The Unfortunates by Skyla Madi (10)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nine

 

All day I hid out in my room, dazed and confused. I spent the greater part of the morning thinking about my Fortunate and what he did to me—what I let him do to me—and the rest of the day pondering the powerful surges of orgasm, even missing them a little. I never thought such pleasure could be so overwhelming. I never knew such emotions could be forced from the human body by a gentle swipe of a perfect finger. I want it again and again, and I hoped, no, I prayed that it’d happen again. I barely touched my lunch, having eaten so much at breakfast, and before I know it, the sun is gone and the moon is out.

Which brings me to now.

A gown that I never thought my skin would ever be able to grace clings to my body before flowing off my hips. It still had its usual Unfortunate styling; the plunging neckline, the sheer fabric, and tunic-like style, tied in a knot on my shoulder. It was purple, like the one Vince wanted me to wear tonight, but a different style altogether. It exposed no large portions of flesh nor gave off any ‘sexual’ vibe. I manage to bite back a smile. I guess Kade doesn’t want me on show as much as he originally thought.

Portia pulled my hair up into a messy bun, allowing two locks of auburn hair to frame my face. They looked silly, as long as they were, and Portia cut them so they were level with my chin. Portia is doing a lot better now that a small amount of time has passed. She’s even started smiling again. Death is never easy, old world or new world, I’m sure it still hurt. I missed her. It’s nice to finally have an Unfortunate on my team again. At least Portia understands Kade. At least she isn’t terrified of me because of him.

“You should go,” Portia says, patting my shoulder. “It’s eight-nineteen, and if you’re not out there by eight-twenty, Kade’s going to come looking for you.”

The mention of his name does funny things to my tummy. It sends it flipping and floating like a leaf in a cool autumn breeze. With a nod and quick swipe of my dress, I step into the hallway. I follow it into the kitchen and out into the yard. Like usual, it seems no expenses were spared for yet another Sario event. Gorgeous white and purple lights are strung all over the place, stretching as far down the yard as the eye can see. Tables are draped in white and purple fabric and covered in white and purple flower petals. It’s breathtaking…and not Vince’s style at all. I expected topless Unfortunates, people grinding and drinking and fucking all over the place. I did not expect something with taste, something easy on my eyes. Unfortunates filter from the house with drink trays in their hands, all of the females wearing the same exposing purple dress I tried on earlier. Suddenly, I feel left out. I don’t want to attract unwanted attention.

“You’re late.” Kade’s voice, smooth like the low keys on a piano, penetrates my chest and grips my heart. He steps out of the shadows to my left with a glass in his hand and the solid ground turns to liquid under my bare feet.

“No, I’m not,” I say, allowing my eyes to take in his whole form. He looks amazing draped in the finest, fittest, and blackest suit I’ve ever seen. You’d think he’s going to a funeral, not his brother’s birthday. “It’s eight-twenty.”

He tsks. “It’s eight-twenty-one.”

I set my jaw. “Well, in that case I’m so sorry I kept you waiting. I hope it wasn’t too painful.”

His full lips twitch, a beautiful gesture that doesn’t pass me by, and he steps closer. “The wait wasn’t, but your dress, on the other hand…”

I suck in a breath and let it go ever so subtly. “What, are my nipples not distinguishable enough for you?” I ask, trying my hardest not to sound breathless.

All I can think about are his hands… his fingers…his delectable mouth.

“You should think about ditching the sarcasm. I’m sure I can still pinch them through that pathetic excuse of fabric.”

“Promises of torture before the party has even started, I’m so lucky to have you as my Fortunate.”

“I let you come by my hands today. You have no idea how lucky you are.” He grips my forearm, gently but firmly, and pulls me close. “You stay by my side tonight. Do you understand?”

There’s a clear warning in his eyes and I’m not the smartest girl on the planet, but I’m sure as hell not the dumbest. Playtime is over. “Yes, Master Kade.”

I follow closely behind him as he walks and talks to other Fortunates. They all love Kade and embrace him with open arms. Honestly, it’s quite hard to tell if their affection is genuine though, or if it’s the alcohol doing all of the talking. I observe Kade as he mingles. Most Fortunates move to start conversations with him and he only speaks when asked a direct question, or asking a direct question. He doesn’t participate in small talk or gossip or even express his condolences or congratulations if a particular subject comes up. It’s good to know he’s closed off to everyone and it’s not just me.

The night moves quickly and everything is going well, until I distinctly feel a hand press to the small of my back and glide over the curve of my ass. My eyes widen, but I don’t dare jolt away. Instead, I subtly reach forward and tug ever so slightly on Kade’s jacket sleeve. As he glances over his shoulder, the hand is gone as quickly as it appeared.

“Vince,” Kade states, speaking his name like he’s not welcome at his own party. “Happy birthday.”

I keep my head down, not daring to peek at either of them. The group of Fortunates Kade was chatting with have drifted off, giving the brothers some alone time.

“Why isn’t she wearing the dress, Kaden?”

Kade draws his glass to his lips and takes a long, pondering sip. “Because she doesn’t have to,” he says when he lowers it.

“Everyone else is.”

“Well, everyone else doesn’t belong to me. The way she dresses is an option I, and I alone, get to choose.”

