I step backward. “Right.”
“So, you see.” Snake grins cockily, shutting the laptop and leaning back into his chair. “He knew who Taylor was from the beginning. What they had, it was very real.”
“But he always told me that she was straight. Too perfect and too normal.”
Snake laughs, tossing his head back for added effect. Fucker. “Of course he did. He was very convincing too, yeah?”
“Fuck.” I search the ground, trying to add up everything in my head. “He betrayed my brothers?”
Snake finally nods. “He did.”
Rage burns up inside of me, and my clock stops ticking.
Ten.
The rope that was wrapped around my wrist falls to the ground and I tilt my head, grinning at Snake. “Ready to feel my bite?” I launch forward, only one of his bodyguards pounce in front of him, blocking me, and I fall backward landing ass first onto the dusty floor. Tilting my hands back to either side of my head, I press up and fling my body up from the ground, landing on my feet, just as the guard’s fist comes flying to my face. I dodge his left hook by ducking, and then roundhouse kick his face. He falls to the ground, but I’ve just begun. The second bodyguard comes charging at me in full force, but I stop his movements by throwing my hand up to his throat and clenching, all while lifting my left leg high and stomping the heel of my foot straight into bodyguard number one’s face. Lifting bodyguard number two off the ground, my hand shakes and sweat breaks out over my face, but I squeeze, continuing to lift his weight. I squeeze until I feel the sharp edges of my nails slice through his thick flesh. I squeeze until his neck turns purple from lack of oxygen and blood rains down my fingers from the incisions. I squeeze unti—“Aye!”
It’s not until I hear Miles’ voice cut through when I realize a few things. One, the man I’m choking is far gone dead, his blood that was trickling down my fingers is more like running down my arms, and, two, I’m crying. Tears blur my vision, but I snap my head in the direction of my brother’s command.
“Miles?” My body shakes, my voice trembles, but the rage remains. I toss the bodyguard to the ground next to his buddy, but I’m not satisfied. I’ve taken two lives in a space of minutes, but I’m not satisfied. My rage has a hefty appetite, one of a wolf, and she most definitely is not full. That was her entree. With that thought, I pull my focus off Miles and zone it straight onto Snake. My lip curls, my fists clench at my sides, and I put one foot in front of my other when Miles—fucking Miles—interferes again.
“Simmer her, Ella. Put the beast back in the cage.” He’s closer. I can almost feel his voice over my spine and it brings a smidge of comfort. Not enough to succeed, but enough to slightly pull me back into the now.
I’m Ella McKenna.
A sister.
A daughter.
A friend.
Rage.
Rage.
My rage howls deep inside me, her high pitch screech deafening. I drop to my knees, blocking my ears with the palms of my hands as my chest heaves in and out. I try to suck in heavy breaths, but my chest feels constricted.
“Breathe, Ella. In and out, remember?”
A sister.
A daughter.
Rage.
Rage.
She screams a high-pitched howl again and my legs buckle up from under me as I slide into the cradle position.
“What’s going on with her?” Snake. That was Snake.
Rage. She screams again, this time it’s unnerving. I need to feed her.
“Shut up! Don’t speak. Don’t even breathe if you want to live. And don’t look at me, I can’t save you from her if that beast is unleashed. No one can.”
“El—!” Frost? Before I can decipher the syllable of his words and unmask his tone, my vision goes black and I get sucked back into the vortex of pure adrenaline and thunderous wrath.
“—You! Especially shut the fuck up right now.”
My eyes snap open and I twist onto my back. Sweat pours out from me and heat burns every inch of my flesh. My back arches off the ground and my eyes focus on the ceiling above. Rage.
“Calm her, Ella. Put her back in her cage.”
A sister.
A daughter.
A friend.
Blood. The sweet tang of metallic that slithers into my mouth shatters the final chain that was caging her. I leap off the ground, my vision now a thick cloud of red distortion. She’s conjured. There’s no stopping it now.
“ELLA,” Miles roars from somewhere behind me, but I sift him out, my focus solely on Snake, who is now retracting backward.
