by K E Osborn
Mia giggles again, the sound angelic. “Night, Elsa!”
“Night, Olaf,” Dash and Mia both say in unison to Matteo.
He groans, trying to fight back his smile. “Goodnight, principessa.” Matteo leans down, placing a kiss on Mia’s forehead, then gently pulls the covers up over her. “Sleep tight.” She reaches out, grabbing Matteo’s hand. “Uncle Matty?”
“Yeah?”
“Love you.”
He leans down, taking her into a tight embrace. “Ti amo anch’io amore mio.”
I have no idea what Matteo just murmured to Mia, but apparently, she understands as she cuddles into him. Leaving them to their moment, I turn, heading out the door.
Dash wraps his arm around my shoulders, leaning into my ear. “Don’t tell anyone I told you this, but Matteo’s all right. He loves that kid more than anything. He’s a great uncle, and once he started loosening up in there, he was pretty cool with that cute kid.”
Tony chuckles behind us, making us both turn. “Matteo has many layers. It surprised me he unraveled some of them in front of you, Dash, especially considering how turbulent you both started out. But as we all know, my daughter is his weakness, and if she took a shining to you, then he will, too. Your room is this one.” Tony points to a room off to the right.
We all veer, and as I walk in, Dash switches on the light sending a glow over the room. The first thing to catch my eye is the giant floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the waterway, the silvery moon shining brightly, reflecting on the waves. There’s a large bed, maybe a queen-size facing the giant windows overlooking the water. I can’t think of anything more calming to wake up to. Then there’s a small alcove where a single bed is situated with a couple of sofa chairs and a door leading out to a balcony. I shake my head at the extravagance of this room. I’m sure there’s also an attached bathroom off to the side. Tony is crazy rich. I can’t even fathom having a home like this, and this is only one bedroom.
“I hope everything is to your satisfaction?” Amalia questions.
I walk over to the window taking in the magnificent view. “You have an amazing home.”
“I’m very lucky. You should get some rest, Ivy. You’re free to roam the house, but please don’t leave the grounds for your safety. We will have the servants bring some food to your room in a short while,” Amalia offers.
I turn back to see Dash is checking out the softness of the single mattress.
Tony dips his chin at me. “You’re welcome to call home, tell them what’s going on. You’ll be heading back in the morning. I will have my men drive you. For now, though, good night.”
I wave my hand in the air. “Night, Tony.”
He and Amalia head off, closing the door behind them.
Dash opens his very intense shadowed eyes. “Holy shit! Did we crack the jackpot or what?”
I try to hold it in but fail as I burst out laughing.
Dash scrunches up his face as I sit on the edge of the giant bed before I fall over. “Jesus, Dash, I can’t take you seriously made up like that.”
He waves me off, dismissively. “Just ‘cause I’m pretty, don’t mean you gotta hate on me for it.”
“Seriously, you need to look in the mirror.”
His dorky smirk lights his face, then he heads for the adjoining bathroom while I sip on my juice, waiting for his reaction.
“Jesus. Fucking. Christ! It’s like a bunch of paint cans exploded all over my face.”
I erupt in laughter again, falling back on the bed. “Told you so!”
“That little shit! Good thing I like her.”
I laugh as the faucet turns on for him to try and remove the artwork.
“I’m gonna call Void!” I yell out to Dash as I pick up my cell, dialing the number.
It’s already ringing when Dash calls back, “Tell him I’m looking gorgeous for you tonight!”
“What the fuck?” Void grunts down the line.
I chuckle. “There was this whole thing with Dash and Mia… yeah, I’ll tell you about it later. I just wanted to check in and tell you I’m okay.”
Void lets out a relieved sigh. “I was so fucking worried, sweet thing. Is Tony treating you okay?”
A genuine smile lights my face. “Yeah. They’re actually really hospitable. And the donation wasn’t that bad at all.”
