~ Audrey ~
“I’ll kill him for you if you want. Just say the word,” Caspian cracked his neck and knuckles in a sadistic manner. He didn’t look like he was joking, and Audrey trembled a little just by looking at him.
“You’re not killing anyone,” Killian said sternly, his eyes fixed on Audrey. “No one is killing anyone,”
Caspian was pacing around the room, seething, while Killian was on the couch with Audrey, the first aid kit was right next to him. He was leaning down, assessing the severity of Audrey’s knee wound. It wasn’t a deep cut, he sighed in relief. Using a little bit of alcohol, Killian slowly and gently cleaned her wound.
“So, what? We just gonna let it slide?” Caspian scoffed.
“We’ll do something about it. Just not manslaughter,” Killian replied.
“Ouch!” Audrey winced. The alcohol was stinging her torn skin.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. It’s going to hurt a little,” Killian said with a sorry smile. Audrey took a deep breath and nodded her head, allowing Killian to continue cleaning her cut.
“That motherfúcker needs to be taught a lesson,” Caspian said matter-of-factly. “I told you, I knew something was off with that kid. I knew it,”
After bumping into the brothers in front of the elevator, they saw Audrey’s condition and took pity on her. They brought her up to their room and made her tell them everything that had happened. She told them everything, how she went to school and how everybody was talking about her behind her back, and how she overheard Ashton talking in the locker room. A part of her didn't want to believe it was true, but the more she recalled the event, the more it all made sense.
Of course, a guy like Ashton wouldn’t be interested in her out of nowhere. Of course, he would want something from her. Just like everyone else in the world, they all wanted something from her. In this case, he wanted the reputation. He wanted recognition for being the alpha male that successfully bedded the virgin princess. And he was even willing to film her for money.
It was a hard pill to swallow. Audrey trusted Ashton, she thought he was different from everyone else, but she was wrong. She felt absolutely stupid. She was always careful around people, she learned early on in her childhood that many people in the world would want to take advantage of her and her position, so she was always strict with letting people into her life. She only had two friends growing up, and she was never socially involved with the other kids at college. Ashton was the only exception because she thought that he genuinely cared about her. At least it looked like it for the past six months. Now she realized, it was probably just a big gigantic lie.
“Guys, don’t worry about it. It’s not your problem anyway,” Audrey sighed as Killian finished putting a Band-Aid on her cut. “It’s whatever… I’ll just deal with it,”
“It’s not whatever,” Killian said firmly. “Caspian’s right. No one hurts Audrey Huntington and gets away with it. We have to send a message,”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about,” Caspian nodded in agreement.
Audrey looked to both brothers with a confused look on her face, asking, “What kind of message?”
The brothers exchanged a knowing look. It was like they were having a conversation with their eyes. Audrey was starting to think that the Vanderbilt brothers might have telepathic power. She eyed them suspiciously and asked again, “Guys, what kind of message?”
Killian broke his gaze with Caspian and turned to Audrey, saying, “…Maybe the kind where you ask him to meet you. Tonight. Say 9 PM… the suite at the Plaza,”
Caspian nodded his head ferociously.
“And why would I wanna do that?” Audrey scoffed. Meeting up with Ashton would be the last thing on her mind.
“Do you trust us?” Killian asked simply.
“Wait, what are you guys gonna do?”
“Do you trust us?” Caspian pressed.
She didn’t know what they meant by that, but their gazes were firm and demanding. Although she wasn’t sure, it felt like the right thing to do, so she nodded her head slightly.
“Call him,” Killian picked up Audrey’s phone from the table and handed it to her.
Audrey looked at the phone, then to Killian’s stoic face, and to Caspian’s fiery eyes. Audrey swallowed hard. With shaky hands, she then took the phone and scrolled for Ashton’s number.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
~ Ashton ~
Ashton was excited to get a call from Audrey.
Ever since their night together, he noticed Audrey had been a little distant. Honestly, he felt a little guilty. He knew he was being rough with her for her first time, but he couldn't help it. He was on a mission and he was too focused on getting another notch on his belt to even care about how was she feeling.
