Opening my eyes, a gasp rises in my throat.
To my dismay, there’s a second, identical alleyway below me, and yet another massive black gate to cross. I can climb down the rope to get into the next alleyway, but how will I ever get over another gate without the ladder?
Disappointment clouds my thoughts. I had no idea there were double gates guarding the Village. There’s nothing I can do but return to the jewelry store and make a different plan.
Before I go back down the ladder to text Victoria to come collect me, I want to gaze at the special, secret place of my dreams. I look out over the lovely, perfect streets lined with neat rows of three-story homes, the open grassy park in the center, the little bistro cafés dotted with couples; they are all there as Emily described them to me.
Except something seems out of place.
Flying down the street directly toward me are three menacing looking SUVs, their windows tinted dark. Panic floods my body, making me tremble. “Oh, shit! They’re coming for me.”
Dread settles heavy in my stomach as I scurry back down the ladder. “How could I be so stupid? Of course, they’ve got cameras everywhere, monitoring every gate.”
Working my way down in haste, my foot slips. My hands slide down the legs as I fall down a few rungs, my screams catching in my throat. My feet flail to gain purchase and I manage to plant one on a rung. Catching my breath, I tighten my grip on the sides, holding them so tightly the metal digs into my flesh. As quickly as I can safely manage, I fly down the ladder.
Looking to my left, then right, I realize I’m trapped.
An animal encased in a cage of her own making. The black gate is before me, the back door is sealed closed behind me, the stone walls trap me on either side. All I can think to do is bang on the door, and cry for Victoria to come save me.
But the men will be outside the second gate soon. If she is found helping me, what will they do to her? I made this foolish plan; I’m the only one who should have to pay for it. I promise myself, no matter what they do to me, I’ll not name her. I’ll make something up—tell them that I came to visit her and stole her keycard and she was none the wiser.
Feeling as if I’m going to be sick, I fold my arms over my body. Inching backwards, I murmur, “No, no, no.”
Their cars are fast approaching, I can hear them coming. My back hits the wall and I slump down in utter defeat. As my bottom hits the ground, my stomach becomes a knot of ropes, ever tightening. Sweat beads at my brow and I feel feverishly hot, yet cold and clammy all at once. I bend my knees, wrapping my arms tightly around them and rest my head between them. I ask myself once more, “How could I be so stupid?”
Outside the gates, there’s a slamming of car doors, the sound of shouting. I can’t make out what they are saying, some of the words are in languages other than English. But I don’t need to know what they say to understand the rage in their tone.
They will surely kill me.
I squeeze my eyes tightly shut, hoping to make this all go away. The sound of the second gate, farthest from me, cranking open makes my limbs begin to shake. Not ready to meet my fate, I curl tighter into a ball. “What was I thinking?”
Beside me, there’s a clicking noise.
“That’s the door’s unlocking!” A tiny thread of relief whispers through me as I look up. I scramble to my feet, trembling, and wait for the door to open. “Victoria! I’m so sorry—”
Standing before me with deep concern in his eyes is Eli.
The sight of his familiar face makes my knees go weak. I fear they won’t bear my weight. “Oh, Eli!”
“Charlotte.” He grabs me up into his arms, pulling me tightly into him. He holds me, his chin resting on the top of my head. His voice is thick, husky, and it catches as he speaks. “Thank God I got to you in time.”
I press my cheek against his chest, taking in his warmth, his protection. I whisper, “What have I done?”
Releasing me, he studies my face as if looking for injury. Satisfied I’m unharmed, he shakes his head. “You can’t seem to keep yourself out of trouble, can you? What the hell are you doing here, anyway?”
Before I can answer, we hear the closest gate begin to open.
“Come on.” Eli tugs me through the back door of the jewelry store, forcing it shut behind us. He pulls me into an empty office. Shoving me toward the desk, he says, “Take a seat.”
I quickly obey, sitting on the black leather chair behind the massive mahogany desk. “What happens now?”
