Page 17

SIXTEEN

MANIPULATION

OUR LITTLE SECRET—MANIC KAZZY

DOMINIC

I feel the warmth of her breath against the palm of my hand as I firmly cover her mouth, her body trembling against mine. I lead her into the darkness of the night, where nothing good ever happens, especially in these parts of Boston.

A twisted grin curls on my lips as I absorb her fear like it’s the fucking air around me. Ash and Killian walk silently beside me, while the loud noises of the cheering crowd on the next street over create a symphony that lulls us at ease.

She might know it’s us or she might not, but we still cover our faces with old Ghostface masks we had from last Halloween a few years back, playing along with the twisted game that she started.

At the end of the alley, I spin her around and push her back against the old, rusty door just under the fire escape, pinning her there with my body flush against hers. Kill gets close to her, pulling out his knife and teasing her midriff with it, gliding the dull end around her belly button in slow, teasing circles. Ash steps up, getting closer, tracing her exposed collarbone with the tips of his tattooed fingers, making goosebumps scatter all over her body. I keep my hand over her mouth and my face just inches away from hers, patiently waiting for her to try and open her pretty eyes.

Growing up, the first thing that I noticed about Calista were her eyes—the way they flickered in the glow of the sun and twinkled under the dancing stars that consumed the night sky. She was my ‘pretty eyes’, and I still remember the way she used to blush every time I called her that. Even now, as I think about the past we once shared, my heart swells with the love I still have for this girl, even though things between us have changed drastically over time.

Guilt begins to eat at me, thinking about the promise we made to her that we were unable to keep. I wanted to save her from the hell she was thrust into at such a young age, but I just... I fucking couldn’t. And not because I didn’t try, but because my father and her parents made it fucking impossible. I’ll admit, I gave up after a while. Everything I did or everything Kill or Ash did just felt like it didn’t make a difference. It felt like we were getting nowhere and we’d never be able to fulfill our promise to her. It wasn’t easy on me—on us—and because of it, we flocked to the darkness that we were trying to rescue her from, finding out places with the shadows after so long.

Even so, I never thought that Cali, of all people, would torment us just to teach us a lesson. And although we don’t know for sure if she’s the one who broke in and terrified Kill, we have a pretty good feeling that we’re on the right track. So we decided to play along to see how she fucking likes it.

Two wrongs don’t make a right, but who said anything about wanting to be right?

We’re just as fucked up as she is. We belong together, no matter if she thinks so or not. And we’re here to make sure she fucking knows it, even if all she’s going to do is deny and fight our attempts.

She’s ours just as we are hers. It was that way when we were little, and to this day, it has never fucking changed—it will never change.

So as we stand here in the darkness, surrounded by the echoing cheers of the crowd, the loud cars that zip up and down the street, vibrating it, and the feeling of her body trembling against mine, I wait for her to open her fucking eyes. And when she finally does, I see the flicker of fear in them that I cherish so damn much—the look she gives me, making my cock hard.

But before she can react, I lean in close and whisper, “We’re not going to let you go. We belong together, just as we always have.”

Her pretty eyes widen in shock and disbelief, but I can see a faint spark of defiance in them. With that, I tighten my grip on her and hold her even closer, making sure she feels how fucking hard I am because of her.

“If I remove my hand from your mouth, you’d better not fucking scream, or my boy won’t hesitate to use his knife on you,” I warn, waiting for her to shake her head or answer me with her eyes. “Do you fucking understand?”

She swallows slowly, her chest heaving. My eyes quickly dart to her tits, wrapped tightly in red lace that showcases them perfectly, spilling out the top with each deep breath she takes. I divert my focus back to her face as my balls begin to ache, not wanting her to see the effect she still has on me.

I tilt my head to the side, the mask on my face gleaming under the streetlight behind us. “Well, do you understand or not?” I growl, moving closer to her so the open mouth on my mask is mere inches from her cheek.

Nodding, Calista’s body begins to shake less, the spasms rocking her almost nonexistent. She blinks slowly, her dark, devious lashes fluttering, casting a thin shadow just under her lids.

Kill takes his knife and drags it up the front of her body, using the tip to tease her hard nipples poking through her lacy top. He’s having fun—more fun than I thought—but amped up on cocaine and ecstasy, I’d expect nothing less.

Silently, and with torturous, teasing movements, Ash’s fingers continue to dance across her tan, shimmery skin, slowly making their way toward her throat, where they trace the front of it each time she swallows.

I remove my hand from in front of her mouth, the heat from her breath lingering, but I don’t release her completely just in case she tries to run off even with a knife so close to her fucking heart. I reach out and squeeze her hip, sinking my fingers into her doughy flesh as if I’m kneading it.

