by Jarica James
“She’s part of one of the most prominent mafia families in America. Why is she living here?” Kyrell questioned aloud, echoing what we were all thinking. Sure, we’d avoided the topic as teens, but when she left and we got more involved in our Family, we’d quickly learned who she was.
As we stopped in front of 242, I slammed my fist against the door and waited, arms crossed and eyes narrowed at the peep hole I knew she’d be looking through. Any good mob princess knows to check who’s at the door.
“If you don’t answer, I’ll kick down this fucking door, Sana!” I called, my eagerness to see her making me just as impetuous as Kill. Stomping echoed through the door just before she flung it open, pure molten fire in her eyes.
“Don’t you fucking dare, Keir Adrostos,” she said, her chest rising and falling with her angry breaths. I loved that she easily told us apart, a skill she and she alone possessed. Even our family had to study us for a moment, usually referring to all three of us as Boss so they didn’t fuck it up and make us angry.
Chest heaving, feet apart, and dagger in hand, she looked like an avenging angel and even more perfect than I remembered. I took a moment to study her, hungry to see any changes from the girl that I’d known. Soft, dark brown hair hung down in perfect waves, framing her heart-shaped face, big hazel eyes darkening a fraction as she stared me down. Her pouty lips pursed as her hands moved to rest on her hips, dagger sticking out to the side. Her body had definitely changed since she was seventeen. The thin, silky robe she wore hugged her body, leaving no mystery to the ways her body had matured. Her nipples peaked as I openly stared at her, my gaze dipping lower to take in her soft curves. She looked the same in some ways, the teenage Otsana from my memories peeking out, but she was a strong, fiery woman now.
“You going to invite us in, Kitten?” Ky asked, the nickname he’d always used slipping out. He and I had always had a soft spot for her; Kill had just gotten there first. Our night together was going to be the first step toward Ky and me easing our way into the romantic part of her life, but then she’d disappeared. Those angry eyes flickered to him, but knowing Ky, that narrowed gaze was just drawing him into her web even more.
“No,” she said, trying to slam the door, but we weren't that easily dissuaded. I caught the door with my hand before she had a chance to lock us out. No way would I let her out of my sight now.
“I’m fine with staying in,” I teased, stepping into her entryway. Even a quick look at her apartment had me putting on my best poker face, trying not to show a reaction to its run-down condition. Her cheeks flushed as she glanced around, the first slip of vulnerability I’d seen. The apartment wasn’t exactly what I would expect from her, but it was clean, albeit a bit plain. It certainly wasn’t fitting for a woman of her background, the cracks in the walls and outdated appliances combatting the status she should have had. Another indicator that something’s going on with her. I’d be finding out what, that much I knew. Now that she was here in front of me, I had no intention of letting her walk away again.
With a heavy sigh, she sat her knife on the table and walked further into the apartment, dropping into an armchair. We followed behind her, sitting on the couch and other chair, watching her intently. The fact that she put down the knife was a testament to her trust in us, but I wasn’t going to comment on that now. No need to start this off with her being pissed at us.
“Why are you here?” she demanded, curling up in her chair, arms wrapping around her knees as she stared at us.
“That’s a stupid question. I told you that you were mine,” Killian said with a laugh. “I’m fairly sure I reminded you of that fact while I was fucking you over the table in the club earlier.”
“I didn’t let you,” she seethed, “and it was a mistake. I don’t need your small dick.”
“Now you’re just being cruel, Sana, you know he doesn’t have a small cock,” I laughed, unable to stop myself. The picture in my mind of him pushing her down and fucking her, showing her we didn’t allow disobedience, was enough to make me half-hard. “If I remember correctly, you were well acquainted with all three of ours.”
“I only let you two fuck me once,” she growled, her face reddening, but I was observant enough to note the way she squirmed in her seat, her breath subtly picking up pace.
