The Devil's Masquerade: The Remedy

  We go round and round, bickering and discussing, until we all finally decide to hold off until tomorrow when we are more rested. While most everyone leaves or goes to bed, I decide to go upstairs, take a shower, and wash off this day. When I finish, I step out with my towel wrapped around my waist and find her sitting on my bed, waiting for me. “Cat, what are you doing in my room?” She looks up at me with wide eyes before looking away again. She begins to rush back to the door. “You’re going to run out now? What? Did you poison my sheets or something?”

  “No! No, I only wanted to come and apologize for the things I said to you. I don’t want to fight with you anymore. It doesn’t do either of us any good. So … maybe we could call a truce for a while,” she says

  “Uh-huh. You did poison my sheets, didn’t you?” I say, picking at them with a hanger to check them out.

  “No, I sincerely want to mend our friendship and establish a stronger relationship for the benefit of our common goal,” she says, and I laugh. “What’s so funny?”

  “Do you always talk that way? Why can’t you just say, ‘hey fucker, I’m sorry for being a bitch. Let’s get over it and move on’.” She snarls at me. “You are so uptight.” I walk over to her while still holding my towel around my waist with one hand.

  “What are you doing?” she says, looking down at my towel.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not going to do anything to you. I am only offering my hand to shake on our new arrangement, but you have to promise not to call me ‘ignoble’ anymore.”

  “And you can’t call me short anymore.”

  I pull my hand back, “Ahhh, see, I don’t think I can do that. You always take it one step too far.” I smile, shaking my finger at her.

  She fights a smile, and I catch her looking between the wraps of my towel. I step away with a shy expression, causing her to smile widen. “You know, if you promise to be respectful of me, I can do something for you,” she says. I cock my head to the side with a curious expression. “I know you like Kayla, right? You probably even love her, don’t you?”

  “Get out,” I say, looking away from her.

  “No, I don’t mean any harm. I only thought I could give you, her, for a moment.” I shake my head before looking back at her and seeing Kayla. “See, I can give you your fantasy. I can give you her for a time.” I look her over. “If you want, you can kiss me. It’s okay because it isn’t her, so you won’t be hurting anyone. It’s just an innocent fantasy of sorts.” I am overwhelmed, but the feelings rushing through my body are unstoppable. There is nothing wrong with this. There is no reason I should deny myself this. Right? I step into her, instantly taking in her lips with mine. I pull her hair down and kiss her before pushing her shirt to the side to get my lips closer to her breasts. She gasps, clutching the back of my head and fisting my hair, making me even crazier. Taking hold of her thighs, I lift her up onto me and let my towel slide off. The moment I get her to kiss me back, that moment I feel into her mouth with my tongue and can feel hers, I place her on the bed and begin removing her clothes. Unfortunately, I don’t get far before she pushes me away and slides to the other side of the bed away from me. “Eli, I didn’t mean to do any of that.”

  “Well, what did you mean? Why did you come in here, Cat? To torture me more?” I snap at her.

  “No, I told you I …”

  “Get out. I don’t need this. You come in here and tease me by being someone you are clearly not. You know, next time you change into someone, make sure it is someone you can be. You’re not Kayla. She is strong, beautiful, smart, sexy and more desirable than anyone I have ever met. You might be smart, but you’re none of the other things,” I say angrily before looking back at the teary eyed mess I have made. Before I can say another word, she runs out and leaves me feeling like a complete ass. Fuck! Damn! Why did I say that?

  After I leave Cat several messages on her cell, I realize she is no mood to talk to me right now. I knock on Kayla’s door but no answer. Peeking inside, she seems sound asleep and not needing a hand to hold tonight, but I do. I crawl in next to her and take her hand anyway. She wakes up enough to give me a brief smile and a squeeze of my hand. I try to smile but end up looking away from her in shame.

  “What’s wrong?” Kayla asks, sitting up to look at me.

  “Nothing. I just did something stupid, and now I feel guilty.”

