The Burning Roses: Thornes & Roses: The Prequel

by Dani René

  The Burning Roses

  Thornes & Roses: The Prequel

  Dani René

  Contents

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  1. Damien

  2. Finn

  3. Cassian

  4. Creed

  5. Brody

  6. Creed

  7. Keirin

  Sneak Peek - A Cut so Deep

  Sneak Peek - A High so Sweet

  The World of Thorne Haven

  Also by Dani René

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2021 by Dani René

  Edited & Proofread by Illuminate Author Services

  Cover Design & Formatting by Raven Designs

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

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  Blurb

  Thorne Haven is a town founded by two families. Secrets have hidden themselves within the walls of Thorne Manor and Haven castle.

  * * *

  But as time passed and the ancestors were forgotten, the six boys—three Thorne brothers and three Haven siblings found their love of the darkness.

  * * *

  Whether it ran through their veins, or if they were just called to it, they became addicted to the feeling of exhilaration that came with the forbidden.

  * * *

  And so, the game was born.

  * * *

  The Burning Roses.

  * * *

  Venture into the darkness with the men of Thorne Haven.

  1

  Damien

  Being back in Thorne Haven is a welcoming distraction from school. The town I grew up in has been my solace for a long time. Even after the heartbreak I’d been through, I’ve always loved Thorne manor. It may be an enormous house, but it’s always been home.

  Finn, my youngest brother, doesn’t feel the same. And even though we may never escape our heritage, I have a feeling one day he’s going to pack his bags and run. Cassian, our middle brother, is like me. Thorne Haven runs in his veins, and I doubt he’ll ever leave.

  Also, it might be the girl he’s so infatuated with. But mostly, he loves the small town that we call home. Stalking through the house toward the living room, I can hear Joy, our housekeeper, in the kitchen preparing dinner.

  As the evening takes hold of the house, the soft yellow bulbs shimmer like gold on the furniture as I reach our living room. The white leather sofas, along with dark wood tables, ensure the space has a homely feel. The off-white walls and enormous chandelier hanging from the ceiling offer a bright yet warm atmosphere.

  Settling on the sofa, I pull my phone out to tell Finn to grab some beers on his way home. Our father prefers his spirits and never has any good beer in the fridge. I hit send on the message as the doorbell rings. I’m about to get up when I hear the clicking of heels, and I’m certain it’s Miriam, our maid. It seems my father has his entire staff on standby while he’s gone. The house is usually quiet. Most times, it feels as if nobody lives here. With Dad traveling for work and Finn out with whatever girl he’s been fucking around with, it’s normally only Cass and me here. And with our bedrooms on either end of the manor, we hardly see each other.

  Creed saunters into the living room, where I’m lounging moments later. He’s dressed in dark jeans with a dark green button-down shirt. With college on spring break, I’m ready to relax and perhaps toy with a few pretty girls while I’m home. With my father away on business in London, we have the house to ourselves.

  And that means a party is most definitely on the horizon. Being the eldest Thorne brother, I’ve come to realize my responsibilities once I’ve graduated will be to step into my dad’s shoes. The amount of pressure that sets on my shoulders is enough to have me needing to blow off steam.

  Even though I’m acing all my classes, there is always a concern that I won’t make my father proud. All three of us, Cassian, Finn, and I, aim to make sure our father has nothing to worry about when it comes to Thorne Industries. As much as we may want to follow our own paths in life, the lingering requirement is for each of us to work for the family company.

  It’s our legacy.

  “What’s up, D?” Creed greets as he flops onto the opposite sofa, his green eyes locking on my blue ones. “It’s good to see you. Been far too fucking long.” He offers me a mock salute, which I respond to with an eye roll. He has missed me, and I certainly missed being home.

  “I’m here for a month. We need to do something,” I say. I’m not sure what, but knowing Creed, he’ll have a plan up his sleeve. He’s my best friend, the only person I trust other than my brothers. He’s the eldest of three Haven brothers.

  “I’m thinking we need to get you laid,” he tells me before chuckling when I throw a cushion at his head. “Fuck off!” It hits him right in the face.

  “That’s what you get for telling me I need pussy,” I bite out, a smile curling my lips. “But I wouldn’t deny a woman if she walked through that door right now,” I continue before pulling out my phone.

  “You know, you should’ve brought home some of those college girls you’ve clearly been enjoying,” he tells me. “Wouldn’t mind some pretty new toys to play with.”

  “Why? Not in the mood to eat locally?” I taunt, knowing that Creed has most probably fucked his way through Thorne Haven and our neighboring town as well.

  “No, I think we need something…,” he tips his head to the side while tapping his finger on his chin as if deep in thought, “More.”

