by Dani René
“Sounds good,” I agree. “I better head to the airstrip before the jet leaves without me.” I shrug on my suit jacket and button it up. Knowing everything I must do before the event on Saturday, I’m thankful I’m returning a day early. I thought about staying an extra night just so I didn’t have to deal with the final preparations for the gala, but the meeting went so well, Damien and I secured the contract that will see Thorne Industries netting another fifty million.
But the thought of getting home has me exhausted because it’s going to be non-stop this weekend. Not only that, but I’m also about to deal with a ghost from my past. And this time, the high of seeing her won’t be as sweet as I would want it to be.
When someone you love returns after a long while, it should be a happy occasion, but knowing she’ll be so close, doesn’t leave me with thoughts of exhilaration.
Nesrin hugs me once more, nestling her head against my chest, and for a moment, I remember the first time I met her. Her mother married our father, and that’s when Damien fell hard. He didn’t want to, but there was no denying the tension between them, the love and affection he experienced, was nothing short of a fucking fairy tale.
When she steps back, I take her in. A woman who’s strong and independent, but still, a gentle soul who challenges my brother daily as if she was born to do it. They’re a power couple, and my chest tightens when I realize something—I want what they have.
“See you soon, brother.” Damien shakes my hand, pulling me in for a one-armed hug before I walk out of his office and make my way down to the waiting car. It’s time to go, to see her again, and to finally put the demons of my past behind me.
But as I slip into the back seat, I wonder if I’ll ever be able to do that.
Can I truly forgive her for the shit she put me through?
5
Kalyn
Silence.
Opening my eyes, I stare up at the ceiling. Beside me, Paulo still sleeps. I don’t look at him, but I can feel his warmth radiating toward me. I don’t remember how I got to bed, but I’m certain he picked me up and carried me into the bedroom.
Last night was a mistake. The strength I thought I’d found in my mind came crashing down the moment I walked back into Thorne Haven.
I’m broken.
I’m weak.
Tears burn my eyes when I think about how broken I truly am. And I know the moment I see Cassian again, I’ll shatter once more. When I was younger, I thought I was invincible. Parties were the norm, drinking was expected, and getting high was an escape from our everyday bullshit lives.
But I made a mistake and betrayed the only person who cared for me. I’m not saying my parents weren’t there, but there were expectations set for me. I needed to be mature in my decisions. They didn’t raise me to be a weak person, and I know I’ve disappointed them both, time and again.
But with addiction comes recklessness.
I glance over at Paulo, whose long dark lashes flutter against his cheeks. He’s charming, a woman’s dream man—tall, dark, and handsome. But I’m not just any woman, and Paulo, he’s not the man who holds my heart.
Pushing from my bed, I nudge open the curtains to take in the bright sunshine, which blinds me for a moment. The view from my bedroom overlooks the woods, the same forest where I met Cassian. Losing myself in a memory, I smile.
My heart is thudding wildly as I listen to the howling amongst the thick trunks of oak trees. Two girls from my class are ahead of me, each slinking down onto their haunches as they attempt to hide, but there is no hiding from the game.
Burnt roses were left in our lockers, which means we’re the prey. It’s a game the Thorne and Haven brothers came up with a long time ago, and I never thought I would be one of the chosen girls. But when I opened my locker earlier after math class, there it was, waiting for me.
A crack in the distance has the other two girls squealing, and I inhale a deep breath before running deeper into the forest. I know there’s a lake that’s hidden by the trees, so I make my way toward it, hoping the guys won’t find me. But even as I think it, I know it’s a lie.
The only boy whom I want to find me is him.
Cassian Thorne.
When I first laid eyes on him, I knew he would be the love of my life. It might sound stupid, perhaps like a teenage crush. But there’s something about him, the cold, aloof, yet protective demeanor that makes my stomach tumble with excitement when he gazes at me.
