Pride (The Elite Seven Book 2)

by J. D. Hollyfield

  “I don’t know how to handle all the things I’ve learned today. I would’ve never thought my dad to do something so sick and horrible. Even my grandparents for covering it up.” She pauses to take a breath. She’s fighting back tears and it kills me. “But those things aren’t your fault.”

  “But it still has to hurt. And I’m sorry.”

  This time, she offers me her lips. “And I can’t imagine all the things you’ve had to endure. I wish I could take back all the horrible things my aunt did to you and Evelyn. I wish I would have seen the signs she was so evil sooner and put a stop to her.”

  I raise my arms and engulf her into my warm chest. She rests her head over my still wild beating heart. “Do you think she’ll leave? Take my threat seriously?” she asks.

  “I don’t know. I think her reputation means a lot to her, and at least, for now, I think she’ll back off. As for The Elite, I have no idea. What she said…it was bigger than her. That makes me wonder just how big it is. Who’s all really involved? How safe are any of us really?”

  She sighs into my chest. A part of me feels relief. Not to feel captive under the claws of Lillian is like seeing life in a whole new aspect. No longer having to look over my shoulder. The constant fear for my sister’s wellbeing. If Lillian does what’s she’s been told, we’re free. But if she’s lying, we may have just started a whole new war, one I’m not sure we can win.

  For now, I plan on still playing their game. Even though Lillian is out of the picture, there’s no doubt some other Elite member will step up into her place. So, until I can take them down, I’m gonna continue to play their compliant little puppet.

  “All we can do is hope.” She untangles herself from my hold. “For now, maybe we should just focus on the present and make up for the time we missed out on.” Her eyes light up, and anything and everything Lillian and The Elite fall to the back of my mind. “And what do you have in mind, teach?”

  She giggles, but her eyes sparkle with that playful darkness. “Not sure. I was thinking you could play my underage student and offer dirty things to me to buy you beer or something.”

  A loud laugh echoes off the crumbling walls. “Does being almost of age take all the fun away for you?” I joke and love the way her smile widens.

  “I mean, I love a good taboo story. But I’ll take one where the humble girl takes the proud man to his knees and shows him just how worthy he is. Then once I’ve filled him with all the greatness that he is, I’m going to allow him to thank me with his hands, his tongue and his mighty cock.”

  Fuck. My girl’s cute.

  “Well…we better get you home. I’m not one to deny a beautiful girl.”

  Two weeks later…

  Megan

  “Oh my god, stop!” I can’t stop giggling. He knows I don’t want him to stop, and the more I beg him to, the more he’s gonna bite me. I wiggle under his hold, playing the damsel wanting to be free of her big bad wolf. “Someone save me!” I scream, but my voice doesn’t sound convincing as a stifled moan pushes past my lips.

  “I think my little girl wants me to bite every single part of her. I told you I was hungry, and you offered your sweet cunt for breakfast. You don’t mess with a starved man,” he hums into my thigh, then takes another nip. I thrash under him, his tongue does magic to my skin, teasing me so bad. He hasn’t even made it to the promised land and I’m already on the verge of orgasming.

  “I think you should get to it and eat away before we’re both late.” He doesn’t waste another second and shoves his tongue into my wet center and goes to town. My fingers grip my sheets and hold tight as my back arches off the bed. “Jesus Christ all mighty,” I cry when a finger enters me.

  “I thought I was your big bad wolf, but I’ll take being the higher power instead.” His chuckle vibrates between my legs, heightening my pending orgasm. His tongue is rough and quick, and a few more seconds pass before I’m squeezing his head between my thighs as my orgasm explodes, shooting down to the tips of my toes.

  Mason lazily lifts his head, his chin moist from my juices. His tongue traces along his lips, his smile sexy and feral. It sends tingles down to my toes, and I start conjuring up any reason to call in sick and stay in bed with my big fierce wolf. “I know that look. No skipping, teach.”

  “Wow, you getting bossy with me?” I tease.

  “Damn right.” He tugs at my legs, spanking the side of my butt cheek.

  “Mmm…sounds super naughty. Maybe you should make me.” Dammit, that smile. That hungry fire in his eyes that shows me he’s not only going to make me, he’s going to comatose me. I reach for the back of his neck and decide today is definitely going to be a sick day.

  The morning quickly morphs into afternoon when I reopen my eyes and roll over to the beautiful sight of Mason. A girly grin spreads across my cheeks as I stare at him. Even when he sleeps, he radiates dominance. His masculine forearms tucked under his head, his chest on complete display for me. I lick my lips wanting to wake him up, but I know even as delicious as he looks, my body needs a break. Especially after our morning. I also want to let him sleep. He looks so peaceful. I feel at ease, knowing I bring him that. Something he said never came easily for him before me.

  I snuggle into my pillow, sighing at how perfect everything has been when the doorbell sounds. Mason stirs, opening his eyes.

  “You expecting someone?” he asks, grabbing me and pulling me into him. His lips press against the top of my head when more banging echoes from the front.

  “No, unless it’s the hooky police,” I joke, as we both peel ourselves from one another and climb out of bed. I throw on my robe as Mason pulls back the drapes of my bedroom window.

  “The fuck…?” He releases the curtain and searches out his clothes.

  “What? Who is it?” I ask, trying to keep up with his large steps as he makes his way to the front door. He unlocks the three bolts quickly, and when the door opens, his brother from The Elite, Rush, or his Elite name, Sloth, stands in my doorway. After everything went down at the abandoned nunnery, Mason took me home and told me everything. The Elite. My family’s involvement. My mind couldn’t even wrap around all the deception and scandal. But at the end of it, I did one thing. I swore I’d stand by him and fight this underground world of evil until it was disbarred and banished.