“What do you want from me?” she asks in a trembling tone, as if she’s afraid to hear the answer. “I’m not going back there—I’m never going back there.” Frantically, she shakes her head, fear taking over the color of her eyes until they’re nothing but black and wild.

Confused, I stare at her, my eyes peering through the holes in the mask, wondering what the fuck she’s talking about, but then suddenly it clicks in my brain.

“We’re not here to bring you back there, my dark queen,” I soothingly whisper, reaching up to graze her rosy cheek with my tattooed knuckles.

Visibly relaxing, her shoulders drop, and she sighs, pushing out her chest, which again pulls my focus right to it. She knows how to use her body to get what she wants. She knows how to use it as a fucking weapon, all because of the things her parents forced her to do with those men—and our fathers.

I feel for her; my heart breaks even more, making it impossible to put back together because of how many shattered, miniscule pieces it’s currently in.

“Who are you, and what do you want?” She asks again, her tone confident, darkness dripping off every single word as they flow off the tip of her tongue.

Kill gently pushes me out of the way, taking his place in front of her with his body pinned against hers. I step to where he was standing on the side of her, planting my hand on the brick building beside her head, caging her in and preventing her from trying to run off.

Bringing his knife up to her mouth, Kill drags the sharp point across her lips, tracing both top and bottom. “ You little cocktease—we fucking want you .” A growl falls from his lips under his mask, his voice almost unrecognizable.

Watching her eyes widen as she tries to find out who we are, the only thought on my mind is turning her around and fucking her right here… but I don’t—not yet, anyway.

“Don’t be scared, sweetheart,” Ash assures her, lightly wrapping his hand around her throat, trying to get his fingertips to line up with the bruises already on her skin.

Someone’s been choking her, and when I find out who, I’m going to make sure they fucking pay for ruining such a beautiful canvas—our beautiful canvas.

Her head turns to follow Ash’s voice, completely undeterred by the knife being swept across her lips… and fuck, if it doesn’t turn me on to see her not give a shit about it. She’s fucking psychotic, but I can’t blame her for living for the chaos and darkness because, fuck, we all live for it too.

“I’m not scared, savage,” she finally says, a sinister smile tugging at the corners of her lips, undoubtedly reaching her pretty eyes. “You want to fucking choke me? Then do it. Choke me as hard as you can.” Her shoulders straighten as she challenges Ash, pushing her throat against his hand to tempt him.

I can tell, even with his face covered, that he’s taken aback by the level of crazy radiating off of her. But fuck, so ain’t I. That shit turns me on, and it takes everything in me not to show her just how fucking crazy I can be too.

Crazy flocks to crazy—another reminder that I know I’ve met my fucking match—we’ve all met our fucking match in the little girl we fell in love with over a decade ago. Tonight was just a reminder, in case we had forgotten.

“Thought so.” Turning her head, she locks eyes with Kill, her grin widening and growing even more sadistic. “You want to cut me? To use your fucking knife on me? Then fucking do it, blade ,” she croons, bravely reaching out to fist the hem of his sweatshirt, pulling him closer. “Have you ever fucked someone with a knife?” she asks, quirking her sculpted brow. “Has it ever been inside of a pussy before?” She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip until she draws blood, seductively darting her tongue out to lick it away.

“Why, do you want me to use my knife on you, little cocktease? Do you want me to fuck your tight little cunt with it?” Kill grumbles, trying hard to hide the desire that’s making his hands shake as he glides the knife down the front of her body again. “Say the word, and I’ll show you just how fucking good I can make you feel. I’ll make you feel better than anyone else ever has, and that’s a fucking promise.” Slipping his knife under her skirt that he pushes above her hips, he drags the point along her slit, coating it in her arousal.

The fact that she isn’t wearing underwear makes it even more satisfying, and I can tell how much she’s turning them on—even me—without even trying to.

“Ha, I fucking doubt that, Blade ,” she laughs, trying to provoke him.

Even though it takes all the restraint in his body, Kill stands firm, not taking the bait she’s casting.

Finally, she turns to me, lifting her chin in defiance while trying to show me that she isn’t afraid of us one fucking bit. “What about you?” she asks, sweeping her eyes the length of my body, taking in the all-black attire rapped around me. “What’s your thing?”

Reaching behind me into my waistband, I chuckle. “What’s my thing?” I ask, mimicking her as I pull out my gun and bring it in front of her face, knowing it isn’t loaded. “My thing, Little Psycho, is playing Russian roulette,” I whisper, growling as I switch off the safety and cock it, the hammer clicking loudly in my ears.

“Is that supposed to fucking scare me?” Calista scoffs, a smile spreading across her red lips to show me she isn’t afraid.