“Well, you apparently left an impact. We’ve never asked anyone to come back for seconds except for you,” Killian said, chuckling at her scowl. “Now, spend time with us at the club or fuck here? Your choice, Baby Girl.”
“Fine, but I wear what I want,” she grumbled, standing up and trying to walk away. The moment that caveat left her lips, anger flashed in Killian’s eyes and he slammed her into the wall, his hand holding her in place by her throat as he glared at her. She didn’t say anything else, though I wasn’t sure if she even could. Instead, Sana watched him, promises of retribution in those enticingly dark eyes.
“Let her go,” Kyrell demanded, putting a hand on Killian’s arm. He pulled him away and stepped into Sana’s personal space in his stead. Like a moth to a flame, I moved closer so I could hear what he said. “Kitten, you are ours, you always have been. Now, are you going to submit to us?” The rasp to his voice and her response to it had me thinking of all the ways I wanted to fuck her.
“Fuck. You,” she said, but the heat was already draining from her words. “I submit for no one.”
“Oh, but I think you will. You remember that safe word?” he whispered, voice hard and taunting.
“Yes,” she spit out, the barest hint of a sigh beneath the venom in that single word. Pushing him away, she stalked out of the room, slamming her bedroom door behind her. He let out a chuckle and turned to me, not having to say what we all already knew.
She’ll be ours again, no matter the cost.
My heart was pounding in my chest as I closed the door to my bedroom, the phantom feeling of Killian’s hands digging into my skin still strong. They’d always been rough, ever since we met. It was an instant attraction thing then, and it seemed now would be no different. As I tried to calm my erratic heartbeat, my mind drifted back to the day they had all claimed me. Part of me knew that if I had stayed, I would have belonged to all three of them, not just Killian, after that night.
The sounds of a fistfight echoed across the courtyard, a group of students cramming in around it. You couldn’t mistake the echo of a fist hitting flesh or the woosh of breath as it left their lungs. You’d think for being one of the most pompous boarding schools in the country they’d have a handle on the daily fights, drugs, and curfew violations. Gotta love Thornhill Academy, where money can literally buy you anything, including grades and perks.
Just as I was walking past the fight, everyone started moving away, whispering that security was coming to break it up. My curiosity was piqued, and I glanced over to see the Adrostos triplets walking away, my boyfriend Killian wiping blood off his lip while grumbling to the other two. Of course, he was involved, I thought, exasperated. Which also meant I knew what was coming. Killian never came out of a fight without being extremely turned on.
“Ah, perfect timing, Baby Girl,” Killian called out, and students parted to clear a path. The kings of Thornhill were definitely the triplets, but I was hardly their queen. Outside of being with them, I gave away nothing. No hints of my personality, no emotion, barely even any talking if I could avoid it. My grandfather had made it very clear that I was nothing more than a prop. It even took Killian an entire semester before I let him see that I wasn’t mute or devoid of all personality.
“Fighting again?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at them. Keir gave a smug grin and cracked his knuckles while Ky just shrugged. They were a package deal, so the others had become my best friends as well, though if the blatant looks and flirty comments meant anything, they wanted more. Something I’d never admitted to Kill was that I liked them too, but I’d never disrespect him by doing anything about it.
“Our room. Now. We need some release,” Killian ordered, my pu
ssy already aching like his words had a direct link to my body.
“We?” I asked, my heart racing at the fantasy in my head, one I’d had countless times. From the three sets of eyes darkening with lust, my question was answered, and I gulped.
“What’s our safeword, Baby girl?” Killian asked, the hard edge that drove me crazy still coating his words.
“Gold,” I whispered, my throat dry as Ky reached out and ran a finger down the column of my throat.
“Go to our room, get naked, and kneel on the bed,” Keir said, the challenge in his eyes making a shiver of anticipation run down my spine. Without another word, I took the keys Kill was holding out, turned, and rushed toward the boys’ dorm.