He looks over my shoulder. “Well, don’t just stand there! Help me.”
“Like he said,” I hiss, but it’s not entirely my true voice. A little edgier, a little more seductive. I grin, licking my teeth while taking my hair out of the bun it was in and fluffing it up. “No one can stop me.” I continue matching his steps, removing my top. “You wanna fuck me?” I ask him, tilting my head and sucking on my index finger.
“Ella…” I hear a testing growl from behind me.
Rage.
He can wait.
“What?” Snake searches my eyes and then peers over my shoulder. “That’s—no. I was only joking.”
I giggle, tilting my head back. Only it comes out as a sadistic chuckle. Good. I was aiming for that.
He swallows in fear.
“You were joking?”
My body moves like static as his back hits the wall and his shoulders raise in fear. I look down at his fingertips and watch as his nails rip from their sockets in his attempts to clench the hard wall in fear. My inner beast inhales. Success.
“It didn’t feel like you were joking when you rubbed your disgusting excuse of a cock on me earlier...” I pause and then tilt my head up toward the ceiling. “Hmmm. Nope. She doesn’t think you were kidding either. In fact…” I drop to my knees, curl the index of my finger around the waist of his jeans and yank them down. His cock flops out in all its soft glory.
I snicker. “Oh dear. Looks like I don’t turn him on anymore.” I stand to my feet, running my fingers over his inner thigh. I search his lips. “Don’t I turn you on anymore? What’s changed? You found you can’t have me against my will? It’s more… I can have you against your will?” I end in a low undertone.
His Adam’s apple bobs, then he licks his dry lips, his eyes searching mine. “Jesus Christ. You’re fucking psychotic.”
“Nope.” I pop the P and then chuckle. “That’d be my ex,” I seethe the word “ex.” “You know, the one who lied to me.”
“—I didn’t.”
“Bro…” Miles. Good, Miles. Brother. He is good. He is us.
I grip Snake’s soft cock in the palm of my hand, his balls brushing against my knuckles. “So it turns you on when you think you can rape me, but it doesn’t turn you on when you think you’re the one about to be raped?”
“I…” His eyes slam closed.
“That’s it isn’t it. How many other girls have you raped, Snake?” I ask, then slowly massage his cock. It remains soft. “Aw, come on, I’m the same girl. Only you’re not in charge anymore.” I lean up on my tippy toes, rubbing his balls and then skimming the cushion of my thumb over the head of his cock. “I am.” Just as I feel his dick harden in the palm of my hand, I grip it tightly, and with as much force as I can put behind myself, I yank back. Blood goes flying everywhere. I lick the blood off my lips, grin, and then look deep into his eyes. But his screams have turned into white noise. I bring his now body-less bloody cock to my mouth and suck it between my lips. His eyes snap open as he drops to the ground. I lick the head of his helmet, and my beast hits the highest peak of her orgasm, her body convulsing as cum drips down her thigh. She slowly sneaks back into her cage with a sexy half snicker on her face, her body and rage finally simmered enough to knock her back into a deep slumber. I lock the cage again, and then everything comes into focus. No red vision, no more blur from the tears, and no more unleashed indignat
ion. Dropping to the ground, I shove his dick into his mouth, and then jab my fist straight in his jaw, knocking him out with one hit. “How’s that for a fucking bite.”
“Jesus fucking Christ, sis,” Raze whispers from behind me.
“No one gets my dick hard like you do. Millie always came close, but you, you, oh damn, that beast… that fucking beautiful beast…” Miles yaps off, shaking his head in amazement.
I pull on Miles' wrists so he comes closer to me, and then whisper, “Miles? I—I had a flashback of this place when I was a kid…” My eyes drift to Raze briefly before coming back to him. This time Miles morphs into a complete stoic and emotionless state. His eyes lose the spark they usually carry, and for a brief second, I think I’ve fucked up and maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. A few seconds later, it’s gone and his eyes pierce into mine. “Snake isn’t the only one, devil face. There’s a whole lot about this world that you don’t know, and besides,” he presses his lips to my temple and kisses me softly before whispering, “I still get to play with Taylor, and by play, I think you know what I mean.”