Teal eyes. Sharp features and full lips only seem to make me want to stare at him. He has caught me a few times, and even then, I couldn’t bring myself to look away. If humans were perfect, I’m almost certain that Cassian would be right up there with the best of them. At times, I wonder if he’s even real. Call it infatuation, I don’t care, because he has shown me he’s good. Deep down inside.
By the time I reach the lake, I’m out of breath, my legs ache, and my chest is tight with exertion. Stopping for a moment, I lean against the rough bark of the tree trunk and catch my breath.
It’s silent.
My ears prick when I hear rustling, but it doesn’t seem to be too close, so I don’t panic. But as I calm my erratic breaths, a hand suddenly covers my mouth, and I scream into the soft yet strong palm covering my lips that muffles the sound of my shock.
“Caught you, pretty girl,” the deep, familiar voice of the one boy I wanted to touch me feathers along my ear, and a shiver of nervous energy shoots through me.
I nod slowly, hoping he’ll release me. For a moment, he doesn’t move, and then his hand falls, and he rounds me, stopping right in front of me. Even in the darkness, those teal eyes steal my attention.
The corner of his mouth kicks up into a dark, dangerous smirk. “Seems like you’re coming with me to prom,” he tells me. That’s the rule. Since he’s a senior, he can ask me to any dance throughout the school year. And at his question, my heart thunders in my ear. “Unless you’d like to go with one of my brothers?”
“No!” The word comes out quickly, breathlessly. “I mean, yes, I’d like to go with you.” I finally respond in a whisper, and he grins, which only seems to make him handsomer than I ever imagined.
“Good,” he says, seeming to be happy with my answer as he slips his hand in mine. “I think we’ll have fun.”
“Darling,” Paulo’s voice rings out from behind me, dragging me from a happier time to my current heartache. “Come back to bed,” he coaxes, but I can’t face him.
“I need to freshen up,” I respond, focusing on the carpet instead of him. “We have to go shopping for the party tomorrow night.” Even as I say it, my stomach twists with anxiety because the moment I walk into the Thorne mansion, my life will change.
“You know,” he starts, keeping his voice low, filled with danger, and I know what’s coming—a threat, “Last night, I could’ve told them.” It’s a warning. His intimidation has always worked because Paulo knows I don’t want my family to learn about my transgressions. He has all the power here, and I have nothing but my need to forget.
“I know.” I don’t turn to look at him. I can’t. If I do, I’ll break down, I’ll show emotion, and it will only confirm just how much he can break me if he opens his mouth. The truth will send my family into disarray, and I have no one to blame but myself. My father is ill, and I cannot bear the thought of my mistakes hurting him. I’ve done enough to hurt those I love.
“Then join me in bed,” he whispers; this time, it’s a gentle murmur. It’s always the same. If I try to show strength in the face of his commands, he doesn’t like it. He prefers me to be a docile kitten, obeying every whim he has.
With tears pricking my eyes, I turn toward the bed and return to the sheets where the devil himself waits for me. And as I slip under the covers, into his arms, I shut my eyes and picture the teal eyes that have always given me solace.
It’s no use in holding out hope that he’s thought of me. There isn’t any reason for me to believe he even remembers the girl who almost tarnis
hed his name. But then again, Cassian was never one to forget things, and I wasn’t just a girl to him; I know that.
He cared.
Which means he’ll only hate me more than he did before.
And when he sees me again, I shudder to think what he’s going to do.
As Paulo’s hands roam my frame, I picture the anger in Cassian’s eyes, I imagine the fury in his words. And as my fiancé’s fingers tease me, I find pleasure in the fact that I want it to be another man’s hands on me, hurting me, making me pay the price for what I did.
I crave the pain.
I hunger for the punishment.
And I know there is only one person to offer me solace.
6
Cassian
By the time I arrive back, I’m exhausted because I spent the flight doing my research. When Kalyn walked out of Thorne Haven with lies on her tongue and deceit in her words, I closed my heart and mind to her.
To me, she didn’t exist anymore.
Even as I think it, I know it’s a lie.
