me see the true Florian and how many emotions hide in his heart.
His buries his cock in me as his tongue owns my mouth, each thrust and stroke harsher than the previous one, and my nipples brush against his chest, the contact filling me with a tension that builds within me, the pressure in my core growing as I spasm around his length.
Tearing my mouth away from him, I hug him closer and bite on crook of his neck, making him groan when the fire finally erupts inside me. Pleasure spreads through me in waves and my nails scrape over his back, my thighs clamping around him.
His stokes turn more erratic. He finds my mouth again and he drinks from me while he delivers several more thrusts, each deeper and harder than the last until he moans into the kiss, my whole body wrapped around him as he spills inside me. I gasp, feeling his cum filling me for the first time, and a thrill washes over me that no one else got to experience that part of him either.
The pouring rain intensifies outside as our hearts beat wildly and despite the coldness slowly registering in my brain, we stay locked together on the bed, oblivious to anything else.
My prince is mine now.
And no one would ever know that he’s actually a villain.
Tracing my fingers over Florian’s tattoos as he lies on the bed with his back propped against the headboard, I enjoy the light breeze slipping through the open balcony door on my heated skin. We made love three times before taking a shower and talking about a bunch of nothing.
Who knew it could be so adorable with someone you love?
“You’ll have to leave at some point,” I say, and he laughs, lacing his fingers in my hair and dragging me upward until our lips are inches apart. “It’s almost sunrise.”
“Is it now?” He captures my mouth in a hot kiss, my fingers curling on his chest as he swallows my moan. “Still want me to leave, princess?” he whispers, trailing his lips toward my chin and nipping on it.
“I said nothing about wanting you to leave,” I protest as goose bumps break all over my skin, but gathering all my willpower, I pull away from my man and scoot back, comfortable in my nakedness.
How can I be anything but since my man looks at me as if I’m the most beautiful woman on earth?
“I have an idea, though.” I grin at him. “How about you join us for breakfast today? It’s a family thing.” Since he says nothing, I elaborate. “We can break the news to them there.”
He frowns. “Break the news?”
“Yes. And maybe we can invite your parents as well? They’d feel awful if they were the last to know.” My mind swirls with all the possibilities and how to arrange this on such short notice, but it sounds perfect.
It will be just our families, so we can deal with the fallout together by presenting a united front.
I’m too excited and focused to notice Florian’s weird silence. “We usually have breakfast on Sundays around eleven, so theres plenty of time to invite your parents.” I tap my chin, pondering the menu. “I should tell the cook to bake Dad’s favorite cookies so when we announce our relationship to them, we’ll have something on the table to calm him down.” I laugh. “Although I’m afraid we’ll still have to deal with his temper.”
“Jimena.” I still at Florian’s harsh tone and finally notice how he grew stiff as his face becomes unreadable once again. “We can’t tell them.”
I’m so stunned I manage only to whisper, “What?”
“We can’t tell our parents or anyone. We have to keep our relationship and our baby a secret for now. It’s not safe.”
“Not safe.” It’s my turn to repeat what he says. It’s so hard to focus on his words as the ringing in my ears start, and fire erupts in the pit of my stomach, spreading through my veins while unfamiliar fury washes over me in powerful waves.
“Princess, I don’t want you to be his target.” He palms my head, tipping my chin up so our gazes meet while softness fills his green eyes. “We will tell them once this nightmare is over. No one can know about this because if Death or his son finds out…he’ll use you against me in a best-case scenario. Or he’ll try to kill you in a worst-case scenario.” His voice lowers a few octaves. “None of these options are acceptable to me. I won’t risk you. Never you.” He cups my cheek with one hand while his other drops to my stomach, rubbing it gently. “You understand why we have to do this, right? He’ll go after the baby.”
“I understand, Florian.” Relief crosses his face, but he freezes when I scoot farther back until I place my feet on the floor, ignoring the coldness penetrating me.
Grabbing the robe lying on the floor, I put it on and say, “You need to leave.”