Honestly, if it weren’t for him, his brothers, or my cousin Dani, I didn’t know how I would have made it at Thornhill. But he’d been relentless in his pursuit, and the moment I gave in, I was his, body and mind. He was possessive and passionate, but he was also devoted. I’d never felt more important or loved in my life. More than that, he taught me what freedom really was. Submitting to him freed me from my constant vigilance and the self-control that had been instilled in me from the moment I could talk.
“Hurry up in there, Princess!” Keir’s voice rang out, breaking me from my thoughts. That day was one of the best and worst of my life. It was the day before my eighteenth birthday, and they’d all shown me how much they needed me. But it was also the last time I’d seen them before Eros murdered my father and came to collect me, not even giving me a chance to say goodbye. Though what could I have said to them? Only highschoolers, we were removed, to a certain degree, from Family business, and to explain to them would have crossed the very boundaries that we’d always had been us.
Thoughts of them being angry and hurt had haunted me for years, and I hadn’t felt much better myself. Eros had known something was off and decided that school was beneath me, throwing me headfirst into missions instead. I killed more men during those first few months than any other time in my life, but it turned me into the robot I needed to be to survive.
There was only one time, a year later, that I tried to get a hold of them again, but Eros found out. Generally, he controlled everything that went out of the house, including our emails, calls, and texts. I’d managed to find a burner phone, but as soon as I started the call, he stormed in and smashed it. That punishment was one of the worst and enough to make me stop trying to live in the past. As time went on, the distance felt even further. It just solidified what I knew… My time for freedom was over… or so I thought at the time.
I’d dated here and there since then but rarely got to a second or third date. Those men were more a release of tension and nothing more. Now that I was free, dating felt like a waste of time, and my time was far too precious to waste. Which was why I wanted to push them away, or at least part of me did. There was a much bigger and scarier part of me that wanted those feelings back. The security of having them near. The freedom of escape that submitting to them gave me. And not just for a night, that too honest piece of me whispered, but forever.
If I gave them the chance, I’d lose myself in them and their beautiful darkness. But I couldn’t have any reason to hesitate when it came time to end the deal. I owned my life, and I would own my death.
Flashes of the night they’d shared me were all I saw as I got ready, pushing the darker memories away. The rough touches of their hands exploring me, the whispers of possession and conquest, the promises that I’d be all of theirs someday, not just Killian’s. Just the memories alone made me want to go out there and let them possess me, but the logical side of me wouldn’t allow it. They didn’t know me anymore; they were holding tight to their memories too, but things had changed.
Back then, I was stoic and quiet. However, on the inside, I was anything but. I’d been groomed to be a submissive girl by everyone but my grandfather. He’d known from age seven, as he loved to remind me, that I was just like him. That statement had haunted me for years until I realized we were nothing alike. Where Eros was bloodthirsty, I killed to survive. While he fed off of fear, I longed to leave that life.
Having all three of the Adrostos triplets out in my living room had me feeling conflicted and angry, bringing up memories that should have stayed buried. I’ve been independent here for three fucking years, and they think they can just walk in and take what they want from me?
But couldn’t they? The fact that I’d already let Kill fuck me and now all three were here, ordering me around, said as much. My internal conflict said one thing, but I kept doing another. It was enough to drive me crazy.
Your expiration date doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of fun. You walked away once, and they survived. They’ll be fine. Plus, you’ve changed… why wouldn’t they? I mean, even I didn’t believe that lie. They were sincere, that much was certain. If they wanted this to be a fling, I would have been told by now.
Fuck… I do want this.
That one thought of giving myself permission had me excited. Dating them meant I’d get to see just what my defiance would do to them. And in turn, when they earned my submission, I’d get to finally let go again. But the fight to get there would be twice as fun.
Now to pick out a dress and test out that theory.
Heading for my closet, I let my robe pool at my feet, glancing over my dresses. My nights had been spent at home or working late, so it wasn’t an extensive array of options. I pulled out a black sparkly dress. It had a cinched waist and a red belt that tied around it. The hem hit mid-thigh, not leaving much covered, and the neckline plunged. It was the opposite of their sleazy dress, a hint of classy but sexy enough to draw attention.
