Lethal (The Disciples 1)

A bunch of water splashes me as I gasp at the coldness. He comes up for air and looks at the woman. “Bitch, if you ever scream at me again, it will be your last breath.” I stare, my mouth hanging open.

“She was only waking you up because you were getting sunburned.” I have no idea why I’m engaging except that he looks like the meanest man alive and I feel sorry for the woman.

“You talking to me?” He heaves himself out of the pool, his ugly red face dripping with water. He looks like one of the guys from ZZ Top except that he’s fat.

“You see this?” He points to a patch. “I’ll put you both in your grave.”

“Dozer? That’s Blade’s girl.” The woman I just stuck up for pets his wet arm. He looks at her then me, his beady eyes taking in my body. His disgusting perusal makes me feel violated and dirty.

“He needs to put a leash and muzzle on you. I’m gonna have words with him. A woman needs to know her place.” He grabs the woman who gazes up at him like he’s a god rather than the fat serial killer he looks like. “Drop down and blow me.” She instantly drops; her knees crack as they hit the concrete.

“Are you kidding me?” I jump up and back away. She ignores me and unzips him taking out his soft, disgusting penis.

“You people are insane.” In a flash, I’m running back to the house. His laughter trails after me. I don’t even stop when Edge asks me if I’m all right and keep running until I’m in my room, locking the door. My heart races, and I run into the bathroom and lock that door too. Gulping the air, I choke on it. I have to get control of myself, can’t let these guys scare me. But they do—they are not nice. And my fantasy that I’m getting a better life has slapped me in the face.

There’s a knock on the door, and I clutch the sink, my breathing more rapid. “Eve? You okay?” I look around the bathroom. Hide. I open the shower door and curl up in the corner. Memories of my mom telling me to hide as a child threaten to come out. Closing my eyes, I will them away—I never want them to come out. “Go under the sink Evie. Mommy needs to talk to this guy for a bit.”

“But why, Mommy? I hate that guy. He smells.”

“Go and don’t tell Daddy.” She pushes me into the small moldy-smelling cabinet as I wait for her to do what she has to do to get that bag of white powder. I hate that white powder. I wait, crying, surrounded by the bottles of cleaning supplies we never use.

“Eve? What the fuck, Angel?” I open my eyes to see Blade’s handsome face with Edge behind him. Both of them frown as I crouch even farther into the dark cave-like feel of the shower.

“What happened?” He looks at Edge, his voice harsh.

“I don’t know. She ran up the stairs as if someone was chasing her.” Edge looks at me with pity, and that I won’t allow. I reach for the built-in stone chair as I stand.

“I’m fine.” Both of their heads swing back to me.

Blade runs a hand through his hair. “Go see if you can figure this out. I need to talk to Eve.” I should be scared. His eyes look fierce. Instead my heart starts beating normally again. Edge backs out of the bathroom and I look into Blade’s green eyes. He holds out his hand. I don’t take it and try to mold myself into the stone.

“Fine.” He steps into the shower and grabs me. “What happened?”

I should tell him. But what do I say? A really mean man, one of your guys, made his girlfriend give him a blowjob because she tried to get him out of the sun?

“I…” I lick my lips. “I don’t fit in here.”

His eyes narrow. “You don’t have a choice.”

I cringe. “Maybe we can keep track. You know, like you let me go in a year.” It’s stupid and I can’t believe I said it.

He backs up and crosses his arms. With his boots and clothes on he looks huge in here.

“So… how are you planning on paying over ten grand?”

“I gave you my virginity—shouldn’t that be worth something?”

He looks like I slapped him. “You want to be a whore? Fine, I’ll treat you like my whore.”

A cough behind us makes us turn. “Um, Prez. Dozer wants a word with you.” Edge looks almost sorry for me. God, can my life be any more fucked up? Blade stares at me. I shift uncomfortably beneath his penetrating gaze. He sneers as if he finds me lacking, then pushes open the heavy glass door of the shower leaving me clutching the cold stone wall.