by Rebel Hart
“This has nothing to do with me, Vivian,” I plead cluelessly. “I don’t know what’s going on with you and my dad, but whatever it is…it’s just between you two. He’s not in my life and I’m not in his. And I’d like to keep it that way.”
“You don’t have a choice, Ophelia. Just by existing, you’re wrapped up in this. You’re the only key we have to him, and we’ll use you however we have to.” Vivian turns away snidely as Trey and Vincent circle me.
“Use me for what!? What is it that he’s doing!?” I keep looking to Emmett, but he is still and blank. No one answers me. “I’ll just go to the police,” I try to reason uselessly. Knowing as soon as the words fall from my mouth that it’s a futile remark.
“The police work for us just like everyone else in this town,” Vincent sneers with a crack of his neck.
“Of course, how could I forget,” I say sarcastically with a sharp, hopeless exhale. “This is fucking useless.”
“You’re still dumb enough to think everything is just happening by coincidence,” Vivian sneers. “There’s a reason you’re here, Ophelia. At this school. Your father waged war with our families before you were born, and it’s still going.”
“How!? What did he do? I don’t know anything!”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out in time,” she smiles. “But for now…you have one job. Get him to stop coming after our parents.”
“Great…except I have no clue how to do that,” I fire back dryly. “You don’t seem to be getting it. We have nothing to do with each other and I don’t know anything about this supposed war he’s in with you and your stupid fucking families.”
“You don’t have to know anything. You just have to get him to respond to our messages. Or else you’re dead,” she turns her back to me impatiently.
“Ophelia,” Emmett finally chimes in, practically begging me to comply. “You’ll help us. Or we’ll kill you. And that’s the end of it.” It almost sounds like he wants me to give in so I’ll be spared any more torture.
“I’m not helping you with anything,” I growl, sparking a pleased grin across Emmett’s face. It’s as if he wants to kill me. Maybe that’d be easier for him than dealing with whatever’s going on between us.
Trey and Vincent lunge forward again, their rough hands twisting into my shoulders and wrists. I’m still sore from Vivian’s beating, but try to buckle down and brace myself against the wall the best I can, but they’re too strong. My teeth grind as their hands circle my arms tightly, burning and pinching the skin as they go. I wince and take tentative steps beneath their grip, my eyes watering up from the sensation. They don’t stop. My head flails back against the wall with my face twisted into a grimace.
“Let me go!” I scream in a panic in between grunts and pained hisses, wondering if they really do have the balls to kill me right here and now. That might be better than having to help them or have anything to do with my father. Their fingers twist into my skin with a burning sensation. “Stop! Just leave me alone!”
My breath saws in and out rapidly as Vivian marches toward me again, sending her foot back into my shin despite Emmett’s disapproval. I yowl out in pain as I crash back down to the floor.
“Fuck!” I cry, rubbing my hand across my stinging leg bone that is already turning purple. Within seconds, I am lifted back into the air, propping me up for more of Vivian’s blows. But to my surprise, Emmett appears just a foot away from me. I wonder how he felt about Vivian denying his orders to leave my legs alone. After all, he enjoys looking at these muscular legs of mine. If I can’t run, they go to flabby shit…which just isn’t in his best interests.
He scowls toward the others, prompting them to back up. It’s as if he watched for as long as he could, but now he has to have me to himself again. Whether Vivian is watching or not.
“Quit fighting us,” he barks. “Just make sure your dad responds to our parents. And do what we tell you.”
“I don’t even know how to reach him,” I growl, fighting back sobs.
His feet inch closer to me, propelling me back to the day before. We were exactly like this. Him seething before me as I was pinned up against the wall. My eyes dart over to Vivian as I wonder if I should kiss him again right in front of her.
“We can take care of that,” he murmurs into my ear. “You just need to be a good little pet and do as you’re told.”
My eyes dart back to the ticking clock hands every few seconds, noting how painfully slow they are moving. Almost backward.
I hate that we’re back to this and I feel stupid for believing even for a moment that he could be innocent in all of this. Just as stuck as I was. No, he was a willing participant. Getting off on it all just as much as the rest of them.
But as I consider how trapped I am, the bigger questions at hand flood my mind. What could my dad possibly be doing to have them this riled up? And what kind of ultimatum was he being given?
“And if I can get him to respond?” I test lightly with my brows raised, purposefully keeping my face too close to his in hopes that it will drive Vivian insane. “If I do whatever you say and get my dad to do what you want…when all of this is over…do I ever get to be free from this bullshit? Are you ever going to leave me alone?”
“Do you want me to leave you alone?” he whispers boldly into my ear, his hot breath rolling down my neck. “Don’t waste your time asking what happens if everything goes right. You’re better off focusing on what’s going to happen to you if it doesn’t.”
“But I don’t know how to help you,” I try again through gritted teeth, spurring him to push into me harder.
“I think you do, baby,” he jeers in a low tone that burns straight into my gut.
Baby. The sound of it on his lips used to make me sick. And it still does, but now my stomach twists with nauseating desperation.
I sigh dejectedly, slumping my shoulders. My eyes meet his with blank features, stooping below him as my feet shuffle to steady myself against the wall. “Okay, so what happens next?” I resign with a monotone voice, my chin trembling.
