Monsters' Crew (Crude Hill High 1)

Silence filled the car. It wasn’t for long. “I know what the others have told you. I get that it scares you. Four of us.”

This time, I had no choice but to look at him. He still had his gaze on the road. Every now and then, he’d stop to look at me. “But I love you too. They may not clearly see that darkness within you, the call of the blade, but I do. Don’t end your life because of those assholes. Learn to fight. You’ve got more power than you realize. All you’ve got to do is harvest it.”

Chapter Fifteen

Gael

The day of the party was alive with activity. This wasn’t going to be a small affair. Nearly everyone who was anyone had been invited. This was going to be a huge deal, bigger than even I thought it would be.

To play the part, I’d ordered one of the most expensive designer tuxedos. Emily had already been sent a beautiful purple gown. I’d caught a glimpse of it, snooping in her room. I took great pleasure in getting through Bernard’s security. I’d always found odd ways to entertain myself.

“Ah, there you are,” my father said, coming into the room.

He was wearing a similar tux but in a gray color.

“I expect you to be on your best behavior.”

“When am I not?”

“I mean it, Gael. I don’t want a spectacle. You’ll be the perfect gentleman.”

“And yet you’ve trained me to be the perfect killer.”

He sighed. My father, Dean Parson, was so feared. He’d told me he had a reputation to uphold, which was why he was so hard on me. He wanted me to take over from him, but so people would admire me, not hate me. Personally, I just thought he liked to cause pain. He had a sick and twisted eye for it. He loved to create fear, jealousy. I thought it was why I was a little fucked and got off on other people’s misery. Not Emily’s, though. I guessed my fascination with her wasn’t completely innocent. She was the first person outside of my friends I wanted to care about.

She certainly was the first woman I saw more of than a damn hole to stick my cock into. I’d shared plenty with my friends. Women were a means to an end, and yes, I could only see us being with one girl. I didn’t see us all sharing a bed and being one big harem within her bed. No, I saw us all spending time with her. Emily sharing her time equally with all of us, or not even equally, just whoever was close.

I didn’t want her to just fall in love with me. I craved her emotional submission to each of us. She was the first woman to make me feel like that, and I couldn’t turn my back on that kind of feeling.

“I’ve trained you, Gael, to be whatever you’re needed to be. You turn the charm on and off when needed, and you know when to strike.”

For good measure, he hit me around the back of the head, smooth and swift. It wasn’t something I’d forgotten. He knew how to get to me. So many times I’d hit him back that the hits got harder. As I grit my teeth, he smiled. “See, that isn’t so bad.”

“One day, I’m going to be standing where you are,” I said. I didn’t know if it was a warning or a threat.

This made my dad smile even wider. “You think I didn’t say the same thing to my dad? I know that deep down that he loved me. He wanted what was best for me, and the only way to get what he wanted was to make me hard and strong. I admire that man. I love you, Gael. So damn much it scares me. I will not under any circumstance put you in the ground. Burying you is the last thing I ever want to do.”

“Even though I’m not Bethany’s?” I asked.

He tensed up but he didn’t strike. “There was a time I told the love of my life that I didn’t think I was capable of love. She laughed at me. She told me that I was an idiot. I was not only capable of love, but she expected me to love my children. To bring them up in a loving home.”

He was sad.

“I try to live with her in mind. That’s enough talking about the past.” He stepped away from me and I wondered if I was to push a little more, would he strike me? Would he make me bleed?

Tonight wasn’t the night. All I wanted was for Emily to be in my arms.

“Is he here?” I asked.

“Who?”

“The guy who has bought her?”

“Yes,” Dean said. He poured himself a small shot of whiskey.

“Are you going to tell me what you’ve decided?” I asked.