The Dark Prince (The Dark Prince Trilogy #1)

by Autumn Winchester

  “You are very . . . organized in your thoughts,” Chase said, picking up one of the discarded programs. He had expected her to have lists for such a thing, but was happy to see her thinking this through well.

  He was pleased to see that the cheapest of them all was not one she wanted. He didn’t think it would be something that spoke to her in the first place, but wanted to give her options. He was also pleased with how detailed everything was lined out. She really was meant to be his, as they thought in similar ways.

  “You don’t have to decide right now. Take a break for dinner and sleep on it,” Chase said. He’d let her have as much time as she needed. If by chance she missed the deadline, he’d use his money to get her in either way.

  On cue, her stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten much that day, mostly because so much had happened, and she didn’t want to eat without Chase saying it was okay. Summer had been in trouble too many times when permission wasn’t granted.

  Summer pushed herself up off the bed, letting Chase hold her hand as they went towards the kitchen. She was unsure why, when she knew for a fact that Chase wouldn’t force her to do so, but the bright smile on his face was worth it. She didn’t want to like his hand holding hers, but she did. It made her feel . . . . accepted here.

  In the kitchen, Clare sat the pan of pasta with peas and hamburger, in the middle of the table as Chase helped Summer to sit, holding her chair and pushing it in for her. She blushed, giving him a shy smile, in which he happily returned. Chase would take anything that she gave him.

  Summer wasn’t sure what had happened between the two while she looked over the programs upstairs, but Clare was laughing at Chase as they passed jabs back and forth. She felt left out, but in reality, she knew it was her own fault. She didn’t want to like it here, but she was. Everything was so easy, so . . . nice and freeing. She envied Clare at being able to jump into things like she had without fear of punishment.

  Of course, Summer knew that was part of her age and not being as abused as Summer had been. It was easy to see that everything was looking up for the girl. Clare had a huge smile on her face, acting as if this was normal. Normal to be sold to a mafia man. Normal to be given everything after not having anything for years. Summer knew it wasn’t normal.

  She didn’t’ feel like she fit into this household.

  She was Chase’s wife, he was sure to want her again. He was a man after all. So when she went to bed that night she curled up on her side in his bed, facing the wall, waiting for him to come to bed . Just because he said one thing didn’t mean he’d follow through with it.

  Every time the wind caused the heavy rain to pound against the windows, Summer shook, fighting off her panic the best way she could. She couldn’t help but hide under the covers, shivering in fear.

  ~oOo~

  The next morning, Chase woke up with a heavy weight on his chest and hair tickling his nose. He wasn’t sure, but it felt like some of said hair ended up in his mouth. He finally opened his eyes, seeing brown hair covering most of his face and chest. Summer’s head lay on his chest as she slept sideways, one arm tucked underneath her, the other laying across his chest. She was still fast asleep. At least this close up, he got to see the red that was hidden by the lack of sunlight indoors.

  When he went to bed, Summer had been on the edge of the bed, as far as she possibly could be from his side, almost like she was ready to run if he dared to touch her. She had been nearly covered from head to toe by the comforter. As Chase didn’t want to disturb her, he pulled out a different comforter from the linen closet before crawling into bed.

  He wasn’t sure what time it was, but knew that it was much later than he normally woke up. But he was too comfortable to move. Or to move Summer. These moments were few and far between and he didn’t dare wake her up as she slept. Her body was soft against his as Summer was for once relaxed. He soaked up the feel of her there, knowing that once she woke up, she wouldn’t dare touch him on her own accord.

  Chase dreamed about the future, and how they could live together in peace and happiness. He hoped that one day they could be like equals and share a bed like a normal married couple. But he knew it would take time. He wasn’t sure if time was on his side. He realized he cared more from this woman then he ever dreamed he could.

  Summer awoke not long after Chase, but didn’t want to move. She was warm, safe, and comfortable. She could hear Chase’s heartbeat underneath her ear, his breathing even. The only indication that he was awake was the fingers that was running through her hair, keeping her calm. She didn't know why, but she enjoyed it and didn’t want to move. Maybe it was just the simple touch of him against her, or maybe deep down, Summer knew she was safe.

  She couldn’t remember when she had decided to use him as a pillow; now she didn’t want to move if she didn’t have to. She was nervous about today. She wasn’t sure meeting everyone in a few hours for lunch was the best idea. What if they didn’t like her?

  She knew she’d have to talk, there would be no getting out of it. She’d answer what she had to, but that would be it. She would only talk because Chase wanted her to do so. She didn’t fear him, exactly, but she wanted to please him. There was just something about him that demanded respect from her. Summer was sure that if she had a different life, she’d still give this man the respect he deserved.

  After a few more minutes of lying there, staying relaxed as she didn’t want to face the day, Summer finally moved her head, rolling her body so she could see bright green eyes. Chase seemed relaxed, enjoying having her right where she was. He hoped, God he hoped, that he could wake up more often like this. His smile was wide, breathtaking, as he gazed at her, his hand still in her hair. His own hair was spread out around his head, creating a halo almost.