“And the room is fucking epic, man,” Dash calls out while rubbing a towel over his hair as he walks in.
Void is quiet for a pass as I relax back. “Void, you there?”
“Are you and Dash sharing a room?”
My muscles tense. “I mean… kind of. It’s the same space, but his bed is in a different section—”
“But he’s in there… with you… while you’ll be sleeping?”
“Void, you sent him here to protect me. How can he do that if he’s in a different room?”
Dash quietly walks over to his side, giving me some space.
Void grunts down the line, letting out a loud, annoyed huff. “I’m glad you’re doing okay, but I gotta go—”
“Void!”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” And with those few parting words, he ends the call.
Closing my eyes, I sigh then slowly place the cell on the bed next to me. I wish Void were here with me, so he could see there’s absolutely nothing for him to worry about. His fears are not warranted. My one simple wish is that he would trust me.
Chapter Seven
VOID
“Void, you sent him here to protect me. How can he do that if he’s in a different room?”
I should have never let that fucker go with her!
“I’m glad you’re doing okay, but I gotta go—”
“Void!”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then I hung up on her.
I can’t listen to him prancing around like he’s king fucking dick. The idea that he’s spending the night with Ivy, fantasizing about her while she’s practically sleeping beside him, eats at my very fucking core. She can’t see that he’s in deep, but I know lust when I see it, and the prospect is all about getting into Ivy’s panties.
If the fucker makes a move while I’m not there, so help me fucking God, the outcome won’t be pretty.
My muscles tense, and heat washes over me as I pick up the nearest thing and hurl it across the room. The short glass narrowly misses Nycto, smashing on the floor by the pool table. The glass fractures, breaking into tiny fragments, bursting all over the concrete by his feet.
Nycto’s eyes widen, and he glares at me.
I swing back to the bar and give it a few taps.
Stacey grimaces but quickly starts pouring me another Jack.
The heavy boots of Nycto moving in behind me are unmistakable as I simmer just at boiling point. His hand on my back doesn’t shock me, but the jerking motion of him hoisting me by my cut up from my seat does. I stumble haphazardly as he yanks. I turn to face him, but he drags me toward the chapel without stopping.
“What the fuck, man?”
He shoves me forward. “Walk!”
I shrug, straightening out my cut, trying to gain some semblance of dignity. But I know I’m on the edge of something here. The problem is, Nycto knows it too. This was coming.
We walk into the chapel, and he slams the door shut behind me.
“Look, I wasn’t aiming the glass at—”
“I don’t give a shit about the glass, brother. I’m more concerned about you! What the fuck has you throwing projectiles through the clubhouse at this hour?”
Letting out a heavy exhale, I slump back on the edge of the table. I need to take a load off. This shit is weighing me down so heavy. “This isn’t me, Prez.”
Nycto dips his chin in understanding and moves to the head of the table, sliding out his chair. “Sit. Talk to me, Void.”
Groaning, I rub the back of my neck, but then move to my chair and slump down onto it. “My entire life, my emotions have been the one thing I can rely on. Th
e one fucking thing I can control. They have been off like a switch I just flicked. My father taught me to let it go. Don’t allow anyone in. That way, no one can hurt you. Everyone is fucking equal, so no one can make you feel anything more than anyone else. No one can make you feel any-fucking-thing.”
Nycto sits back in his chair and tilts his head. “I get that. I do… I mean, it’s why we named you Void, man. You’ve been closed off to everything. So, what’s going on right now? What’s happening in your head?”
I lean forward, my elbows on the table and scrub at my face. Letting out a groan of frustration, I exhale. “Ivy… I don’t… she… fuck!”
“She’s making you feel. Breaking down the walls, you spent you’re entire life building.”
Leaning back, my tired eyes meet his, and I nod once. “I don’t know how to deal with this fucking shit. She means abso-fucking-lutely everything, and that doesn’t… I mean, it’s not who I am.”
Nycto shrugs. “Well then, who are you, Void?”
