Monsters' Gift (Crude Hill High Book 2) Read online

  We’d lain down her seat and she was curled up. River threw a blanket on her, and she looked so perfect. Peaceful within sleep but also because we finally had her back.

  Caleb sat beside her, drinking some whiskey. I noticed his hands shook a little, but I didn’t comment. He wasn’t afraid. None of us were. With the life we’d lived these past few years, fear wasn’t easy to come by.

  Emily, though, she was finally with us, and Earl had come through. Ashley was gone and she was still alive.

  We’d fucked up. I knew we had.

  Gael sat a couple of seats down from me, staring at her. He’d finally tasted her, and I knew what he was going through. The pleasure that rushed through you, the feel of her wrapped around you. I’d had a chance to experience it once myself, but since then, nothing else.

  I missed it.

  I missed that feeling.

  Seeing her now, I was overcome by guilt. There had been women over the years, some I’d tried to use to make me forget her. I’d never gone all the way with them, but the intent had been there.

  Earl had given us a chance to look into Emily’s past. There wasn’t anyone. Her life was dull. She worked constantly. Ashley had more fun than our girl. I didn’t like it. Emily was supposed to live a full and happy life, not to sit around waiting for us.

  I couldn’t help but be happy no man had stolen her from us. We would’ve killed anyone who dared to take her away from us.

  “She’s going to hate us,” Gael said. “The moment she realizes what we’ve done.”

  “She won’t find out straight away.” Caleb sipped at his whiskey while staring out the window. He always claimed to be in control but I knew different. He was holding on by a thread. Out of all four of us, he was now the only one not to know how perfect she felt on your cock.

  “No? You think the way we reacted she wasn’t put on the alert? Emily isn’t stupid,” Gael said, standing.

  “Sit down. I’m very much aware of who she is and what she’s capable of. What I’m telling you is she won’t learn the truth from me. We’ll keep her in the dark until we can’t.”

  “You think that’s wise?” River asked.

  “I’m doing what is best for her.”

  “How do we know Earl is even going to keep his word?” I asked, lifting my gaze to them.

  All of them looked at me as if I was stupid.

  “Sure, we got her and so far nothing bad has happened, but it doesn’t mean Earl will keep his word.”

  “He’ll keep his word,” Caleb said.

  “Why? Yeah, we’re all deadly and scary, but why does he have to? He lives by his own rules.”

  “Don’t forget the full agreement. He’s going to be sticking around,” Caleb said.

  “I think we’re being stupid if we trust him.” I ran a hand down my face. The last twenty-four hours were catching up to me. Traveling to England and back again, finding Emily, it was all starting to mount up. It wouldn’t be long before I was literally asleep standing up. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d gone without sleep.

  We’d all suffered to get to where we are now.

  “One problem at a time,” Caleb said. “That’s all we can do.”

  As if on cue, Emily started to stir. She let out a moan. Her body was slow as she came to. We all tensed. None of us knew what was going to happen.

  River had the needle ready in case she started to lose it.

  Caleb held his hand up, putting his whiskey down. “Emily, baby.”

  Her eyes opened, those intense green emeralds that captured my fucking soul. One look into them, and I knew we were about to have an explosion. Before she got a chance to, River was there, injecting her.

  This was the final countdown.

  Caleb stepped back.

  “Well, we always did admire her spirit,” River said. “I guess we’re about to find the real fire that makes our woman.”

  “She’ll come around,” Caleb said.

  “You keep saying that. Are you trying to convince yourself or us?” I asked.

  He glared at me. “I see you’re happy with pointing fingers but never making a full-blown decision. You don’t like this, why didn’t you speak up?”

  “I don’t like it, but I also see it’s the only way. What I’m trying to get you to see, Caleb, is that this isn’t going to be easy. Emily isn’t going to be easily wowed. I imagine when she wakes up, she’s going to be plotting our deaths.”

