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

“You’re wrong, Daddy. I know what I’m doing.”

  I left him in his chair. He could wait a little longer to be moved to a bed to sleep and to have any comfort.

  He pissed me off and when he did that, he knew there was always a punishment.

  Chapter Seven

  Emily

  Rolling over, I opened my eyes. I hadn’t closed my curtains last night and sunlight streamed through my bedroom window.

  Caleb.

  One by one, my men came to my thoughts, until I finally thought of Ashley.

  After throwing the covers off, I went to the bathroom, took care of business, washed my hands, brushed my teeth, and came back to the closet.

  I settled on sweats, leaving my bedroom and heading down the long corridor. I passed men patrolling the grounds and I ignored them.

  I’d gotten used to there being no guns in England. I didn’t like how unsettled I felt. I needed protection.

  Entering the dining room, I saw Gael, Vadik, and River seated, also Caleb.

  They had all come to my bedroom last night, knocking on my door, calling out my name. I hadn’t responded to any of them.

  I didn’t acknowledge them now. I took a seat and reached for a bowl of fruit. Seconds later, Gael put a cup of coffee beside me.

  I thanked him and started to eat the fruit as they continued to enjoy their full breakfast.

  I wasn’t hungry.

  “Today, I want you to check the ports. All of them. Any register, and then go for the bribes,” Caleb said.

  I turned toward him to see him looking at Gael.

  “You do the city. I want to know where he took his last steps.” This order was given to River.

  Vadik had street detail.

  “I’m going to reach out to our contacts from here.”

  They all nodded, stood, and I watched them leave, one by one.

  “You’re going to find her?” I asked.

  “I promised you we would. We had a deal, and I don’t like that he betrayed us. I’ll find Earl and Ashley.” Caleb wiped his mouth with a napkin.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To do some work. I can’t sit around here all day doing nothing.”

  “What about me?” I asked. This wasn’t exactly how a kidnapping went.

  “Enjoy the grounds. For your own safety, don’t go too far. Explore. Our home is your home, just be careful.”

  He reached into his pocket and I didn’t know what I expected him to give me, but it certainly wasn’t a knife. “For your protection.”

  I took it, about to thank him, but he was already gone.

  Piercing a piece of fruit, I took a bite, not tasting it.

  Why give me a knife? Was it not safe for me to return? I didn’t like not having all the answers, and right now, I felt like I was in the dark. Rather than finish my breakfast, I got up, taking my coffee and leaving the dining room.

  I would’ve helped clear the table, but past experience taught me that people had jobs to do. I remembered helping and my father catching me once back home. Rather than punish me, I had to watch as he whipped the young girl who’d been working for us. She hadn’t been able to sit down for a couple of weeks because of the beating. The guilt had consumed me whenever I looked at her. One day, she did disappear. I only hoped that she’d found some peace. I suspected my father killed her, but I liked to live on the edge of disillusion. It was a nice place.

  Stepping out of the dining room, I paused as I looked at the soldier at the door, complete with a gun. A knife couldn’t compete with his weapon, besides, I didn’t want to kill anyone.

  Rather than bug Caleb, which was what I wanted to do—I wanted to piss him off and annoy him, but instead, I found myself wandering the walls of his family home. It was a big, lavish house, complete with so much art and fancy shit. It wasn’t a house, but a museum of dick measuring.

  I discovered a library, another large dining room, complete with a bigger table, which I assumed was for entertaining. A games room, several other rooms, and I entered the back, coming to a stop when I saw it was a large greenhouse. The moment I stepped inside, the warmth consumed me, and the smells of the plants and the earth were heady.

  Keeping a hold of my knife, I stepped through the foliage, seeing plants labeled. I reached out and I touched a single rose on a bush. It was a bright red, almost like the color of blood. Stroking the petal, I took a quick step back when I heard a noise.

  Like a scuffling sound. My heart raced as I felt it coming in close.

  Sliding the blade open, I went in for the attack as arms wrapped around my waist. I was suddenly lifted in the air and slammed to the ground. I didn’t allow myself time to think, I attacked. Pressing the blade to an arm, I heard a sudden hiss. I tried to get to my feet, only to be pushed to the ground again. This time, whoever it was that had me trapped straddled me. I wriggled and the blade was knocked out of my hands.

  My arms were pushed out, and I was spread out before whoever this was, only to come to a stop when I finally caught the face of my attacker.

  I was panting.

  “Drake?”

  “Emily?”

  He was distracted enough that I knocked him off me and got to my feet. I grabbed my knife and stared at him.

  This was the hothead from high school. The love child with an attitude problem. Only as I stared at him now, he didn’t look like a giant mess or a statistic waiting to happen.

  He was cleanly shaven. Dressed in a suit. Composed.

  “Well, well, well, I heard the rumor you were back, but I didn’t believe it.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  He clapped his hands. “That’s right. You’ve been gone. You don’t know the latest. I work here.”

  “You’re a gardener?”

  He burst out laughing.

  “He works for us,” Caleb said, drawing my attention behind me.

  “I’m sorry about putting my hands on your woman,” Drake said. “I saw someone trespassing and I know how protective you are of this place. I was just doing my job.”

