Monsters' Gift (Crude Hill High 2)

“You’re sick.” It gave me some relief knowing he wasn’t trying to get into my pants.

“No, I’m natural.”

I glared at him again but decided to look around the room. “Is this your room?”

“Yep. I live here with the bosses. I’m damn good at what I do. I do have my own place, but I don’t see a reason letting women think they have a chance with me other than a quick fuck.”

“You’re disgusting.”

He winked at me and for some reason, it pissed me off.

“They’re going to cut your balls off for this.”

“Probably, but when I tell them it was this or chasing you outside where all those nasty assassins are, I think this one will work. They don’t need to be worrying about you. While you’re with me, they’re focused on not dying.”

“The loyalty act is getting old. You’re not fooling me.”

“Good, I’m not trying to fool anyone.” He sighed and sat down in a chair. “Soon, your legs are going to get tired, and your arms. I’ve made sure you can’t move more than an inch. Not enough to sit or to get comfortable.”

“And woman want to do this for you?”

“I have all my women screaming in orgasms. Believe me, Emily, I know what I do brings women to their knees, and they’d gladly do whatever I ask them. I’m a master.”

“Why is your loyalty so real?” I wanted to trip him up and to find a weak spot. There was no way this man was loyal to mine. I just didn’t see it. I’d been out of the loop for a while, but that didn’t mean people changed so dramatically.

“You’re not very trusting.”

“High school.”

“I was there. What about it?” He pressed a palm to his mouth, faking a yawn.

“I remember what you were like. You were nothing but a tantruming baby.”

“So? You have yet to tell me something I don’t know.”

“Why are you suddenly their best friend?” I asked.

“I’ve told you the reason I am the way I am. You don’t believe me. I’m not going to keep justifying my existence in their world. I’ve done my time, proven myself. What about you?”

“What about me?”

“What exactly have you ever done to have the loyalty of those men? As far as I can tell, you’ve done fuck all.”

“Fuck you.”

“No thanks, sweetheart, you’re not my type.”

I wanted to throw something at him. He wasn’t wrong. My arms had already started to get tired and he was pissing me off. I had a feeling he was doing this on purpose. He liked to torture me.

“You’re a dick.”

He got up out of his chair. “Go on then, princess. Tell me what exactly it is you’ve done.”

I stared at him. “You don’t know what I did?”

“Enlighten me.”

“I killed for them. I saved Gael from death. That’s what I did.”

“And now?”

“Now, nothing has changed.”

“You’ve changed, Emily. You just can’t see it. You’re too blinded by your love to see how much you have, but whatever, it’s not my place to fix you. Are you hungry?”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“Is your stomach hurting and you need food?”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” I wanted to kill him. “I mean about me. What you said.”

“It’s not my place, and frankly, I don’t want to help you.”

“Just tell me. If not for me, then for them. Will that work?” I asked. I refused to beg him for help. I didn’t put it past him to try, though.

He stared at me for several seconds. “In high school, whatever you guys had, you knew it wasn’t going to last. Before it became anything real, you were gone. Now your men are kings, and they’re expecting you to be a queen. You know this life and you know that life. Which one do you want? We both know there’s only one outcome here. Will you hurt my boys, or make the sacrifice?”

He was gone and since I didn’t have a choice, I paused, shocked.

Drake was right. I knew the freedom of not being part of this world. Of not having assassins at my door. Of being completely free. Could I give up a life of safety to be with my men? Did I even want to?

Gael, Caleb, Vadik, and River, none of them could give this up. This was their life. I couldn’t ask them to, but did I want to be a queen of such an empire?

Chapter Twelve

Gael

I was tired.

Hungry.

Pissed off.

And thirsty for blood.

As I entered our house, the soldiers we’d put in place immediately disappeared. I paused as I heard soft music filtering the house.

Caleb, Vadik, and River stood frozen.

I couldn’t recall the last time I’d heard such soft and beautiful music. It was so sad and full of passion. Without going to get cleaned up, I followed the sound, opening doors to find the rooms empty.