Vince expels an offended air through his nose. “It’s my birthday and you couldn’t even give me this one thing?”

Kade scoffs. “I bought you two virgin Unfortunates and had them sent to your room earlier today. Not one, but two, so don’t talk to me like I haven’t done anything for you.”

“Virgins? I was done with them within an hour. You could have gotten me something a little more sustainable, like a car.”

Kade sighs and I lift my eyes just enough to see him swirl his drink and take another sip. “You’re not allowed to drive cars outside of the city, so it would’ve been pointless.”

“Whatever, man.” With a swift, harsh slap on my ass that makes me yelp, Vince strolled off. I glance over my shoulder, my cheeks burning with embarrassment and disgust as he slings his arm around a passing Unfortunate, one that graciously wears the dress he wanted us all to wear.

“Ignore him,” I tell Kade, who glares at Vince. “Asshole.”

He looks at me and for the first time, I see sincerity in his face. “Are you all right?”

I feel my eyebrows rise in shock. Is he asking me if I’m all right? “Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“I—I’m fine.” I rub the back of my neck. “Thank you.”

“There’s Albert.” Kade points out.

I follow the subtle point of his finger and spot a grey-haired Albert fifteen metres away, sitting alone and drinking wine yet again.

“I’m going to go chat with him. Alone.”

Out of panic, I grip his arm and his dark eyes zero in on it. I quickly pull my hand back. “What do you want me to do?”

He glances around. “Go stand by that tree and don’t move. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

“Wait, what about Vince?”

“Don’t worry about him. He’ll go to the Black House soon for his usual birthday antics, and other Fortunates like to watch, so the numbers will dwindle. You’ll be safe.” I open my mouth to protest, but Kade grabs my lips, pinching them together. I want him to know there’s a bad feeling swirling in my stomach that I can’t seem to shake. “Go and sit,” he orders. “I’ll be right back.”

He releases my mouth and turns away from me. I guess I don’t have a choice. Rubbing my mouth, I turn and saunter towards the massive oak tree. I sit in the shadows, away from the light to avoid anyone seeing me—especially Vince. I think I manage to go unnoticed for thirty seconds before I hear dry leaves crunch underneath a pair of shoes. Shoes. That means only one thing—a Fortunate. I hold my breath and don’t move, hoping he or she doesn’t see me, but when I see the moon glisten off of leather shoes as they stop in front of me, I know I’ve lost.

“And here I was thinking he’d never leave you alone.”

I push back off of the tree, pulling myself to my feet. “He’ll be back any second now.”

He reaches forward and my blood runs cold as he runs an index finger between my breasts and up my the side of my neck.

“I don’t think Master Kade would appreciate you touching me.”

He jolts forward, his hand clamping around my throat. I feel blood build in my face as my air supply is cut off. He’s pushing so hard I’m certain he’s going to crush my windpipe.

“Is that a threat, slave?”

I shake my head as best I can. My lungs burn with lack of oxygen and his strength is much greater than I assumed it would be. In the dim light, I see his lips curve into a sly smirk and then, he releases me. I splutter as I gasp for air, forcing as much oxygen in my lungs as I can. My head spins and I curl over, using my knees for support. With a dark chuckle, Vince grips my shoulder and pins me hard against the tree.

“You wanna come party with me?”

I shake my head and cough weakly. I’m tired of playing Vince’s games. If he wants to toy with me, then he can deal with the consequences. Kade will defend me. No matter what I do, he’ll help me. He said he would.

“Fuck you.” My entire being begins to tremble as I hear the words fall from my lips. Shit. I think I just started a fight I’m not going to be able to finish. I hear an extra chuckle sound off on the sidelines and not a second later another Fortunate steps into view, one I’ve never seen before.

“She has a mouth on her,” he says and I take note of his short, curly brown hair. In the light, I can’t tell what colour his eyes are or what distinct features mark his face. I’m blind, caught in the darkness with enemies that want to hurt me. Vince sticks his finger in my mouth and the taste of whiskey taints my tastebuds. I try hard to spit it out, but he presses his finger down on my tongue and I’m unable to move it.

“Yes, she does.”

Left with no other option, I bite down. Swearing under his breath, he rips his finger out and I’m tossed to the side as his hand collides directly with my cheek. I crash to the ground, and as I lay, I feel my heart slamming against my ribcage, trying desperately to get Kade’s attention because my voice box isn’t working. It’s frozen, paralysed with fear. I whimper as Vince rolls me over onto my back with his foot and crouches low.

“I have a wild night planned for you, sugar.” He grips my face, squeezing my flesh against my teeth so I open my mouth. He drops something in and it lands at the back of my throat. It’s too far to spit out, but too dry to swallow. So I gag, trying desperately to get rid of it one way or another. I thrash, moving every muscle in my body until they burn, and Vince throws a leg over me, pinning me underneath him.

“Relax, baby, I’ve got something that will help that go down real smooth.”

I watch frantically as his friend hands him a bottle. The closer Vince draws it to my lips, the more distinct its smell becomes. Whiskey. I purse my lips shut, but he squeezes my mouth again, forcing it open.