Emmett’s lips curl into a pleased grin, his gray eyes piercing across my skin as he looks me up and down, violating me with his gaze in a way only he can.
“Emmett!” Vivian barks disapprovingly from over his shoulder. “Let’s get on with it already!”
I can’t help but smile at her impatience. She can’t stand to see Emmett lusting for me so fearlessly, right in front of her and everyone else. We struck a nerve, and for once she wasn’t able to hide it.
“What’s wrong, Vivian?” I fire back with a cocky grin, placing a hand on Emmett’s arm. “Jealous?”
“Jealous?” Vivian laughs. “I could never be jealous of a little worm like you. I have nothing to worry about. I’m just bored and ready to see you bleed some more.”
The faintest crack in her voice tells me that she is trying to convince herself just as much as she’s trying to convince me.
“You don’t sound so sure, Viv,” I tease back, buckling my hips forward subtly. Just enough to be closer to Emmett’s body with my hand still draped over his arm. “Maybe we should ask Emmett if you have anything to worry about.”
My eyes turn to his with a devilish spark. My hair may be a dirty, disheveled mess, and I can feel the drying blood caked above my upper lip. But a flick of his tongue across his lip tells me all I need to know. He still wants me. And restraining himself with his girlfriend in the room is torture.
“Stop causing trouble,” he remarks apathetically, his smile betraying him.
“But you like me when I’m causing trouble.” I flash him a smile, and I wonder if he’ll smack me or kiss me. “Or at least you sure seemed to yesterday.”
If I have no choice but to play along with their games, I at least want to have some fun at my own funeral.
I watch Vivian’s confidence crumble. “What is she talking about!?” she snaps.
“Nothing, baby,” Emmett dryly responds, not even bothering to look at
her. His eyes are glued to me, and I know he’s getting off on my defiance.
“Yeah, Vivian,” I smirk. “Nothing at all.”
“Emmett, I don’t know what she’s talking about, but if you don’t make her shut up right now, I’m going to kick her fucking ass,” Vivian threatens, desperately wanting to cling to her ignorance.
The Elites think they need me for something, which means momentarily they are going to avoid killing me at all costs. I know it must be driving Vivian insane. But I am loving getting to torture her some in return.
“How will you make me shut up, Emmett?” I provoke him coyly.
His fist slams next to my face so hard that the vibration in the wall hurts my skull. He is growling through his throat, holding back desire.
“Come on, Emmett. You’ve had no problem roughing me up in the past. I don’t know why you’re having trouble with it now,” I continue, causing his face to wince. He’s torn between Vivian’s demands, his need to hurt me and his want to fuck me. I dart my eyes over to Vivian and then back to his. “You wanna tell her what happened in here yesterday, or should I?”
“Shut your fucking mouth, Ophelia…or I swear to god,” he fumes, leaning in closer to intimidate me, but it only intensifies the heat between us.
“Make me. Or is that something you can only do when your girlfriend isn’t watching?” There’s a hard lump in my throat reminding me that I shouldn’t be so bold.
They are going to make me pay for every cocky word coming out of my mouth. But I can’t help it. Now that I know they need me…I can’t resist taking advantage and turning the tables for once.
“Emmett, I swear to god…,” Vivian grumbles viciously. “If you’ve been messing around with this filthy whore you’re never touching me again.”
“I don’t think he’ll be missing out on much,” I quip softly, smirking to myself.
“Enough! We’re not here for some stupid catfight,” Emmett snaps, slamming his hand to the wall next to my head again. “Though I’d love to watch you two fight over me all day. We’re here to get you to get your father under fucking control.”
“You’re going soft on us, bro,” Trey mocks from the other side of the room. “She’s not even scared of you anymore. That’s why she’s giving us so much trouble.”
“Yeah, let’s just get on with this already,” Vincent adds in agreement, looking bored. “Just hurt her some more and she’ll do what we ask.”
“You’re all good for nothing,” Bernadette chimes in suddenly from the other side of the room, slamming her cell phone to the table in exasperation. “Let me take a crack at her.”
She sways her hips in a dramatic fashion as she strolls up to me, popping her chewing gum in a big bubble. “You think you’re tough as shit now, huh?” she taunts in my face, trying to squeeze in between me and Emmett but he’s not budging. “Well regardless of whatever gross pussy magic you think you’ve worked over on Emmett here…the rest of us still see you for exactly what you are. Disgusting white trash. You don’t belong here. Your father didn’t belong here. And when we’re through with you…you’ll go right back to whatever dump you came from, penniless and worse off than before you came here.”
All I can do is smile, reigniting the flames in all of their eyes. Funny that they think running me out of town is some form of punishment. At this point, it’s what I’m praying for.
Fuck my scholarship. I just want to be done with these assholes.
Chapter Thirteen
BOOK 1
“I’m done with your bullshit,” Vivian huffs, marching up to us and flinging Emmett and Bernadette out of the way, wagging her fingers viciously in my face. “As long as daddy dearest responds to the ultimatum our parents sent, you won’t get hurt.”