He realized now that maybe he should’ve treated her better on her first time. But since it was too late to change the past, he could only do better the second time around. He had been thinking of ways to try and talk to her about it, but Audrey had been avoiding him for the past two days. So when she suddenly called and asked him to come to the suite room later that night, he was over the moon. Ever the opportunist, Ashton was eager for another shot.
She wants more of this, he thought. He smiled smugly at his reflection in the mirror, admiring his own handsome features and toned muscles. Girls just could never get enough of Ashton Whitaker, he chuckled.
After a quick shower and a little trim, Ashton put on some cologne and got dressed to the nine. He was wearing his favorite pair of sneakers and an NYU basketball jacket. He was too proud of his team not to wear it every chance he got.
By 8.30 PM that night, Ashton had arrived at the suite room at the Plaza Hotel. Audrey had left a card for him at the receptionist and he came earlier on purpose. He staked out the room and looked for hidden places to put a GoPro camera. After trying out different spots, he finally settled with putting the camera on the corner of the room since it had the best overall view. He hid the camera behind a potted fern and smiled in satisfaction at his handiwork.
Checking the time, Ashton realized that it was almost 9 PM now. He thought it would be a good idea to get ready for Audrey’s arrival, so he stripped down to his boxers before lying on the bed. He checked his hair in the mirror a few times to make sure that he was looking his best. After all, this moment was about to be captured for eternity.
It was a little over 9 PM and Ashton heard the front door clicked open. A smile curved up his face as he was getting more and more excited. His hand was under his boxers as he was stroking himself for the past five minutes. He wanted to be ready for Audrey so that as soon as she came, they could get right down to it. Ashton heard footsteps nearing the bedroom and he started stroking himself harder and harder until his length was completely erect and ready. In one swift move, Ashton pulled his boxers down and threw them across the floor.
“Hey, babe—“ Ashton was expecting Audrey’s slender figure when he saw the bedroom door swung open, but instead, four tall big men in black suits entered the room. They all had stern and stoic expressions on their faces.
“Hey — what’s going on here?!” Ashton jerked up instantly. His hand instinctively went to cover his hard erection and he cursed the fact that his boxers were so far away on the ground.
“Ashton Mark Whitaker,” a loud booming voice spoke as another guy entered the room. He was holding on a file in his hand and he was saying Ashton’s name like he was reading from it. The guy was wearing a crisp white shirt and black slacks. Several of his buttons were undone and he was folding up his sleeves as he stalked inside the room. Tattoos ran down from his neck down to his chest and arms. Ashton was certain he had seen this guy before, but he wasn’t sure where.
“Son of Charles and Ellen Whitaker, lived in 528 Price St, Savannah, Georgia. Your dad’s a software engineer and your mom’s a schoolteacher. Combined household income, around $200,000 after tax?” the tattooed guy continued reading in a mocking tone.
Before Ashton could say another word, another guy stepped into the room. He looked a lot like the guy with tattoos, but he was more clean cut. He had no tattoos on his body and he was wearing an expensive-looking suit, different from all the rest. On his wrist was a watch that Ashton had seen on the I*******m pages of celebrities, a Breitling Mulliner Tourbillon that would cost more than his parents make in a year.
“Got into NYU on an athletic scholarship. Plays power forward and made captain of the team his junior year. Looks pretty good on paper, but do you wanna know your chances on making it pro?” The guy with the watch asked rhetorically.
“None, if it’s up to us,” The guy with tattoos replied. “You should know that we have some very powerful friends. Friends who own basketball teams. Friends who employ the people that will employ you. Or your parents for that matter,”
“Who are you? What do you want?” Ashton found himself stammering. He was completely caught off guard by all of this.
The two guys gave each other a knowing look before turning back to Ashton with glares that were sharp enough to kill. And with a sinister smirk on his face, the tattooed guy said, “We’re the fúcking Vanderbilt brothers,”
“And you owe a friend of ours an apology,” the other one added.