“Don’t, please,” I manage to cry before the contents of the bottle are poured into my mouth and I’m forced to swallow. He keeps pouring until the liquid overfills my mouth, spills down my cheeks and fills my nostrils. Unable to breathe, I begin to choke. Then, and only then, does he let up. He rolls me to the side and I let the excess alcohol fall from my orifice. I cough and choke until my eyes water and my throat burns, and then I cough and choke a little more. I feel like hell. My nostrils burn, my throat burns, my lungs burn. It’s like my organs are on fire and I’m burning from the inside out.

“Please,” I mumble and my head begins to spin.

I can’t see properly—can’t tell which way is up. Then, weightlessness overcomes me as I’m thrown over a shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“Wait, what about your brother?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got someone else that can take the rap for it. He can’t touch us.”

“Kade!” I call out, but his name is only a pathetic whisper on my lips. My eyes grow heavy, so heavy they hurt to keep open. He’ll save me. I know he will. He has to…he’s my protector. My lion.

Then my eyes close.

 

∞

 

“Don’t go sticking it in. Warm her up, touch her first.”

My eyes shoot open and the blurry lines of the world begin to sharpen. I peer at the wooden banisters that hold up the ceiling and then tilt my head, focusing on the small to medium gathering of people to my left. What the hell? Something brushes against my vagina and I jolt upwards on my elbows. My brain rolls violently in my skull, blurring my vision again. I quickly lay back down, hoping to make it stop.

“Wh—what’s happening?” I groan and attempt to roll onto my side, but heavy hands on my thighs prevent it.

I freeze then and peer down the length of my body. I see him, the Unfortunate poised between my legs with an excited gleam in his eyes. I shriek and pull my knees up before sending my feet crashing into his chest. Despite my rolling head, I roll off the table and crash to the floor. Pain shoots over every inch of my body, but I can’t pinpoint where. I hear scrambled laughter as I desperately try to crawl to my feet. I can’t, my head is woozy, my limbs sluggish and drugged. As I manage to force myself onto my hands and knees, I see two leather shoes, no, one leather shoe by my face, and then I hear Vince’s voice.

“Nine, what are you doing?” he asks, his voice light with amusement.

“I-I’m l-looking for Kade. Where is he?” My voice doesn’t sound like my own. It’s slurred, incoherent.

Vince chuckles, but I don’t see his face. I can’t muster the strength to lift my stare from his shoe. “Don’t you worry about him, baby. You have a show to put on.”

Weightlessness seizes me again as Vince scoops me into his arms and lays me back on the table. I phase in and out of the situation. I hear myself call for Kade every now and again, but he never comes. Surely, he knows where I am. He said Vince would be here…hasn’t he put two and two together? Where is he? I squirm as the Unfortunate’s finger brushes against my entrance, slowly, a touch that is barely there. I shoot up and he keeps his hand lingering on my centre as he uses the other to untie my dress from my shoulder. The fabric slides off my shoulder and he pulls it from my body, leaving me bare and exposed. After that, I’m pushed back down and my head hits the wood, causing my brain to roll.

“Move,” Vince demands. I open my eyes enough to see the Unfortunate move back.

I close my eyes again and even now, I feel Vince’s gaze crawling over me. “You’re quite the woman, Nine. It’s a shame Kade doesn’t let us see you like this more often.”

I open my eyes at the mention of his name and desperately search for my Fortunate’s face in the crowd. I see Albert, then, watching intently from behind Vince’s chair—his throne. Surely, Albert wouldn’t let this happen to me? I wince and scream as a dry pain shoots from my centre with no warning. I dig my heels into the table, desperate to get away from the pain and I snap my attention to the Unfortunate’s face. A lump chokes me when my stare manages to focus on his heavy eyes and slight smirk. He pushes his finger in deeper, as far as he can, and grabs my hip with his free hand, pulling me even closer to him. This doesn’t feel like it did with Kade at all and the palm of my hand burns as I slap his hand away from my hip and try to sit up again.

“You will lie still!” Vincent booms, making everyone in the room jump.

Tears begin to pour from my eyes and burn down my cheeks as I let my hands fall by my sides. I close my eyes and sobs choke me, cramping my throat. The Unfortunate pulls his finger out torturously slowly—the complete opposite of the sudden, fast entrance. It’s almost all the way out until he thrusts it back inside of me with speed to match the first. Pain burns me and I dig my fingers into the wooden surface. Nothing has entered my vagina before, ever, and the sudden friction is causing me more pain than anything I’ve ever felt.

“Please…” I whimper only to the Unfortunate torturing me, feeling more tears trickle down my cheek. “Please stop.”

The Unfortunate ignores me and I don’t know if it’s because he’s doing what he’s told and trying to save his own life or if he’s actually enjoying it.

“You think she’d at least pretend to enjoy it,” I hear a woman mutter somewhere in the crowd and my chest constricts. I bet she’s never had to do something she doesn’t want to do. I bet she’s never had someone she doesn’t even know—or love—shove dry, hurtful fingers inside her. No. They get what they want and force me to have things I don’t want. I’ve never wanted to die…I’ve never thought I could hurt myself, until now. I want to die. I want to drive a knife through my heart or jump off a cliff to save myself from this humiliation and pain.

“Get it over with,” Vince orders my abuser and my chest heaves as heavier sobs shake my chest. “If Master Kade isn’t going to use his plaything for what she’s intended for then someone else will.”

The spectators murmur their agreement.

