Cruel War (The Gilded Sovereign 1)

“I’m a big boy now, B-man,” I tell him. “I’m a Crown, I’m also a Lancaster, and nobody fucks with me.”

“Even your father?” His challenge makes my teeth clench. Frustration ebbs and flows, but I can’t get angry because it’s true. Abner is the only man who’s ever had me scared. But not anymore.

“I’ll be all cleaned up by the time Dad sees me again,” I tell him, swiping the crimson from my lip. The harsh flavor fills my mouth, and I swallow it back. I’m not afraid of a little blood.

How can a warrior of war cower when he sees the crimson of battle?

He can’t, and I’m ready to walk on the front line.

“He won’t give in easily.” I know Billy is right, but then again, he hasn’t seen me in action.

“See ya around, B-man.”

When we exit the gym, I slip into the driver’s seat of my SUV and turn the engine. Tarian follows behind while Etienne leads from the front. I’m in the center, so if one of my father’s minions were following me, we’d scope him out.

An email comes through, lighting the screen of my phone. It catches my attention. News about Dahlia, which only makes me think of the perfect, pristine flower again. Perhaps I should take the time to visit her tonight.

Pulling into the driveway of the Lancaster estate, I kill the engine and get out, meeting Tarian and Etienne on the cobblestones, which lead up to the front door.

“I’m thinking about paying Dahlia a visit later,” I inform them as we make our way up the steps. I can feel both of them staring at me, but I can’t face them. I don’t want to admit that I find her hot as fuck, that I want to learn more about her.

It frustrates me that she’s so beautiful. That she’s so alluring. She’s on my mind all day, every day, and most nights, too. Even after the fight, I’m still tense. My muscles ache from the exertion, but it feels good.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Etienne questions from my left. When I met him in middle school, he told me I was an asshole after we had an argument about who had the best-packed lunch. He’d only said the curse word because he heard his mom call his dad that and thought it was cool.

We got into trouble that day because the teacher heard him, and we both got pulled into detention. We made a pact that if one of us goes down, the other does, too.

In high school, Etienne was like a goddamned manwhore. He lost his virginity to an older woman, but he’s never told us her name. All we know about her is that she’s a cougar who loves her boy toys. After that, his confidence grew, and the cheerleaders, emo chicks, and even the debate, society fell over their heels for him.

He knows what women want to hear. It’s as if he was born with a silver tongue and a golden dick. That’s Etienne.

Not long after meeting Etienne, Tarian joined the school after his folks moved back to Tynewood, and the three of us became inseparable. Tarian’s parents died in a tragic accident two years after moving to Tynewood, which left Tarian under the guardianship of his uncle. The uncle who ran off to England and doesn’t care if his nephew is dead or alive.

I glance at Etienne and finally offer him an answer, “No. Probably not, but, then again, you know me. When am I ever one to do something because it’s good?”

“That’s true.”

“She’s pretty and innocent. You won’t have a problem with her at all,” Tarian tells me. We always work together. When one of us needs something done, we all help out. Tarian offered to be the one to make contact with Dahlia, and I agreed.

He may not have the outright charm that Etienne has, but something about Tarian always sets girls at ease. I saw him last night when she left the party with her friend. And our plan worked because he invited her to the party on Saturday, and I know she accepted.

I can’t wait for her to step foot into my home. I just wish I could lock her up and keep her here.

“I don’t give a shit how innocent she is. I want to dirty up her pristine appearance.” I chuckle, thinking about bending her over every surface in my house until she can’t think about anything other than me. And once she falls for me, I’ll rip her heart from her chest in front of the whole fucking town.

“You know, they say that the more sex you have, the better chance you have of retaining your memory when you’re older,” Etienne tells me as if he’s reading my thoughts. His smirk is in place, and I know the moment I respond, he’ll have some bullshit facts, which I don’t want to know about right now.