Ashton’s jaw fell to the floor. He recognized them now, Caspian and Killian Vanderbilt. They came with Audrey to Jordan’s party the other day. Ashton swallowed hard instinctively. Of course, he knew of the Vanderbilt brothers, they were notoriously popular in New York City’s upper class social scene. They had the kind of lives that Ashton and his friends could only dream and fantasize about.
The brothers stalked closer to the bed with a menacing look. Feeling threatened, Ashton shuddered back until he was flushed against the headboard. His hands were still covering his manhood, which was now soft and limp.
“W — what the hell are you talking about?” Ashton tried his best to remain calm and collected, but he was shaking in his boots. What would the Vanderbilt brothers want with him? And who were these four guys standing in the back?
“We’re talking about the end of your very short basketball career,” Killian responded vaguely.
Caspian took a more forward approach. In one swift move, he gripped Ashton’s right hand and twisted it behind his shoulder, causing Ashton to jerk and wince in pain. “Not so tough anymore, huh, big man on campus?”
“S — stop!” Ashton fought back with his other hand, but Caspian caught it with his hand he pulled on his wrists so far back, it felt like his hands were about to snap in two.
When Ashton heard the sound of bones crackling and he felt a shot of pain on his fingers, he cried out, “H — Help!” but no one in that room even flinched. Caspian let out a devilish laugh, he was enjoying every moment of it.
Killian looked calm and unbothered. He tilted his head to the side, studying Ashton and sneering at his naked body. His eyes then scanned around the room, and he stopped at the potted fern on the corner of the room.
“P — please, why are you doing this to me?” Ashton whimpered as Caspian didn’t let go of his hand.
“Because you messed around with the wrong girl, pal,” Caspian shook his head in disdain, and it was at this moment that Ashton knew his fate was sealed.
*
*
*
- - - - - To Be Continued - - - - -
~ Audrey ~“What girl? Please, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Ashton tried to deny it.Audrey let out a scoff. Ashton did not know this, but Audrey was watching the entire event unfolding. She was sitting comfortably inside the Vanderbilt’s limousine. In her lap was an iPad hooked up to the CCTV camera.She saw everything that was happening inside the room, and Audrey wondered for the first time in her life, how did she ever fall in love with a guy like him.“Audrey Huntington is not a girl you mess around with, you understand?” Killian replied rather sternly. Audrey smiled a little when she heard this.Meanwhile, Ashton swallowed hard as his worst nightmare was coming to life. Killian then noticed that Ashton’s eyes kept glancing over to that fern. Smiling a smug smile, he walked over to the fern and pushed the
- - - - - ONE MONTH LATER - - - - -~ Audrey ~“I need you to attend this party Saturday night,” Audrey’s dad spoke in a commanding tone. “The doctors told me I need to be on bed rest, so I need you to go in my place,”“I have exams and homework, dad,” Audrey groaned. She was hoping for a chill and quiet weekend this week, a little of Ben and Jerry’s and a lot of Netflix. “And what party?”“It’s John and Anna Vanderbilt’s 30th wedding anniversary,” her dad replied. “They’re doing a little celebration out in their Hampton home,”Audrey’s eyes shot up at the mention of those names. Those were Caspian and Killian’s parents. If it were their parents’ wedding anniversary, that meant the brothers would be there too. Audrey hadn’t seen the brothers around lately since Killian was busy with work, and Caspian was busy with whatever he was busy with. She had a great time when they hung out last, so perhaps going to this party and meeting the brothers wouldn’t be such a bad idea?“It’s just a li