“What a waste. Father should have given her to me. I would have seen her to proper use, but now we have to waste her on this…Unfortunate.” He spits the word and my stomach clenches as the Unfortunate pulls his fingers from me. I don’t have time to squeeze my legs shut before he’s forcing himself between my thighs.

“No!” I shout, trying to slide back, I will protest this even if it kills me. “No!”

“Shut her up.”

The Unfortunate backhands my face and I feel my lip split against my teeth as my head is tossed to the side. Blood trickles into my open mouth and rolls out again as I cry. I feel him…his penis, poised at the apex of my thighs, and there’s no stopping what is about to happen. He drags it up and down the outside of my lips in an attempt to draw moisture from my core. He doesn’t get anything. My body rejects him and I clench my jaw against a bout of nausea. Hot flashes come in bouts as anxiety begins to rear its ugly head.

“Please…anyone.”

I peer bleary-eyed at my crowd. They’re watching intently—completely aroused by the scene before them—by my rape—and I’ve never felt so sick in my life. How could I have walked around so blind? Just because I’m Kade’s doesn’t mean I’m untouchable…I was so naive thinking I was safe being his. Where is he? Why did he leave me alone? I close my eyes and bite my lower lip against my sobs as he strokes me with his penis one last time. My hands involuntarily tighten around the edges of the table and my entire body is taut and rigid, waiting for him to enter me…then, the sound of a wooden door splintering as it slams against the concrete wall forces my eyes open. I snap to a sitting position, dangerously teetering on the edge of the table. I draw my knees to my chest, cowering from the angry growl that rips through the room. My blood sings, calling out to him. He’s come to save me. Our spectators gasp and move out of the way as Kade yells and swears, demanding to know where I am. Sudden, irrational panic grips me. He’s going to hate me. He’s never going to touch me again…

“Where is she?” he shouts, his voice booming, sending my heart rate through the roof.

I want to call out to him, to run to him and have him take me away from all of this, but I don’t. I sit, shaking on a table top, waiting for him to see me. Then, I see him push through three Fortunates and step into the light. His eyes widen as he looks at me from head to toe. He looks taller than before, meaner than before, and as he approaches the table, he ignores Vince. The closer he gets, the more I see in his face.

The rage.

The disgust.

Even in the dim light, I see his eyes darken and his eyebrows pull together. He hates me…Slowly, he turns his attention to the other Unfortunate and he takes a small, regretful step back. I want Kade to hurt him, to make him suffer the same pain he made me suffer.

“You touched her?” The question rolls of Kade’s tongue quietly, but I know it’s the calm before the storm. Kade can do a lot of things, but controlling his anger is not one of them.

The Unfortunate lifts his hands, exposing his palm to Kade like he’s a wild animal. “Please, sir, I was only doing what I was told.”

“You touched her?” He booms and in the distance, I hear a few chairs scrape the floor as random Fortunates flee the scene.

“Please—”

Kade launches forward, driving his fist into The Unfortunate’s face. Electricity crackles through the room and the gathering of Fortunates grow excited as they watch a Fortunate beat an Unfortunate. As the Unfortunate falls and hits the ground, Kade grabs him by the scruff of his neck and punches him again. The Unfortunate curls into the fetal position, whimpering as hard as I am…and strangely, it makes me feel better. It makes me feel…content.

“Who told you you could touch her?”

“Relax, brother. It’s only harmless fun.” Kade’s shoulders square and he drops the Unfortunate. As his body becomes rigid, he turns around, slowly, like he’s giving himself a few seconds to calm down. “You’re not using her, and I feel bad Father spent his money on something you refuse to use.”

From the side, I watch Kade’s jaw clench and relax, clench and relax. “You have no business touching my things.”

Vince smiles a menacing smile. “We’re brothers, we’re meant to share.”

Kade snaps around to me and I flinch, swallowing hard. He steps forward and reaches out for me. His arms scoop under my thighs and under my arms, and he cradles me close to his chest. His smell eases my stress levels and makes me feel safe, so I grip his black tie and bury my face in my hands to prevent me from crying. Underneath my ear, Kade’s chest vibrates.

“Touch something of mine again, a slave, a chair, even a fucking cup and I will kill you.”

Vince laughs—and others join him. “You’re awfully defensive over an Unfortunate…maybe I was wrong. Maybe you are using her the way Father intended and her tight cunt is screwing with your head. Should I let him know your slave is defective?”

“My slave is fine. You are defective.”

I keep my eyes shut as Kade’s heavy steps rock me into temporary comfort. I don’t ever want him to let me go. Outside, the cool air clings to my naked body and more tears begin to fall.

“It’s all right,” he mutters, planting a soft kiss on the top of my head. “I’ve got you. I’ll take care of you.”

It feels like an eternity has passed before we’re back at the Sario manor and in Kade’s room. When we’re alone, I feel better, as if I can finally feel sorry for myself and cry without fear. So I do. When Kade sets me down on the couch and disappears into the bathroom, I draw my knees to my chest and cry. My head still spins, rolling faster than ever before. I feel like I’m in a swing and it’s twirling faster than I want it to. I don’t know how long passes before Kade returns and picks me up again, but when he does, he’s no longer wearing his jacket and the sleeves of his black formal shirt are rolled up to his elbows.

