by René, Dani
My hands are trembling when I think about him taking me. “I was . . . I mean I . . . There’s just . . .”
“Please.” This time it’s Ember who implores me. “Just listen to our proposition.” He sounds so earnest; I struggle to deny him.
“I’m not looking for handouts, Ember. As much as I—”
“Katerina.” Ember’s voice caresses my name, calming me somewhat.
I’m still confused how two men, young enough to be at college themselves, can even afford this hotel, the drinks, the clothes, let alone offering to pay for some girl they hardly know to attend college?
As much as I want to refuse and walk out, I can’t deny the pull I feel toward them both. Not just a physical pull but an emotional one.
I nod and find myself saying, “I’m listening.”
I’m not sure why, but I want to hear what they have to say. If it has any bearing on my future, perhaps I’ll be able to consider it. It’s been so long since I’ve been given a reason to hope and maybe this will come to fruition.
If I tell them no and leave right now, I’ll regret not hearing them out. I can always do that before refusing their offer. Maybe, just maybe, I could have a chance at a life outside of this. At least, that’s what I hope they’re proposing.
“Since my brother is in charge of the finances”—Ash waves his hand in the air toward Ember, who’s smiling as he watches us intently— “he’ll give you the contract with the terms and conditions.”
“Just ignore Ash and his snark.” Ember winks, patting me on the arm affectionately. They’re both so different, so beautiful in their own flaw-filled way.
“I am.” I smile, and his responding chuckle only makes the butterflies in my belly come alive. He’s the gentle one. There’s something almost tender about how he regards me that makes me feel at ease. But it’s Ash who sparks a fire in my stomach, one that seems to burn me from the inside out each time I’m near him. Focus, Kat. Listen to what Ember has to say. Look at him, stop thinking about Ash.
“The documents in this folder stipulate your contract, set out for the next four years. You will be our ward, for lack of a better word, and we’ll be the benefactors of your studies.” His explanation causes me to still once I pick up the paperwork.
“Benefactors?”
“We’ll pay for you to study, but . . .” His words taper off.
I hold my breath as if a flame is dancing along with my heart, waiting for it to be blown out by a gust of wind. This has to be some kind of joke, but he doesn’t offer a punchline.
Ember’s scorching gaze turns to Ash who’s regarding us closely, his stare boring into me. “We need your agreement that you’ll allow us to be your guardians, so you would have to sign a contract,” Ember finally offers.
“What? I don’t understand. I’m nobody to you both. Why would you want to do this for a stranger?”
“We’d like to offer you a place to stay. If you’re not working for Maria, she may not want you to live in the house you’re in at the moment.”
“You want me to live with you?” I sound incredulous. I’m confused as to how this is even real life right now. A chance to study is one thing, but to move in with them is taking it one step too far. “I—I . . . This is extreme. What if I want to keep my job?”
“You won’t.” Ash’s voice is heated, commanding, causing me to look at him. His face is rigid, his jaw ticking, and I wonder if it’s perhaps jealousy that’s turning him to stone right before my eyes.
“If you decide to take us up on the offer and keep your job, we understand,” Ember tells me slowly. But I know he’s trying to placate his brother and me.
“It’s one or the other,” Ash says then, his tone hard and unyielding. “No ward of mine will be whoring herself out.”
I wince at his harsh words.
“If you do live with us, it would be nice to offer you extra tutoring if you wish. Perhaps you’d want to major in art; I could help you with your projects.” Ember says, his smile lighting up his expression.
“I wanted to major in music, but I was leaning toward art as a subject as well.” I nod solemnly, and Ember must notice the melancholy in my expression.
“Ash is well versed in music; he’s fluent in piano, violin, and the cello. He’ll teach you those. I could offer you classes in art. I’ve been painting since before I was reading.” He smiles a smile that could burn out a million stars. “We want you, Katerina, to be ours.” His words turn my body fiery hot.