~ Audrey ~ Inside the butler’s kitchen and away from the party, Caspian had his pants unbuckled and it was slightly down, but not all the way. He was facing the counter, and in front of him was Alessandra with her dress hiked up. She was bent to a ninety degree angle against the counter. He had one hand covering her mouth, and the other hand was smacking her bare ass. * SMACK! * SMACK! * Audrey’s eyes were as wide as saucers when she realized what they were doing. Caspian was pounding himself mercilessly into Alessandra like a savage beast. His hands were gripping her ass as his length thrust into her again and again. “Oh, yes, baby, fúck me!” Alessandra squealed and moaned. Caspian let out a grunt and fucked her harder. Alessandra came down screaming within seconds. Caspian then pulled himself out and aligned himself on Alessandra’s other whole. Audrey wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. It was like watching a car wreck you couldn’t turn away from. “Oh, yes, fúck my ass!” Al
~ Audrey ~“Who is Audrey Huntington, the girl who stole Cara Armisen’s boyfriend?” Mikey read the headline of today’s People Magazine. Audrey’s face was photographed on the cover, next to Cara and Killian.“Ugh, please, stop!” Audrey groaned, flushing her head into her pillow dramatically.Mikey sat on the edge of the bed with the magazine in hand, reading, “Spotted at a party in the Hamptons, Cara Armisen was seen leaving the premises in tears as boyfriend danced with real estate heiress Audrey Huntington. Cara then posted a selfie on Instagram, telling her fans that she was now officially single,”“My goodness, what a tea!” Olivia followed, giggling along with Mikey.“Guys, stop, it’s not funny!” Audrey threw her pillow at her friends, but they dodged it easily.
~ Killian ~Killian was lost in his thoughts. Ever since a little kid, he was always a thinker while Caspian was more of a doer. Before making any big decision, Killian would think of all the consequences and the thousand different ways he could achieve his goal without lifting a finger. Unlike Caspian, who would do something and think about the consequences later. Also unlike Caspian who thought of work as a chore, the business was like a game to Killian, and he loved the game.Today was a normal day, like any other day, and Killian was already in the office from the early hours of the morning. He was prepping himself for another big meeting this afternoon. He was buying out small paper companies around the city to create a monopoly over the market. His ritual before every big meeting was to smoke one cigarette. Just one. And he would use those quiet three minutes as the cigarette burn to think of his execution.&nb
~ Audrey ~ It was a long ride from the airport to the place they were staying at. Feeling bored, Audrey glanced to her side where Killian was still busy on his phone. She took note of his gorgeous profile, piercing blue eyes, and the way the sunset hit his skin made it seemed like he was glowing. Gosh, he’s so beautiful. Audrey remembered the night they danced at his parents’ wedding anniversary. Although she was telling everybody that it was just a friendly dance, deep down inside, she was hoping it wasn’t. There was something about the way he moved, he moved so powerfully, yet so elegantly. It was impossible to stand in front of him and not be mesmerized by his eyes and his smile. Although it was just a simple slow dance, Audrey’s heart was racing like a speed car and she felt butterflies in her stomach. After Ashton, she thought she wouldn’t be able to feel butterflies again, but she felt it. She remembered the exact moment too, it was when Killian put a hand on the small of her
~ Killian ~Audrey was walking around the boat in a tight blue bikini.That girl should walk around with fucking disclaimer, with a tight little bikini like that, the girl could give a man a heart attack, Killian scoffed to himself. He didn’t mean to be watching her, he was in the kitchen of the yacht making coffee and the kitchen happened to have a window overlooking the deck where Audrey was sunbathing.“Careful, it’s hot,” Caspian appeared suddenly behind him, gesturing to the hot coffee pot that Killian was pouring. He wasn’t paying attention to the pot that he over poured the coffee into his mug.“Oh, shit,” Killian flinched as the burning hot coffee scorched his skin. Grabbing a towel, he wiped his fingers and the spilled coffee on the counter.“Great view, huh?” Caspian took Killian&rsquo