Over his shoulder, he throws me a worried glance. “They’ll still come. But if I’m standing before you, they won’t shoot you on sight.” He pulls a gun from a hidden holster on his hip, and points it at the door, both his hands extended, holding it steady.
At the sight of the gun, I feel faint, the reality of what I’ve done weighing on me. “Shoot me on sight? Was that their plan?”
His shoulders tense. “Not sure but that’s what we’ve been trained to do with trespassers. You’re the first since I’ve joined the family. Very few people try to break in. I was the first one to see you on camera. I slipped away just as I heard them sound the alarm.”
I feel small and foolish. “I’m sorry. It was stupid...”
He turns over his shoulder, holding my gaze. “Thank God I got to you first.”
Shouts echo through the room. A group of angry men with guns at the ready appear at the doorway.
Eli’s words are sharp and deadly as he addresses them. “Lay one finger on her and you’ll have me to deal with. Lower your weapons.”
Tension thickens in the air as the men look to one another. A few give me hard stares that make my insides turn to goo and my knees shake. The silence is deafening as they make their decision. After what feels like a century, they obey his command, lowering their weapons.
One man with dark hair speaks for the group, his accent thick. “If you won’t let us bring her to Rockland then you have to.”
Eli gives the man a nod. “I’ll take her myself. You have my word.”
Another round of unsure looks goes around, but Eli doesn’t waver and eventually the men go back out the way they came. When they’re gone, Eli finally lowers his gun, putting it back into his holster. He stands there, his back still toward me, his muscles tight. His hands go to his hips. His head lowers, and he heaves a shuddering sigh.
I stand from my chair, apologies ready. “Eli, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
When he turns, the earlier look of softness for me is gone from his eyes, a wildfire of rage replacing it. He slaps his palms on the desk, leaning toward me, and growls, “Damn right you weren’t thinking! What the hell were you doing? They could have killed you. And rightfully so.”
Stepping backwards, I inch away from his fury. “I was just getting a peek of the Village. You know, I’ve wanted to be a Beauty since I was a little girl—”
He runs a hand through his hair, pacing the room. “I don’t care. I don’t want to hear your cute little story about how you wanted to be a princess in a tall castle and if you just climbed to the top of the tower, all your dreams would come true.”
“That’s not what I was doing! I came to see—”
He cuts off my words, startling me with another slap of his palm on the desk. “That is exactly the problem with you, Charlotte.”
Tears find their way into my eyes. My bottom lip trembles. “Problem with me?”
His fierce stare pierces my soul. “Yes. You are supposed to be a grown ass woman, but you act like a little girl. You do whatever you want, never thinking of the repercussions for yourself, or for others. You don’t stop to think. Not about outcomes, not about how your actions will affect other people.”
His harsh words crush me. I stammer, “That... that’s not true. You don’t really think that... do you?”
Heaving a sigh, he says, “You are very generous. And sweet. And one of the kindest people I know. But when it comes to your little... infatuations, you’re insane,
stopping at nothing to get what you want.”
The white heat of humiliation slaps my face. The tears brimming in my eyes spill over, rolling down my cheeks. “You know about... my crush on you?”
He gives me an exasperated sigh. “Everyone does. It’s as if you don’t even try to hide it. And now you’ve almost gotten yourself killed over it. Trust me, Charlotte, when I tell you, I’m not worth it.”
What do I say? How do I tell him that in fact, he is worth the risk? That, yes, my feelings began as a crush but they’ve grown to so much more than that.
How do I tell him that I’m in love with him? And that he has feelings for me, too. If he would just let himself see me as more than a friend.
He sits on the edge of the desk. Staring at me. The silence between us is deafening until he finally asks, “Charlotte, what are you really doing here?”
I don’t want to tell him the truth; that he’s right. That I risked everything for an ‘infatuation.’ But there’s something in his gaze that has me confessing. “I came because I wanted you to see me.”
