The Daughter Trilogy Bundle

by C. M. Owens

  "What the hell is your name?" I snap.

  "Why do you want my name?" he chuckles.

  "So I can tell the cops the name of the accomplice who helped my psycho ex kidnap me."

  He laughs even harder.

  "Oh, in that case, sure," he snickers out.

  "It's Ther. Just calm down. You know you're not going to the cops," Devin says softly.

  "You have no idea the hell I'm going to raise. You have no right. Do you even realize what an arrogant, psycho ass you're being right now?"

  "You have no idea how bad this can get if you don't get help," he says with a trembling tone.

  "What in fuck's name are you talking about?"

  "It's a long story you'll never believe. Just let me get you some help. If I'm wrong, then I'll apologize, and you'll never see me again."

  I huff and flop back in the seat. "I can't wait for them to tell you you're wrong."

  "I hope I am," he mumbles.

  I cross my legs, vigorously shaking the one on top as I try to defuse my imminent explosion. I'd like to figure out what he thinks it is he can do for me.

  "Where are you taking me?" I ask in a calmer but still agitated tone.

  "My mother. She's good."

  Holy fucking psycho ex.

  "Really?" I ask in an unusually high octave. "You wait until after you dump me to introduce me to your mom?"

  Ther bursts out laughing, but Devin rolls his eyes. I squirm uncomfortably in my short, slinky pajama set.

  "I can't believe you kidnapped me to take me to your mom's while I'm wearing this," I grumble while motioning to my pajama set.

  "Ther, toss me the bag," Devin says mildly.

  Ther grabs a bag from the passenger seat and tosses it backwards. As soon as Devin catches it, he hands it to me while avoiding eye contact.

  "I packed you some clothes and brought them down to the car while you were reading," he exasperates.

  I glare at him while I rip it from his hands. He looks away and starts messing with his phone like a distracted ass.

  A smirk spreads across my face when I pull out the shirt because I see a rare opportunity to be a gold medal bitch.

  I slide my lacy bra on under my skimpy top, and then I connect it without showing anyone anything.

  Devin squirms around slightly uncomfortable, so I know he's aware of what I just did. Then I stifle a grin as I slowly slide off the stringy pajama top.

  The car violently darts out into the other lane, and Ther has to jerk it back into our original lane before he hits the side of an overpass.

  Devin growls, "Damn it, Ther! Keep your eyes on the road."

  "Well shit! I wasn't expecting a striptease in the backseat. Sue me."

  Devin leans up and tilts the rearview mirror up so Ther can't see me anymore. He plops back down, and I can see him fighting hard not to look at me. He's also suppressing a threatening grin as I pull down the shorts, revealing my black underwear.

  Ther starts to turn his head, but Devin threatens him.

  "Do it and I'll kick your ass."

  Ther starts snickering slightly, and I smirk as I pull my jeans up with a very slow, seductive slide. I leave them unbuttoned as I start pulling the shirt on, and my slow, sliding motion continues as I let it gingerly cascade over my flesh.

  Devin is breathing a little uneasy, and I hear something crack in his hand. It's his phone.

  "Shit. Ther, toss me another phone," he says calmly, as if it's nothing out of the ordinary.

  Another phone? He keeps them on hand?

  He pulls the card out of the broken phone and inserts it into the new phone that is an exact replica.

  Wow. Perhaps that's why he called me from a different number.

  "Break a lot of phones?" I ask while adjusting the new top that looks fairly slinky as well.

  I don't remember this looking so sexy when I bought it. Then again, all of my clothes have fit me different lately - sexier. It's all been so odd.

  "It happens," he says casually.

  "Is that why you called me from a random number the other day?"

  "Yeah. I didn't have another phone on me at the time. I've stocked up since then."

  So fucking weird.

  "It was my number he called you from. Just in case you ever want to-"

  "Ther, I swear it would be in your best interest not to finish that sentence," Devin growls through gritted teeth.