Stalking through the hallway toward my room, I focus on getting a shower before having to deal with my father and his wife, Nesrin’s mother. The moment I step over the threshold of my bedroom, though, I find my brother on the bed, his back leaning against the headboard, lounging with his feet crossed at the ankle as if he owns the space.
“What are you doing in here?” I ask before shoving the suitcase onto the opposite side of the bed from Finn.
His eyes, dark brown like our mother’s, follow me, but he doesn’t say a word. His focus is on me as I move to the closet while unbuttoning my shirt. But when I head back into the bedroom, I find he hasn’t moved.
“What the fuck is going on?” My voice is tight with tension. I’m tired, I don’t need Finn’s games, and if there’s one thing my brother enjoys, it’s his games.
“There’s something you should know,” he finally speaks when I don’t move, pinning him with a frustrated glare. When I don’t answer, he continues, “I’ve overheard a few things you should be made aware of before tomorrow night.” But the more he draws this out, the more frustrated I become.
“If you don’t tell me what the fuck—”
“Kalyn is engaged,” he breathes, his voice low, but I hear him. “She’s here with her folks and the fiancé.”
“I know.”
Finn’s mouth pops open in shock, his eyes wide as he regards me, then a sly grin curls his lips. “You and Damien were doing some digging,” he says.
“No. I actually did some digging on my own on the way home. The flight was long, and I needed a distraction,” I inform him before shrugging off my shirt and throwing it in the hamper near the door. “I wanted to be ready for whatever hits me when I get back and found some articles about her engagement.”
I stop all movement, locking my gaze on my brother’s. He doesn’t seem too perturbed by my admission, but Finn knows me, and he must have known I would have done my own research on the girl who nearly broke me.
He sits up, rubbing his hands together. “So, what are we going to do about it?” He arches a brow at me, a smile on his face that tells me he’s willing to do this with me. I would’ve gotten my revenge alone with no qualms, but with Finn by my side, I know we’ll be able to send her back to Hollywood.
“She doesn’t belong in Thorne Haven, not anymore,” I tell Finn. “I have a feeling we may need the Havens for this.” I don’t want to include Creed Haven in this; the asshole has no morals. But if I need something done and want to keep my hands clean, he’s the one I’d call on. He loves blood, would happily get his hands dirty. And when it comes to torture, Creed enjoys listening to the screams of those he needs information from.
“Well, I’m ready for anything.” Finn grins before pushing to his feet. “Oh, by the way, your mattress is fucked,” he remarks while walking by me.
“Jesus, did you have a woman in my bed while I was gone?” I bite out through clenched teeth, frustration coursing through my veins at my youngest brother.
He doesn’t respond, but the chuckle that vibrates through his chest is my answer. Asshole. My brother is one of the most frustrating guys I’ve ever come across, but there’s one thing about him, he’s loyal to a fault, and when you cross him, I’d feel sorry for you.
Being the youngest, he’s always struggled with being seen by our father. Dad has always favored Damien over us, which I didn’t complain about because I wanted more than carrying on a legacy. But for Finn, he wanted to work at Thorne Industries while my need was to travel.
After that night, Dad laid down the law and forced me to focus on school and getting my business degree so I could step into my position at Thorne Industries. My hands fist at my sides when I recall everything that went down. How my best friends were there for me when she wasn’t.
Shaking my head to clear it, I focus on the need for a shower and strip before heading to my en-suite. Turning on the cold taps, I step in and hiss at the icy spray.
She’s engaged.
She belongs to someone else.
But it’s all a lie. I know it is because she’ll always belong to me.
“I’m so… I don’t know,” Kalyn murmurs as she draws circles in the sand. We’ve come to the lake, hidden amongst the trees, to talk about Kalyn’s sadness. The moment I saw her at school today, I knew something was off. Even though I’m a senior and shouldn’t be spending time with a sixteen-year-old girl, I can’t leave her.