  “What did you do?” I don’t even know how to explain it to her. She smiles suddenly and lies back down. “Apologize to her Eli, and she will forgive you.”

  “I tried but … wait how did you know it was a she?”

  “Because Cat has been following you around for weeks with her big dreamy eyes. You were bound to say something stupid eventually.”

  I ignore her say something stupid remark and get to the more shocking information she just shared with me. “Why is she following me around? She hates me. Right?”

  Kayla huffs, “Men are so blind. That girl is head over heels in love with you, Eli. All she wants is for you to notice her.”

  “When did this happen?”

  “The first day we all met,” she says. I look at her like she is crazy. I don’t remember doing anything that would cause Cat to be drawn to me. “You made her laugh when we all first got together, and then you turned and winked at her when she did. She has been waiting for you to show her that same attention ever since. Now, shut up and let me go back to sleep. You can grovel tomorrow.” She yawns, closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep.

  I sit back, wide awake and considering the idea. Funny how Cat forced me to see Kayla in her, but now, when I see Kayla, all I can think about is Catriona. As much as I thought I wanted to be with Kayla, the moment I thought I had her, I wasn’t so sure anymore. The moment when I touched her lips, I didn’t feel or see Kayla anymore. Cat changed to what I desired, but somewhere along the way, my desires changed and so did the image in front of me. There was another’s eyes staring back at me, and when I laid her down underneath me, I wanted her even more than the woman she offered to me. I hated her in that moment. That moment she made me feel for her and then pushed me away. I felt foolish and angry for allowing myself to feel again, for allowing myself to be fooled that way. Now, I know she wasn’t trying to be cruel. She just wanted a kiss, and I took it too far. I didn’t mean to be so harsh, to take out my frustrations out on her. How ridiculous can I be? It’s no wonder I have no family of my own, I want women I can’t have and when I find someone I could possibly be with, I push her away.

  Chapter 19

  Catriona

  My new morning routine lately has been to get out of the house as fast as I can and immediately go over to the Jayzon estate. There is always something going on there, and if not, then I can always talk to Ryan or Kayla or Nicky or … Elijah, I guess. Although I believe he is staying with the kids today while Kayla and Ryan go work on business, and with Amery keeping guard on Kayla it will probably just be him handling those boys on his own. I am sure he will need help. Knowing Elijah, he will probably serve the boys whiskey with their lunch. If he remembers to give them lunch at all. I have to laugh to myself considering the mess that must be forming already. He left so many messages on my phone last night, apologizing profusely to me. He said he thought I was purposely trying to be cruel to him, but now that he has had a chance to calm down, he knows better. His last message begged me to forgive him, and he would let me turn him into a toad if it would make me feel better. I laughed as he said goodbye.

  “Catriona!” My father yells as I run out of the house. “You are not going anywhere. Come back here now.”

  “But I have some errands to run.”

  “I have one for you, first, one that I think you will be very excited about,” I nod respectfully, pleasing my father as I always try to do. While my sisters followed my mother’s every move, I followed my father’s. My mother died when I was young, and my various step mothers were more interested in themselves than having anything to do with me.

  My father
leads me to believe that he has a great surprise for me, only he drives me to Savage himself. I beg him not to force me in front of that man, but he doesn’t listen. I am forced inside by a couple of Savage’s men and pushed out on display while Ria is brought in and forced to her knees. I begin to quiver and worry about my own life when I have been doing nothing but worrying about someone else’s… Elijah. I don’t know why I care whether he dies or not; I can’t stand him. I hate how his stupid hair falls against face, highlighting his stupid bright blue eyes, and how is full soft lips crack a wiseass smile whenever he is about to say something stupid. And I hate how he looks just out of the shower, all wet and muscular with that big thing poking out of his towel. Who is in need of anything that big? I must be remembering it wrong. I am clearly still in shock from his animalistic attack of me; it is no wonder I am confused about him. No one could possibly smell that good, especially with as much as he drinks and those awful cigars. Yuck. I don’t care what he thinks of me, or if he ever thinks of me at all. Yes, I really, really … hate him. Don’t I?