  Ther shifts uncomfortably in the front seat after hearing Devin's latest threat. I have to stifle another grin. I'm enjoying this for some reason. My demented mind is reveling in his psychotic jealously. I almost feel… drunk, maybe? It's strange.

  I button the top of my pants as Ther lowers the rearview mirror back into place, and then he winks at me. I roll my eyes at the sick goon drooling behind the wheel, and Devin's eyes narrow at his horrid friend.

  "Ther, I'm going to break your face if you keep on," he says while programming his new phone.

  "I think you're right about her being infected. I can't help but look at her. She shouldn't be so… so hot," Ther grumbles while finally breaking his eyes away from me.

  "Infected?" I ask in distaste.

  "He's stupid. Don't pay any attention to him please."

  I just roll my eyes as Devin continues to avoid looking at me. I can feel my body heating up as I stare at him from the corner of my eye. The blood in my veins pumps faster, my breath quickens, and my heart pounds to the point I can actually hear it.

  I can feel the currents of electricity flowing through me as if they're real. Suddenly, another phone snaps in Devin's hand. He tosses his head back in frustration, and then he drops the crumbled pieces to the floor.

  My body heats even more as I stare at him fully. I can't look away, and sweat has started to dampen my skin. He finally looks at me, and he's trapped too.

  My body aches for his, and I can tell he's fighting the urge to take me here and now. He moves toward me, and I fall into his clutches, but as soon as we start to entangle ourselves, sparks fly around the car and the engine sounds like it is exploding.

  I can smell burning rubber as the brakes lock up, and smoke fills the squealing vehicle that is skidding across the interstate.

  The car spins wildly out of control, and I scream in reaction. I feel my seatbelt being fastened as if on its own. My stomach finds my throat and plummets back down with each spiral the car makes. The blurry scene outside the window turns into a collage of nonsense.

  Then, the impact of the crash throws my head backwards, forcing me to gasp for air. I feel stinging sensations invading me as glass shatters all around to bite my flesh and draw blood. The metallic tang finds my mouth when I bite down on the inside of my jaw.

  The car slides on its roof through the grass, plowing up mounds of dirt and throwing it through the air as it skids to a halt before turning to rest on its side - my side. Ther kicks the door, and it flies into the air.

  Whoa. There must be some serious adrenaline pumping through him.

  Devin kicks his door off as well, and the same unnatural thing happens.

  I'm dumbfounded, but I was also just in a traumatic and horrible wreck, so I could be seeing things.

  Devin rips the seatbelt off me, and I cringe in pain as his hand scrapes across one of my cuts.

  "Fuck. How bad are you hurt?" he demands as his eyes scour my tattered body.

  "I'm fine, it's all superficial. Just get me out of here," I say through a trembling breath.

  My door is completely flat against the ground, and Devin has to lift me out to hand me to Ther.

  His alien hands clasp around me too tightly, forcing me to squeal out in pain, and he instantly loosens his grip.

  "Sorry," he murmurs under his breath.

  As soon as Ther lays me down, Devin is by my side, better assessing the damage. I touch the cut on my bottom lip and scowl when I see Devin's perfection still intact.

  "What the hell happened?" Devin demands, looking at Ther and ignoring my irritati
on.

  "I don't have a fucking clue. The engine blew up or something. One second it's clear skies, and the next there's a flaming ball of fire in front of me. I tried to hit the brakes, but they locked up. The psychotic car felt possessed. I'll call for transport though." Ther says with more confusion than panic.

  "So I'm the only one with a scratch?" I ask with a bit of anger lacing my resentful tone.

  They're both completely unscathed by the rolling hunk of metal that tried to tear me to pieces. Neither of them even seems spooked by how dangerously close we just came to dying.

  I still don't know how my seat belt buckled. Was it already buckled? I could have sworn I was about to straddle Devin, so how could it have been buckled?

  "You didn't see that coming?" Ther asks.

  "No. I'm blind around her. You know this. I usually see things going on around her though. It doesn't make sense," Devin says with exasperation while gripping his head that appears to ache.

  "I thought you just couldn't see her or anything she does. She couldn't have done that."

