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10

CHLOE

A pang of sadness overcame me, realizing we only had a short time left. Normally it was one and onto the next fun and kinky adventure, but I didn’t want this to end. Most would think that’s crazy because I haven’t seen their faces. I hope they reveal themselves to me before the night’s over.

Lux had his arm draped lazily around me, and King rested his head on my abdomen. It felt nice, and it’s the most wanted…and loved I’d felt in a long time.

King cleared his throat and scratched at his chest, shifting slightly. “Hey, throughout the night, I couldn’t help but notice the scar on your thigh. Would you feel comfortable telling us about it?” Stroking his fingers along the reddened scar, my pulse quickened. Did I want to talk about it… no . Would I… yes .

I clenched my jaw tight, silent as I wracked my brain for a way to start. Nobody ever asked me about them, but everyone knew. It ruined a dream I’d worked my whole life for.

I lost a part of my soul that night. A few heavy breaths settled my decision, and I looked towards the ground in shame, away from them before answering.

“Have you ever given your heart to someone? I mean everything in you, including the air you breathe…to have them betray you in the worst ways possible?”

Lux tensed up, his fingers stilling on my shoulder, and his body tensed. King turned to face me and both pairs of eyes met mine. Neither needed to answer. I could see what swam in their eyes, understanding.

“I had someone who was my everything. We had the perfect life…on paper.” My bottom lip jutted out, quivering to restrain myself. “I was in control until I wasn’t. It happened so fast and by the time I realized, the turtlenecks and endless amount of make-up weren’t enough to hide it.”

I clenched my fists together, realizing that this was going to be harder than I thought. My heart clenched at the thought of Nicholas and what he must have thought about me.

Stupid for staying…

Gold digger…

I wiped my teary eyes, letting the intrusive thoughts spread lies. “Especially from his brother. I think he suspected what was going on, but I never asked for help. He probably thought I put up with it to have a lavish life.”

Lux

My heart thundered in my chest wildly as I restrained my anger. My breath caught in my throat as soon as she mentioned me, and I didn’t think hearing her end was something I could handle.

How could she put words in my mouth like that? She was so beautiful, and he broke her down, forcing her into a box she could barely fit in. Over time, her raging fire, the one I rapidly fell for, just…snuffed out. I wouldn’t do that and I sure as hell wouldn’t injure her to the point she would never skate again.

I was just as guilty for not protecting her then, for choosing a career over her safety. I was too fucking young and disgustingly outnumbered that night. That night repeatedly makes an appearance every time I close my eyes.

I popped the trunk and threw my duffle bag in, my gear thudding into the empty space. The most important game of the season was tonight, and an inadequate feeling spread throughout my chest as the nerves kicked in.

Would I be good enough? Fast enough to win? Did I have everything I needed?

With a groan, I grabbed the zipper and slid it across, the sound loud in my ears as the bag opened and I did a mental check, pushing down the anxiety that welled inside.

Skates: check

Jersey: check

Stick and helmet: check

Extra clothes: check

Angel had the rest and I would grab it after dinner, but my thermals and mouthguard were missing. My room was on the first floor, away from everyone. I could run in quickly and get on the road with no problem.

After finding what I needed, I rolled up my sleeve and, according to my watch, I was already running late, as usual. Commotion ensued in the hallway in a fit of screams and was that begging?

My hand shakily reached for the door handle, and I opened the door slightly. Enough so I could peer out.

“What the hell is going on now?” I whispered to myself.

My brother looked furious, whispering harshly and I couldn’t quite make out what he was saying. And there she was. Her dark hair fell in long ringlets along her back as she tried to plead with him. I zeroed in, noticing his hand raised. My fists clenched and jaw tightened hearing the harsh slap, and I almost lost it.

Grim eyes met mine as he smirked before slamming the door and the unmistakable click from the outside locked me in this four walled hell. Starting to feel claustrophobic, I banged on the door in heavy, panicked breaths. I wanted out…and I needed her to come with me.

“Let me out! I didn’t do anything. Get your filthy goons off of her!”

I never understood why she put up with it, and I even tried to stop it, going to her parents. When brought up, they turned their heads. How could they do that to her? He may have been my brother, but Ezra Palmer was a monster, and he didn’t deserve her.

A few of his buddies had been there watching the whole thing in the open like it was some type of show. In a flash, he barked an order and she was hoisted up. Carried off somewhere upstairs, pleading and crying for him to reconsider.

Sweat lined my forehead and dripped down the creases of my forehead as I sprinted for the door, trying and succeeded in breaking it down. Wood splintered around me, and I winced in pain as my shoulder smacked into the wall.

Until recently, I hadn’t looked at her with a sinful thought, but I’d always cared for her. Now I was being faced with a choice. Leave it and go play like this never happened, or try to help, knowing tomorrow she would be right back in his arms.

Turning back toward the stairs and running the risk of losing a huge game, I took them two at a time until I reached the top. My heart thudded against my ribcage and anger latched to every vein, spreading it throughout my body.

Two of his goons stood against the door, and I busted in against their attempts to block my way. “Get the fuck out of my way. What are you doing to her?”

