“Horn dog.”
“Hey, I’m not the one molesting people when they’re trying to go to sleep.”
I sit up and stretch, then dart from the bed when Alec makes a grab for me. “Now who’s the molester?” I cock a brow and pick my dress up, pulling it down over my body.
“I’ll never get that image of you taking your dress off out of my head. You replace the bad ones. You’re the light in the haze of darkness consuming me.”
Sighing, I go to him, taking him in my arms and holding him. Within ten seconds, he’s removing my dress and owning my body once again, showing me all the ways he loves me.
Sneaking out of Alec’s room, I get to almost to the end of the hall, coming up short when Kai’s door opens and Riley sneaks out. Her eyes flare wide as she sees me. Behind her, I have a perfect view of a naked Kai…with…is that blood smeared across his body?
Riley quickly shuts the door, her clothes bunched in her arms. “You’re bleeding.” I gasp, absorbing the sight of her body as she rushes to dress herself. She has cuts and bruises everywhere.
“Did Kai do that to you?” I urge.
She halts her movements, her eyes narrowing to slits. “Mind your fucking business, Drew. Not everyone wants some sappy love story like you and Alec.”
What a bitch. Holding up my hands, I move past her. “Just making sure you were okay. No need to be a bitch.”
“Drew,” she calls after me, slipping on her boots that cost more than every piece of clothing I own. “Kai helps me…don’t think bad of him.”
“Whatever. Forget you even saw me,” I tell her.
“I will, and you do the same, yeah?”
Yeah, sure. What the fuck ever.
“Hey, you.” Jackie smiles at me when I enter the kitchen, a nasty bruise around her neck. “You okay?” I lift my chin to her throat.
Laughing awkwardly, she rubs her hand there. “Oh…yeah. One of the boys likes to roleplay and gets a bit rough.” She shrugs. Barb comes out of the pantry, carrying an armful of breakfast stuff.
“Drew?” She looks surprised to see me, her face losing some of its color.
She places her haul down and grabs me by the arm. “You shouldn’t be here, darling.”
“I was just getting a drink.” I point to the kitchen sink.
She ushers me out into the hallway.
“Listen, sweetheart, I want you to go out the back exit and head straight for the gate. I’m going to open it for you, and I want you to go straight to your aunt’s.”
“Why? What’s going on?” She looks worried, her words coming out too fast, her eyes darting all around, watching who’s nearby.
“Just trust me, okay? Be a good girl now.” She pushes me toward the back exit and rushes off to presumably open the gates from the security room.
Voices, raised and aggressive, come from the main room as I sneak past it. Looking through the window, I see a smartly dressed man talking with Viking. His fist slams down on the table. Standing abruptly, Viking orders the brothers, “Go collect this traitor bastard.”
A burst of movement sounds as his army marches to his beat. He turns to the door I’m standing behind, and I quickly duck out of view, almost screeching when Kai’s hand comes down to cover my mouth, his body pushing against mine. “Shhh,” he whispers, then tugs me down the hall to his room. He pins me against the wall of his bedroom, holding his finger to his lips, pointing to the door. I bob my head, trying to stop my racing heart. I don’t know how I know, but I just do. This is about my dad.
Feet pound outside Kai’s room, the banging on another door close by, sending alarm bells ringing in my head, fear trickling through my bloodstream. What the hell is happening?
“What the fuck?” Alec bellows. It was his bedroom door…
“You got Drew in here?”
“No. She went to get food and get drinks. Why?”
“You don’t let her leave this place, understood?”
Thud.
“Why? What the fuck’s going on?” Alec calls out down the hall.
“Don’t fucking question me, boy. Just do as I fucking say.”
My heart races in my chest. Sweat coats my skin as nausea stirs my stomach. When I hear Alec’s door slam and footfalls fade, I close my eyes and swallow down the stone lodged in my throat.
“Why is Prez looking for you?” Kai asks. He’s shirtless and still covered in smeared blood one hand on the wall next to my shoulder. “Is that Riley’s blood?” I ask instead. I have no fucking clue why Viking wants me, but it scares the hell out of me.
“Not important. That man in the other room is a fed. He’s Jeremy Koynakov. You been a bad girl?”
“Fuck off, Kai,” I spit out. It only causes him to grin. He holds up his hand, showing me the scar I created years ago. “I’ve never forgotten this.”