  “I don’t mind so long as she’s with us,” Gael said. “We’ve already lost so much time. I always felt we were fucking pussies for not going to get her.”

  “We weren’t pussies,” I said. “We were keeping her alive.”

  “And what about now?” Gael asked. “We’re taking her to where our fathers live.”

  “Yeah, but they’re not the Monsters anymore,” Caleb said. “We are.”

  That was what we’d become.

  I stared at Emily. Her face had lost the frown, but I knew it was just the drugs. If we weren’t careful, we were going to lose her, and I couldn’t allow that to happen.

  ****

  River

  We got her home.

  The sedative worked until we got her in the driveway. We’d been fucking blessed to get her this far, but she turned into a hellcat.

  She kneed me in the balls, clocked Gael in the jaw, and bit onto Caleb’s arm. When she tried to run, I pushed through the pain and rushed toward her. We both went down and I made sure I was the one to suffer rather than her.

  I had her arms by her sides, hoping she wouldn’t stop me from being able to father children. She wriggled, screamed curses. This wasn’t going to look good in front of our men. Caleb got to her first and I saw she’d drawn blood on his arm. Not too much but enough. He somehow had grabbed some rope or it had been stored close, I didn’t know how.

  “Let me go. Let me go right now.” She screamed.

  I noticed not once did she beg for anyone to help her. I didn’t know if that was because she knew we wouldn’t hurt her or if she figured it was a lost cause.

  None of our men would interfere.

  This wasn’t good, though.

  With Gael close, I let go of her arms and put my hand across her mouth. Instantly, she tried to bite me, but I was able to avoid those vicious teeth.

  Gael and Vadik helped as Caleb used his expertise and wrapped that rope around her wrists. Her feet were still a problem. Caleb hauled her over his shoulder. Gael offered me a hand.

  I made sure to look at all the men who’d witnessed the scene before them. If they knew what was good for them, they’d turn a-fucking-way. Part of me wanted them to test us now, to try to take one of us out.

  No one did.

  They all turned away as if they hadn’t seen anything.

  We didn’t hire cowards and the men here were loyal and even still, it pissed me off.

  Following Caleb and a wriggling, curse-spewing Emily into our home, I wasn’t shocked when he took her straight upstairs, going to one of our guest bedrooms. It made me smile when I saw he’d picked the one with a four-poster bed. The things we could do to her just by tying her up. It would be a whole lot of fun.

  He dumped her on the bed and tied the rope around the board, knotting it up.

  “You think this is funny?” she asked.

  “What I’m doing is for your own good.” He snarled at her.

  “Well, look at you, you taking charge. Where’s your daddy? Don’t you need to go and kiss his arse?” The way she spoke now had an English twang to her words, and it was so fucking sexy.

  Caleb fisted some of her hair. “I don’t need my daddy. I’m the one in charge. You’re at our mercy, Emily. So, it’s about time you start playing nice with us.”

  “I have played nice. Ask Gael. I’m sure you already know about River and Vadik. Just you left, and guess what, I’m not going to be giving you anything.” She tried to pull away but his grip kept her immobile. They were both panting and just watching them made my cock
hard.

  I’d missed her fire, her passion, her mouth. The times we’d shared when we were younger, they hadn’t been enough. I couldn’t stop looking at her.

  “Oh, you will, Emily. You’re going to give me everything and what’s more, you’re going to beg me for it.”

  “Think again.”

  “No? Put it this way, unless you start to learn to play nice, you’re never going to see your friend again.” Caleb slammed his lips down on hers as I turned to look at Gael and Vadik for any idea what he was fucking doing.

  Of course, we didn’t give anything away.

  Caleb pulled away.

  “River, let me out,” she said. Her lips were swollen and her cheeks flushed.

  I shook my head and turned on my heel.

  Next, she called Vadik and then Gael. All of us left, not getting involved. Caleb closed the door, flicking the lock into place.

  “You want to tell us what that was all about?” I asked.

