The Initiation (Darkness Within Duet 1)

“I haven’t gotten the call yet to pick them up,” Axel said. “After every single party, they always stay for the after-party, which always ends up out of town somewhere.”

Draven laughed. “We’ll pick them up, and one of them will complain about how they’re never partying again.”

“They always go back out and party?” she asked.

“They never miss a party,” Axel said. “Even when they should.”

They entered Draven’s bedroom, and she grabbed her clothes.

She was about to head to the bathroom when Draven pulled her close. “He needs you.”

Axel wasn’t even looking at her, but she saw he was … broken somehow. She didn’t have a clue what had happened to make him like this.

Her heart broke, and pulling away from Draven, she walked up to Axel. His eyes were almost vacant.

Taking his hand, she pulled him toward the large, soft chair. Sitting him down on the chair, she moved to straddle his waist. Cupping his face, she kissed him, and she wanted to make him feel so much better. She hated seeing the darkness that clouded his eyes.

Knowing Draven was there, watching her, it thrilled her. She didn’t care in that moment if anyone called her a slut. Axel was one hell of a kisser, and he ran his hands down her back to cup her ass.

Harper gasped as pleasure rushed through her body at that single touch.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve been wanting to touch you?” Axel said.

“No.”

“Too fucking long.” His hands moved from her ass to the straps of her shirt.

Within seconds, he had them down her arms and his mouth on one nipple as he cupped the other.

She felt Draven’s gaze on her, and as he opened her eyes and stared in the mirror across the room, it showed Draven. He sat on the bed, hand wrapped around his cock as he watched them.

The heat within his gaze drove her wild as Axel touched her.

He wasn’t as expert as Draven, but she enjoyed his touch, his desperation firing her own blood.

“I want you, Harper. Fuck, I want you.”

She looked toward Draven.

Only if he gave permission.

She belonged to him, and he’d been the one to bring her in, so only on his say so, would she commit right now.

****

Draven stood in his father’s study, staring at all the books that were mainly for show. He’d never seen a book open in his father’s hands, ever.

“What do you want, Draven?” Alan asked, entering the room.

“Nothing.”

“Is your bitch still in my house?”

He smirked. “No. I took her home.” Axel was now keeping her company.

“Good. I don’t want her here.”

“She’s mine.”

“Do I look like I give a fuck? I don’t want her here. This is my house, and until you’ve got your own place, you’ll do as I say.”

“I’ve been doing as you say for years. I’m not giving her up.”

“You’re making a mistake with her,” Alan said, sitting back. “Girls like her are huge pains in the ass for men like me.”

Draven took a seat, staring across the desk at his father. He thought about Harper. How her gaze had looked toward him when Axel said he wanted her. He loved that she instantly went to him for guidance, as it should be. “You can’t do the takeover.”

He watched as his father sat up. “Do you think you can presume to tell me this shit, boy?”

He smiled. “I haven’t been a boy for a long time, and you can keep pretending you have some power here. You attempt to do that takeover, to kill Cook, it will be your downfall. This isn’t the way you agreed to work. You’re Cook’s right-hand man. Taking the reins from him right now, you don’t have the right people for the takeover.”

“Draven, clearly all that pussy has gone to your head. Get the fuck out of my office before I beat some sense into you.”

There was a time he’d have taken the punishment, stood beneath his father’s fist and taken the pounded that he deserved, but no more. Getting to his feet, he left his father’s office slowly. Grabbing his keys, he got in his car, and drove out of town to where Buck and Jett were waiting to be picked up.

They’d gone to a party straight after the fight last night, and Axel had left them there as he got called home.

He didn’t know what Axel had to do, but the one look at his friend this morning, and he knew he needed some time with Harper, and not just a heavy makeout session. He’d not given his permission to Axel. After they kissed some more, he’d explained that Harper needed to leave. One look at Axel, and his friend knew he didn’t want his dad near her.

They were very much aware of the monster that lurked within the man.

Besides, Axel needed some alone time with Harper and not just sex either. One day soon, he’d have to share her.