Hollow Hearts (The Harkwright Trilogy)

Marcia the Two looks at me with utter scorn, clearly she doesn’t appreciate being interrupted by me.

“Are you ever not on the floor?” She asks as she clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes at me before shifting so I can see who’s lap she’s straddling. Tom.

“Come here Zero,” he orders and I get to my feet before slowly making my way closer to them. I’m relieved to see that I can’t see anything beneath her skirt, I’d rather not come face to face with his cock.

“You really think a Zero can do more for you than I can,” Marcia tosses her hair over her shoulder and looks me up and down. I don’t wish to be a part of this but I can’t leave until I’m dismissed. After what happened to Chantelle, I’m fucking learning quickly.

“You’re the Two because you’re good at swallowing cock in any hole we want, don’t start getting sure of yourself, we can easily give you a new number and it won’t be One. If I want Zero, I’ll fucking take her!” His voice is just below shouting level and I watch as she shrinks into herself.

“You are such an asshole,” she shoots out, and it isn’t only her eyes that are bugging out, mine are right there with her.

He stands up fast, and she falls off his lap and straight to the ground, he places his feet either side of her body and lowers his face but he doesn’t keep his voice low. He doesn’t give two shits who may overhear him.

“Don’t you ever dare talk to me or any of the men like that, I hope you didn’t get too comfortable Two. You won’t be staying,” he steps over her and walks away as she shrieks his name, begging and pleading. Crawling on her hands and knees as she tries to grip onto his leg but he just shakes her loose before sliding his hand over my shoulders and steering me away.

“Don’t worry Zero, I’ve lost the urge to fuck. But if you don’t get rid of that innocent stare and the way you bite on your lower lip when you’re nervous, I just may change my mind,” my eyes shoot to his as his words register in my mind, and my lip pops free of my teeth as his thumb comes up to run along it.

I feel my eyelids flicker at his touch and a low growl reverberates through him before he brings his head lower, his intent clear. He’s going to kiss me, and I can’t pull away or say no. Only, someone’s screaming and I can’t stop myself from turning to the sound and seeing a crowd hovering in the pool house connected to this part of the garden.

“Always eager to help, go ahead I won’t order you to stay,” he says as he looks into me, beyond my eyes, his look goes deeper than that.

“Thank you,” it comes out in a whisper before I brush my lips against his cheek, surprising us both before rushing head first into the commotion.

I come to a halt when I see Maddox lying on the floor, clutching at his throat as the swelling spreads from his face and down to his neck. His face is a motley purple color and there’s a tray of cookies lying at his side. There are Harkwright guys just standing there, watching, almost gleeful at the prospect that one of their own could very well die.

What the fuck, how can no one be helping him? Even the girls are just standing there flapping their arms like they’re trying to learn how to fly.

My heart rate slows as

I try to bottle down my panic and let my rational side take control, he’s allergic to nuts, it was in his bio. So…

I rush to his side before thrusting my hand into his pockets, trying to find an epi pen, please have one on you Maddox, I can’t do anything else to help you.

“What the fuck are you doing? Get off him you dirty fucking whore,” screeches Fifteen as she tries to pull me away and I don’t think as my other hand strikes out and connects with her face.

“Back off you ignorant little girl, I’m trying to save his life. Something anyone of you could have done,” I narrow my gaze on the entire room as my hand lands on something long.

I pull it free, tear off the cap with my teeth before slamming the needle into him and depressing the plunger.

Falling back until I’m sitting on my heels, a nurse finally appears and chaos is averted, Maddox will live but I struck Fifteen. I just fucked myself up, hey if I’m going to go out I may as well give them a proper show.

Pushing to my feet, I draw in a deep breath as I take in the faces staring at me, judging me.

“Who made the cookies?” I ask in a hollow voice and Fifteen steps forward as though she did the best thing in the world.

“It was me and honey, you are so out of here,” she hisses before spitting at my feet but I stand my ground and stare her down as well as I can. I’m new to this, I usually run and hide but this is important, a life was nearly lost because of her stupidity.

“I’m resigned to my fate but the next time you do a spot of baking maybe you should check their bios, unless you didn’t even bother to study them because you made it to Fifteen right off the bat.”

She sneers at me and I know my assumption is correct, more and more people are filling the space and we’ll soon be over capacity but that isn’t my concern, this is.

“He’s allergic to n-n-nuts, y-you could have k-killed him,” I force out. I may be confronting her, but I’m not instantly filled with confidence. This is real life not some film where the girl is suddenly transformed because of a pretty dress and a sudden realization that she’s better than she thought.

“Fuck you, you stuttering bitch,” she shoves her hands into my shoulders and I connect with a body and a set of hands connects with my hips before I’m lifted up and deposited behind him. Whoever this one is.

“Aeron, take the Zero to the office. She struck Fifteen.”

I hang my head as laughter rings out before it cuts off with a sharp whistle.