A sadistic sense of rogue excitement comes over me, my lip slowly coming up in a smirk.
“Oh my God. What did I just watch?” Millie, my smile cuts off. Double shit.
“Dad!?” Taylor comes rushing into the room, her eyes locked on what’s left of her father.
Frost. Silence.
I slowly get to my feet and turn to face, what I’m guessing, is a very large number of people. Taylor whips past me in slow motion, aiding to Snake, and instantly, my eyes land on Frost. He’s watching me, his eyes burning with something I can’t quite put my finger on, but his shoulders are back in a dominant stance, his feet slightly apart and his arms strong at his sides. Pulling my eyes away from him before it’s too long, I look to Raze.
“What?” I snap at him. “I’m not apologizing!”
“You never do,” he mutters, side-stepping around the dead bodyguards. The blood that’s all over my face and arms has long since dried to a sticky substance, but I don’t care. I’m calm. My nerves and muscles pulse with the endorphins pumping through my veins.
“Feel better, devil face?” Miles asks, coming toward me.
“Very much so.”
“Well, that’s what happens when you leave her caged for so long. I told you, you need to exercise control.” I’ve always held the utmost respect for Miles. How he’s calculated, smart, patient, and artful, especially with his kills. They always fascinated me, but that word control now has new meaning to me. He’s right, I do need to work on my control. If he can be this enduring with Snake and whatever that story is, then I sure as hell can be too.
“Someone wanna tell me what the fuck is going on here?” I ask, my eyes flying around the room.
Millie, who still looks slightly in shock, follows Raze into the room. “Well, we knew Miles had been kidnapped, and you, but then Frost finally spilled what he was working on with Snake—and knew where to go, so we all followed.”
“You mean his betrayal?”
“He didn’t betray us, Ella. He and I knew all along. But no one else.”
“Wait,” Miles yells out from behind me. “That’s what unleashed your beast? Thinking Frost and Taylor were really in love?”
I freeze.
Fuck.
Miles whistles. “Damn, brother. I don’t envy you at all.”
“Ella,” Frost finally orders, and I turn to face him slowly. He’s still in the same stance, and now that I’m not as angry at him as I was before, I relax a little. “Come here.” Shit. I want to say no, but my legs are already moving. Maybe my beast loves him as much as I do. I’m thinking, she’s borderline obsessed. I walk toward him and then stop when we’re close enough to have a discussion without prying ears.
“You thought I would betray your brothers? Betray and lie to you?”
I gaze into his eyes, searching each of them. I see the insult I’ve made there and can also see that he wants to fuck my shit up right now.
“I could kill you.” And, there it is. Then he grins. “Will that make your beast come play again? Sort of enjoyed that show…”
I roll my eyes, shoving him. “Really? Which part?”
He slams his mouth closed and his eyes harden. “Not that part. I was right,” he answers, his arm wrapping around me to tug me into him where I melt against his body. His lips brush my ear. “You are fuckin’ crazier than anyone could ever assume.”
“Why would I expose all my demons. Where’s the fun in that? I’d rather shock people.” I look up at him from under his chin and he smirks, then presses his lips to mine. It’s a soft kiss. Tentative.
“He’s dead,” Taylor murmurs, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She spins around and pins me with a glare. “You killed him!” she roars. “This wasn’t supposed to happen, Frost!”
I don’t move, the smile stays on my face from Frost’s kiss, and that bothers her. “Bitch!”
“He got what he deserved.”
Taylor collects herself, straightening her shoulders and swiping the last of her tears off of her cheeks. “New plan.”
“No…” Raze shakes his head. “No more plans, Taylor.”
“Oh, but you see, you killed the snake, but you forgot he has an army of other snakes, not to mention the big fucking anaconda he answered to!” Taylor’s glare cuts to me again. “And an army always needs a leader, who will be me. Relax, Raze.” She shakes her head. “I don’t want The Operation right now.”
