He continues to wash my body, his hands roaming over my rounded hips before he begins.
“When I was ten, I was kidnapped.”
My eyes bulge, a shocked gasp bursts free before I can stop myself, but I don’t interrupt.
“Liam and I-,” Karl continues, trying to gain his composure as his hands travel up my stomach, “W-we, we were taken from school. Lured outside by Samantha-at least that’s what we suspect.”
The shock I felt before burns to anger, but I still wait to speak.
“As soon as she turned the corner, we lost sight of her, and a man snatched me and pointed a gun to my head to make Liam come more willingly.”
I feel when he moves. His hand pauses at my belly button, his chest pressing to my back as he lowers his nose to the hollow of my neck and inhales. Then, he murmurs something that I can’t make out and grips my waist as if he’s trying to ensure I can’t escape.
My heart ceases at his vulnerability.
“Liam was able to escape, and the guilt of that eats at him every day. It’s wh-why you need to try to give him a chance- him and Rowan. We all were different after that, especially Liam,” he explains.
I stay still, allowing him to pour out his soul. It’s still not the time for me to do anything other than listen.
“When- while I was there, they kept saying it w-was m-my dad’s fault. All of our dads. That they didn’t listen, and since they wouldn’t, I would be an example for them to be taken seriously.”
Each time he reveals more, my heart rate ticks up, and my stomach churns. It’s like watching an oncoming accident and being powerless to stop it. You pray for a different outcome, but you know you’ll drive headfirst into the brick wall at a full rate of speed. I want to turn and hold him, but he continues to wash me. So, I give him what he needs to get through this.
“I was held for over a week. A week of hell. A week where I was repeatedly raped- my innocence stolen from me by some masked woman, before I was tortured and shared by her and the men who took me. The horror of my time there plagues me. Constantly told ‘I’m here’ because of who our fathers are.”
He snarls the last part.
My knees buckle, a flash of a younger Karl playing in my mind, broken and helpless. Tears cascade down my face, masked by the shower, but the water can’t hide the keening that rips from my chest.
Strong arms catch me before I hit the ground. Pushing back to our full height, I reach down, grab my loofa, and turn, loosening his hold. Water runs down on us, the soap washing away from our skin, neither of us caring, and I wash him. There’s no soap, but I don’t care. I just need to care for him.
The strength that they have- that he has. I turn him around and choke back my sob. Hidden under an intricate lion eating a skull tattoo are raised scars. They crisscross his back down to his butt. My hand covers my mouth, and I close my eyes.
Who the fuck would do this? Anger takes root in my gut and burns through me. I’d kill whoever did this.
Karl’s earlier words play, ‘your cunt wrapped around me is better than killing,’ pushing me to ask, “Have-have you killed before Karl?” My voice is still choppy as I try to talk while I cry.
He spins, capturing my chin, “Would it scare you if I said we all have?”
I want to say yes, but I remember the anger I felt in that room and how I wanted to kill everyone for hurting me and for what they did to Sam. Her name sparks a recollection of part of his story.
Did Samantha play a part in this? I want to ask, but not now.
“No, I’m not scared of any of you,” I confess. How can I be? I know they had to have killed people to get us out of that room. Shit, my dad was covered in blood when he burst into the room.
Reaching up on my tiptoes, I press my mouth to his before pulling back and stating, “Your monsters don’t scare me.”
The green pops in his usually more hazel-brown eyes, and he hoists me into his arms. I yelp when I slide before he lifts me higher, using his elbow to push open the glass door, and heads to the bedroom, leaving the shower on. He tosses me on the now made bed, and I blush at the idea of someone coming in here and cleaning up the bloody mess the sheets must have been. I don’t have time to dwell on those thoughts because I hear a condom tear, and then Karl is sliding inside me.
“You have no idea what you do to me, Angel, but I’m going to spend the rest of the day showing you,” he growls. His body hovering over mine as his hips slowly roll in and out of me.
I’ll feed his monsters and quiet the noise.
AUGUST
This class is dragging. The only thing making it remotely interesting is being able to stare at Riri.
I’m unsure if it’s because it’s the first class of the day or because I have to take the harpy on a date tonight. I argued with my dad for over an hour on all the reasons it makes no sense to subject me to any time in her presence, but he hit me with the ‘if you don’t, then you’ll be forced to go on more than one date as a punishment.’
This might be the only time I’ve actually hated my dad.
When the bell finally sounds, I start to gather my things-thoughts of the nightmare date plaguing me.
“What’s with the sour face?’ Emma murmurs in my ear.
I was so lost in my thoughts I didn’t even feel her approach and lean in.
“I’m just being salty over the date from hell I have to go on tonight.” I blurt out, averting my gaze after my stupidity. Because, of course, I’m an idiot and told the girl I want everything with about the troll I’m forced to date because of the Selection.
Emma’s silver eyes soften before glinting with mirth, “Just remember, prison doesn’t allow conjugal visits unless you have a kid visiting, so try not to make her go missing,” she jokes.
The frown on my face melts away, replaced by a quirk of my lip.
“Not that I’d ever be caught, but don’t tempt me, Love. The idea of my baby growing in your belly because I filled you with my cum has its appeal.”
My smile grows at the way her eyes pop in surprise. What was it that Sebastian said, ‘we can practice.’ I have every intention of practicing until she’s ready for us to grow our family.
Reaching out, I grab her hand, bringing it to my mouth, “Don’t worry, Riri, no babies any time soon. Not until you’re ready. I don’t care what the stupid rules stipulate.”
She hip-checks me, “You’re a smart man, August. School first, then career, and then if I like you enough, maybe babies.”
“What’s this about babies?” Liam asks as he, Karl, and Rowan join us.
“Nothing, there’s nothing about babies,” she exclaims, trying to pull from my hold, but we all box her in. “Will you assholes move,” she demands halfheartedly.
Liam leans in as Rowan locks his arm around her middle. “Can’t do that, Dove. You see, we like the idea of having you at our mercy,” he growls.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.