“What do you seek?” I asked the new disciple.
“Enlightenment,” she replied. Her white dress was saturated in the blood of the other farm members before her. The ritual had gone smoothly. All that was left was to officially initiate her into the family.
This was my job.
Even though I was young, my father was teaching me the ways—the path to enlightenment.
My hands moved in, gripping onto her semi-white dress, ripping it open and pulling it dramatically from her body. Her nakedness underneath was a sight to behold. The blood from the disciples covered her flesh, and all that did was make me hard.
I was a sick bastard.
But this was the way.
The way of the farm.
Her fresh branding only made her more attractive. She would forever be a part of us now.
The farm.
The family.
With my ram’s head still firmly in place, I signaled to the two disciples ranked below me to start the proceedings.
They grabbed her—I don’t even remember her name.
There were so many before her, but she was my last. The one forever engrained into my memory. Her rose tattoo that took up most of her left hip was dripping in blood as my disciples pulled her back against the wooden cross.
She was ready to take her initiation into the farm.
Here she would be welcomed by the men.
All of us.
They chained her to the cross as she panted with bated breath.
She was willing—I was able.
My breathing was rushed beneath my ram’s mask as I slid down my white pants, now wet from the water ceremony. I was first in line—it was an honor my father bestowed upon me for the first time. He was prepping me to take over from him as one of the leaders of the farm.
And I was prepared.
I was honored.
This was my calling.
I stepped up to her, my father by my side. Her eyes looked right at me, but she wasn’t looking at me. She was staring at the mask—the symbol of the ram.
“Take her, son. But remember, emotion is useless. So, do whatever you need to. This is her initiation, and to be a part of the farm, she needs to take whatever is thrown her way.”
I nodded, stepped up to her with a smile on my face and eagerness in the pit of my stomach. I spread her legs, my cock ready and waiting for her as my hands snapped out, wrapping around her throat, harshly gripping as tight as I could, then I...
“Void?”
Bringing me back from my nightmare past, I reply, “I’m a fucking asshole, that’s who I am. I’ve done shit, Nycto, bad shit. How can I ever be the man Ivy needs?”
Nycto exhales. “Void, if you’re mind’s going back to who you were at that farm… you’re not that guy anymore. You aren’t the man your father tried to turn you into. You’ve grown. Hell, if you’re feeling something for Ivy, doesn’t that prove it to you?”
I hesitate as I place my head in my hands. “Dash is trying to make a move on her.”
Nycto chuckles, then he exhales. “She only has eyes for you, Void. If you let your newfound emotions get in the way of that, you’re gonna fuck it up with her.”
“I don’t know what the hell I’m doing for fuck’s sake. I don’t know how to handle this shit. I don’t fucking like it.”
Nycto grins. “No one likes the feeling of not being in control, Void. You just have to figure out if Ivy is worth you dealing with your emotions, or if it’s better, for the lack of better phrasing, being a void. No one can figure that shit out, but you.”
I’m quiet for a moment as I think about how much I hated letting Ivy go with Tony. The thought of allowing her to drive away was too much to bear.
Is Ivy worth this torment? You bet your ass she is.
“I don’t like her being there with Tony. Letting her leave was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”
“Then, I think you have your answer, Void. If you can’t stand the thought of her being harmed—”
“Then she’s worth fighting for… even if half the fight is within me.”
Nycto leans over, slapping my shoulder. “You feeling better?”
I shake my head. “No. I’m fucking wrecked. Ivy’s still at Tony’s, and she’s there with motherfucking Dash, and I’m trying to figure out this emotion bullshit. Goddamn, I need another drink.”
Nycto chuckles. “Okay, brother, let’s get something stiff.”
We stand to walk to the bar.
I don’t know if having a drink will help. The idea that Dash is sleeping so close to Ivy slays me. But the fact that I’m opening myself up to feeling shit I never knew I could, well, that’s just as fucking frightening.
