Page 11 of Hers To Keep
"I am nothing like him. He’s a condescending prick, I?—”
"The devil knows his way with words. He lures fools with his charm and tempts them, convincing them to do his dirty bidding. He tricks them into revealing their deepest, darkest desires, only to eventually use them against them. But I see right through yourfaçade, the mask you wear like a second skin. You may have fooled me before, but I now see you for what you really are. A scared little boy hiding behind this suit of power and self-righteousness and I’m the fool who fell into temptation. I fell for your tricks, but I see you now and I can assure you, it won’t happen again. Fool me once, shame on you, but fool me twice…” I turn away from him, staring out the window to my right, as the sky above us rumbles, and the ocean beside us turns into tall forest trees concealing the gleam of the moonlight, enveloping us in a coat of near darkness. “Shame on me,” I whisper into the darkness, but I’m convinced he heard.
After about twenty more minutes in utter silence, we pull up to an empty campground with a large cabin in the distance. Ace parks the wagon, turning off the engine and sitting motionless beside me. We’re a day late, but I’m sure no one will care. That I was with my boyfriend, a simple excuse.
Finally, Ace gets out of the car and comes over to open my door, but before he can, I quickly jump out of the car, slamming the door closed behind me. I turn around as he cages me in against the car, his palms landing flat against the door beside my face. His face, a mere inch from mine, as his breath turns ragged, his eyes burning holes into mine. He slips his tongue out to wet his lips, slightly grazing mine. His scent is intoxicating, like his own personal brand of pheromones being released into the air. I should be angry, fuming at the events that occurred over the last forty-eight hours, yet here I am, melting before him, an urge to close the small gap separating our lips, keeping them from the pure ecstasy of a kiss from Ace Servite. He breaks me out of my lust filled daze as he speaks.
"We need to act like nothing has happened. We're a happy couple. Earlier today, last night, the night before, we must act as if it never occurred,” he says, his brows creasing, revealing small lines forming between his forehead. Early signs of wrinkling from a man who’s surely pouted his entire life when he hasn’t gottenwhat he’s wanted. As if that’s ever occurred. What Ace Servite wants, Ace Servite gets, and he’s made it clear it’s me he craves.
However, the defiant rebel in me emerges yet again, refusing to be silenced.
"You're insane. I'm not acting like we’re two love birds floating around in ecstasy." He slams his hands against the car, bringing one to my wrist. His eyes display not anger, but a sign of frustration.
"You will and you'll enjoy every damn minute of it,” he says, as his grip tightens on my wrist. “You will hold my hand like a good little girl. You will kiss me like your life depends on it, and you will fuck me by your own free will. Your body betrays you, Red," he looks down at my chest to where my hardened nipples give me away through my thin hoodie.Damn. Little. Traitors."If I were to shove my hand in your leggings right now, I'd find you soaking wet for me." He lowers a hand and cups me through my leggings. I instantly buckle toward him, biting down on my tongue to silence a moan. His smirk widens at my reaction, but I give nothing more away.
"It's a normal reaction to your physical attractiveness, but don’t be fooled, I know inside you’re rotten to the core."
His smile goes wicked. "Aren't we all, baby?"
We’re interrupted by Bass whistling loudly, clearly trying to get our attention. Ace growls angrily, but I happily use the distraction to sneak out of his embrace. I walk toward where Bass stands, Alek and Beck getting some bags and kegs out of the trunk of his car, leaving Ace behind to get our bags. I already had my bag packed with clothes ready for the trip, so we stopped back at the campus to pick it up before heading over.
As I approach him, Bass eyes me warily, his eyes giving away to something that’s been eating at him all night. Strange to say that Sebastian Silver, the cold-hearted, cruel beast who towers over us mere humans, was the first to show a semblance of remorse. I clearly remember his grip on me as Alek injected me with what Ican only assume was a dose of The Devil’s Kiss. The words he whispered to me before my eyes, mind, and body betrayed me, giving out before I had the chance to fight back. It will all be over soon, sweet angel. Your eyes, too pure to see the evil that lies before us.
“You’re looking better than earlier today, Red,” he says, referring to the tattered red dress I wore just hours ago. I showered back at the Dahlia House before we left, washing away Drake’s blood from my skin, trying to scrub away the sins I witnessed, the ones I committed. I changed into a pair of black leggings and a gray cropped hoodie, this one free of bloodstains.
“I’ve asked you before not to call me that. I have a name, and if you're determined to speak to me, you might as well use it,” I sneer, glaring at him. There might have been a glimpse of remorse in his steel-gray eyes, but he stood before Drake’s bruised body. He stood silent as Wesley Servite spewed out his threats at me. Out of fear, out of loyalty? He stood there at his side, and that made him the enemy.
“I’ll call you what I feel like calling you, Red. Did Servite not make it clear? You are nothing but a pawn in all of this. A chess piece he needs guarded until he’s ready to make his move, whatever it may be.”
“And like a loyal dog, you obey.” His eyes harden at my dig. Bastard.
“Like a soldier, I follow. We have a purpose here, Red. One your simple mind wouldn’t understand. To filter out the filth that floods this town. We have a job, one we don’t take lightly, and your little pet got in the way. Servite’s threats just serve as a warning. We won’t go easy on him, again,” he says, his lips curving up into a small smirk.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Bass,” I say, as Ace’s arm wraps around my waist.
“We got a problem here, Bass?” he asks. I move out of his grasp, pushing his arm away.
“Not at all, babe,” I keep my eyes focused on Bass’s. “Just Sebastian and I making conversation. Said he’s eager to get inside to see my sister.” His smirk falls, a pissed off scowl now in its place. “Too bad for him, Jade likes her men to take charge, not pussies who cower at another man’s command.” Bass glares at me, his lip twitching slightly at the mention of Jade, as I push through him heading toward the cabin, all the while Ace chuckles following behind me.
The cabin is massive, opulent, and of course, every bit as pretentious as the beach house, but I expected no less from these entitled fuckers. It’s not a rustic cabin you see in movies or those ski lodge commercials on TV. No, this cabin is a mini mansion, complete with two stories, a large wrap-around porch and deck I assume leads to the back of the property, and 360-degree views of the surrounding woods. The front of the cabin has a large swing held up by two tall redwood trees, the grass before it almost completely dry, as it should start snowing here next month. It’s the only cabin on the large stretch of land near us, with only a lake visible to the far left of the dirt road.
I stop before reaching the front steps of the property, nervous to enter and afraid of what, or who, I’ll find. The lot where we parked our car had about four others parked beside us, and I don’t see another cabin in sight.
“What are you waiting for, Red?” Ace asks, his breath hot against my neck. “Afraid of what’s inside? You know what they say about staying in a cabin in the woods…”
“Beware of the monsters lurking in the trees?” I ask sarcastically. My comment gains me a small chuckle from him, and it unwillingly makes my center flood with heat.
“Nah, babe, the monsters are already inside.”
The front door swings open, Jade and Stella appearing on the other side.
The front door swings open, Jade and Stella standing on the other side.
The front door is suddenly swung open, revealing Jade and Stella standing on the other side.
“Finally!” Jade shouts, as she rushes over to me, Stella remains impassive at the door looking behind me. Jade wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me in for a hug. She’s not very tall, only about five foot five, but the top of my head sits right under her nose. “God, I was so worried,” she says. “You know, with your bad luck with being kidnapped by these fuckers.” She scowls behind me toward where Ace stands, as I turn and find Bass, Beck, and Alek standing beside him with equally menacing glares directed at her.
“When are you going to give that up, Little Wolf? We didn’t kidnap you. You were actually in our territory,” Bass answers, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.