I watch as he walks out, and I know I made him worse. He was fine, but I know he took my words to heart. I just wanted to help, and somehow, in the process, I made him worse. I lie still, my body wrapped around the thick throw, waiting, and watching the door. Slowly, I feel my eyes slip closed as I wait for him to come back.The bang has me jolting awake.“Why would you say that? Don’t fuck around with Zane because I swear you won’t be breathing.” Dante stands next to the bed, Gunner beside him. Hell, they both look pissed off.“I didn’t mean it! I told him I didn’t.” I should never have said it. Why did I? He didn’t even act like this when I mentioned his mum.“Clearly you did, to think of that. If you see it as us raping you, then stay the hell away from us,” he says. I look to Gunner as he shakes his head at me.“You agree? Do you guys not know me?” Of course, I didn’t mean it.“How can we? We thought we knew your family, my dad thought he knew them, but hell, we had no idea of the
I know what Emmi said, but I know she didn’t mean it. Somehow though, it’s got into Zane’s head, and now, well, now he feels like he needs to be punished. In the first fight, he didn’t even hit the guy for ages.I saw the pure terror on the guy’s face with every hit as Zane just took them. Everyone was shocked, watching as he just stood and took hit after hit. Usually, the other guy is lucky to get a few hits in. Ten minutes into the fight and Zane hadn’t lifted his fists once.Then it happened, the need to be hurt burned down, and in its place was rage. The poor guy died quickly. Usually, they stop the fights before anyone dies, but by the second punch, the guy was unconscious. By the third, he was dead. So, I sit and watch the next four fights. Zane blocks their hits and hits them back, the men getting dragged out quickly before they can die too.I just sit and watch, and by the time Zane is finished, he looks normal again. Bloody, but normal. I know all it will take is that one tho
Soon after waking, I make breakfast and we sit quietly to eat as I work through the things she needs. I have a car sorted for her, along with a bank account. I just need a few more things in place then I will let her walk.“This is fucking stupid!” Turning, I look towards Zane. “She belongs here.”“She belongs where she wants to be. Over twenty years she has been locked up, Zane, to keep her here without her approval is just as bad as her parents.” If I could, I would choose to keep her here with me. That is fucked up, though, and part of me is hoping she doesn’t walk out, or she turns around and comes back before she gets to the border.“You’re an arsehole. Treating her just like every other woman, fucking her, using her, then dumping her!” he shouts at me. I look over at Gunner, who isn’t even eating.“You can hate me, but it’s the right thing to do.” My words are quiet, and I hear her walking through. She sits down, smiling across to Gunner, but he avoids looking at her.“So, what
Waking up, the bed is empty, and glancing around I see the room is still trashed from my frustrations last night. Getting in the shower, I quickly get ready, then walk out. They all stop talking as I do. Sitting down, I smile.“So, what are the plans for today?” I have got used to living with them, working with them and everything else.“No plans, Emmi. I have work to get done from here. Same as them. Pack a bag, we may be taking a trip out of the city.” I nod to Dante, so no work means more fun.“So, if you’re working from home, you will have more time to play.” I smile at Gunner, remembering last night. He stands up without looking at me and walks out. “Did I do something wrong?” I look at Zane. His eyes are also fixed away from me. I have. I know I have.“I have calls to make.” I watch as he walks off, followed by Bear.“You did nothing wrong. They’re just tired, that’s all. We found out some more truths, and it’s hard to get our heads around. They’ll be fine later. You go pack a b
“Wakey, wakey, Queen.”I hear Gunner’s words and groan. Opening my eyes, I see him leaning over me, smiling, and way too fucking much.“You’re smiling way too much right now, considering how close you are to having your cock chopped off for waking me!” I was enjoying the sleep.“Sorry, but you need to get up. We will be waiting.” Nodding, I move, my eyes falling on the clock, six-thirty am. I slept straight through! Groaning, I get out of bed and see some clothes folded on a chair with a note on top.For you, to feel comfortable.I smile at the note and walk through to the shower. After getting washed and dried, I pull on the lounge clothes and walk out, hearing them talking. I walk through and sit at the table, everyone smiling at me. I’ve missed something. I know I have.“So, why did you all wake me so early?” I look at them, waiting.“To show you how we feel and prove it,” Dante’s says matter-of-factly, as if he’s stating the obvious.“You could just tell me.” That would be quicker
I watch as the door opens, moving out quickly. I feel the tears fall from my eyes. Dante stood before me, smiling. Screaming, I hit him with the roses, his eyes widening as I place the dagger against his neck.“Okay, so we weren’t expecting this reaction, was the day that bad?” He looks at me, amused.“It was great! Until you decide to send me fucking home! I should never have come back.” I shouldn’t have.“Sugar, you’re not getting sent home.” His hand grasps my chin to force me to look at him, moving forward slightly, so the knife pushes harder against his neck. “Your family is throwing a ball, and they requested your presence. So you are leaving here, Emmi, with us. I promise you that this is in no way us giving you back.” His eyes stay fixed on mine as my chest heaves. Slowly I lower my hand with the dagger in it. “I told him a dagger was the wrong gift.” He laughs slightly, his eyes glancing down at me.“Sorry.” I panicked.“I should have thought, don’t worry. Except you killed s
I stand shocked by Candice’s words. Turning, I watch as Emmi walks towards where Candice is stood, and Dante coming over, meeting us.“Do you know?” I ask.“No idea. I guess this is how she’ll tell us who she has chosen.” His words sound sour.“What's up, Dante?” Zane looks at him.“Nothing, I just thought she respected us a bit more to tell us in person before announcing it for her own mother’s gain. She should have told us first, we know she is picking you, Zane, but still, she could have told us first.”I listen to Dante, and I have to agree to some extent. I thought she would tell us.“So, as my lovely mother has said, I am here today to announce who I will be marrying.” I watch as she smiles at us, although Dante looks ready to kill her.“You see, this arrangement was created years ago. Many don’t understand that the Wolversons tried to cancel it and find a new way of clearing my family’s debt, my parents refused. Once the Wolversons had died, their sons also tried, to no avail.”