“What did he give you?” he demands, but the question refuses to resonate with me and all I can do is shake my head and cry a little more.

I black out until Kade lowers me into warm water. I panic then and shoot up, desperately clawing at the edge of the bath. His hands restrain my shoulders in a gentle but firm grip and for a moment, it doesn’t feel like this is happening…it’s like I’m watching it happen from the sidelines, witnessing the event unfold. There’s a girl in the bath who looks like me. I can see the fear in her eyes, the absolute terror she feels is reflected in the way her chest raises and falls, but on him, I see the determination. He has the entire situation under control and all of it is evident by the way he looks at her and strokes her hair in an attempt to soothe her. At his touch, she takes deep soothing breaths and her knuckles are no longer white as she holds onto the bath. Then, I float back into myself, and see Kade front on.

“You’re in a bath, in my room. You’re safe. You’re safe, I promise.”

My lips part as my hammering heart finally stops pounding my lungs. I can breathe. Oxygen begins to flow more smoothly, calming my scratchy throat instead of irritating it.

“What did he give you, Nine?”

I flinch at his question and search through my hazy memories. “A pill…I think. It-it was too dark to see.” I let my hands falls from the tub and I slowly inch backwards, leaning against the white enamel. My voice sounds distant and quiet and I want nothing more than to fall asleep. “He pushed me down and dropped it into my mouth…the next thing I know alcohol is being poured down my throat…” I close my eyes and let my head loll to the side. Quick, thick fingers tapping on my cheek is the only thing to keep me awake. “I thought I was going to drown,” I mumble, my eyes threatening to close. “It filled my stomach, my throat, my mouth…it went into my nose.” I shake my head.

I’m too out of it to take note of Kade’s features, all I want is a bed and to forget this ever happened.

“There’s dry blood. Did the Unfortunate…did he?”

I feel my body withdraw at his words and I pull my knees into my chest…a dry pain shoots from my centre with no warning. I dig my heels into the table, desperate to get away from the pain and I snap my attention to the Unfortunate’s face. A lump chokes me when my stare manages to focus on his heavy eyes and slight smirk. He pushes his finger in deeper, as far as he can, and grabs my hip with his free hand, pulling me even closer to him.

“He put his fingers in me.” I begin to cry, this time not caring if I shield my face or not. “It hurt.”

My chest heaves…although the Unfortunate didn’t put his penis in me it doesn’t make it any less traumatizing. It doesn’t make it okay.

“Where were you?” I ask, sniffling, making Kade flinch. “You promised…you promised no harm would come to me.”

His beautiful face falls as guilt washes over him. I don’t know why, but suddenly, I blame him. He left me alone even though I didn’t want him to. He doesn’t have to follow me around twenty-four seven and protect me from the other Fortunates, but the one time I needed him to, he didn’t.

He grabs the hand held bath head and pulls it off of its holder. I shiver as the cold water sprays off of the tiles and drops over my naked skin. My skin feels slick with oil, like I’m covered in some kind of invisible sludge. I hate it. I sit forward as Kade moves the now warm water over my back, and lets it roll down my spine. I’m still crying, unable to stop. The Unfortunate’s face, Vince’s face—all of their faces are burned into my skull and I see them every time I blink. I cry harder, dropping my head against my arms.

“Stop crying, Nine,” he orders, his voice deep and commanding.

I try to stop. I purse my lips and bite them shut, but the harder I try, the harder the tears fall.

“Nine!” His booming voice echoes but my body doesn’t even register it. He drops the shower head into the bath and I hear him kick off his shoes. The water swishes and rises in level as he climbs in. I feel his legs fall to either side of my body and he roughly grabs my face. My eyes meet his—violet to black—and his are pleading, kind.

“Stop crying because I don’t know how to make you better...I don’t know how to fix this.”

His hands radiate warmth and kindness, no matter how tightly they’re gripping my face. Doesn’t he think I want to stop crying? Crying isn’t something I particularly enjoy doing. I want it to stop, but it won’t. I want tonight to go away and leave me alone, but it won’t. This is my reality and no demand from him is going to change that.

“I want to go to bed,” I sob, pulling my face from his hands. “Please, can I go to bed?”

“Only if you stay here with me.”

I start to shake my head, then stop. I can’t sleep alone…being alone is how this happened in the first place. I need Kade with me…he’ll keep me safe.

“I’ll stay with you.”

Happy with my answer, he climbs out of the bath. As I peer up at him, he hands me a towel, and even though my legs shake as if I’m cold, I pull myself to my feet. With a hand firmly positioned behind my elbow, he helps me from the bath. It’s nice of him, and I know the gesture doesn’t mean as much on his side, but for me…it soothes my soul.

 

∞ Kade ∞

 

He tried to ignore the way her terrified, violet eyes penetrated him as he tucked her naked into his bed. She’d pleaded for him not to leave her, but he had things he needed to take care of. Kade left so many things unfinished tonight…things he had to put an end to. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to think he was weak. He left the Black House with his sobbing Unfortunate in his arms earlier and that would only bring him trouble unless he did something about it. If word got back to his father, how long would it take for him to come and take Kade to the ‘city’ to kill him like he killed his own wife, the mother of his children?

He knew getting revenge was going to make him look worse, but he was serious when it came to his things. It had nothing to do with Nine. He’d kill for a pen, if one of his went missing…or so he told himself.