“See you? How? Shot and bloody and—” His words catch in his throat and he shakes his head.
“No. I wanted you to see me, see me. As a woman. One that you could... be with.” I feel empty, void of emotion as I await his response.
He stares at my face. He’s not answering me. The seconds tick by on the clock with a deafening quiet. Finally, he says, “If I thought you were capable of... this madness, I never would have...” He gives me a desperate look, as if I’ll finish his sentence for him.
But I have no idea what he wants to say. My voice trembles as I ask, “What?”
His eyes lock on mine, filled with sadness or anger, I can’t tell. “I never would have kissed you that night.”
He regrets the kiss. I thought I could feel no worse, but now, devastation gathers around me like thick, black storm clouds. It’s difficult to fill my lungs with air, but I manage to slip out an apology. “I’m sorry.”
“I know you are, and I know you meant no harm. But breaking and entering into a Bachman compound is literally the worst thing you could have done. Because of me, you’ll keep your life—I’ll do everything I can to protect you. But you can be sure you’ve lost your accounting job. And your father’s as well.”
“What will they do to me?”
He gives me a grieving glance. “I honestly don’t know.”
Chapter Five
Eli
Rockland’s called me back to his home.
I debated taking Charlotte and running, but that would end in both our lives being lost.
I could only do as I said I would. I took her to Rockland, pulling him aside and pleading with him to go easy on her. It tore me apart to leave her there, but I had no other choice.
I assumed I wouldn’t hear anything until tomorrow, but Nick just came to get me, telling me Rockland wants to see me.
As I walk to the house of the head of the family, I ask myself, “How could she be so reckless?”
In my mind’s eye, I imagine the scene over and over again. Charlotte peering over the wall, the look of shock that must have been on her face when she saw the men headed toward her. My memory of how she was curled in a pitiful little ball when I rescued her from the alleyway. The faces of the angry men in the doorway of the office, wanting to do her harm.
A pang zings through my heart at her tortured words, what will they do to me?
“I don’t know, Charlotte.” Part of me wants to defy the hierarchy to protect her. My hackles are raised, ready to fight anyone who might try to hurt her.
On the other hand, she’s a grown woman. She’s made her own choices. I know they were foolish, born of an innocent crush, but still, knowing everything she knows about the Bachmans she chose to try to breach the wall of the Village.
And she’ll have to pay.
I reach Rockland’s door and knock three times. Shifting my weight on my feet, I wait for the door to open.
It’s Tess’s face that finally greets me. “Rockland, Eli is here,” she calls over her shoulder while her eyes look me up and down.
I try to smile. “Hello, Mrs. Bachman.”
“Won’t you come in?” she asks, making polite as if I had a say in the matter.
I step over the threshold and she closes the door behind me. “Thank you.”
Following her down the hall, I take in the artwork on the walls. The scent of garlic. The sound of classical music playing quietly in the background.
Rockland sits at the head of the huge oak dining room table. He gestures for me to take a seat at the far end, across from him.
I give a nod, taking the seat.
Tess goes to Rockland’s side, perching on the arm of his chair. Her eyes never leave me.
I sit, waiting for Rockland to speak first.
He leans in, rests his elbows on the table, and points toward me. “You can speak for the girl?”
I’m surprised he’s called me here, even more that he asks my input. I must choose my words carefully, to use any influence I may have to save Charlotte. “Yes, sir. She’s a friend of the families. Her father has been an honorable employee of Bachman Enterprises for decades. She herself took on an accounting job for you after graduating college. She’s caused no trouble before now.”
Tess eyes me as a panther about to pounce on its prey. “Is that so?”
Her tone makes me feel as if I’m entering a trap. Sweat pricks at my skin, but I answer honestly. “Yes. We grew up in the same small town, went to the same high school. Worked together on the Aphrodite. She was a good student, teacher’s pet type. And Emily can vouch for her work on the yacht. I believe Charlotte was her best employee.”