  "She could if she's infected," Devin almost whispers.

  "Not looking like that. They look like death when they reach that level," Ther objects in the same whispered tone.

  "What the hell are you two talking about? What do you mean see that? How could anyone see that coming? What do you mean you're blind around me? And why does Ther keep referring to me as infected? I think the two of you are defective," I berate while my wild hands swirl over my head to add to my dramatic tirade.

  "Like I said, it's a long story you can't possibly even consider believing," Devin says dismissively.

  "Hey, come pick us up… Nah, our ride just blew the fuck up… No clue… Alright… Thanks," Ther says into the phone.

  Devin is still hovering over me, trying to see how badly I've been fucked up. I just lie down on the ground and stare at the sky, my eyes avoiding looking at him.

  I hear a police siren whooping as the car pulls over to us.

  "You guys okay?" a stern voice asks.

  "Yeah. Our engine blew up. Not really sure what caused it," Ther says while walking over to the state trooper I can now see.

  I should scream. I should definitely scream right now. I'm an abducted girl who has just been in a severe car accident. My psycho ex and his best bud are spouting off crazy nonsense and taking me to see Devin's mother for my ailment called heartbreak. Why am I not screaming?

  "You okay Miss?" the officer asks me while climbing out of his car.

  Devin's eyes are begging me to keep quiet. Why should I listen?

  Fuck. I'm going to regret this.

  "Yes officer. Just a few cuts and bruises."

  The officer tightens his lips and nods in response to my answer.

  "I'll take care of the paperwork," Ther says.

  He walks off with the officer, and Devin helps me to sit up when he sees me struggling to do so. I'm so frigging sore right now.

  "You didn't run," he murmurs softly.

  "Don't start asking me why because I really don't have a fucking clue. This is all getting crazier by the second," I breathe out in exasperation.

  "I know. I should never have invaded your life. I should have left our first conversation as our last. I'm so sorry."

  I lie back down and cover my face when the tears brim my lids.

  "Whatever. It doesn't matter. I just want to get this over with and move on. If you think your mom can give me some magical cure to get over you, then I'll give it a shot."

  His hand is holding mine, and I should pull away. I can't though. His velvet lips stroke the back of my hand, and his eyes dive into mine as I lower my arm from my face.

  "I really do care about you. I never meant to hurt you," he says sincerely.

  "Well, I did get hurt. It's too late to take it back, and telling me you really cared is only pissing me off. I'm the one who cared. I'm the one who fought this because I didn't want to care, and you forced me to let you in. Just drop it. I can't do this right now."

  He leans over, and his forehead burns as it presses against mine.

  "I want to kiss you so badly right now," he whispers.

  My heart flutters and begs me to let him put those deliciously wonderful lips on mine. It's almost painful to deny his whispered request or whatever it was.

  I steady my trembling voice before I attempt to speak.

  "Good. Too bad I won't ever let you do it again," I force out with mock conviction.

  I wish I could convince myself of that. He's the only person in the world I've ever considered breaking my second chance rule for.

  "I hope you hold strong to that," he mutters in a low tone.

  "I will. I don't like experiencing the same flavor of heartbreak more than once," I grunt out while rising to my feet.

  He starts to help me up, but I swat his hands away. I need to get some space from him before I cede to his confusing request once again.

  I stagger over closer to the road as the state trooper finally pulls away. I've got one last chance. I can flag him down and run like a bull charging at red to get in his car and go home.

  He waves at me as he drives off, and all I do is wave back like the submissive fool I am right now.

  I'm fucking crazy. Is it possible to have Stockholm's syndrome this early on?

  "Our ride will be here in a minute, and I've got someone coming to clean up this hunk of junk later,” Ther tells Devin who's still sitting on the ground and staring at me.

  I turn back around and continue staring at the cars passing by. A car load of guys pull up and start honking their horn.

  "Hey, sweet thing. Get in. We're heading to New York City," one of them entices.

  "No thanks," I mumble to the drooling weirdoes.