“I’m scared…” Nine cried from his bed. Kade looked at her. She had the heavy, mahogany blanket pulled up to her chin and it looked like it was going to swallow her at any second. Nine had always had a full face, beautiful and healthy, but right now shadows obscured it, settling underneath her eyes and in her hollowed cheeks. “What if someone comes while you’re gone?”

He buckled the belt and tugged on it, adjusting the way his new, dry pants sat. “I’ll lock the doors from the outside. You’ll be fine.”

Locked away in his cupboard, Kade had some powerful guns; handguns, shot guns, machine guns and rifles. You name it, he had it. If it went ‘bang’ and put a decent sized hole in someone’s chest, it was in his cupboard. They varied in size, shape, and efficiency, and of course, he couldn’t pull one out in front of Nine without terrifying her, so he had no choice but to take care of business with his bare hands. He preferred it that way, anyway. He’d only killed twice before, once when he was eleven. He’d tried helping an Unfortunate escape by stabbing an unsuspecting Moderator in the throat by the big fence…the Moderator died, but there were three others watching from above. They shot his friend, Caleb, and dragged Kade kicking and screaming back to his father. Seeing him as a child who didn’t know better, Michael locked Kade in a sweltering tin shed for days. No food. No water. Through the speakers, the same man was talking over and over and over, repeating the rules of society, making sure it was well and truly drummed into his head—and it was. Kade came out hating every Unfortunate he saw. As the weeks passed, though, his old self began to resurface a portion at a time and he found himself wanting to help them again. And the second time, using the cover of night at fifteen years old, Kade had wanted to help an unknown pregnant Unfortunate get away before someone else noticed. He was smarter this time, faster. He used the shadows and moved with objects. They made it a hundred metres from the fence with victory in sight…and then Vince popped out of nowhere. He was only a kid, but he was the evillest little shit you could ever imagine. With a smirk, he screamed, he screamed so loud he alerted the moderators. They were on them in an instant and they hurt the Unfortunate he was supposed to save. They hit her repeatedly, until blood was coming out of her mouth…and Kade couldn’t handle it. He ran. He tried to run as far as he could and never come back, just to avoid the punishment he was sure was coming. That was when he heard a bang and fire shot through his leg, paralysing his entire body. With a scream, he crashed to the floor. He’d been shot in the leg and it wasn’t until he heard his father shout, “Kaden! Kaden, you little shit! What have I told you! Look what you’ve made me do!” did he know who shot him. His own father had shot him, and all for nothing…all because Kade wanted to help someone in need. The worst part of that night was when he had to kill his second person…an innocent, no less. The woman cried up at him, her face bleeding like nothing he’d ever seen before. Michael slapped the warm magnum down into Kade’s hand and demanded he pull the trigger. Kade cried…and peered at Vince, who watched the gun in Kade’s hand with an excited gleam. It hurt his chest…he was supposed to look after Vince, like his mother wanted, but it was too late. Vince was gone, ruled by the Fortunate way of life while Kade was still torn between the two.

“Shoot her, dammit!”

And he did. He pulled the trigger and the gun recoiled, throwing Kade back. It vibrated in his hand and pinched his skin. He dropped it immediately as he fell down into the grass. Everyone laughed as the woman with the missing face tumbled to the side. Bile rose in Kade’s chest, the image burned into his head forever, and he rolled to the side. He gagged over and over until something came up. After he had his moment, the moderators and his father congratulated him while he sat crying, his hands shaking and ears ringing. Nausea dominated his stomach…and he told himself he would never, ever be weak again. From that moment, he realised how he had to live. He was a Fortunate and there was no changing that. The only way he could help the Unfortunates was by not helping them at all. If he left them alone, no one would get killed. He’d used them, of course, but not once had he ever beaten, raped, or murdered another. Those he had sex with, willingly did so. Those who had been killed in his house since then weren’t by his hands, and that was the best he could do to help his mother’s cause, the one she’d died for.

Kade hadn’t willingly killed an Unfortunate, but tonight he had no choice. Ordered to or not, that Unfortunate hurt Nine, and Nine was Kade’s. That Unfortunate also fucked up his plans. Kade couldn’t, in good conscience, force her to do something sexual after another experience left her scarred. It was wrong.

His thoughts pulled him all the way outside and he closed the heavy, lacquered front door. The Black House was three manors to the left. He stuffed his hands into his pants and strolled along the concrete path. Vince’s party was still going. People littered the carless street and loitered on the steps of their manors. Kade couldn’t wait to move into the city. No one partied there. Whenever there was an event, they all came out here, where their children were and their friends who didn’t have a skyscraper spent most of their days. In order for Kade to move into the city, he needed his father to die. And he would…all in due time. Kade was going to wait until he secured the deal with Albert to kill his father, but that was on hold. He knew Albert was in the Black House tonight. He told Kade himself that’s where he was headed when Kade left him to go find Nine. He stood by and let it happen. If he’d stopped it, he could’ve had her, but now that was his fucking loss and Kade would tell him that, too.

