Monsters' Gift (Crude Hill High 2)

“You think we don’t know that you’ve got men all around? We’ll find them all.”

“No, you won’t. The thing about loyalty is it’s spread a little too thin all around. People have a tendency to jump when the ship appears to be wobbling. One of you will fuck up, and it’s going to cost Emily her life.”

“Whatever deal you made to take her out of the picture isn’t going to happen. We’ve already got it covered.”

This made my father laugh. I didn’t like the sound.

“You’re a stupid, lovesick puppy. There’s only one person I know who would even deem to make a deal with you.” He stared at me, almost as if he could see right through me, and knew every single part. “Earl.”

I didn’t like this, but rather than protest, I kept silent.

“Yeah, he’d be the son of a bitch to make any kind of deal with you.” He coughed. I made a note to arrange for some more fluids. I didn’t want him to die on me all of a sudden, not when I had plans. “You’re a fucking stupid boy. The only thing that man ever wanted was a little virgin to play with. Seeing as you’re here and not fucking your cunt, I’d say he took someone of hers and now she’s pissed.” He laughed. “Well, I guess it had to happen. You had to fuck something else up that you’re not prepared for.”

I got up and went back to the injections, finding the one I needed.

I grabbed his arm, which was useless.

“Go ahead, keep injecting me, but you better warn that scientist of yours that it will only be so long before this shit starts to have no effect. You’ll either kill me, or you’re going to die at my hands, Caleb.”

I plunged in the needle and he was back to being nothing more than a living corpse.

“You’re wrong, Daddy. I know what I’m doing.”

I left him in his chair. He could wait a little longer to be moved to a bed to sleep and to have any comfort.

He pissed me off and when he did that, he knew there was always a punishment.

Chapter Seven

Emily

Rolling over, I opened my eyes. I hadn’t closed my curtains last night and sunlight streamed through my bedroom window.

Caleb.

One by one, my men came to my thoughts, until I finally thought of Ashley.

After throwing the covers off, I went to the bathroom, took care of business, washed my hands, brushed my teeth, and came back to the closet.

I settled on sweats, leaving my bedroom and heading down the long corridor. I passed men patrolling the grounds and I ignored them.

I’d gotten used to there being no guns in England. I didn’t like how unsettled I felt. I needed protection.

Entering the dining room, I saw Gael, Vadik, and River seated, also Caleb.

They had all come to my bedroom last night, knocking on my door, calling out my name. I hadn’t responded to any of them.

I didn’t acknowledge them now. I took a seat and reached for a bowl of fruit. Seconds later, Gael put a cup of coffee beside me.

I thanked him and started to eat the fruit as they continued to enjoy their full breakfast.

I wasn’t hungry.

“Today, I want you to check the ports. All of them. Any register, and then go for the bribes,” Caleb said.

I turned toward him to see him looking at Gael.

“You do the city. I want to know where he took his last steps.” This order was given to River.

Vadik had street detail.

“I’m going to reach out to our contacts from here.”

They all nodded, stood, and I watched them leave, one by one.

“You’re going to find her?” I asked.

“I promised you we would. We had a deal, and I don’t like that he betrayed us. I’ll find Earl and Ashley.” Caleb wiped his mouth with a napkin.

“Where are you going?”

“To do some work. I can’t sit around here all day doing nothing.”

“What about me?” I asked. This wasn’t exactly how a kidnapping went.

“Enjoy the grounds. For your own safety, don’t go too far. Explore. Our home is your home, just be careful.”

He reached into his pocket and I didn’t know what I expected him to give me, but it certainly wasn’t a knife. “For your protection.”

I took it, about to thank him, but he was already gone.

Piercing a piece of fruit, I took a bite, not tasting it.

Why give me a knife? Was it not safe for me to return? I didn’t like not having all the answers, and right now, I felt like I was in the dark. Rather than finish my breakfast, I got up, taking my coffee and leaving the dining room.

I would’ve helped clear the table, but past experience taught me that people had jobs to do. I remembered helping and my father catching me once back home. Rather than punish me, I had to watch as he whipped the young girl who’d been working for us. She hadn’t been able to sit down for a couple of weeks because of the beating. The guilt had consumed me whenever I looked at her. One day, she did disappear. I only hoped that she’d found some peace. I suspected my father killed her, but I liked to live on the edge of disillusion. It was a nice place.