The pull toward Kalyn Narro has been innate for me. I haven’t had a choice in how I feel about her, and it seems this is one time I’m right because she wants me too.
Even though I haven’t done anything with her, other than talk, flirt a bit, there is still some strange agony that tugs at my chest when I take her home, when I say goodbye to her, because I’m convinced each time I do, it will be forever.
And that scares the shit out of me.
“Broken? Tortured?” I offer, because that’s what she looks like with her dark lashes and eyeliner. When she glances at me with those hazel eyes, I find myself lost in them. Even with tears shimmering on her long lashes, there’s something alluring about her, pulling me into her orbit and not allowing me to leave.
“Yeah,” she finally whispers. “Both of those. And a million more.” She turns her focus to the ground, the stick she’s holding swirling in the almost black mud that’s underfoot. “How can life fuck you so hard?”
A laugh tumbles from my lips at her honest question. She’s not wrong there. Even though I’m privileged, I have a great dad, amazing brothers who I’m close to, life does fuck you, and at times, it doesn’t even ask for permission.
“I don’t know,” I finally answer when I notice she’s waiting on an answer. Those wide eyes lock on mine, holding me hostage, and I’m drawn to her like a moth to a flame. And I know if I get any closer, I’ll only burn. “Maybe we should get back before your folks send out a search party.”
Unlike the other parents in Thorne Haven, Kalyn’s care about her. They love her deeply, and they would do anything for her. It’s clear. She’s lucky to have that, and I wonder if she even realizes it.
“A search party?” she teases, a smile gracing her pretty face, and it takes everything inside me not to lean in and kiss her, to steal her lips with mine and show her just how good it feels to let go.
“You know they treat you like a fragile doll,” I taunt, “but that’s not what you are. Is it, Kaly?”
Her eyes sparkle with amusement, and she shakes her head slowly. “Maybe not. But I get it; I’m young.” There’s sadness in her tone, and I wonder if that’s because she feels immature around me or if she wants to enjoy her life and be an adult. I should tell her it’s not all it’s hyped up to be, but I don’t.
Instead, I watch her for a long moment.
A pretty little star.
“Let’s go,” I say, pushing to my feet before I offer her a hand, which she stares at for a long moment before accepting. I pull her to stan
d, and she stumbles into me. I’m not sure if it’s because I pulled her too quickly, hoping for her to plaster herself against me, or if it’s her doing. Either way, I know that this girl, this shining star, will always be mine.
When I finally turn off the taps, the water is like ice against me. That was the first night I wanted to claim her, and it wasn’t the last. And even now, against my better judgment, knowing what I know, I want nothing more than to steal her away from that bullshit fiancé she has and show her just how much she belongs to me—a Thorne.
7
Kalyn
It’s almost time for the party, and I’m not sure I want to go. The infamous gala at the Thorne mansion. I’ve heard whispers that there are only two brothers in town, and I’m guessing it would be Cassian and Finn. Damien must have left, but I don’t know anyone here anymore, and if I had inquired, people would’ve looked at me with questions I didn’t want to answer.
Instead of finding out what I needed to about the Thorne brothers, I ended up back home, sipping on the sparkling champagne that had been delivered when we arrived. My stomach tumbles as I think about the party, but there are still a few hours before we have to leave; that’s why I haven’t dressed yet.
The moment I put on my costume, there’ll be no going back. And I can’t think about that right now. I gulp down the last swallow of bubbly before setting the glass on the table, but the moment I rise, I find Paulo at the threshold of my bedroom.
It’s my space.
Not his.
Suddenly, my stubbornness takes hold and I want to tell him to leave, but it’s no use because this is the man I’ve agreed to marry. And if I were to do anything to change our arrangement, I would have to give up everything.
Paulo pushes off the door frame before he smirks. “Suppose Mommy Dearest wouldn’t know you’ve been finishing her champagne,” he mutters as he enters the room. “Sadly, I might have to inform her of this in case more goes missing.” The threat is clear.