I walk into my room and sit down. Just how much of my life is a lie? Sure, twins fight, they fall out. But I hardly ever hear of one going crazy and happy to have the other one hurt. I thought they saw me as a burden, then found out my own mother wanted me hurt, was using me to take over the Wolverson City, lied about my dad, my brother, everything.I feel like I’m ready to break down, but breaking down is letting them win, and there is no way I will. So what’s the way forward now? That’s all I keep asking myself, and I have no idea.“I’m sorry.”I look up and see Dante stood at the end of my bed. I hadn’t even heard him come in.“I should have told you first. I guess part of me wanted to, in a way, hurt you because you honestly did that? I thought you respected us enough to tell us, Emmi!” He stands looking at me, and all I can do is laugh.“I’m sorry, I forgot when I was sent here for an arranged marriage, I should consider how you guys would feel.” Nothing is normal. Everything see
It has been eight months since we had Harlem and he’s wild already, just like Gunner. I place him in bed and kiss him. I know he will be safe tonight. There will be four guards outside this room. Three more at the end of the hall. No one except the guys and me will be able to get through. We’re back at the old place for tonight's party. It’s safer than having people in our home.“He asleep?” I watch as Zane walks over, peering into the cot. “Go get ready. I’ll sit here for a bit.” His lips press against my neck for a moment before I leave. Bear looking around for something, and I laugh.“You, wasn’t it?” He turns to face me.“Maybe, Daddy, maybe not.” I walk past him, but he grabs me, dragging me back.“What are you hoping to gain?” He pushes me against the wall.“I don’t know. Maybe, just maybe I want to be bad.” I bite my lip.“Prove it, dirty girl, prove you want to be bad.”I start to strip, my hips swinging as I do. “Just imagine, Daddy, me bent over that bad, with your hands gra
It has been nearly nine months, and it is incredible to watch Emmi, to see her stomach blossom, and somehow, it has tamed Gunner when he’s near her. He is still as savage with those he needs to be with, but with Emmi, he is careful.“Is it sorted?” I turn to Bear and nod.“Gunner killed them, with people watching. Everyone now knows not to touch them.” It was a mess and a war we couldn’t afford.“No one else does, Dante. Very few do that. Those guys just saw cash and thought they could take it. They didn’t even consider the consequences or consider who they were trying to raid.”He is right. Sure, people still commit minor, petty crimes, which the police deal with. However, they had been watching Jax and his family. That was clear when they attacked them within the city. We’re lucky Jax and his guys walked away and let us deal with it. They could have started a war.“Is she ready?” We should be leaving. I agreed we would go to their city, expecting them to show here after everything w
Six months! It has been six months since that punishment since I admitted I loved them. Gunner started great. The last month though, I have been nothing but exhausted as he tried to complete his quest. He was relentless in his pursuit for it, and now, well, he won.I step out of the bathroom. I am shaking, crazy scared shaking. I walk out to the pool, and they are all sat around it. I’m lucky, they are hot, and I know I am lucky.“Finally, come sit here.” Bear spreads his legs. Moving, I sit between them and lean back. He will protect me from Gunner. I know he will.“Everything okay?” Zane looks at me. “You took a long time in there.”“So you know what we haven’t spoken about?” We’ve discussed a lot. We spoke about how sleeping would go. They work some nights, so it makes it easier. I share a bed with two of them most nights. It changes from night to night based on who is working and not, who fucked me that night and didn’t.We got married, which was amazing but not legal. I don’t car
A month has passed, and Emmi is excellent, but now we have a new threat. Wensendale City, and Garrod. He keeps trying to push his foot through our city with his dirty work, dirty work, which I will never agree to. I watch as he walks towards me and sits down. I don’t bother shaking his hand. I don’t do that shit. I look from him to the guys with him. I know Jax, and I wonder how long he will do this for before he runs home to his wife?“So, do you agree?” Garrod leans forward, looking at me.“No. My city isn’t a place for that. If I catch any of your men in it, you can guarantee they won’t make it out alive.” I listened to his arrangement, and no amount of money makes it right.“Your loss, Dante. The Wolversons would be well known in many cities had you agreed.”“For the wrong reasons. Women are not weak. They are not a liability or a way to create money. Not in that way. Our city has survived many falls of other cities, many wars. We do not plan to change it. People are happy in our