  “I need a drink.”

  “You had plenty on the plane.” We all had our vices, but we’d made sure not one of us succumbed to the addiction. For now, it had been easy, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t change. I stared at him, waiting.

  Caleb looked at me. “Don’t for a second think you can tell me what to do. I need a drink, sleep, and then I’ll deal with the wildcat. Until then, stay out of my fucking face.”

  He pushed away from us and I let him go. We were all tense, and I couldn’t say I blamed him.

  “I’m out,” Gael said. Before he left, he put his palm flat against the wood of the door. “She’s finally home where she’s supposed to be.”

  It was the first time he’d looked at peace.

  With him gone, it left me and Vadik.

  “What are your thoughts on this?” I asked.

  Vadik looked at the door. “She’s home. That’s all we need.”

  He left me alone. Probably to go and draw another picture for his constant shrine to her. He’d have plenty of inspiration today.

  Me, I looked at the door. I didn’t want to leave, but I also couldn’t face her yet. I wasn’t ready.

  I didn’t know what Caleb’s game was, but I had to be in control and ready for whatever he planned to dish out. It was going to get messy. I knew it was, deep down in my soul.

  We’d stolen Emily, bargained her friend’s life, and we could have just handed her a death sentence. I didn’t trust Earl Valentine, but for now, I intended to just get some sleep. It was all I could do.

  ****

  Caleb

  Sleep wasn’t as easy to come by as I thought it would be, which pissed me off. After how long I’d been up, you’d think I would be able to just hit the pillow and be out for the count. Not even a little bit, which pissed me off.

  Running a hand down my face, I stood outside Emily’s door.

  I’d gotten the cook and a couple of housekeepers to go to her, but they’d come back covered in soup, along with bite marks.

  The one on my arm still felt good to me. I enjoyed the pain. It showed she still had feelings for us, even if she did try to hide it. There was no getting away from what we were to each other.

  In my hand, I held a bag of chips and a sandwich.

  Opening the door, I found Emily sitting on the bedroom floor, her hands clasped together. She tilted her head back and looked at me.

  The anger was still there.

  I closed the door and moved toward her. Sitting within touching distance, I expected her to lash out, but she didn’t.

  “You’re going to play nice.”

  “Fuck you, Caleb.”

  I smiled. “Good to know you’re not giving in.”

  She pressed her lips together.

  “You certainly hurt those two girls. They were just doing their job.”

  She looked at me. “Are they okay?”

  “They’ll live. I’ll make sure to give them a bonus for dealing with you.”

  “Aren’t you nice.”

  “I’m the best.” When I held up the sandwich for her to eat, she shook her head. “You’ve got to eat something. You’ve lost too much weight and I don’t like it.”

  “Why didn’t you just leave me there?”

  “Not going to happen. You knew we were coming for you.”

  “Bullshit. I didn’t know you were coming for me. You bargained my life, all of you did.”

  “To save you.”

  She took a deep breath.

  “If you try to starve yourself, that’s fine. I don’t mind if you make this difficult. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you healthy. You know that, so why don’t you cut the crap and save us both the hassle?”

  “I don’t like you.”

  “Yeah, you do. It’s why you’re behaving this way. Don’t worry. I won’t hold it against you.” I waited, as did she, but like I knew she would, she took a bite of the sandwich. “See, not so bad.”

  “What did you do to Ashley?” she asked after chewing and swallowing.

  “You’re going to have to eat the whole sandwich before I tell you a thing.”

  “I don’t like this, Caleb. You think I don’t know how this works? I saw Earl. I talked to him. He’s part of this,” she said.

  Fuck. I didn’t want to tell her any of the details too soon, but she knew everything about our life. She’d been part of it and lived it herself.

  “Eat.”

  “Damn it, Caleb.”

  “Eat. That’s all you’re going to get from me.”

  “This isn’t fair.”