Tess sniffs. “How many stews did she have? Two? Not hard to be the best when you’re only competing with one other person.”
I need to work harder, to convince them to drop this impending attack. “True. But I think you’ll find her to be a very good girl. This was just a mistake.”
Tess smirks, going in for the kill. “Tell me. When you say she’s caused no trouble before now, can you explain why she was disciplined at one of our events? By your own hand?”
Shit.
I think of that night. Her taboo words of Yes, Daddy. My kiss, which only served to fuel this crush of hers. I can’t help but feel Charlotte’s desperate attempt to see me is partially my fault. “That was a long time ago.”
Rockland asks, “Was this the same night you made the proposition to join the Brotherhood?”
I heave a sigh of defeat. “The very same.”
Tess asks, “Tell me... what happened that night?”
“I found Charlotte to be drinking underage. The bartender had been serving her pretty strong drinks. She was acting a little out of control and I feared her father’s reputation would be tarnished. I pulled her in the hallway and told her that her behavior was unacceptable, and she was to be punished.”
Tess asks, “Why not take her to her father? She was living under his roof at the time.”
The woman is like a tiger with an agenda. I wish she would leave the room, let me discuss the matter privately with Rockland. “Charlotte couldn’t bear it. She’s always been the good girl. I’m telling you, this was out of character for her.”
Sneering down her nose at me, Tess says, “The good girl? Getting drunk at a family event? Then convincing one of our employees to gain access to our gates, and breaking into the Village? I’m afraid she doesn’t sound as innocent as you make her out to be.”
I’m really fucking this up. The sweat is beading at my brow. I have to fix this. I steel my nerves, looking Tess dead in the eyes. “No, ma’am, Charlotte’s not perfect. But who among us is?”
She shakes her head, a touch flustered. “Still, she breached our walls. That is unacceptable—”
Rockland holds out a hand to signal Tess to pull back her attack. His gaze rests steady on mine. “Continue.”
Relief washes over me—I’ll finally
get a chance to speak—and I return to my story. “Her father would have been devastated to know she was drinking. But I knew she couldn’t get off without being punished to stop her from repeating her mistake. I took matters into my own hands.”
The faintest hint of a smile plays at Rockland’s lips. “And what did you do to her?”
Focusing on my words, I try to make them as clear as possible, to tell him how seriously I dealt with her. “I took her in the hallway. I bared her bottom. And I spanked her. I spanked her until she had learned her lesson and she was promising me it wouldn’t happen again. Then I returned her to her father and told him to take her home.”
A bored look crosses Tess’s face. “And yet it has happened again. She’s put her father’s reputation at stake, once more. Despite your best efforts to tame her.”
Rockland turns to Tess. “Charlotte’s not the first woman to make the same mistake twice, even after being punished.”
Tess squirms in her seat. “No, I guess not.”
“She’s no threat,” I say between clenched teeth.
Eyeing me with a calculating gaze, she says, “Eli, you must have feelings for her. Otherwise why would you have done what you did, a few months ago? Going against Rockland’s orders and killing those men in order to protect Charlotte?”
Why is she bringing this up now? She watches me, studying my face for a reaction to her words.
Rockland gives her a soft smile. “Thank you, wife. For all of your input. You may go upstairs and rest. I know this has been a trying day for you.”
At his words, a flash of defiance dances on Tess’s face. A momentary, palpable tension runs between them. Rockland leans over, whispering something in her ear. Whatever he says suddenly has her bidding me a ‘good evening’ and hurrying to obey her husband.
Rockland gives her a moment to make her exit. He tosses me an empathetic look. “You’ll have to excuse my wife. She admires you, but she takes the safety of her people very seriously.”
“As do I, which I think you know. That is why when I tell you Charlotte is no threat, I hope you take my opinion into consideration. You and Tess know her. She waited on you both when you vacationed on the yacht. She’s a sweet girl. Just seems to get herself into scrapes from time to time.”
Daddy Page 5