  “Thank you. You may leave.”

  “You’re looking good, Emily. Damn, if only I’d gotten my hands on you in high school.”

  “I would have slit your throat,” I said.

  “That just turns me on.” He winked as he left.

  I couldn’t quite believe what I’d just seen.

  I turned toward Caleb.

  “Drake. Seriously? You hired him?”

  “He’s loyal.”

  “He’s a piece of shit.”

  “People change.”

  “You do remember the same guy in high school, right? The one with the serious problems?”

  Caleb chuckled. “We have been able to channel his issues into something more enjoyable.”

  I shuddered. “I can’t believe he touched me.”

  “He touched you? Where?” The humor had gone from Caleb’s eyes.

  “I don’t mean like that. He … we fought, okay. I just, I never liked Drake. Never could trust him. He was always after making a name for himself.”

  “He has made a name for himself. He’s turned into a trusted ally.”

  I couldn’t stop shaking my head. It was wrong. “I can’t believe this.” I turned to look around at the greenhouse. “You created this?”

  “Yes.”

  “You?”

  “I had help and guidance from a gardener, but I maintain all the plants and flowers here.”

  “Why?”

  “It makes me happy.”

  “Right, and anything that makes you happy deserves your time.”

  “You’re pissed again.”

  “I’m trying to understand.”

  “None of us wanted to let you go, Emily. None of us. We didn’t have a choice.”

  I spun back around to face him. “Where are your parents?”

  “I don’t want to get into that right now.”

  “You’re really going to have to.” I folded my arms, but he mer
ely took a step back.

  “There are things you’re not ready to know.”

  He left and I was alone in his garden, none the wiser as to what he meant.

  ****

  Gael

  My knuckles were bruised, but I had information. Caleb wasn’t going to like it. Washing off the blood, I looked up and saw the colors erupting over my face from the beating I’d taken. I’d won in the end, but there was nothing wrong with letting my opponent believe he was winning. It wasn’t fair, I’d admit, but it was fun.

  He thought he could actually beat a Monster and win. It was laughable. He was now resting on the bottom of the ocean floor, unless a nice big shark was eating him. I liked to think something was getting use out of the pointless waste.

  At the creak of the door, I grabbed my gun and aimed. No one came into my bedroom, least of all my bathroom. I paused.

  Emily was staring right at me. Her hands were raised and I saw a slight tremble in them. I instantly hated myself for threatening her. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not. I’m not used to people coming into my bathroom.”

  “I take it you’re a private person.”

  I shrugged. “Not really. I just don’t have women in my room.”

  She folded her arms. “Are you okay?”

  “I see you don’t want to talk about the no-women comment.”

  “You can tell me all you want that you weren’t with anyone. I know it’s been years and you’ve got certain needs. I don’t need to be lied to.”

  “Not lying to you. No one would even begin to compare to you. You’re all I’ve ever wanted.”

  “Cut the crap, Gael. Why is Drake working for you?”

  I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “You’ve met him again. You got a little crush?”

  “He’s an asshole.”

  “You’d be surprised what he can find out.” I dried my hands on the towel and turned toward her.

  Her gaze went all over my face. “What happened?”

  I opened my mouth and closed it.

  “It’s Ashley, isn’t it?”

  “I’ve got to go and see Caleb.”

  I tried to go past her but she put a hand on my chest. “Don’t, please. Tell me.”

  I tossed the towel across the room. This information was for Caleb, but I didn’t want to hurt her any more than I already had. I knew using her friend wouldn’t exactly win us any respect in her books, but we’d done it anyway, and we’d fucked up.

  “He had a boat waiting for him at the docks. Paid someone nearly ten grand to keep it quiet. I was able to get the information about the boat, who paid him, and where they dropped him off.”

  “What? So, Earl Valentine is out on open water?”

  “Yes.”

  “Ashley hates the water. It scares her.”

  “We’re going to get her back.”

  She hit me in the chest. Once, then twice, before stepping back. Her scream cut me to the core. She spun on her heel, but I couldn’t let her go like this. I knew we were the ones who caused her pain. I grabbed her hand, pulling her back against me, and I took possession of her lips.

  “No!” She pulled away.

  Her lips already looked swollen.

  She stared at me, and I expected her to slap me again, but instead, she moved closer, wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me back as if her life depended on it.

  I held her tight against me, lifting her up, sinking my fingers into her hair, breathing her in.

  She wrapped her legs around me, and I walked her back, going into my bedroom. I sat down on the bed, kissing her, sliding my tongue across her lips. She opened up for me, and I moaned.

  Emily rubbed her pussy against my dick. One of her hands released my neck and glided down, going to my cock.

  “Fuck!”

  “I was going to ask for an update, but I see that you’re busy,” Caleb said.

  Emily broke the kiss to look behind her.

  Caleb closed the door, but he didn’t leave. Instead, he went to sit down on a chair.

  “I was coming to you,” I said.

  “But you had Emily, and I have to say, whatever you’ve got to tell me can wait.” He pointed at us. “Continue.”