“I just . . . I need time. This is a lot to take in,” I tell him.
“Think about the money as a scholarship. If you were offered a full scholarship, you would be at school right now,” Ember reasons with me, and I nod because it’s true. “So, all that’s different here is that you’ll have a place to call your own. A home where you’re safe and looked after.”
“That’s what I don’t understand. You don’t know me.” They’re offering me a dream come true, but there’s always a catch. They’ve played their cards well. Now it’s my turn.
I glance at the paperwork which I need to read through. I don’t have a lawyer to help make sense of everything, and I know this isn’t something I can enter into lightly.
Even with the dangling carrot of having four years of schooling paid for, to up and move into a house with two men who are practically strangers, is another thing entirely.
“Let me understand this correctly; I get the money, the scholarship, but I also get a place to stay?” I question, perching on the edge of the sofa. I’m nervous, shaking because I want to say yes, no, and laugh it off as a joke.
Tears prick my eyes when I think about being able to go to school. But I feel like I’m being pranked, and it’s not something I can handle right now. Twisting my fingers together, I tremble at the prospect of making such a life-changing decision. I wonder if they can see how nervous I am.
“You put me up for the duration of this contract? This sounds . . . I mean, this is . . . It’s a . . .”
“Business transaction.” Ash’s voice comes out cool and calm. He’s not frazzled in any way, and I wish I could be like that.
“Why would you do this? I don’t understand?” I question, my glance flitting between both brothers. A set of green and a pair of blue eyes meet mine, but the brothers don’t respond. “I’ll need to read over the contract and let you know. If, and I mean if, I agree then I want to make sure you both know if I sense anything amiss, I’ll walk out. If I feel uncomfortable, or if something is not what we agreed upon, I leave. No questions asked, and I still get my scholarship.”
“You drive a hard fucking bargain, Kitten,” Ash smirks, using the nickname he’s gifted me. He’s the asshole of the two, and if it weren’t for him, I would never have set the bar so high. But I have a feeling, he’d be the one to break the agreement. I don’t know how or why, but something tells me Ash would be up for playing this far too dirty.
“When my future is on the line. . .” I turn to regard him, “. . . I have to focus. And like I said, this isn’t forever.” I wave my hand, gesturing to the dress I’m wearing. “I need to go to school to free myself from what I’m doing now, and if you’re offering it, I’m willing to take it. And you . . .” I point to Ash. “. . . may try to break me because that’s your game, but I’m not easily broken.”
The corner of his mouth tilts into a mischievous smirk. “Me? I’ll never try to break you, Kitten. I may try to tame you, tamper your heat, but I’ll never extinguish your fire. And you know why?” He doesn’t wait for me to respond. He continues as he nears me, his body looming over me, and I’m caught in this intensity. “Because I love it when you burn me.”
“I need to think about it. I need time.”
Ember
She’s perfect.
Nothing I’d ever imagined, yet she’s everything both Ash and I needed. I want her to say yes, to agree to our terms, but it’s been one long night already, and it’s not even ten.
“Forty-eight hours.” My voice is curt,
and she glances at me. “You have until Sunday to decide. If you’d like to come to the house and see what we’re offering, you’re welcome to. Either Ash or I will collect you,” I tell her.
I’ve never been so nervous to hear someone respond to a proposal. But I understand her hesitancy. I respect it. She’s looking out for herself and being responsible like she told me at dinner. However, there’s no way she can refuse because this is everything she’s wanted. Then again, to give up her freedom and move into our home when she doesn’t know us—not as well as we know her—I get it. She’s got a good head on her shoulders.
I smile.
“I’ll look through it over the next couple of days,” she tells me.
God, I’ve never been this close to a woman who makes me want to fuck her violently and take care of her in the same breath. My brother has just poured himself a whiskey, and I know by the time the night is through, he’ll have gone through a bottle. Perhaps he’s as nervous as I am. One thing I’ve noticed is that he’s enamored by her.