Once I’d pulled it on, leaving my bra and underwear behind just to make them suffer a little, I pulled on a pair of red stilettos that matched. I was well practiced in heels despite not wearing them much the last few years. As I got more involved in the Family, Eros had insisted I dress the part. Where the men had suits and ties, I had black dresses and stilettos. The click of them across the floor made me feel all-powerful and confident as fuck. They were different enough from who I was before that it was like living a separate life. Just another healthy coping mechanism courtesy of my fucked up family.
Glancing at my appearance in the full-length mirror, I grinned. It was like finding another part of me I’d kept hidden. The woman looking back at me was oozing confidence. The heels made my legs look a mile long, and I knew I’d drive them crazy.
After a quick hair and makeup session, I picked my robe back up and tied it around me. Teasing them could easily become my favorite game, knowing the end result would be that much more electric. Because I had no illusion that this night wouldn’t end in sex of some kind, if not more than one.
Their voices drifted into the room, but as soon as I opened my door, they quieted down. The sharp click of my heels was the only soundtrack to my strut down the hallway, and they all turned to face me. Ky’s mouth quirked up in a smirk when he saw my robe, and Keir was as impassive as ever, but Kill looked ready to snap.
“What the fuck is this, Baby Girl?” he asked, his warning loud and clear.
“I decided I didn't want to go,” I said defiantly, using the bored, plain expression that I’d plaster over my face when I was dragged to meetings with Eros. I wanted to gauge their reaction, see how they handled a not-so-submissive Sana.
“Excuse me? You want to try again?” he ground out, getting up and stalking forward. I tried to step back, but he was ripping my robe open before I could. Ky let out a laugh, taking in my dress.
“Damn,” Keir cursed, his eyes heating as he slowly ran his gaze over me. “Kill, chill out.” The order was clear, and Killian nodded despite the growl that managed to escape.
“What’s with the anger, Kill? That’s not like you,” I snarked, crossing my arms. The action pushed my breasts up, and all three sets of eyes went directly to the display, that little bit of power hitting me like a drug. I laughed and shook my head, keeping my eyes
on my former boyfriend.
“You left,” he said darkly, “no word, no call, no apology. For eleven fucking years, I wondered about you, Baby Girl. And now you’re back with no explanation? You have an apartment, a job, fuck, even a favorite coffee shop. You’ve been here long enough to create a life, which is definitely way too fucking long to not reach out to me, to us. Fuck no. We will have that conversation.”
“You already punished me, did you not? Or what else was that at the club? You fucked me even though I told you no, you bastard,” I growled back, my anger growing to match his. There was pure fire in his eyes at being called out, but I wasn’t backing down. If they wanted me back, then they’d get me as I am, sass and all.
“And you could have used a safeword at any point, which I fucking pointed out,” he challenged, and I couldn’t fucking argue that point. Even back when we’d used safewords, I was too stubborn to actually use them. Though they read my body well enough to know what I could take.
“Safewords from high school don’t fucking count. And if you ever touch me without permission again, I’ll castrate you,” I seethed, both of us staring at each other like angry bulls, chests rising and falling in pure, unfiltered anger. Mine was mostly due to frustration at how easily I’d given in, but I wasn’t about to back down now.
“Let’s establish some new ones then, because he’d never stop complaining about his lack of balls,” Ky said, stepping between us and blocking the others from view. I heard Keir talking to Killian before something thudded, like a fist hitting the wall. I didn’t bother to look away from the triplet in front of me, Ky’s chocolate eyes serious as he waited for my full attention. “We won’t let you go now, Sana. You’ve always been ours. But if you want a new safeword, then you’ve got it. How about Thornhill?” My immediate reaction was to want to say no, but then I thought about what that included, and I was far too invested in finding out just how much they’d changed to walk away just yet.