“Princess…”
“Don’t,” I say harshly, and he gets up as well, putting on his clothes. “I’m so angry with you right now, Florian, so just don’t.”
“You need to understand…”
“No. I’m tired of being understanding. I’ve been understanding my whole life. And you know what? I’m about done doing that.”
He steps toward me once he’s fully clothed, but I move back. “Jimena…”
“No. Don’t try to use your charms again and convince me that this bullshit makes sense. I might be naive and weak when it comes to you, but I’m a mother now. Certain responsibilities come with that. Shocking, isn’t it?” I take a deep breath, searching for the right words. My anger consumes me, but I’m trying to control it. “So leave me alone. I don’t want to see you.”
“We just fixed us. I explained everything.” My heart squeezes at the betrayal ringing in his tone. “Once I catch him…”
“When? In a week, a month, a year, or maybe years? How long do you expect me to wait for you, Florian? It seems to be the theme in our relationship. Me constantly waiting for you to be brave enough to love me in public.” I clear my throat. “I have to think about this whole thing.”
His face darkens, and he straightens up. “I won’t apologize for wanting to protect my family.”
“And I won’t apologize for wanting more. I won’t allow some monster to dictate my life. You’re still stuck in that cell, Florian.” My soul bleeds thinking about him as a little boy going through all these hardships, but I have to be strong.
My brother married his enemy’s biological daughter. He isn’t afraid to be with her despite her father ruining our family’s life. Why can’t Florian show me the same bravery?
“Until you catch him, you’ll never get out from there. I can’t let you drag me and the baby into that cell.”
“It’s easy to talk about all this when you didn’t experience it. If you think I will even leave a small chance for my baby to experience that hell, you’re mistaken.” He comes closer to me until the tips of his shoes touch my bare toes as we stubbornly glare at one another. “I’ll leave, but it won’t change the fact that you’re mine, princess. Always have been and always will be.”
“Why? Is there a ring on my finger?” The muscle on his cheek twitches as I cross my arms. “I’m tired of words. And I won’t be sneaking around like some kind of mistress who’s a dirty little secret to appease your enemy.”
“Don’t call yourself that. You’re my woman, and no one has a more special place in my life than you.”
“Except Death and his wishes. I hate ultimatums, but here’s mine. There is no us until you actually come clean about our relationship.” I raise my hand. “I grew up with murderers. If you all can’t protect me, then who can? Think about that, Florian, but keep in mind, if you don’t do something before the baby is born? Don’t bother afterward.”
I expect him to do a lot of things, but grabbing me by the neck and pulling me toward him until our chests bump is not one of them. “Why do you have to be so difficult?” I have no time to answer that question as he delivers a harsh kiss that is more of a punishment. “You’re mine. Don’t forget that. Ever. It will be over soon.”
We both breathe heavily, but I push him away, and he steps back. “Yeah? We shall see. Until then, all this”—I motion over my body—“is off-limits.”
“Careful, princess. You don’t want to provoke me.”
We have another long stare-off, then he goes to the balcony. He throws his leg over the banister, ready to get down, and my traitorous heart flips in my chest because I worry about him. “Once all this is over, we’re going to try something none of us has done before. I’ve heard it’s epic.”
I roll my eyes at the arrogance in his voice. This man looks hot and confident even when he’s being kicked out. That’s so frustrating. “What’s that?”
“Make-up sex.” With this, he disappears from my view. I quickly rush to the banister in time to see him land on the grass, waving and winking at me before heading to the back entrance, masterfully evading all the cameras.
The perks of hooking up with someone who knows your house inside and out.
Despite the serious situation, laughter bubbles up inside me, and I shake my head, hoping he will catch Death soon and we can end this stupid charade.
Going back into the room, I hear my phone vibrate and pick it up, expecting to see Florian’s name flashing on the display.
But it’s an unknown number instead.
Blocking my number isn’t wise, darling. Maybe this will make you finally listen to my proposition. Maxwell.
And the photos attached to that message change everything.