  “Catriona,” Savage yells at me. “Are you listening? Your ties to our enemies are disappointing, but I find you the best option for my Nicholas.” I perk up suddenly. “Your sister was the initial prospect, but she has turned out to be a complete disgrace.”

  “No! You promised Nicholas to me. I have done everything you have asked of me. I have become that ridiculous Francesca girl to help move your grandson into your direction. I even pushed my way into his home for you and dealt with that awful woman. It is not my fault that I am not strong enough to kill her.”

  “Your most important role, and you failed. You are lucky that I am allowing you to live,” Savage says without looking her way. “The only reason I do so is so you can continue to suffer the embarrassment of the wounds inflicted by that awful woman.” Savage mocks her. “How you can call yourself a woman of the realms is beyond me. It’s more like a woman of the streets.”

  “I thought my most important role was to get Nicholas out of that house and to you?” Ria snaps back.

  “Are you arguing with me Ria?” Savage growls his impatience with my sister. Ria steps back silently. “I didn’t think so. If I wasn’t so fascinated by your skills, I would have nothing to do with you myself; however, I rather enjoy your desperate efforts to please me as of late.”

  “I only fuck you so I can get what you promised me!” she yells.

  “Fuck Nicholas if you want, Ria. Suck his dick for all I care, but you will not be his wife. Your sister, however, will.”

  “I’m what?” I shout out to him.

  “Cat, please let me handle this,” my father says, grabbing my arm and holding me back. “Catriona has not matured yet. She is inexperienced with men as of right now. Are you sure you want her for your grandson? He is quite strong and powerful; I don’t know if she can handle him.”

  Savage looks me over with a smile, “A virgin are you? Even better. Don’t worry Fagan, he will treat her well and give her the best fuck of her life I am sure.” He sits back with an even larger smile. “Yes, I rather like that idea. A virgin, something I am sure he has not had in a while, but from what I understand, he does like a challenge.”

  “No, I don’t want anything to do with him,” I plead. “You can’t make me do anything.”

  “No one asked you what you want. No one even cares. And if I want you to do something, you will damn well do it.” Savage gets up from his cozy seat and approaches me. He grabs my arm and drags me into another room where he locks us in. I step back from him as he comes towards me with swirling anger. He breathes against my neck and forces me against a wall, ripping my clothes from my body. He inspects me like a new car, arranging me to his liking and reviewing my body thoroughly. “Nice, very nice. Nicholas will like you I am sure of it. And if he doesn’t, then I will take you as my own. I will certainly enjoy fucking you. And, my dear, you will not say no to me. You will not say no to me ever again.” He presses against me hard. “You can tell your friends that it is either your life they save or Kayla’s. They will relinquish their pursuit of Nicholas one way or another, and you will help me force them to.” He pushes me on the ground and repeatedly slams his cane against my back until I scream out from the pain. When he is finished with me, he tosses me a blanket and orders me out of the room. My father looks me over as I run back out to him. “She will be the best to bare his children, and unlike her whore sister, she will be untainted by other men. Make sure that she remains that way, Fagan.”

  “You mean all of the men that you convinced me were my duty to fuck, like Marius, to lure him away from your daughter. Your enemies, so you could gain knowledge about their businesses. I even fuck you whenever you desire, all in the hope that you would live up to your promise and give me the role I have wanted all my life. The wife of a Lord, the wife of Nicholas, to bare his children. You promised me, not her. She has done nothing but go against you, even helped them go against you,” Ria cries and begs at his feet.

  “Are you finished whining, Ria? It is exhausting listening to you. It doesn’t matter why I made the decision I made. All that matters is that she is now who I have decided upon. All I want you to do is continue to serve me as you have, and I will let you live in my house and be treated as our respected guest.”

  “What if he doesn’t like her? I mean, look at her. She is a redheaded nightmare. She acts more like a boy than a girl, and she never wears makeup or does anything to her hair besides putting it up in a ponytail. I am not even sure she likes men,” Ria says, waving her hand up and down at me.