~ Killian ~Audrey couldn’t do anything. She only stared at him as her breathing got a little heavier. Still smiling, Killian bent down right in front of her knees. He placed his free hand on her thigh and used his body to part her legs wider. Her dress hiked up involuntarily and he got a full view of her gorgeous lady part, hiding behind the lace fabric.“W—wait…” Audrey muttered just as he was inching his face down to her.“Anytime you want me to stop, just say the word,” he said, and with that, he closed the distance between his mouth and her damp panties.Audrey tilted her head back in response. So many feelings washed over her, she didn’t know how to react. Soft moans escaped her lips involuntarily as Killian moved the lace fabric to the side and his lips found her flesh.He kissed h
- - - - - THREE YEARS LATER - - - - - ~ Killian ~ “Alright baby, it’s your first day, are you excited?” “Yes!” Grace squealed in excitement. She was wearing her favorite dress and her hair tied up in a ponytail. She also got her pink backpack and Princess lunchbox with her. Today was her first day in kindergarten. Audrey and Killian were dropping her off in front of the school. Some other kids were crying because they didn’t want their parents to leave them with a bunch of adult strangers, but not Gracie. She was fearless, like her mother. “We’ll be back in a few hours to pick you up,” Killian said and kissed the top of Grace’s head. “Listen to your teachers, be nice to your friends, and have fun,” Audrey added. “Yes, I will!” Grace exclaimed and waved her hands. “Bye, mommy. Bye, daddy!” “Bye, baby. We’ll see you again soon,” Audrey and Killian waved back as Grace raced to the doors. Her teachers were greeting her and she greeted them back politely. “I can’t believe she’s i
- - - - - ALTERNATE ENDING - - - - - ~ Caspian ~ “Daddy, daddy!” Caspian opened his eyes to see Grace looking straight at him. Her little hands that were the size of ravioli were resting on his face. She was tapping him lightly, wanting to wake him up. “Mmhm,” Caspian groaned and turned around. He was teasing Grace on purpose. “Daddy, wake up!” she protested. Taking after his daddy, Grace was a persistent girl. She climbed up the bed and climbed on top of Caspian’s body. He was laughing to himself as Grace struggled and got on top of him. “Daddy!” she exclaimed happily as she sat on Caspian’s chest. “Hey, good morning, you,” Caspian chuckled and opened his eyes in defeat. “Good morning, daddy,” Grace was laughing triumphantly and hugging his neck. “Did mommy send you to wake me up?” “Uh-huh,” she giggled. She had her mom’s smile and that made Caspian smile. “Where is she?” he asked. Grace pointed to the floor, meaning downstairs. “Alright, let’s go get her,” Caspian got
~ Audrey ~ “Sweetheart, you’re making all my dreams come true,” Killian’s words made Audrey’s heart swell. Her eyes softened and glazed over. Her hand reached for his face and her thumb caressed his skin. Their eyes were locked onto each other and she stared at Killian as if her life depended on it. “I love you so much, Kill,” she whispered. Killian leaned down and kissed her in response. His kiss was so tender and deep, Audrey couldn’t help the tear falling from her eyes. She was so incredibly happy. And he was too. She could feel it. “I love you too. So, so much more,” he whispered back. Killian pulled her into his chest and Audrey tightened her grip around his neck. She wanted to feel more of him, so she linked her legs around his waist too. Killian held her entire body up with ease and he carried her up to their room. He laid her down gently on the bed, and he stared at her eyes for a moment as he hovered above her body. Audrey was seeing her entire world in Killian’s pier
- - - - - Six Months Later - - - - - ~ Audrey ~ “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Gracie, happy birthday to you!” The whole room was singing and cheering for baby Grace’s first birthday. She had no clue what was happening though. She was sitting on her chair with a pink dress on, staring at everyone in front of her. Her biggest fans in the world were in the room, her mommy, daddy, grandpa Max, grandpa John, and grandma Anna. Even uncle Mikey, Uncle Sebastian, Auntie Liv, and Uncle Benji were there too. Audrey and Killian invited their closest friends and family to attend an intimate weekend celebration for Grace’s first birthday party. They wanted it to be extra special, so instead of doing a house party at their home in Brooklyn or at the Vanderbilt mansion, they decided to have it in Bermuda, the place that inspired her namesake. The Vanderbilt villa was big enough to house everyone. And out in the garden, Audrey, Mikey, Liv, and Benji had dec