  “Good morning, Princess,” Chase said, his voice still filled with sleep, even after being awake for more than half an hour.

  “Mornin’,” she yawned, closing her eyes making her miss his wide smile, happy that she was willing to talk.

  "Sleep well?" he asked once her light eyes met his again.

  She nodded, her cheeks turning pink as she remembered how she was laying on him. She then began to move, sitting up and Chase’s hand slipped from her hair. Briefly, he was disappointed that she moved, but masked it before she could see. She padded to the en-suite, doing her business. After brushing her hair out, she turned to face the door, but yelped in fright, a hand quickly going over her beating heart.

  Chase stood in the doorway, leaning against the door arch, scratching his stomach that had a nice six pack. He worked out at least a couple times a week, more if he was able to. He watched Summer’s eyes lingering on his chest and was glad he kept his body in shape. Maybe he should have Summer and Clare join working out with him. Be good for both of them, he thought, holding in a laugh before apologizing for scaring her.

  Once her pounding heart was back to a more normal rhythm, she passed him with a small smile, letting him into the bathroom. She made her way downstairs, running into Clare who was coming up the stairs.

  “Oh, hi, Summer,” Clare spoke, turning around to keep the older girl company. She was already dressed for the day, her hair pulled back in a crown like braid. “Breakfast is whatever you find to eat this morning. Chase said to not worry about it last night. And we have to leave here around noon for lunch at his parent’s house.”

  “Oh, okay,” Summer said quietly. Clare tried to not make a huge deal about her sister talking, hoping that alone would encourage her to talk more.

  “Can I do your hair after you take a shower?” Clare asked as she sat at the table, waiting for Summer to get a bowl of cereal after starting the coffee for Chase.

  “If you want to,” Summer said with a shrug. Truthfully, she would love to have Clare do her hair, as Summer had no idea what to do with it. Her brown hair had a mind of its own and she never really cared how it looked.

  But meeting with Chase’s family seemed important to him, and in turn Summer, so s
he did want to look her best.

  Summer just finished her breakfast when Chase entered, his phone stuck to his ear. He smiled at the girls, before answering a question that was apparently asked. He still wore his pj’s – a black pair of cotton pants and no shirt, showcasing his family name tattoo under a black dragon. Summer tried to not listen, but it was kind of hard to do. Just as hard as it was to keep her eyes off of his bare skin.

  Chase had gotten a call from Ryder, his cousin who is an agent for the FBI. Ryder usually always called after Chase gave a location to find someone. It helped to keep everyone on the same page.

  “Those two guys yesterday had warrants out, of course. The warrants are for stealing cars from one of the ports by the ocean,” Ryder said, his voice thick with the accent he’d always had. Although he was born in Michigan, his parents had strictly spoken Italian. So Ryder had a mix of southern Italian tang to his voice. “Also, they were wanted for questioning for a few robberies along with a few hit and runs.”

  “So they will be held for a while?” Chase asked, entering the room.

  “Yup. No doubt about it. They gave a few names, too, so that helps us out more than you could know,” Ryder laughed. “Now, I hear you are married. Do I get to meet your wife today at lunch?”

  “Of course,” Chase said, giving said wife a soft look. “She has the same history, for the most part, as your wife.”

  “Gotcha,” Ryder replied, understanding what Chase meant. “I’ll see you later, then.” With that, he hung up, knowing Chase didn’t much care for drawn out good-byes. Chase saw that it was past nine, the latest he had slept in for years. He really wasn’t hungry yet, so he took a seat at the table with just a mug of coffee.

  "I ordered you both laptops, and they should be here Monday morning,” Chase stated between sips of coffee, that was made perfectly once again. Clare’s face broke out in a happy grin, while Summer’s stayed neutral. She was still stuck on the thought of waking up the way she did.

  “Just remember, no social media sights at all. I will be looking to make sure, and no porn of course,” Chase went on. “If you have any questions on what you can’t look up, just ask me and I can probably get a more detailed list printed out for you if need be.”

  Summer understood his reasoning once his words registered in her mind. She didn’t want her father finding her again so soon, making it miserable here. Chase was growing on her.

  “Can we order stuff on shopping sites?” Clare asked excitedly.

  “Yes, Clare,” Chase laughed, leaning back in his chair. “But you will have a limit on how much you can spend every month. You don’t need everything.” He wanted to teach Clare that she could have things, but also needed to budget on what she really wanted compared to things she needed. Of course, she would have everything she wanted in time, but Clare didn’t need to know that. Not yet.

  Summer on the other hand, was his wife, his Princess. She would get everything she could possibly dream of, but Chase knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t order anything more than a book or two here and there, if he was lucky. Maybe she would feel comfortable enough to order any clothes she might need. And that was most likely pushing it.