“Not one fucking bit, but...” I grin, stepping closer and reclaiming my spot in front of her, pushing my gun between her thighs and shoving them apart. “I didn’t say exactly what I like to play with.” Keeping my eyes on her, I rub the barrel of my gun against her wet cunt, getting it saturated in the juices dripping down the inside of her thighs.

Her eyes widen slightly, but she doesn’t move, keeping a grin on her face as if to call my bluff. I ease my gun inside her pussy, her jaw parting and her eyes rolling back as I thrust gently. With my finger on the trigger, I press it, the click of the empty shot putting the fear of God in her pretty eyes and a sadistic smirk on my lips.

“Did I forget to mention that I like playing Russian roulette while my gun is buried in someone’s cunt—your cunt?” I keep fucking her with it, jealous that it isn’t my cock inside her, aroused by the look of terror swirling in her eyes.

I pull the trigger again, making her jump as a gasp escapes her throat, her body trembling all over again.

“Scared, Little Psycho?” Her eyes flutter, widening every time I call her that, and it begins to make me wonder why. Still, I fuck her with the gun, pulling the trigger randomly.

Shaking her head and swallowing hard, she chokes on her words as she whispers, “I’m not scared at all, trigger. In fact, fuck me deeper, faster, and harder, and pull the trigger again like a good fucking boy.” Her eyes glimmer with dark desire, her chest heaving from her deep sporadic breaths.

Shocked that she isn’t phased in the least, I yank my gun out of her, relishing the wet, suction sound her pussy makes. Bringing the barrel in front of my mouth, I stick out my tongue and lick her essence off while she watches, swirling my tongue around the black steel until it’s completely cleaned off.

“Tell me, Little Psycho, where did you learn to talk so dirty?” I taut as I step away from her, licking my lips to savor the taste of her. “You’re a little minx, aren’t you?”

Calista’s eyes narrow, but her smile remains as she looks at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Don’t call me that, trigger, but if you must know, I’ve learned from the fucking best,” she replies, her tone slightly threatening, dripping with raw confidence.

I have to admit, there’s something about the way she carries herself that makes me hesitate. This isn’t the same Calista I remember. There’s a darkness in her eyes—a fire that wasn’t there before. But I can see why she is the way she is, with all the twisted things she’s had to endure. And I can’t help but feel a surge of pride that we had a part in shaping her into the fierce, unyielding woman standing before us, even if we wanted no part in the diabolical turn of events we were forced into by our parents.

As I watch her, a wave of regret eventually washes over me. What have we done? What kind of monster have we helped create?

Before I can dwell on those thoughts, Ash steps forward, his voice letting me know that a devilish smile tugs at his lips. “You’re one feisty little thing, aren’t you? I suppose we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

In an instant, Calista’s demeanor changes. The air around us crackles with tension as she squares her shoulders and meets Ash’s gaze head-on.

“Bring it on, savage,” she challenges, her voice filled with defiance.

Right then I realize that Calista isn’t just a victim—she’s a force to be reckoned with, and we’ve just unleashed something that we may not be able to control. But deep down, a part of me can’t help but revel in the darkness and the chaos. This is what we were always meant to be—twisted, dark, and chained together in a dance of danger and desire. It’s a vicious game we’re playing, but I know that I'm all in—that we’re all in.

The game is far from over; we’re all just getting fucking started.

* * *

Slipping out of the dark alley, we leave Calista secured to the fire escape above her, knowing she’ll be able to undo the string from my sweatshirt that we tied around her wrists. We wanted her to be able to break free, just when we were far enough away from her, so she didn’t assume right away that it was us in the alley with her.

Sitting in the front seat of my car, my hands gripping the wheel as my engine vibrates my entire body, I can’t get her and our little game out of my head.

Looking out my driver window, I nod at Ash in the car beside me with Kill in the passenger seat, too fucked up to drive tonight. I can see the lust and need in their eyes, and jealousy courses through my veins, knowing what’s about to happen once we speed off. If Kill was my passenger, I’d be the one getting roadhead tonight, not Ash.

With my cock screaming at me, painful and rock hard, I reach down and begin to jerk myself off, resting my head back against the headrest. Even as the girl drops the flags in front of us and I floor the gas pedal, I stroke my cock, picturing Calista the entire time.

As we speed off into the night, with Ash and Kill lost in their own debauchery in the car beside me, I can’t help but feel a surge of anticipation coursing through me. Calista’s fierce defiance only fuels my desire for her even more, and the thought of what’s to come between us leaves me breathless with anxiety.

The twisted game we’ve unleashed is intoxicating—addicting—and I know that the chaos and darkness will further bind us together in a way that can’t ever be broken.