Page 6 of Wonderland Asylum (Wonderland Killers #1)

FIVE

Did You Have To Put Him In The Hospital?

One thing I love about Pixie Hollow University is that it's one nonstop party the two weeks before the school year begins and that unwelcome pressure settles in.

-Presley

AJ: Answer me bitchhhh!

I laugh at my best friend's text. She knows all about Gunner feeling me up, and she's trying to make me feel better that he hasn't called or made mad passionate love to me yet.

Those were her words not mine, but it's true. Besides from him initially wanting to talk about our make out session, he hasn't brought it up again.

Sadly, I don't have the lady balls to bring it up myself, so I've been avoiding both of them at all costs.

AJ's talked me into going to the kickoff party of the season, which is the annual bonfire down at the beach. Maybe I can find somebody there that'll take my mind off of those blue eyed devils.

Me: Calm your tits! I'm coming!

The beach is a shorter walk from my dorm than AJ's, so she's just going to meet me there. Kai has to work tonight so he's not going to be a part of all the festivities which equals more fun for me. Yay!

"Hey you fine ass slut!" AJ yells as she jumps out of her car.

I laugh up into the cloudless sky. The stars are lined perfectly, so it's bound to be one hell of a night.

"Look at you! You look so pretty." I link our arms together as we walk toward the dunes.

"As do you. Do you realize we're matching?" She asks with a smile.

"Omg! We are!" Her dress is shorter than mine, but it's the same style, and shade of periwinkle blue.

"Great minds think alike, and all that." She adds.

"Are you looking to hook up with anyone tonight?"

"Maybe.” She coyly answers with a blush.

"What the hell aren't you telling me, Aurora Jane?"

She laughs heartily. "I'm not ready yet, but soon. I promise."

I nod. "At least tell me this—he, she, or they?"

"She. What about you? Are you going to tell the Donovan's to suck it, and make out with someone else for a change?"

I roll my eyes. "I've made out with plenty of guys before the DB's, thank you very much, and I'm not sure. If I see someone that tickles my fancy then, yeah, I will.

"It's good to keep your options open."

"When's your lady coming?"

"She doesn't get off of work until midnight. "

"Good, that means I have you until then." I laugh.

"Yes! Bestie time is the best time!"

The music hits us before we round the last dune. We're fairly early, but there are still a ton of people here.

There's a volleyball tournament going on to the left of us. My smile grows when I realize they already have their shirts off. Good times.

Tilting my head toward them, I pull AJ into their general direction. "Look, it's a whole meat market."

She laughs. "Just like Arby's they got all the meat."

I cackle, because yeah, she's insane but I love her. "Do you know any of these guys?"

"I know two of them, and one you better stay away from."

Thankfully, I spot him before he sees me. It's Declan, Kai's best friend in all his handsome glory. He's one hundred percent a snitch, so no good can come from him seeing me here.

Covering half of my face with my hair, we slowly walk away. Damn it! My stepbrothers cockblock me again, and they aren't even here.

A tall muscular brunette had caught my eye, but that's null and void now. "Damn Declan, let's head to the makeshift bar."

Mary Bennet, my fellow wallflower, and part of our friend circle hands us two lite beers from the cooler. "Are you working all night?"

She nods. "Girl, unfortunately, it's my turn."

She's a legacy Phi Mu, and couldn't care less about the prestige that comes with it. There's a sadness in her eyes, but getting her to talk about her problems is like pulling teeth.

She looks longingly toward the group of guys behind us. "Has anything new happened between you and Bishop?"

She shakes her head. "I haven't heard from him all summer, and he barely spared me a glance when he walked in. "

Reaching out I take her hand in mine. "Fuck him, Mary. If he can't see you for the badass chick that you are, then fuck him."

"Yeah, fuck him!" AJ shouts.

Mary smiles. "When you're right you're right."

AJ leans in, "you know they say the key to getting over someone, is getting under someone new."

I nod. "She has to remind me of that almost daily."

"I think I will." She smiles.

"Do you have anyone in mind?" I ask, because she's my friend, and I'm nosey as hell.

