The Initiation (Darkness Within Duet 1)

Draven glanced back at Buck, who was still sound asleep. Jett had his eyes closed.

“It’ll work,” Draven said.

“Fine. Fine, Draven. You’re the boss.”

And that’s how it had always been. He’d been the one to take charge, to make the decisions. They all fell to him, and he’d watched so many men and women fall through jealousy and greed.

He refused to lose any of his friends.

They were his only rocks in this world, and yet, he knew it was only a matter of time before his plans fell all around him. He couldn’t keep it together, not for much longer.

His father wasn’t going to allow him to take this path, so he only hoped he had the strength to keep what he wanted and to fight his father and win.

Chapter Fifteen

Fall turned to winter, and with the change in season, the snow hit. A cold dusting landed all over Stonewall. The roads were too dangerous to use, and the school closed for a week. During that time, Harper spent much of that week with Draven, hanging out at his place with Axel, Buck, and Jett. Draven’s father got caught in the city out of town, so he wasn’t due back until the snow either melted or conditions improved.

Harper didn’t care though.

Even as her father glared at her, he didn’t make any move to stop her. She didn’t talk to him or to Hannah and hadn’t done for weeks. She often avoided them.

Her time with Draven and the guys was the best of her life. Most of her nights in bed were with Draven, but during the day, they were all together. One solid unit, united, and ready to take on the world.

The five of them together were a team, a force to reckon with. They’d trained her to fight by their side. She didn’t for a second think she was up to their standard, but she didn’t shy away from all the hard work.

She relished the fights. Each time she stood, facing any of them, she allowed herself to let go. To no longer fight that anger as she stared back at them, but to give it an avenue to expel. They knew how to handle her, and no matter how hard she hit, they could defend themselves.

After each workout session, she’d stare at her reflection in the mirror, and for a short time, she’d be a little afraid of who she saw staring right back at her.

The woman she saw scared her.

The good girl was long gone, and now she stared at a woman who didn’t hide her anger, didn’t pretend to not care anymore.

The woman staring back at her was no pushover, no good girl. She gave a shit, and if anyone stepped in her way, she’d push them right back out of it.

“You know it’s minus five outside,” Harper said, staring at the pool.

Draven had given her a long shirt to wear over her underwear to go swimming in. He had an indoor pool, and he fancied a swim.

Jett and Buck were already throwing water at each other while Draven stood right in front of her, his hands on her knees.

“I know. The pool is nice and warm.”

She sighed. He stroked up and down her thighs. She had a couple of bruises from his kisses alone. He liked to nip at her during sex. She loved it when he got a bit rough with her.

“Come on, Harper. Stop being a scaredy cat,” Axel said.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not scaredy cat.”

“Then how about you get that ink?” Buck asked, winking at her.

They’d been talking about her getting some ink. She noticed that on all of the guys, they each had a separate tattoo that said all of their last names. Draven’s was on the inside of his wrist. Barries, Cook, Perry, Henry. They were in a scroll, and right underneath Henry’s name, was hers, Miller.

Each of them had it in a different place. For instance, Jett had his inked up his side. Axel’s was along the back, all within a scroll of some kind. Buck’s was on his thigh.

“You’re one of us, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” she said. “Isn’t that supposed to be the initiation? I thought you guys organized that.”

Silence met her question.

All of the guys were staring at one another, and she chuckled. “Seriously, what is it I’m missing?”

“The initiation isn’t the ink,” Draven said.

“It’s the fucking,” Buck said. “Where we all have sex. We all take you. Make you ours. Think of it like a cum fest. Once that happens, no bitch will get another look in.”

Jett hit Buck around the back of the head.

“What the fuck! Seriously, dude, she asked.”

“And there’s a lot more tact to be had, dude,” Axel said.

“Oh,” Harper said. “I’ve been meaning to ask you about that.” She wasn’t going to show them it made her nervous. Draven continued to stroke her thighs, and she took comfort in his touch. “How does that work?”