Before he knew it, he was standing in the Black House, watching people fuck against every wall and on every surface. Kade wasn’t a stranger to these kinds of parties, no Fortunate was, but tonight he wasn’t here for fun. With a quick scan of each of the main rooms, Kade couldn’t see the Unfortunate he was looking for, so he tried upstairs. The first six rooms were either empty or filled with threesomes and mass orgies. No one noticed when Kade opened the door and studied each and every one of their faces. They all went about their business, fucking each other into oblivion.

In the seventh room, he found him, sitting on a long table nursing his wounds. Kade stepped inside and closed the door. The Unfortunate didn’t notice until Kade clicked the lock into place. He whipped around on the table, but didn’t stand up like every other Unfortunate would have. Why would he? Kade could see it on his smug face. He knew he was a dead man.

“There you are,” he said, flashing Kade a smile. “I was wondering when you were going to come find me.”

Seeing his face was enough to get Kade’s anger-fuelled adrenaline pumping and he launched forward. The Unfortunate wasn’t able to make it off of the table in time and Kade gripped him by the scruff of his tunic, bunching it up into his fists. Kade cocked a fist back and smashed the Unfortunate in the mouth, over and over until his lip was swollen eight times the size it was already. Blood splattered Kade’s white shirt in random patterns and he liked it. He was taking back the blood Nine lost because of this slimy motherfucker.

“I was ordered to do it,” he choked, spitting more blood onto Kade’s shirt. “Please…”

“I don’t give a shit!”

The Unfortunate’s brown eyes darkened as Kade held him against the table. It was a look he saw often in Nine, the look of defiance…the look of simply not giving a fuck. “You know what? I wanted to do her. I wanted to fuck the Unfortunate everyone has been talking about for weeks.”

Another surge of rage flared through Kade’s veins. He dragged the Unfortunate off the table and slammed him to the ground. He relished in the sight as the Unfortunate gasped and spluttered, desperately trying to suck in air.

“You haven’t touched her yet, have you?” he squeezed out, struggling with his breath. When Kade didn’t answer, the Unfortunate smiled. “You like her.”

Kade hated his smug face—it reminded him of Vince. His thick, bushy eyebrows and groomed hair irritated him further and he was ready to end his pathetic life.

“Would it be so bad if I did?”

He surprised even himself when those words fell from his lips. If he was, by some miracle, going to spare the Unfortunate’s life, he couldn’t now, not after that irrational statement.

“I don’t know, why don’t you ask your father or your brother? They seem to have pretty strong beliefs on where Unfortunates stand in comparison to Fortunates.”

Kade gritted his teeth. “Fuck them and fuck you.”

The Unfortunate smirked again. “Too scared, then? If I were you, I’d use her up before your brother gets to her. I’ve seen the way he looks at her…he’s not going to stop until he’s tasted her. You know how he is, better than anyone.” He stopped to chuckle darkly. “And I hope he does. I hope he takes her from you. I hope he deprives you of any love, of any happiness, so you can suffer like I have—like we all have.” A tear burns out of the corner of his eye, but it does nothing to deter Kade’s rage. “She’d be better off dying by hands that don’t love her, than by hands that do but pretend otherwise. It’d hurt less.”

Kade’s hands snap to the Unfortunate’s throat and he squeezed until his knuckles turned white. He gasps for air, his fingers, the same fingers that dug themselves into Nine, were now fighting, clawing against Kade’s arms in a desperate attempt to live. A few moments passed by and the Unfortunate’s hands fell away…and he became lifeless.

The third person Kade had ever killed.

He released the Unfortunate and sat back on his heels, watching. He couldn’t help but notice that it felt different this time around…it felt justifiable. Because of Kade, Nine never had to see his face again and it had nothing to do with emotion or fondness. He owned her and he was defending his own name.

He felt he should clean up the body, maybe bury it, but that would only waste time Kade didn’t have. Besides, the death of an Unfortunate didn’t matter in this society. No one would ever convict him. No one would ever chastise or be disgusted by him…because the Unfortunates didn’t matter, and to die at the hands of a Fortunate was normal—expected, even.

He wiped his hands over his shirt and pushed himself to his feet. He noticed his heart was beating rapidly, too fast for his brain to keep up. It restricted his chest, tightened it until he couldn’t breathe. This isn’t me…I’m not a killer. My father…he’s the killer. He swallowed hard and took a step back, raking his fingers through his hair. What was happening to him? He had no idea. As he stood, studying the dead Unfortunate at his feet, there was a tug in his chest, one that begged him to return home, to return to Nine. She would comfort him…tell him he’s nothing like the others. That’s what he needed, to be convinced that he wasn’t his father.

He stormed from the room and slammed the door behind him. When he turned around, he was startled by Elizabeth’s sudden appearance. If she saw what was in the room behind him she would blow it way out of proportion. Her blue, quizzical eyes raked him from head to toe, focusing on every little dot of blood, blood that wasn’t his, blood that he took in vengeance for something that shouldn’t matter to him as much as it did.

“What were you doing in there, Kade?” Elizabeth pried, pushing off the wall.

Her blonde curls swayed against her shoulder as she stepped forward. Her eyebrows drew in accusingly and the not-so-subtle pout on her lips told him she already knew what he was doing. How long had she been she standing there?

He stuffed his hands into his pockets. “None of your business.”

She surveyed the blood on his clothing. With every drop, her face grew darker. “You killed him, didn’t you? The Unfortunate who hurt your precious whore?”