  “No, you know what isn’t fair, it’s living your life for the past seven years wondering about you, wanting you, craving you, but not being able to do a damn thing about it because of what your parents threatened. You think none of us wanted you? You think we didn’t regret trying to save you?” I needed her to understand.

  She finished chewing her next mouthful of food. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

  “Emily!”

  “No, don’t Emily me. You talk about how bad it has been for you, what about me? I was the one whose life was in the balance. Me and Ashley.” She stopped, pressing her lips together. “You know I’ve hated you all for so long. I even went through a stage of wishing I hadn’t saved Gael. None of this would have happened. You wouldn’t have gotten me to love you, or to care—”

  I silenced the rest of her tirade with a kiss. She froze beneath my touch, not making a sound, not even giving me a chance. I wasn’t going to give up easily. She wanted my kisses, I just knew it.

  If Emily no longer wanted me, us, she would have moved on already. There would already be a man waiting in the wings, but there wasn’t. She was alone and that told me she’d been waiting a long time, pinning for me, for us.

  The instant she responded felt glorious. Her tongue traced against mine. From a dull kiss, it turned into a fire I didn’t want to extinguish. She was so fucking good, so hot, so everything. I couldn’t get enough of her.

  Suddenly, she jerked back. “This doesn’t change anything.”

  “About you hating us?” I chuckled when she didn’t even nod or give me anything else. “I’m used to people hating us. You can hate me because I know right now your pussy is soaking wet and probably still has traces of Gael’s cum inside you. You want us and for now, that’s fine with me.” I picked up the other half of the sandwich and offered it to her. “You can keep being stubborn all you want. Eventually, you’ll wear yourself out, and it will be up to us to pick up the pieces. It’s your decision.”

  She still glared at me but took the sandwich and began to eat. I didn’t like binding her hands up, but for now, it was going to have to be a necessity.

  “What did you do to Ashley?” she asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t lie to me, Caleb.”

  I didn’t answer her right away. She was everything I ever wanted and now that I had her, I didn’t want to give her up. Even if Earl hadn’t come through, I was going to move heaven and e
arth to make sure she could stay part of us.

  Chapter Five

  Emily

  Before Caleb left me alone last night, he gave me enough room to be able to sleep. He hadn’t allowed me total freedom and now as I stood, dancing around the bed, I was so fucking pissed.

  I needed to use the bathroom, like desperately, and so far, no one had arrived. Gripping the pole of the bed, I rested my forehead against the hard wood, breathing in and out, trying to calm my need that was only increasing as the seconds passed.

  This wasn’t funny.

  I knew without a doubt they’d made a deal or done something that involved Ashley, I just couldn’t figure out what.

  Right now, my brain wasn’t working. I couldn’t figure anything out. Everything felt like too much. My focus just wasn’t working. In and out, I tried to breathe, not to panic or freak out.

  All I could do was keep on moving. Pressing my thighs together and attempting to think about everything and nothing that would keep me from soiling myself. This wasn’t the plan I had for today.

  Attacking the guys had been a big mistake, but my anger had gotten the better of me, along with my pain. They’d left me and now that they’d deemed it safe, they were back as if nothing bad had happened, and it pissed me off. They couldn’t just go in and out of my life like they had no care in the world. I didn’t accept it, but right now, I’d give anything for one of them to walk right into this room and to help me out of this fucking rope.

  Time ticked by and when I thought it would be too late, the door opened, showing River. He stood holding a knife. His chest rising and falling as if he’d been for a run.

  “About time. Come on, please, I need to pee.” I hated that I even asked him politely, but right now, I’d do just about anything.

  I wasn’t afraid as he came toward me. He lifted the knife and sliced through the rope with ease.

  Rushing to the first door, I found a closet, but the next door was the trophy. A bathroom. I slammed the door closed and rushed toward the toilet, pushing down the sweats as I sat down.

  Of course, my peace didn’t last long as River walked right into the room.

  “Please, some privacy.”

  “I’m here to make sure you wash up.”