Beast's Demands (Crude Hill High 3)

Looking at Earl now, even though I didn’t want to believe it, I just knew our time together had come to an end. I was stupid and naïve to have thought it would last a little longer. Happiness was always rare and short-lived.

Having a mother like mine taught me that.

There were times she’d feel guilty for the way she treated me, and for a week tops, she’d be the perfect mother, attentive until boredom hit her, or she believed she’d done what was needed.

Either way, she’d hated me by the end of it.

I was still alive. She was six feet under. Her thirst for a good life had caught up with her and nearly ended the both of us.

“Where’s Emily?”

“I believe right about now she’s back in Crude Hill.”

This made me tense. “No.”

“Yes.”

“No, they can’t take her back. She’ll be killed if she goes back there.” I knew all about the contract the four Monsters had made to keep Emily and me safe. Even though they were completely in love with her, they couldn’t have her. Their fathers made sure of it.

It was why I’d gotten to live. They’d bargained her life and mine.

The thing about Crude Hill and the Monsters’ Crew was that they had a rule. Once a man was a traitor or a rat, everyone in his family was taken down with them. No one was allowed to survive.

I was as good as dead because of my mother’s connection to Emily’s father. We both should be dead. Rotting away somewhere. Instead, we got seven years.

“This isn’t funny,” I said.

“I’m not laughing.”

“Then you’ve got to stop Emily. I know you wanted her virginity once and all of that crap that went with it, but she’s not the same person, okay? Please, do not let her get killed. She’s my best friend.” I hated to beg.

Staring at Earl, I despised feeling desperate enough to ask him to help her, to save her.

“Emily has her hands full, Curves. She doesn’t need my help or my interference.”

I wanted to hit him. The urge swept through me like a sick and twisted wave of desire. I held on to it as I stared at him.

At that moment, my stomach decided to make its presence known by growling. It had been too long since I last ate.

“Follow me.” He turned and started out the door.

Looking around the room, I tried to think of anything that could be used as a weapon. Nothing came to mind.

“Don’t even try. There’s nothing you can do, Ashley.”

I clenched my hands into fists. This anger wasn’t something I was used to.

Taking a deep breath, I followed him out of the cabin and to wherever he wanted to take me. I kept my gaze focused straight ahead.

I was sure the boat was rocking left and right. There were a few times I was convinced a sea monster was bumping the side, wanting to tip us over so he could have a snack.

Yeah, I had a thing for shark movies. Giant sea creatures, anything.

Emily didn’t share my enjoyment. I went from the extreme of loving shark movies to being a lover of all things romance. I was a sucker for them. I wasn’t a horror kind of girl, though. I couldn’t stand them. There was nothing worse than being frightened out of your wits.

We headed out onto the top of said boat, and now I knew it was more of a yacht. The extravagance was clear. The crew didn’t talk to me, but they nodded at Earl. He was the one in charge.

We moved to the back of the boat, or was it the front? Either way, it was a deck with a parasol to protect from the hot sun. I was sweating. I hadn’t showered, and the clothes I was wearing were designed to take on dreary England. Not this kind of heat.

I was sure I stank. I could feel the sweat trace down my back.

Earl took a seat. I realized he was dressed all in white.

He rested his hands clasped together in front of himself. The power he exuded, even outside in the open air, shocked me. This man was used to getting what he wanted. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was so used to getting what he wanted, why did he wait this long to exact revenge?

A virgin was what he wanted.

Emily didn’t give herself to him, and he’d lost, big time. As I watched him now, I wondered what the hell he could want. Where did I come in? I was nothing. No one. I wasn’t important. I didn’t deal with powerful people. All I was good for was keeping an eye on Emily and cooking. I commanded a kitchen. I made those ingredients my bitch.

“Take a seat.” He pointed at the chair opposite him.