My plan will work perfectly. I just need to toy with my brother to get him fired up, and this will be easy. Everything will fall into place.
“Will you tell me why you’re doing this?” she finally asks. Her voice is a whisper, raspy, and filled with apprehension, but I have a feeling her intrigue will keep her in our midst.
“I run my father’s company,” Ash starts with an explanation. “We offer scholarships to students who we deem need assistance.”
“And you offer them a place to stay as well?” She challenges, causing me to chuckle. Their chemistry is remarkable, and watching them like this gives me peace that she’ll be good for Ash.
I wonder if he’ll ever fall for her entirely. Would he change his ways to make her happy? I’ve never known him to care for any of the women he’s bedded. He may be friendly to them, strangers mostly because my brother isn’t someone who finds himself in relationships, which makes me wonder if she’ll get under his skin.
I hope she does.
“No, not at all. But after learning about you, we thought you may enjoy having a semi-permanent home, rather than that shared house,” Ash tells her. “If you live at Addington Hall, you’ll have your own wing to do with as you wish.”
She narrows her eyes at him, and I know their playful banter will only bring life to the mansion. “Your last name is Addington?” she questions, stilling my tapping on the laptop.
Ash nods. “Yes.”
“Interesting,” she says softly as she flicks the pages of the contract, not reading the words, appearing to ponder what she’s just learned.
“Why?” he asks her, settling in the wingback chair, watching her intently with those deep blue eyes that are simmering with amusement. He’s so calm, and I wonder if she’ll put two and two together.
“My lawyer was an Addington.” Her observation turns my blood cold. “I was sixteen when my parents died, and he took on my case with another lawyer that fought for me, but they lost to the state in the end.” Her words are drenched in sadness, and I wonder just how to answer her.
But Ash takes the lead. “And you remember the man . . . Addington?”
“Yes, he was good to me. He tried so hard. He made his lawyer spend hours looking at my case from every angle, scouring paperwork in the hopes of getting me a good home,” she tells us, glancing between us.
It’s as if the world tilts on its axis. I school my features and shrug it off. My father was good to her. I want to admit it right there. I want to tell her who we are and why we’re really doing this, but Ash’s burning glare stops me.
“My uncle is a lawyer, but we haven’t seen him in a long time. He doesn’t spend time with us and hasn’t done since we were much younger. Perhaps he took on the case when he was in the city a few years ago selling his shares in my father’s company,” he lies, and I turn away, focusing on the screen.
Katerina takes the contract, holding onto it like a lifeline. I know more questions are coming. “Explain more about your father’s company and the scholarship options.” She looks at Ash when she asks this.
“My father was a good man and always made sure to do his part in the community. A long time ago, he decided he’d start awarding scholarships to students who showed promise,” Ashton speaks. “When I went through the applications, your name was one of the first on the list.”
I glance up at this. We both went through the names, and hers wasn’t in the submissions we received. Another lie to add to the never-ending pile we’ve already stocked up against us.
“I don’t understand,” she utters in shock. The awe in her tone tells me she’s picking up on Ash’s story, and I hope she doesn’t call him out on it.
Ash smirks. “What?”
“I didn’t apply for something like this. I never thought about applying for a grant through a company. It felt so far out of reach. I mean, the college has offered me a partial scholarship, perhaps they could’ve applied for me.”
“Maybe,” my brother tells her. “Unless the Dean, who was one of my father’s best friends figured you had promise and sent through your details.”
“Why? What makes me different?” she asks, flitting her gaze between us before continuing, “Surely there are other more deserving students.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Kitten,” Ash smirks. “You’re meant to work hard, study, and get your degree.” He gulps down his whiskey as I pour myself one.
I told him this wouldn’t be as cut and dry as he expected. She’s a strong woman, and being on her own for so long, she’s clearly grown weary of people. I don’t blame her. I would be too if I were in her shoes.