Honestly, I don’t know which one I need to be more afraid of right now.
Chapter Eight
IVY
The Next Morning
Before we left, Dash said a heartfelt goodbye to Mia. They really connected during their playtime, but it was Tony who surprised me. He pulled me aside, giving me his personal number. He told me if I ever need anything, I’m to call him directly.
To be honest, I imagine Tony’s profoundly grateful for what I’ve done for Mia. I hope like hell it works to fix her anemia. She has a long recovery ahead because anemia is only part of her battle.
Void’s standing at the gate waiting for us when Tony’s driver pulls up at the gates of the clubhouse, and a smile instantly lights my face.
I’ve missed Void and his broody attitude.
Not to mention his fucking sexy-as-hell face.
Or his killer body.
Crap! I need to control my thoughts, or I’m going to end up jumping on him the second I get out of this car, even with his shitty attitude on the phone last night.
West opens the gate, and Void starts walking toward us.
Dash hops out his side as I move for the door, but Void is on me in a flash. My door flies open and Void places his hand out for me to take.
God, he’s gorgeous.
My hand slides into his perfectly.
Tingles.
No, not just tingles, a damn electric shock strikes all the way up my arm, slamming straight into my chest. My breath catches as his kind eyes meet mine.
“Are you okay?” his deep gravelly voice asks.
My eyes lock with his as I stand. “I’m fine. Last night after they took the blood, I was a little woozy, but today I’m good. Maybe a little tired, but good. Happy to be home.”
Void’s lips turn up as I mention the word ‘home.’ “Let’s get you inside, you need to rest.” He’s being attentive and caring and maybe a little overprotective. He doesn’t need to be, but I’ll take it. He wraps his arm around my shoulders as we head for the gate.
Dash moves in beside us as Void glances over at him. “Thanks for taking care of her.” His tone is curt and abrupt. It’s like he’s only saying it for my benefit.
Dash raises his chin. “She’s a handful, but… it was bearable.”
Void narrows his focus on Dash. “Are you wearing eye shadow?”
Dash scoffs. “You’re seeing shit, brother.”
I try to hide my giggle as I smirk up at Dash. He winks, then walks off toward West at the gate.
Void continues with me down the ramp to the bunker. “He was wearing blue eye shadow, wasn’t he?” Void whispers in my ear.
“Yeah. Take me to my room, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“I can’t wait to hear this.”
As we enter the bunker, everyone turns, all brightening when they see me. Eva instantly jumps from Nycto’s lap, practically doing a mad dash to reach me. “Ivy! You’re okay?” Her body slams into mine, taking me into the tightest of hugs.
I wrap my arms around my sister. After seeing what Tony and Amalia are going through with Mia, I understand you need to embrace family, hold onto them while you have them. You’d think I’d get that after Mom and Dad’s accident, but I guess they were taken from me suddenly. Seeing a family losing someone slowly has put things into perspective for me.
You need to appreciate the people you love.
All. The. Time.
“I love you, Eva. I don’t say it nearly often enough.”
She pulls back from me, tears welling in her eyes. “I love you, too. Where is this coming from?”
I shrug. “Just seeing Mia. She’s sick, and… I… don’t ever want to lose you.”
Eva exhales, pulling me back to her. “You and me, Ivy, we’re in this together. Always. Why do you think I fought so fucking hard for you when we got here?”
Guilt flows through me. I didn’t do enough when Nycto held Eva captive from me. “I’m sorry, Eva. I’m sorry I didn’t try harder to convince Nycto to tell you I was here. I absolutely should have.”
She brings her hands to my face, smoothing across my skin. “Shh… we’re good... you and me. Nycto and me. Everything turned out the way it was supposed to. Now, you go get some rest. You’ve had a big night.”
She leans in pressing her lips to my forehead before sending a look to Void. I’m unsure what the look means, but he dips his chin at her, then he pulls me with him toward the stairs.