She laughs. "Yes, there's a guy in my chemistry class, William Collins. He talks entirely too much, and is borderline boring, but smoking hot. So, it could work for a night if he didn't open his mouth."

AJ smirks. "Well, you mean, if he didn't open his mouth for words."

Mary blushes, and I laugh. She's got her there.

"PK?" A deep voice calls me from behind.

"Yes?" I turn around quickly.

"Want to go for a walk on the beach?" His voice is deep, and hits just the right notes.

Hell yeah! It's the hot brunette I was checking out earlier. This close he looks familiar. "I'd like that. Do we know each other?"

Taking my hand in his he leads me toward the pier. "We had Sociology together last semester."

"Yes! That's right, Chad Connor football transfer from Penn State."

"O-M-G, I can't believe you remember me." He laughs. “Okay, beautiful, first things first, are you and Kai a thing? Because I'm no home wrecker."

"I like it, a man with morals. No, we aren't together. He's just my Neanderthal of a stepbrother. You do know if this gets back to him he's going to be pissed, right?"

"That's what I've been told." He shrugs without much concern.

The fact that he knows, and is still willing to talk to me is kind of hot. Guys usually won't come within a stones throw of me. "Do you like Pixie Hollow better than your last school?"

"Yeah, a million times better. Listen, I've wanted to talk to you for a long time, but your damn stepbrother is always around mean mugging anybody that tries. He's fucking intense. How'd you get away from him tonight?"

I chuckle. "He's working and I'm not. Ain't life grand?"

"It is." His easy smile is breathtaking.

The boardwalk is vacant because everyone is down by the dunes. We walk in companionable silence, and it's nice to be in the presence of a guy where I don't have to hide what I'm thinking or feeling.

He seems pretty cool, and who knows, maybe he could win over my step brothers if we actually started dating. Selfishly, I'd rather it be me that found someone first.

He stops abruptly, and pulls me into his arms. I'm startled, but being this close to him isn't terrible. No, on the contrary, with the moonlight and waves in the background it feels almost magical.

Chad seems like a great guy, however, there's no spark with him. Not like I've read about, and especially not like I have with them.

If they were here the background wouldn't matter, the noise, the wind, even the smell of salt in the air would fade away. Nothing would remain, only us.

I wish I could talk to my Mama about things like this. Our relationship is better than it's ever been, but that doesn't mean I can tell her how much I want to feel up my stepbrothers. Talk about awkward.

Sighing into him, he bends down and captures my lips. The kiss is slow and nothing like Gunner's. I wonder how Kai's mouth would feel on mine. Would he ruin me, or leave me unfulfilled like Chad?

A gust of wind blows past us, and the faint scent of mahogany and rosewood assaults my senses. Terror grips my heart, because there's only one person with that scent. It's been etched in my brain and my heart forever.

In an instant I push Chad away from me. Turning to run, I'm stopped by Declan. I knew there would be trouble as soon as I saw him playing volleyball. Yet, he’s not the one that scares me.

Standing on a throne made of sand, Kai slides down the hill with the ease of a god from Olympus. “Declan, take Presley Kate back to the party while me and Chad here have a long talk.”

“No!” I scream.

Kai hasn’t taken his eyes off of Chad, which is the equivalent to a signed death warrant. With his temper I can’t leave or this situation will go from bad to worse.

I try reasoning with Declan, because he’s not dumb. He knows his best friend is on the near side of crazy. “Dec, you know he can’t be left alone with him, and that I’m the only one that can calm him down. I can’t leave.”

He nods. “We aren’t going anywhere.”

“Then let me go, Asshole.”

“Not a chance. He’ll put me on his kill list next if I let you get in the middle of this shit and get hurt. I don’t want to have to punch my best friend in the face tonight. So, your ass is staying right here.”

Kai circles Chad, who doesn’t look at all bothered. He doesn’t know what I know, that he’s being toyed with .

“Declan, why did you tell him?”

“Because it would be against the Brotherhood to keep it quiet.”