  “More?” I sit forward, leaning my elbows on my knees, my interest piqued. “What do you mean?”

  He pushes to his feet, walking over to the liquor cabinet. He helps himself to a double shot of brandy—the rich amber liquid sloshing when he turns to regard me. “We need something fun, exciting. Perhaps a game to keep us entertained while you’re here. And if all goes well, when you return to Thorne Haven for good, it could become our ritual before a party, or maybe just to enjoy a girl for a night,” he says before taking a gulp of alcohol. I watch him swallow before he speaks again. “A game in the woods. Where we choose the girls, and they either accept or decline. But you know how they are, I guarantee every one of them will accept.”

  “And you’re so sure?” I test, knowing that when Creed sets his mind to something, there is no way I can dissuade him.

  “Of course.” He finishes his drink and pours another before he tips the glass toward me. “You know the girls in this town fall over themselves to get to us.” He’s not lying. Even while we were in our senior year of high school, we had a pick of any of the females, and it wasn’t only the students. Married women would pro
position us, but what do you expect in a town where money buys everything, and the MILFs are bored housewives with nothing else to do? The husbands were running businesses and traveling, leaving their wives gagging for a good, hard fuck.

  And who were we to refuse them?

  Tipping my head to the side in interest, I grin. “So, what’s the game?”

  “Burning Roses,” he tells me as if he just came up with a cure for cancer.

  I rise to full height, meeting my best friend’s gaze. “What?”

  “We leave a burning rose on the doorstep of the chosen girl,” he explains easily. “A small card will be left with the rose inviting her to a game of cat and mouse.”

  Stalking toward where he’s standing, I stop in front of him, curious but concerned about how this could possibly play out. “And where will this be taking place?”

  “In the woods,” Creed says with a shrug. “It’s dark, dangerous, and exciting.”

  I grab a tumbler and pour myself a drink. Even though he’s come up with some good ideas in the past, there are times I worry about how his mind works. “What happens when we catch the girl?” I ask. “Because we know those woods better than anyone in this town. There is no way they’ll escape us.”

  “That’s the beauty of it.” He tips his glass, clinking it against mine. “They don’t know that, but we do. Once we catch our prey, we’ll devour her.”

  “Oh?” Arching a brow in question, I wait for him to explain further. I can’t deny that the idea is a good one, and the heat coursing through my veins at the thought of a hunt like that intrigues me.

  “Either we share her on that night, or we each choose our own girl for the next night.”

  “And what about the boys?” I ask, knowing there is no way our brothers will sit this out. They’ll want in on the action, and to be fair, I wouldn’t blame them at all.

  Creed lifts his tumbler and swigs back his drink before he winks. “We all play the game. Those who want to watch…” He allows his words to filter off into a heavy silence. My cock throbs at the thought, and I find myself nodding before I’ve even voiced my approval. “I knew you’d like it.”

  “I do. Perhaps we should have the rest of the guys meet us here. We can sit them down, explain how it works, and I suppose since you came up with the idea, you choose first.” I swallow back my whiskey, enjoying the burn as it slithers down my throat.

  Creed is already on his phone when I get mine from my pocket. I hit dial on Cassian’s number when the front door opens, and Finn walks in. He glances to the living room, joining us as I hang up after getting Cass’s voicemail.

  Finn settles in the armchair before asking, “What’s going on in here? Looks like a meeting of the minds.”

  “Creed’s come up with a bit of entertainment to keep us busy for the next few weeks while I’m home.” Joy walks in before I can say more, her gaze burning a hole through Finn’s head.

  “Are you going to have that young girl carry in the alcohol alone?” she bites out, her motherly concern showing, making my chest ache. We lost our mother, and Joy has been a surrogate ever since.

  “No, ma Joy, I’m getting up to help her right now,” Finn says, standing, a laugh vibrating in his chest when she tuts. When he returns with three bottles, he sets them down and takes a seat. “So, tell me all about this entertainment.”

  “It’s a game of cat and mouse,” Creed explains. “But before I get into it, I want my brothers and Cass here. We can all settle in and decide on our first girl.”

  “Jesus, that sounds ominous,” Finn retorts playfully. “But I ain’t sticking my dick anywhere near where my brothers have been, though,” he continues with a chuckle.

  “That won’t be a problem,” Creed confirms. “We each choose our own girl when it's our turn, but I mean if you do want to share—” He waggles his eyebrows, and I know this is going to be one hell of a step for all of us. But I don’t doubt it’s going to be intoxicating.

  “Sounds like a plan,” Finn agrees, “I’m up for it. I don’t mind watching some real live porn.” This time, it’s my brother’s eyebrows that waggle.