  “Fuck you doing here?” Mason asks, not sounding very happy to see him.

  “Don’t mean to interrupt, brother, got some bad news. And it ain’t good.”

  Mason’s shoulders stiffen. “Explain then,” he snaps. Rush’s mysterious eyes find mine, then he brings his focus back to Mason. “She can hear whatever the fuck it is you have to say bro.” He nods, and my body starts to hum with uneasiness. Even before the words leave his lips, we both know.

  “Lillian’s back.”

  The words quickly sink in, but it’s not until the rumble of the floor and the fist through my entryway wall, does it fully register. I observe Mason, who’s pulling his fist out of the smashed drywall. I step forward and press my hands to his shoulder for support. As much as we’ve avoided the elephant in the room, we couldn’t deny the question lingering thick around us all. It wasn’t a question of if Lillian would return, it was when. We knew she wasn’t gone for good. But we used the time she disappeared to heal. But now, it’s time to get our armor back on.

  “How?” Mason snaps, his chest heaving.

  “Not sure, but whatever she has up her sleeve she has Wrath at the center of it all.”

  “Where’s Wrath now?” Mason asks, turning and grabbing his shirt off the couch and throwing it over his head. He’s already slipping into his boots when Rush replies.

  “Campus. We don’t have much time. Need to get there before shit goes down.”

  Mason comes at me, kissing me hard, but quick. “Don’t fucking leave this place. I need to know you’re safe. Call my sister. Make sure she sits tight.”

  Then he’s gone.

  Mason

  I shoot off a 9-1-
1 text to all the brothers and head to campus. When we hit the crowded parking lot, I jump out and push through the mob to get in front of the commotion, but a band of cops refuse to let me go any farther. I look around, and spot Rhett. Screeching of tires has me searching out God’s Escalade as he jumps out, heading in my direction. I scope out the crowd more, looking for the rest in the sea of cops and bystanders.

  “Where’s Micah?” I ask God as he comes up and stops next to me examining the scene.

  “No idea. Not his babysitter.”

  I pull my phone out to check for any missed texts.

  Something doesn’t feel right.

  Out of nowhere, Envy appears next to me. I turn to him and my stomach drops at the sight of him. “Where the fuck have you been?” I growl and give him the once-over, but he doesn’t reply. “Don’t tell me that’s what I think it is, man.” He better fucking convince me I’m not seeing what I think I’m seeing.

  He still doesn’t answer. He seems lost, staring out into the distance of the crowd. I follow his eyes, and that’s when I see her.

  Lillian.

  She’s in the way back, hidden behind an old cypress tree. Her gleaming eyes break away from the ambulance, landing on mine. My stomach recoils again, and a heavy sickness swirls inside me at the way her evil smirk breaks across her face.

  It’s then I fully understand.

  The one thing we’ve all dreaded: the war has begun.

  I turn back to Envy. “Sebastian, talk to me. What did she make you do?” He’s so lost in himself, he doesn’t bother to even look my way. But his four simple words hit my eardrums like acid, burning into my brain.

  “Wrath’s gonna kill me.”

  The End.

  WRATH IS COMING /DATE/ 3/11/19

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  First, and most importantly, it wouldn’t be a proper acknowledgement if I didn’t thank myself. It’s not easy having to drink all the wine in the world and sit in front of a computer writing your heart out, drinking your liver off and crying like a buffoon because part of the job is being one with your characters. You truly are amazing and probably the prettiest person in all the land. Keep doing what you’re doing.

  Thanks to my husband who supports me, but also thinks I should spend less time on the computer and more time doing my own laundry.

  Thank you to Ker Dukey for bringing me onto this amazing project and to all the other authors who got together to make this a bomb ass series. It’s been a real blast!

  Thanks to all my eyes and ears. Having a squad who has your back is the utmost important when creating a masterpiece. From betas, to proofers, to PA’s to my dog, Jackson, who just gets me when I don’t get myself, thank you. This success is not a solo mission. It comes with an entourage of awesome people who got my back. So, shout out to Amy Wiater, Ashley Cestra, Jenny Hanson, Amber Higbie, Gina Behrends, Elizabeth Clinton, my boo thang Kristi Webster and anyone who I may have forgotten! I appreciate you all!

  Thank you to Monica Black at Word Nerd Editing for helping bring this story to where it needed to be.

  Thank you to All By Design for creating my amazing cover. A cover is the first representation of a story and she nailed it.

  Thank you to my awesome reader group, Club JD. All your constant support for what I do warms my heart. I appreciate all the time you take in helping my stories come to life within this community.

  Big thanks for Stacey at Champagne Formats for always making my stories look so amazing!

  And most importantly every single reader and blogger! THANK YOU for all that you do. For supporting me, reading my stories, spreading the word. It’s because of you that I get to continue in this business. And for that I am forever grateful.

  Cheers. This big glass of wine is for you.

  J.D. Hollyfield is a creative designer by day and superhero by night. When she’s not cooking, event planning, or spending time with her family, she’s relaxing with her nose stuck in a book. With her love for romance, and her head full of book boyfriends, she was inspired to test her creative abilities and bring her own stories to life. Living in the Midwest, she’s currently at work on blowing the minds of readers, with the additions of her new books and series, along with her charm, humor and HEA’s.

  J.D. Hollyfield dabbles in all genres, from romantic comedy, contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, fantasy and erotica! Want to know more! Follow her on all platforms!

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