Of course the damn brotherhood! I’m so sick of their alpha male bullshit. They’re both a part of a frat, but those aren’t the ones they really consider their brothers.

No, the Brotherhood is my stepbrother’s friend group that they’ve had since coming to Pixie Hollow. They’re thicker than thieves and up to no damn good, and the literal banes of my existence. I’m still pissed they won’t let me in their little boys club.

“Kai! Stop goading him. He’s not going to hit you first. Can we just go please?”

Kai turns to me for the first time. “He was warned by Declan not to touch you, Pres. He disregarded that order, and don’t worry, I’ll deal with you fucking later.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m done with this bullshit.” Beyond done with all of their shit, I stomp on Declan’s foot.

He’s wearing flip flops, so it doesn’t bode well for him. I like Dec, but I don’t like being backed into a corner.

Getting in between Kai and Chad, I try to diffuse the tension of the situation. Grabbing Kai by his chin, I force him to meet my pleading gaze. “Kai, I need you to listen to me. Let him go, I’m the one that approached him. This is our fight.”

The tight lines around his eyes soften just a fraction. He's unpredictable on a good day when it comes to me, and I’m a fool for loving how only I can make his eyes darken in a fraction of a second.

His warmth is a cocoon around me. This isn’t normal, the feelings I have for them.

Chad clears his throat behind me. Fuck . I gave him a chance to escape. Why didn’t he run?

Whatever softness there was, left when he made his presence known. Placing me gently behind him, he punches Chad so hard that he flies into the air and crashes into a wave.

I scream at Kai to leave him alone, but he runs for the water instead. Leading Chad back on the beach, Kai begins pummeling his face. Blood pours out of his mouth, nose, everywhere.

My stomach drops, because this is a nightmare. I’ve seen Kai angry, but never like this. This is something else entirely. It’s brutal, barbaric even.

“Declan!!! Stop him! He’s going to kill him!” I beg.

He nods, but doesn’t seem in too much of a hurry to comply. Picking up a piece of driftwood I slap Kai in the back of the head with it.

That only fuels his fire, and just when I think Chad is going to die, Declan steps in. People have gathered to see the fight, and some of them boo him as he yanks Kai off of Chad.

A couple of Chad’s buddies carry him toward the parking lot. Tears flow down my face because this is all my fault. I know how crazy my stepbrothers are when it comes to me, I love and hate it.

The crowd scatters at Declan’s command. If one of the members of the Brotherhood gives you a command, you do it or pay the consequences. He follows them back down the beach leaving me alone with Kai.

Leaning down he washes Chad’s blood off of his body. It occurs to me that this is my one chance to get away.

I won’t leave though. An invisible thread ties me to them, so like an idiot I wait. “Kai, did you have to put him in the hospital?”

A grunt is his only answer. So, I continue. “Why can’t y’all see that this is crazy! It’s time for me to date. I want to have the full college experience.”

He storms toward me, but I’m not scared. My knees buckle, and he catches me before I swoon. “Nobody deserves you, Princess. ”

“Kai, you can’t be serious. Do you want me to run away from you? Because you and Gunner are pushing me away.”

They don’t understand how serious I am about wanting my freedom. I can’t have them, so I need separation. “You’re fucking crazy if you think you’ll ever escape us. We’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth, and gut anyone that tries to touch you.”

“Ka–” He places his finger on my lips, shutting me up entirely.

“Nothing you can say will change our mind. Nobody will ever take you from us.” He whispers just before replacing his lips where his finger sat.

My hands move to his hair, I’ve always wanted to run my hands through the silken tresses. I moan, as his hand wraps around my throat.

My pussy aches to be touched, to be filled, and only one of them will do. I cry out again when he tightens his hold.

This kiss is a claiming, not just for my body but also for my soul. I’d give it to him, I’d give him everything, all he’d have to do is ask.

The world melts away, all that happened is erased from my mind, but all too soon his warmth evaporates.

Kai runs his other hand up and down my body. “Is your pussy weeping for your stepbrother, Pres? I know it is, and one day, I’m going to fuck you, but not tonight. Let’s go, you can spend the night with me at the frat.”