  Chase would be ordering her something every few days, showing just how much he cared for her, and hoped that he could, in time, earn her trust, and her full voice.

  Chapter 12

  Pulling up to a huge house, Clare, for once, was speechless. She sat in the back of Chase’s Audi RS 7 while Summer sat in the front. He took his time driving to his parent’s house, knowing that Summer needed a few extra minutes to get her thoughts and emotions under control.

  She was filled with nerves, worried about things that were out of her control. She had dressed in the nicest pair of jeans and long sleeved shirt that she had, even with the temperatures warm once again. She felt like she needed to hide, not just herself, but her fading bruises too. She also hated the idea that this wealthy family would see who she truly was.

  Clare had put Summer’s hair up in a similar fashion as hers before doing Summer’s make up. It wasn’t nearly as good as what Valerie could do, but at least it helped to hide most of the yellow blemishes on her face from the fading bruises.

  Summer did switch the cross necklace with a blue jeweled necklace which had a heart. It was a gift from Chase this morning, hoping to ease her fears a little. It did help, but she was still nervous, playing with the jewel. Clare also got one, but with a red jewel instead, and it was currently around the younger girl's’ neck.

  The outside of the house was outstanding. The dark red brick stood out against the white framed windows. There were at least three stories to the house, the oversized porch being held up by huge dark wooden posts. The garage doors were also wood and their color matched the posts with a small window to let natural light in.

  “Wow!” Clare exclaimed as Chase helped Summer out of the car, holding her hand to keep her grounded. She was shaking and almost wished she had accepted that Zoloft before coming here.

  Chase laughed at her reaction, not to make fun of her, but at her happiness. He was beginning to view her as another sister. Or maybe it was like a daughter. And that thought made him step back mentally. He didn’t want kids, but Clare was such a lightness to his dark life, and he was happy that at least one of them had made it out with few emotional scars.

  He was surprised that neither of the girls had any lasting physical scars, even as they both began to heal after their ordeal. Chase had expected something, anything. But there was nothing but fading bruises. And he was filled with relief at that knowledge. Most slaves were covered in scars from different punishments, sometimes even marked by the handler that they belonged to, but not these two. He would have killed anyone that laid a hand on either girl if they did have any scars . One was already dead as it was.

  “Come,” Chase said, leading the way up the stone steps and to the cherry oak double doors. Summer stayed behind him, trying to hide if it was possible. Clare on the other hand, was bouncing with energy. Chase smiled to himself thinking how well Clare and Zinna would get along; they were so much alike.

  Entering into the house, they stepped into a huge entry way. The floor was dark, with light colored trim and light gray walls. A huge wide staircase was to the right of the door, leading up to the landing that looked down at the front door with a high window. A small gray bench with coat hooks sat on the left, filled with a shoes on the bottom underneath the seating area. Everything was clean, not crowded. It looked lived in, surprisingly with how much time both Kayla and Ivan were out of the house.

  Chase led the girls further into the house, hearing voices in the kitchen. He had tried to be here before everyone else showed up, knowing that his father would not be thrilled when his eyes landed on his wife, and didn’t want a blow up in front of everyone, saving Summer from the words that would be sure to be spoken. But alas, he was later than he had planned.

  Summer kept hidden behind Chase while Clare was step by step in line with him. Summer still wasn’t used to calling him her husband. Of course, Kayla was the first to notice, quickly walking around the huge island and giving Chase a hug, which he returned. Everyone seemed to stop talking then, too.

  “Hello, Summer,” Kayla greeted her, peaking around her son at the frightened girl. She gave Summer a small encouraging smile before stepping back. “Hello Clare, dear.”

  “Hi, Kayla,” Clare said, feeling shy all of a sudden. Too many eyes were on her, which she had not expected. She wanted to hide like her sister, but held strong.

  In the kitchen stood Trent, Valerie, Kayla, and three other people she didn’t know and hadn’t met yet. She could guess who they were, but there was no guarantee.

  “Clary!” Trent said, drawing attention to himself for a moment as he smiled widely at the small girl. He still couldn’t believe that Clare was seventeen, as she looked more like thirteen with her small frame. Trent was fond of the girl, even with only meeting her once. Chase felt Summer t
ense up behind him at Trent’s loud voice, so he squeezed her hand, as he hadn’t let go yet, and she didn’t pull away.

  Kayla stepped back, giving her son a waiting look. She knew the girl was frightened, but Chase couldn’t let her hide forever. If the Prince expected his wife to stand by his side, he needed to stand up and get her used to the action and people now before things got hot, and not in a good way.

  Chase, slowly, as to not startle Summer once more, moved his hand to wrap around her hip, bringing her flush against his side instead of behind him. She kept her eyes down, prolonging looking at everyone as long as she could. She wished at that moment that her hair would hide her face from view, but Clare had put most of it back. It didn’t stop the red blush that covered her cheeks.