“I’ll take this home tonight and think about it.” She smiles at me, then pins Ash with a scowl. “If I sign, you’re not the one in charge of the paperwork. I want Ember to finalize it. No changes, no sneaky add-ons. And I keep my home for the time being. Giving up the house I’ve come to know with Isobel isn’t something I would consider just yet.”
“Like I said, Kitten”—Ash smirks— “you drive a hard bargain.”
I settle on the couch, watching them banter. The tension in the room is hanging heavily with lust. We both pin her with heated stares, and I wonder if she’d ever let me, or Ash, touch her, kiss her, or take her and claim her.
She likes him. I notice her blushing cheeks, the way her gaze drifts to him every so often, and I can’t help but smile. Let’s just hope my brother doesn’t fuck this up. Having her in our home may offer me more insight into her and her feelings for him.
Each night Ash has spent with a woman, I’ve wondered if that will be it. The day he tells me he’s in love. My fear isn’t losing him to someone else; it’s him turning into our father. I’ve always ensured he remains true to himself, and I wonder what would happen one day if I’m no longer there.
My heart aches at the thought of not being near my brother, of not seeing him prosper and find the happiness he deserves. There’s too much of our father in him it scares me at times.
I know I have to leave now. I only came to be here when he gave her the agreement. My work is done. It’s so archaic: a contract to provide a girl something she needs. I wish she would just put her trust in us, in this, but she doesn’t even know we have to give this to her.
“I’ll pick you up in the morning,” I tell her, “I’m leaving now. I have a few things to do.” My words cause her to frown. But I need to get home, or my brother will learn far too much tonight about what I’m hiding.
“Tomorrow?”
“To take you on a tour of the estate and the house. You can have lunch with me, and we can talk more about your options.”
“Oh.” Her mouth falls open, plump lips forming an O, and my mind wanders somewhere it really shouldn’t. She’s not mine. She can’t be.
“Don’t be frightened; we won’t be alone. There is staff in the house for most of the day, and I’ll bring you home when you’re ready.”
“Thank you, Ember. I look forward to it.” This
time, she gifts me a smile that grips my heart, and my chest tightens. “I guess I’m just nervous.”
Her admission causes me to nod. “I understand, princess.”
“Kitten,” Ash interrupts. “If we were here to hurt you, you wouldn’t be walking out of this room. But then again, I would want to sample those luscious lips, so as long as you never kiss me, you’re fine.”
“You’re such an asshole,” I bite out, burning him with a glare.
Kat smiles. “I would have to agree with Ember on that.”
“Never once denied it, darling.” Ash chuckles, leaving us in the lounge area when he heads into the bedroom. Seconds later, I hear him on the phone, and I realize he must be talking to Josiah—one of the men who work for us at the house.
“Thank you for trying to ease my worry,” Kat tells me in a conspiratorial whisper, causing me to laugh out loud.
“I understand why you would be concerned. I would be too,” I inform her. “Ashton gets drunk sometimes and says stupid things which frustrate me. You won’t be hurt in our care. That I can assure you of.”
She offers me a smile. It’s sweet and innocent, and it pulls at my soul. She’s not ours to take, but we’re stealing her anyway. An exquisite rose amongst the flaming thorns. And I know if she ends up staying, she’ll only burn and bleed.
But that’s all the more reason for us to keep her. To lick her wounds, to heal her pain, and to make sure we’re the only ones in the world who can hurt her. Because we can make her whole again. And I plan on doing that and so much more.
“It’s done.” Ash’s voice breaks my train of thought. “Josiah has been instructed to drive you tomorrow,” he tells me.
Nodding, I rise. “Thanks. I’m heading home,” I inform them.
“Okay, thank you.” Kat’s voice sounds sad, or disappointed, an emotion I can’t quite put my finger on.
Meeting her gaze, I offer a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, sweetheart. Be ready at eleven,” I confirm. “Ash.” I offer my brother a nod. Without waiting, I head out, leaving them to stare at my retreating back.