“Right now?” Raze asks, cocking his head, but it was playfully. The kind of stare he would give to a cute little Poodle trying to take a toy off a hungry Rottweiler. Oh, these assholes have been playing games.
“Not right now. Soon, and rightly so, as it is mine since Ikea is my mother and seen as Chase has no interest in obtaining it, I eventually will,” Taylor hisses, and then collects herself, straightening her blouse.
“Wait! Hold the fuck up here.” My hand flies up to stop all conversation. “What the fucking fuck do you mean you are Chase’s sister?”
She shrugs. “We aren’t full blood, but we shared the same mother.”
“Well ain’t that a bitch,” Frost whispers behind me.
“How the fuck are you related to the sweetest guy I’ve ever known,” I whisper. “No offense,” to Frost.
He answers with a laugh, “None taken, I ain’t sweet.” True.
“Well it’s simple and I don’t really feel like explaining it all to you right now since you just killed my father.” She looks back to Raze, continuing their conversation. “But I do want something from you to keep me occupied for now. He is to be in my care to do with as I please, and to help me with the army I now have to repair, thanks to your sister, so well, you could say you owe me. I need someone strong enough for none of them to try to cross me and take the title for themselves.”
“I don’t owe you shit. I could kill you right now and you couldn’t do shit about it. But,” Raze adds, flicking his eyes briefly to Miles who is hiding behind a smug smile, but then he slices Millie with a stare. “My wife made me promise no kills until my kid is one-year-old. And have you met my wife?”
“Cute, but I don’t give a fuck. I want Miles.”
“Miles!” we all snap, Miles included, talking in his third person.
“Why Miles?” Raze asks, his eyes slanting.
“No,” Millie cuts in. “I’m sorry did I say no? I meant fuck no!”
“Uh oh…” I tsk toward Taylor. “Now you pissed off the queen.”
Frost tightens his arms around my waist.
“I want Miles to assure my safety until I have my army in line. He’s your strongest soldier and you know it.”
Miles turns, shoots a look toward Raze, who then gives one back, a slight tickle on the corner of his lip. Oh these assholes… again, leaving me out.
Millie shrugs, cutting off whatever the guys had going on, and gazes back at Taylor. “You can have Miles then.” He grins, winks to Mill
ie and then blows me a kiss.
“Miles…” I go to step out of Frost’s grip, but he doesn’t budge. “You don’t have to do that. We could just kill her now.”
Miles shakes his head, and I understand now that I know the real reason why he won’t want that yet, but it’s worth mentioning. “We shouldn’t.” His eyebrows raise, giving me a stand down look, then he nods, as if to assure me it’s fine, he has it under control.
Swallowing past my fear, I know Miles can hold his own, but even he can’t do anything if he’s outnumbered. I step out of Frost’s grip, this time yanking his arms away from me and head straight toward Taylor. I come chest to chest with her, woman to woman, taking in every inch of all that is Taylor whatever the fuck her name is.
“Baby, you’re already covered in enough blood,” Frost chuckles from behind me.
“I know,” I answer without taking my eyes away from Taylor. “I won’t hurt her, I promise.”
I can see the fear twinkling at the surface of her eyes and her shoulders halt. She’s watching me, like you would watch a tiger that was circling you, waiting to make its move and have its feast.
I snort. “You’re scared of me.”
She tightens her jaw. “Well, considering the current state of this room, do you blame me?”
“Yes,” I answer instantly. “You’re afraid of me, but yet you want to reign an army?” I laugh, running my index finger over her cheek. “You don’t have the lady balls to do that.”
“Baby…” Frost warns in the distance.
“But let me make this clear, Taylor, if one hair is harmed on my brother’s head, I will personally show you how I can mutilate the private parts of a woman as I did with your father. Then, I will wrap each of your limbs in some Christmas paper and send it to your grandma who lives in the PNW, hand-delivered on Christmas day.” Her eyes flash with fear. “You thought you were being smug about throwing around Chase as your brother?” I bend to her ear and run my lips over her skin. “I know all there is to know about Chase.”