It has been four weeks, and those four weeks passed quickly. I’ve spent plenty of time at the new house, helping get it sorted, and it looks even more amazing every day. Every day I spend it with a different brother as they continue to clean up my family’s mess.The border has dropped between the cities, which is amazing. It means Solace City and Wolverson City are together as one. My shoulder has healed, and everything is looking great.“What do you think?” I hear Gunner behind me, and I laugh.“You big psychotic bastard.” I look at the small crib. He is fucking crazy.“Soon, believe me if you’re not already, you will be. I don’t care if it takes fucking you every hour.” I turn and look at him.He is obsessed with getting me pregnant, which is fucking weird. Yet somehow cute, seeing him with the kitten is impressive, and I can just imagine him holding a baby. The room is bright pink, so I’m guessing he wants a girl. If not, he didn’t think this through. I have no issues with a boy sl
I sit and hold the papers. Everything going around in my head. They have all admitted they love me. They are trying to make me see that.“Do you love me, though?” I look up and watch their shocked looks. “I was forced on you guys. You had no choice.” I walked away and came back, but they didn’t get a choice.“Emmi! We are here. We love you. We let you go because we loved you. We aren’t you. We couldn’t come back to prove it. Us showing you we loved you was us letting you go. We love you and want you by choice, not because you were placed here.” Zane’s words make me smile.Glancing down, I look at the papers. I know they want me to say it, but saying it scares the fucking shit out of me.“You’re our family, Emmi, because we want you to be,” Dante says.I open the pages and stare at it: a house. So beautiful, it is big, with gardens. This place doesn’t have gardens, and I miss that. I have missed having the garden to escape to. The house looks fantastic, or it will once it is done nicel
At home, I send Emmi through to her room to clean up as I walk into the kitchen and check everything.“Okay, get out there set up while we get ready.” I walk off, trusting that they will do a good job. We all need to change and be ready, and I’m hoping this makes her feel like she can trust us. I hope so, anyway.After getting changed and showered, I walk out. Then, going to her room, I open the door and peek my head around.“Something hot, think of a party, elegant, sexy, that sort of thing.” I want her to take a little longer getting ready. Turning, I shut the door.“All sorted and set up. So we just go with the flow?” Zane asks.“Yes, because even if we plan this, we will fuck up, so we just go with it. Sit, eat the meal, then tell her.” It is a perfect plan. Walking through, I smile, seeing the rose petals on the floor. Every now and then, a full rose lays waiting. We all stand by the table and wait.I hear her door first, then her footsteps. She stops. “Pick them up,” I call thro
The door opens, and Dante looks at us, then relaxes.“Everything good?” He looks at me.“Yeah, can we just pretend all that didn’t happen?” I want to forget it.“Sure, Juliet won’t try that shit again.” Gunner grins and pulls me out.“So, what, we pretend you walked out of her office, and nothing happened?” Dante looks at me, and I nod.I feel someone's hand on my lower back.“Nice work telling her the rules, little lamb. Do you want the play later?”I laugh at Bears words, grateful he is playing along and pretending shit didn’t happen. We reach the car. “I don’t think you can handle it, Daddy.” His eyes widen as I climb into the car, and Gunner sits next to me.“Okay, Dean’s place next.” I look towards them. His soft smile is trying to calm me, and I know he will talk to Zane and find out what happened. For now, I will forget it, as best as I can.“Okay, Dean’s place next.” I look towards them.“You realise this will be a fight, right?” I look at them. “Last time I walked in there, t
My eyes follow her gaze and land on Zane. Jealousy begins to flood through me. He is leaning into a woman; I watch as he whispers in her ear and kisses her cheek.“Oh, you thought you were the only one? Zane is a sweetheart; he and Danielle go way back.”I shake my head, ignoring her words.“Ask if you don’t believe me. For nearly a year they were dating. Hell, they made a cute baby.” I turn and look at her, shocked. Her smile is growing. “You didn’t know? Why else do you think he’s slipping money into her hand on the sly?” I turn back and watch as he does.Zane wouldn’t. I feel my head shake.“He calls in like clockwork. Seems he is paying her an early visit today. I can show you footage of how often he comes in here to see her if you like?”“No.” My word is quiet.“He has always been a player. Zane can’t have one woman, he tried with Danielle, and that failed. She accepted she will never be the only one with him, though.” Her words hurt.Standing, I walk out. Pulling Zane back, I ho