Instantly, hands gripped my arms and pulled me back, attempting to rip me out of the room. One of them was on top of her, holding her down and reaching for his zipper while my brother sat and watched. He had a grin plastered on his face, swirling the ice in his drink.

I lurched against the larger men to get to her, but all I succeeded in doing was getting a shirtless Ezra to move from the chair next to the bed and appear in front of me.

Her cries sliced through me. Two direct hits to my face caused my ears to ring, and I lost my footing. They dragged me into the hallway with ease.

“Chloe!”

“Don’t you have a game tonight? Pretty big I hear.” He chuckled. “This is a domestic matter.” The sinister smile caused my blood to run cold.

I clenched my jaw tight, challenging him. “A domestic dispute is between those in the relationship. Not every Dick and Tom that feels like watching the show.”

“Why does it matter? She’s going to be mine. Correct that, she is mine. What I do with her is none of your business.”

A pained cry echoed from down the hall and a shiver ran down my spine as I heard her begging for help. Needing me, and I couldn’t do shit. Fighting against their grip, I tried so hard to escape, but I was still dazed, and blood poured from my nose.

My gaze darkened on his smirking face, and I spat in his direction. “How many times have you done this to her?”

I swallowed thickly, her pleading voice tearing through my resolve.

“I see what this is,” He chuckled darkly. “Do you really think someone like her would even bat an eye in your direction?”

An angry tear walked a trail down my cheek, and I sniffed. He was right. She didn’t deserve either of us.

With a wicked grin, he nodded to the men, and I jolted forward, tumbling down the stairs. The sheer momentum tossing me down three flights of stairs with no mercy.

I must have blacked out a few times on the way down. When I came to, dull, tingling pain spread in my lower extremities, and I quickly became terrified. Praying that he didn’t just end a career that hadn’t even started yet.

I felt powerless as he stalked toward me, moving swiftly and dangerously down the stairs, and I used my arms to try and pull myself forward, away from him. I struggled on my stomach to slide on the floor and away from danger.

My head swam and threatened to pull me under. An excruciating pressure landed in the middle of my back, holding me hostage and stomped down.

“Such a shame, isn’t it? A rising star they call him,” he belted into the open air of the foyer and crushed his weight into my body once more. “Potentially one of the youngest captains if he can prove himself in the next few years.”

“Fucking stop!” I screamed it out, pleading over and over. The tears flowed in a tight stream down my face and my molars rubbed together painfully as my spine threatened to split under the pressure.

Ezra loomed over me, his face twisted in cruelty. “You didn’t see anything here tonight. If you say anything, your career Will.Be.Over.”

Right then, I didn’t care about a career. Pain sat deep in my gut and a sob escaped my lips, knowing I couldn’t help her.

“Say it Nicholas!”

“I didn’t see anything!” I seethed, swallowing mouthfuls of air as the pressure on my back increased. “I didn’t see anything!”

“Who does she belong to?”

Immediately regretting my next statement. My eyes met the floor in defeat. I tried to block everything out that cornered me like he did. Licking the blood from my lips, I clenched my jaw and my whole body trembled in pain. “She’s yours.”

“That’s right. Now, be a man and get up. And get out, before I change my mind.”

The pressure left, and I heaved myself up, shakily dragging my injured body back to my car and left, never looking back. I never told anyone what happened that night and I’d always regretted it, my heart heavy for not doing more.

A few days later Angel busted into my room in an uproar about how my brother’s fiancée was dead, and I refused to believe it. Making my way back to the house in the middle of the night, I found the locks had been changed. Not only that, but bars lined the windows except for one. The attic. If she tried to escape, he knew that fall would kill her. There was no other choice at the time. So, I gave up

One day after I had finally pushed my grief down far enough. I noticed her walking past the windows of the gym I frequented. My eyes widened at the sight and I rolled right off the treadmill, laughing it off, confused.

But I continued to stay away, sticking to the cowardly way of social media stalking and leaving the locker room as soon as possible to avoid running into her.

I was thankful for the mask at this moment, shielding what needed to be hidden, but my eyes gave away everything.

Clearly, this was his way of asking permission to take care of the situation, and we would. Those fuckers would never see it coming.

My brother wouldn’t be going unscathed, we would be coming for him too. I just needed to hear the list of offenses before I decide what exactly is going to happen to him.

“Sometimes I wondered if his brother had feelings for me. I even questioned if they were mutual a few times, but it would’ve never worked out.”

“Why?” I shot out, slightly offended, and King gave me a warning look through furrowed eyebrows.

Despite sharing her trauma with two strangers, she giggled softly. “Well, for starters, I’m older, seven years to be exact. Which even today would only put him at twenty-three.”

“Well, I think that’s hot, and younger men sometimes have a lot to offer a woman of your age.” King replied in a playful, mischievous tone.

Her laugh rang in my ears like cannon-fire, and I couldn’t help the smile that painted itself across my face. Tracing circles into various parts of her soft skin, I asked her what I already somewhat knew.

“What happened?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“He was playing cards with a few friends. It was my fault really. We had to be up early the next day and somehow it went from him screaming in my face to his friends dragging me upstairs. I remember fighting outside the door and screaming for help, but not much else. I kept passing out.”