  “Figured you’d be up for it,” I throw at Finn, who shows me the finger. “Perhaps we should have a little party this weekend,” I suggest, looking at Finn, who’s grinning from ear to ear.

  “You know me, brother,” he says, “I’m always up for some chaos.”

  And just like that, I know we’re in for a month of debauchery. There is no doubt the rest of the guys will agree to this. And that means the girls in Thorne Haven better watch out—six hunters on the prowl, and for now, one lucky girl is about to get a rose.

  2

  Finn

  Counting down to a party is never fun because I’m not patient in any way, shape, or form. As the youngest, our father has always ensured I’m watched like a hawk. What he doesn’t realize is that my brothers may be older, but they enjoy a good party as much as I do. Damien has been at school in New York, and even though it’s only a year that he’s been away, I’ve missed him.

  We have always done everything together. Growing up, it was the three of us against the world, against our dad. But Damien is slowly turning into our old man, and once the time comes, he’ll be taking over Thorne Industries. I’m sure of it.

  Me, on the other hand, I enjoy freedom. Pulling up to the college, I kill the engine and wait. The weekend will soon be here, and I can’t wait to see some pretty girls in skimpy outfits. I will most certainly be getting my dick wet, no fucking doubt.

  Running my fingers through my hair, I sigh and push open the car door. Once outside, I inhale the fresh air laced with perfume from the girls leaving class. It doesn’t take me long to spot my latest conquest. I’ve never been a one-woman kind of guy, and that makes it so much sweeter when I find a girl who prefers no-strings fun.

  The pretty blonde makes her way toward me, her hair shimmering like gold in the sunshine. Her wide eyes are pinned on me, one green and one blue. As she nears me, they narrow.

  “What’s happening, Thorne?” she asks, punching me in the arm rather than acting like a girlfriend would. We’ve been this way for pretty much all our lives. I’ve known her since she was about ten and I was eleven. Since she turned eighteen a few months ago, our friendship took a turn. I had her waiting in my bed, spread, wet, all fucking mine, and nothing has changed.

  “Party at ours this weekend,” I tell her as I hand her the coffee I brought. The girl is addicted to the stuff, caramel latte with extra whipped cream. I’d rather puke in my own mouth than drink that shit, but I certainly don’t mind tasting it from her lips.

  “Will all the boys be there?” Even though her sister is one of our best friends, she’s never hung out with the guys as much, except for me, she’s always had a weakness for me. Gen has kept her sister away from the gang all this time, which in hindsight is probably best, but sooner or later, she’s going to find her way in.

  “Yeah,” I tell her, waiting for her to ask about one of them, but she doesn’t. “I am sure your sister will be there.”

  Eloise crinkles her nose at this. “Don’t remind me. She’s worse than a mother would be because she won't let me go to any parties that she's at. For some reason, she doesn’t mind me hanging out with you, but not them.” That may be true, but deep down, I’m sure Gen is just trying to keep Eloise safe from the likes of us. For some reason, Gen likes me, she thinks I’m the good brother. I can’t put my finger on why exactly that is.

  “Don’t give her too much shit.” I wink at her, causing her cheeks to turn a soft pink. Gesturing with my head, I tell her, “Get in. I’ll drive you home.” Ellie settles in beside me, and I pull out of the parking lot. I can feel her gaze on me, but she says nothing. Her silence is deafening after a while, and I finally ask, “What?”

  “Do you like my sister?” Her question has me frowning before casting her a quick glance, turning my attention back on the road. I don’t know how to answer her because, yeah, I’ve been with Gen
a few times, and she’s cool, but I don’t know what she means.

  “She’s a good friend,” I finally settle on an answer, hoping it will appease her as I drive through town. Once more, there’s a heavy silence between us as I pull up to her house moments later. This town is so small, at times, I wonder how we all survive not knowing everyone’s business. There are things I don’t know about many of the residents, and I pray to all that is holy they don’t know about the shit I’ve done.

  When I park the car, I turn to Ellie. “What’s going on?”

  She shrugs, but I don’t miss how her eyes flicker with emotion that I wish they didn’t show. Shit. When we started this, I told her no feelings. The longer we sit here, the heavier the tension becomes, and I can’t deal with it. I’m not a guy who deals easily with relationships and emotions.

  “So, party?” I try changing the subject, but the moment Ellie looks up at me, I see the mistake I’ve made. She doesn’t respond. I watch as she pushes open the car door and grabs her backpack before slamming the door shut. She can’t escape quick enough, and internally, I curse myself.

  She moves quickly for a little thing, and I shove open my car door before racing around the front of the vehicle. She’s already at the gate, and I know she’s about to push me out of her life for good.