“What ultimatum?” I ask, wishing I had more of a clue as to what was going on. “If my life depends on my ability to help you, wouldn’t it be better for all of us if you told me what was actually going on here?”
“I don’t buy this little innocent naïve act of yours for one second,” she barks back, practically spitting in my face between her gritted teeth. “I’m not going to stand here and waste more of my time and energy explaining things that you probably already know. You’re just trying to get more out of us so you can tell your shitty dad how much we know. And that is a biiiig mistake, you little rat.”
“I wouldn’t know how to reach him to tell him anything anyway!” I remind her, my voice shrill in frustration. “Much less how to reach him and tell him to do whatever it is you’re wanting. I don’t even know where to begin.”
“Well, you better start figuring it out, princess,” she walks away carelessly. “I’d hate for your first meeting with Daddy dearest to be at your funeral. That’s if he even makes it out of this alive. Which is doubtful at this point.”
My blood chills. She’s not fucking around. And she’s also not budging. Her death threats make me want to threaten to go to the police again, but I know that means nothing to them. They’re completely fearless.
Well, almost. My dad has managed to do something that has them afraid. Something I know nothing about but am somehow expected to stop.
She tosses a phone in my direction, sending my arms flying to catch it so it doesn’t hit me in the face. Once my hands wrap around it, I lower my arms to study the device.
It’s not just any phone. It’s my phone. Again.
“How did you get this?” I murmur in confusion.
“Oh, I hope you don’t mind…” Emmett answers tauntingly. “I borrowed that from you yesterday.”
“No…you couldn’t have…,” I reason out loud, but then I start connecting the dots.
I was so upset after our encounter I had raced straight home and never even bothered checking to see if I had my phone last night or this morning. I slept straight through and then came to school in a daze. He had it the entire time.
Had that been the only reason he got so close to me? Why he kissed me again? Was it all just a ploy of distraction so he could swipe my phone right out from under me?
I shake away my doubts, filing them for later, as I bring myself back to Vivian’s demands.
“Well, can you at least tell me when my dad needs to respond to the ultimatum by?” I try again, hoping for any small hint of where to even begin.
There’s no response. Vincent and Trey are approaching once again with frightening smug grins. This isn’t just another round of roughing me up. They’re closing in on me with a purpose, one that they’re too pleased with.
My eyes dart to the door as I contemplate making a run for it. They may be stronger than me, but I doubt they’re fast enough to outrun me. But I know I won’t be able to build enough speed between where I stand and the door. They’d have me back in their arms before I could make it out.
And even if I did get away…they don’t sound like they’re going to let all of this go easily. I’d escape only to be haunted by the constant looming threat of when they’d try again. And since this business with my dad seems to be of a time-sensitive nature, I might as well try to get this over with.
“I’ll just ditch my phone!” I jeer, swallowing down my fears about how pricey a new one would be. “I can get a new one. You’re not going to keep tabs on me.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Vivian grins. “We’ve got a back-up plan.”
Trey and Vincent snarl and cackle as they grab onto me again, Bernadette joining in. They sound like wild hyenas who’ve just landed their prey.
“Get away from me!” I protest hopelessly as they each take an arm and lift my feet from the ground. I kick aimlessly into the air, but it’s no use. My struggling doesn’t doesn’t faze them and I’m at the mercy of their hard grip around my shoulders.
With a painful thud, they slam my chest and face down onto a table. One hand spreads across the side of my face while another set of hands holds my arms behind my back.
“Move over,” Emmett grunts. “Let me do it.”
“I’ll do it,�
�� Vivian protests. “I don’t want you putting your hands on this filthy little cunt anymore.”
Her jealousy gives me a momentary thrill, but I’m quickly brought back to the danger I’m in.
I hear a scuffle from the two of them fighting over something, but barely. One of my ears is sharply pressed down beneath the weight of my head, and my other ear is being crushed underneath Vincent’s hand. All I can hear is the fierce and rapid pounding of my own heart in fear of whatever it is they’re getting ready to do.
With a quick and sudden pull to my top, I hear the fabric rip around my right arm. I assume their motives are perverted and sexual, but then…
“What the fuck!” I cry out in a shrill sob as a sharp, searing pain cuts into my shoulder.
I can tell by the size of the hands that Emmett won out over Vivian, which I want to take some small comfort in. He seems to be leaning toward taking it easier on me. After all, if I’m dead, he can’t fuck me. So, in a weird, twisted way, he’s on my side, right?
But it doesn’t feel like he’s on my side as a cold blade digs deeper into my skin. I try not to notice the way his hips press against my ass as I squirm beneath him, but I feel a hint of that familiar bulge from yesterday. He’s holding back, but he can only do so much. He’s getting off on pinning me down from behind like this.
I can’t believe my mind is even going there with the cold pain slicing into me deeper and deeper. A warm trickle of blood causes my skin to shiver and flinch as it trails down my side.
“What are you doing!?” I cry out again, jerking harder in their hold.
“This is a tracking device,” he responds coyly, tinged with satisfaction. “Tucked away under your skin. So, you could ditch your phone…but it’d be no use. We’ll still be able to keep an eye on you.”