- - - - - Six Months Later - - - - - ~ Audrey ~ Audrey was staring in front of her laptop for the longest time. A word document page full of words was staring back at her. She thought for a moment before her hand reached for the keyboards again. And just as she was about to start typing, she heard a loud cry coming from the next room. Audrey immediately knew what that cry meant. After listening to her baby’s cries for six months, Audrey could tell what she needed just by the way she cried. Getting up to her feet, Audrey quickly went to the nursery. She opened the door to see Killian and Virginia, their postpartum doula, picking up baby Grace from her crib. Yes, following their busy schedules, Killian and Audrey thought it’d be a great idea to have a doula live in their home and help with the baby. Virginia was a highly experienced postpartum doula in her mid fifties. She had great insights and support on infant feeding, infant soothing, and coping skills for new parents. She also
- - - - - One Month Later - - - - - ~ Killian ~ Killian lay in bed that night staring at the ceiling. Not being able to sleep was a normal thing for him, but there was another reason why he couldn’t sleep tonight. Tomorrow was a big day for him and Audrey. It was the day where their baby girl would come into the world. Audrey decided that she wanted to do a homebirth. They didn’t have the best memories the last time they were in a hospital. And Audrey felt most relaxed and comfortable being at home. Dr. Shepherd, who was closely monitoring Audrey and the baby, agreed that home birth would be a viable option. So they set on a date, got all the equipment ready, hired a midwife-nurse, and set aside a hospital transport just in case. Tomorrow was the D-day and Killian was too nervous to sleep. He kept checking the clock to see if the hour hand had moved. Audrey seemed like she was nervous too. It was about eleven-thirty at night and she was usually asleep by now. But tonight, she wasn
- - - - - Two Weeks Later - - - - -~ Audrey ~“Good afternoon, Mrs. Vanderbilt,” the receptionist greeted Audrey politely. It had been a whole month since people started calling her by this name and she still got giddy every time she heard it.“Hi, is Killian done with his meeting?” Audrey was biting her lip to stop herself from smiling too much.“Yes, he’s in his office. Would you like me to call him for you?”“No, don’t call him. I’ll come up and see him,” she said quickly and winked. “It’s a surprise,”The receptionist nodded her head and opened the door to the private elevator leading up to Killian’s office. Since he started working as the head of both the Vanderbilt and Huntington corporations, Killian would divid
- - - - - Two Weeks Later - - - - -~ Killian ~ Two weeks had gone by so fast. Before they knew it, it was already the last night of Killian and Audrey’s honeymoon. Sure, being in Bermuda was great, but Killian enjoyed spending uninterrupted quality time with Audrey the most. He couldn’t care less of what they were doing as long as they did it together. And they did everything together, from exploring around the island to trying out the local food, and visiting historical sites that she liked so much.The days went by so fast, but the nights were a bit more troubling for Killian. Ever since the accident, Killian had been having trouble sleeping. Every time he closed his eyes, he was back at the steering wheel again. He’d try to drive away to safety, but the end result was always the same.Letting out a deep sigh, Killian opened hi
- - - - - Two Weeks Later - - - - - ~ Audrey ~ “Welcome back to Bermuda, Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt,” Benji greeted Audrey and Killian with his signature toothy smile. “Thanks, Benji,” Audrey replied. She hadn’t seen Benji, the Vanderbilt’s personal tour guide, since their last visit to Grace Bay two years ago. “It’s been so long since your last visit. Congratulations on the wedding,” he said as he took their luggage and put it in the trunk of the car. “And I am sorry to hear about Mr. Caspian. I cry when I see the newspaper,” “Thank you, Benji. I appreciate it,” Killian replied. Though Benji’s English wasn’t particularly great, Audrey could see the sincerity in his eyes. He must be sad to hear about Caspian’s passing. Whenever he visited Bermuda, Caspian always treated him very well. Benji only wor