  Emily climbed off my lap. I expected her to leave, but she was full of surprises as she started to remove her clothes. She was wearing an ugly-ass shirt and the largest pants I’d ever seen. She wriggled out of them.

  Her glare was on Caleb, but it didn’t stop her.

  She turned back to me and I saw the anger on her face. I wanted to take it away.

  “If he wants a show, then we’ll give him one,” I said.

  She stared at me, then back at Caleb. At first, I thought she was game for this, but I now saw I was so wrong about her.

  In the next second, she shook her head, reaching for her clothes. “I’m not a whore. I don’t perform.”

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Caleb said.

  I wanted to tell him to fuck off, but she threw her sweater at him. “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

  “No?” He stood up. “Let’s get one thing straight here, Emily. You are ours. You belong to us. You always have. You’re not leaving this room. You either fuck him or you fuck me. Which one is it going to be?”

  I’d never seen Caleb like this. Sure, he had a temper, but most of the time, he was able to keep it in check. This wasn’t him in control. This was him on the verge of doing something fucking stupid and I’d hate to lose him to something stupid.

  I saw her deep inhalations as she glared at him. I had to wonder which one she’d pick. I expected her to go to Caleb, but then she came back into my arms.

  Her mouth attacked mine and rather than fight her, I ran my hands up her back, feeling her against me.

  She was only doing this to spite Caleb, but I didn’t care. Not as she ground on my dick. I was hard, and all I wanted to do was fuck her. To completely consume every single part of her. She was so beautiful.

  Emily let go of my face and attacked my clothes. She got my pants open, her fingers wrapped around my length as she ground down.

  I wasn’t about to be outdone, and I cupped her between the thighs, wanting to touch every single part of her and not let a part of her go. She was so fucking precious.

  Feeling how wet she was surprised me. She hated Caleb, but that didn’t mean he didn’t turn her on. She was on fire.

  Breaking from the kiss, I held her still as I looked over her shoulder to find Caleb, cock in hand, watching us. The angle he sat in would mean he’d see everything. I plunged two fingers inside her, relishing her cries of pleasure.

  It wasn’t enough. Just as I was about to make my move, Emily was there, beating me to it. She pushed my hands out of the way, held my cock into position, and took me balls deep inside her cunt.

  She was tight, wet, and everything I wanted. Returning my hands to her hips, I guided her over my length, making her take all of me. Her nails sank into my shoulder as I used her pussy, fucking her harder than before.

  I was so close to coming, but I was determined not to find release until she had. She growled my name and I took it. Keeping my cock inside her, I stilled any movements and started to tease her clit. My name spilled from her lips and it was the perfect sound. So right. So sweet. I could live my life like this. With her in my arms, my bed, taking me night after night.

  The time we’d been apart hadn’t eased the fire I felt for her. If anything, it made me more desperate for her.

  I needed her more than anything else in the world.

  Kissing her neck, I flicked over her pulse, feeling her orgasm starting to build. I watched her come all over my length. I loved the way she tightened around me. She was my everything. I loved her more than anything else in the world, and I’d do anything to make her happy. Even as she used me to punish Caleb, I didn’t care. I knew deep down that she loved us all. This pain would pass. We’d get Ashley back, Emily would b
elong to us, and we’d finally be free to be happy.

  That was all I wanted.

  With the path so clear, I gave in to my needs, and I came, feeling Emily shake above me as I held her in place. We hadn’t used a condom and to my knowledge, none of us had. She was no doubt going to be pregnant soon. It was only a matter of time. I was happy, but part of me was afraid. My mother had died in childbirth. I didn’t know if I could stand for Emily to die. She was everything to us. I hadn’t told any of the guys because I knew they’d worry as well. I wanted their head in the game.

  Chapter Eight

  Vadik

  For Caleb to be drinking scotch straight from the bottle, I knew something had to have gone down. Gael had given me the call to return home as he had the details we needed. The streets hadn’t exactly been forthcoming with information. Everyone I spoke to gave me all the details I needed to know, but the information was useless and everyone knew that.

  Earl Valentine didn’t vanish off the face of the earth.

  I knew he’d betray us. Could almost taste it the moment he offered us that deal, but we’d all been too desperate to even care.

  Betrayal or not, we’d gone after the one person we loved more than anything.

  Now, Emily was nowhere to be seen, Caleb drank, and Gael, well, he looked like the cat that got the cream and ran over at the same time. I didn’t know what was worse.

  “What’s going on?” I asked. I usually didn’t mind the silence, but since Emily’s return, it had been hard to come by.

  “Nothing,” Caleb said.

  “She will forgive you,” Gael said.

  “Shut up, Gael,” Caleb said.

  I looked between the two.

  “This isn’t nothing,” River said.

  “I don’t need to discuss every single detail of our lives.” Caleb glared at us before throwing back more alcohol.

  “No, you don’t normally have to, but you’re drinking straight from the bottle.” I pointed out the obvious.

  “It’s Emily,” Gael said. “Caleb watched her have sex with me and immediately after, she ran out of the room. I haven’t seen her.”

  I looked toward Caleb.

  “You’re being a dick to her, why?” Gael asked.

  “She hates my guts right now.”