  "Damn, girl. You're fine as hell. Please come to the city with us. I'll make you a wife before the end of the night."

  Devin is suddenly beside me, glowering at the fools foaming at the mouth for a chance to have me, and Ther is by my other side in an instant like he's protective too.

  Great. My kidnappers are trying to pretend as though they're protecting me. The irony.

  The guys cower down and speed back onto the road without another word.

  "She's attracting too much attention," Ther snarks, his eyes narrowing at me.

  I scowl at him, and Devin takes my hand. I shouldn't follow him so willingly, but I do. He sits down on the ground and pulls me into the far too close seduction of his lap.

  Why am I sitting in his lap?

  I stiffen as he brushes my hair off my shoulder and kisses the newly unveiled skin of my shoulder with his perfectly soft lips. The lightning within me crashes as the thunder roars through my veins

  He kisses just below my neck, his soft lips trailing down the exposed skin of my back, and the blood inside me steams to a boil. He moves up my neck, and that's all I can take.

  I leap out of his lap with tears staining my eyes.

  "Stop. Please, just stop," I cry.

  "I'm sorry. I can't," he utters so guiltily, his eyes revealing a sincerity I can't bear.

  Then his eyes glaze over with guilt as he stands to his feet. I take a deep breath to try and steady my shaking body, but he suddenly pushes me against the distorted car.

  Those glorious lips I've been tortured by and longing for grab mine, and I'm consumed by the force of his passionate assault. I can't help but grip his shirt, and I can hear the fabric stretching to the point of tearing as his hips move against mine.

  I can feel my body lifting as my legs wrap around his waist to assert even more of a vigorous attack. I moan into his mouth as I plead for my sanity to return, but it continues to evade me as my hands tangle in his hair.

  I feel him grinding between my legs, and I want this to become the mesmerizing, spellbinding passion I shouldn't allow. I'm ready to give myself to him here, on the side of the road.

  He grips my ass through my jeans as the heat of his breath becomes trapped inside my mouth. Hi
s tongue tangles with mine, and I'm throbbing for him to be mine right now.

  What am I doing? I can't do this. This is just begging for torture.

  The sanity I need finally returns. I rip free from his clutches and shove him violently as my feet slap the ground, but my hand feels to almost break against his steeled chest. I clutch my aching wrist, and then I scream at him.

  "I can't do this. You left me, remember? Stop acting like it was the other way around," I beg helplessly.

  "He can't help it. He can't keep himself away," Ther mumbles in defense of his friend.

  Oh, this is really starting to piss me off.

  "He already did once. He can do it again," I snap.

  Ther dusts his hands off and pats Devin on the back as he walks toward the road. Devin is still staring at me as I fall apart.

  The sound of another car pulling up distracts me.

  "Hey, you guys need a ride?" a new voice chuckles out.

  Ther smiles as he grabs some stuff out of the crumpled vehicle that tried to kill us, and then he jogs toward the new SUV.

  Devin walks up to me and takes my hand once more to pull me to the stranger's vehicle.

  Ther hops in the front seat, and Devin holds the door open to the back for me to climb in. I avoid eye contact as I follow suit, my eyes refusing to look anywhere but at the ground for fear I'll lose my sanity again.

  "So this is the girl?" the guy driving asks.

  My eyes find the face to the voice, and I tilt my head curiously. He doesn't look like the sort of guy I expected clean-cut Devin to know.

  He's tall, like Devin and Ther, but his bleach blond hair is styled in a crazy ass faux-hawk. His lip is pierced along with his eyebrow, but it's almost sexy in an odd sort of way.

  Ther is sexy too. I suppose sexy men hang out with sexy men. It's not that way with most women. Insecurities and all.

  "Yeah," Devin says to answer the guy as he climbs to sit beside me.

  "She's definitely hot. You sure you want her to be over you?" the guy asks with a menacing tone, his brow dancing to accentuate his devious remark.

  "She needs to be rid of me. Just get us there, Kry," Devin strains out through an emotional lump.

  Kry? What a fucked up name. Of course, he seems weird enough to pull it off.