  “Is that true? Do you prefer women Catriona?” Savage asks. “Oh, now that could make things interesting.”

  “What? No, I like men. I just have never met one I have found interesting …” I pause, thinking about Elijah, and he notices.

  “It would seem she is already attracted to at least one, correct?” he asks with a knowing smile. How does he know that? “Hmmm, I wonder. Well, at least we know she likes men. I don’t care what you do, but you make sure you remain untainted and ready for Nicholas. However, I must agree with your sister. Do something with yourself. Learn to be a woman.”

  “And if I don’t?” I hold my head up and stare him down which causes him to stand and force my body to the ground.

  “If you don’t, if Nicholas does not find you appealing, then your last breath will be taken shortly after his denial of you or after I use you for my own interests. It will depend on my mood at the time.” Ria looks over at me with a smile. My own sister craves power more than she craves my life to be spared. It is clear I have no allies here, and with my new friends having to choose between myself and Kayla, I can only imagine who they might choose. I doubt it will be me. I have no one. Even as my father cradles me to him, I feel alone.

  “I would like to take my daughter home now. Are we through here?” my father asks.

  “I will have someone drive her, but you should stay. We have business to discuss,” Savage says. He calls in some men and whispers to them his orders. My father grips my hands and leaves me with them. I watch him walk away from me and leave me with these men who stare down at me with obvious malicious intent.

  They push me, tease me, and threaten me. “If we had not been ordered to keep you untouched, we would use you for all of our enjoyment. Instead, we will just have fun with you in another way.” The abuse I receive after leaves me curled up and clinging to the blanket Savage gave me. After they force me into a car, they drive up to a gate and force me to ask to come in. I quickly realize we are at the Jayzon estate and shake my head, pleading not to. I can’t imagine them letting me come in with these men. “Ask!” one screams as they grip the back of my head and hold it up to the window.

  Through all my tears and screams, I cry, “It’s me …Cat. Can I come in?”

  “What the fuck is going on Cat?” Elijah asks. I shake my head as the camera refocuses. I am shocked that he opens the gate for me; he must know I am not alone. Elijah runs ou
t of the house with guards following after. They meet the car as it pulls up. My escorts step out and drag me with them, throwing me at Elijah’s feet.

  “She’s yours for now, but we will return for her soon.” One laughs as he tries to jump back into the car.

  “Where the fuck are you going?” Elijah yells, chasing after the man and catching him by the collar. He drags the man towards me as his other men are surrounded by guns, “Did he hurt you, Cat?” My body is shaking so much that I can’t respond. All I hear after that is Elijah cursing and my attackers screaming. With the guards’ help, Elijah holds them and beats them each with a special kind of justice I would have never expected from him. He never seems to take anything seriously, but the sight of him rolling up his sleeves and beating the man until he has little left is surprisingly pleasing to witness. Elijah has another man brought out in front of him, and this one already suffers from bullets wounds in both his knees. “Run, jackass! Run, and I will let you live!” The man can’t even manage to crawl, so Elijah kicks him over and over. Elijah’s rage continues to build until Ryan pulls up and looks me over.

  “Eli, take care of her. I will finish up for you.” Ryan says something silently to him as Elijah begins breathing deeply and pacing with forceful steps.

  I curl over myself, crying and trying to hide under the now tattered blanket that only partially conceals me. Elijah leans down to me and quickly picks me up into his arms. “Don’t worry Short Stuff, I won’t let them hurt you anymore,” he whispers, kissing the top of my head. There is something about his arms, something about the tone of his voice that calms me. He doesn’t force me to let him go when he places me in his own bed. He sits down next to me and pulls me into his arms, allowing me to cry away from his view. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” I don’t want to tell him. I don’t want him to know. I don’t want to know that he will choose her over me. “Was it Savage?” I nod. “Is he mad that you’re helping us?’ I nod again. “How bad did he hurt you?” he asks, holding me tighter. “Did he rape you?” I shake my head. “You’re bleeding all over Cat. He hurt you pretty bad, but he didn’t rape you?”