Kade found himself smirking, despite the anger her words stirred. Did he actually enjoy what he did? “You’re jealous?”

He knew her answer. They’d had this conversation plenty of times before. She scoffed, dismissing his observation with a flick of her hand. “Of an Unfortunate? Don’t be so ridiculous.”

“Then what’s your problem?”

Her features softened and her big, blue eyes glistened in the light. “I miss you…I don’t see you anymore.”

“I’m busy.”

She stepped forward and Kade’s brows drew closer as she reached out for him. He stood still, allowing her arms to surround his waist. It wasn’t because he needed comfort from her. He just knew he’d never get out of here without her causing a scene…unless he gave her what she wanted. His hands remained in his pockets as she pressed her head against his chest. It was a meaningful embrace to her, Kade could feel it in the pressure she held him with, but to him, he was bored and eager to get the hell out of here.

“Are you finished?” he asked, letting his head tip to the side as she peered up at him.

She was hurt and made no effort to hide that behind her parted lips, but Kade didn’t have the time to worry about it, and besides, he was still mad at her. Twice she’d fucked around with his things. Twice he had to tell her to back off and that wasn’t something he was going to forgive easily. Then, without notice, she lifted herself on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips to his. She’d changed the taste of her lip-gloss from apple to cherry. Kade was fond of cherry. As she kissed him, she slipped her tongue between his lips. In his pants, Kade began to harden. It wasn’t because he was aroused, not really, he just hadn’t had sex in weeks and his body wanted it, desperately…but he didn’t want it with Elizabeth and he couldn’t have it with Nine. His hand was his only option for release, not a particular favourite of his, that’s for sure. Finally, he removed his hands from the pockets of his black slacks and placed them on her hips. The gesture caused her to push herself harder against him. He slid his hands up the contour of her body, to her shoulders, and he gripped them before pulling her lips from his. Her face contorted into a confused scowl.

“But we’re—”

“We’re what?” Kade snapped forward, lowering his face to hers. He wanted her to say it, to say that they were together so he could take that dream and crush it, leaving it broken at her feet. Elizabeth had been Kade’s friend since he was a child, but she was just like the rest of them, like Vince. She treated everyone she thought beneath her like shit. That was the main reason Kade entered this sex-only relationship with her in the first place, to make her feel useless. Somewhere along the line, though, he grew comfortable and kept her around…but tonight, tonight was when he would end it. No more. Elizabeth said nothing as Kade straightened his posture.

“Goodnight,” he said, dismissing her as he walked away.

It was wrong to judge Elizabeth for all that she had done, considering Kade was no better. The difference was, Kade tried, he really did. He kept his distance from Unfortunates most of the time, and he’d never degraded one in public. Then Nine came along and he was forced into the proceedings that came with owning a slave. He didn’t like it…seventy percent of the time he didn’t like it. What scared him the most was the thirty percent that craved it. That thirty percent bubbled to the surface whenever Nine was around and she’d slam it back down with her smart, sarcastic mouth, bringing the seventy percent back the right way. As far as he was concerned, she was his saviour as much as she was his condemner. She was both beautiful and terrifying, promising him redemption all while forcing him to sin harder than he ever had. Kade had to remember that he was in control. That she was a pawn that he needed to checkmate his father. She was a beautiful pawn, one that danced graciously along the board, but a pawn nonetheless.

 

∞Nine∞

 

My eyes flutter open and I blink rapidly, searching the darkness. My heart races in my chest…someone is here. My fingers tighten around the fabric and suddenly I hate that I’m lying naked in Kade’s bed. Then, I feel the edge of the mattress shift and I vigorously sit up, pressing as hard as I can into the headboard. I see his silhouette first…his head is down, his back arched. The image sends dread spearing through my body.

“Kade?” I whisper. “What’s wrong?”

No answer.

I reach for the bedside lamp, my fingers brushing over the smooth marble table before I find it. When I flick it on, I gasp at the sight of Kade as he sits on the edge of the bed with random splatters of blood on his clothing. I swallow hard, but inch closer, regardless of my survival instincts.

“I killed him,” he tells me, loosening his tie with his finger. “I hit him until he started bleeding…” Kade refuses to look at me. He keeps his stare ahead on the wall as he pulls the tie free and tosses it to the floor. “And then I choked him until he stopped moving.”

Horror freezes my organs as the visual of it plays out on my head. “W-why’d you do that?” I almost whisper.

He turns his body and looks at me like it’s obvious, like I already know the answer. “Because he ruined my plan, he interfered where he shouldn’t have, and because he touched you. He put his hands on you—in you—in my possession.”

“Possession?”

He stands up and quickly fingers the buttons to his shirt, exposing a sliver of his bare chest with every single one. “Yes, you are mine. You wear my crest. I own you.”

I frown, even though I know that, why does it hurt so much to hear? I thought tonight…the way he helped me, saved me, meant I mean more to him…I thought that maybe my life actually meant something to someone. I know better, I know he’s a Fortunate, but he saved me, and as I think about it, butterflies flutter anew in my stomach.

“My brother is next,” he states dryly as he lets his shirt fall to the ground.

Tendrils of dread burrow through my chest and I shift even closer, desperately clenching the blankets to my body. “No, you can’t—”

He swallows the distance between us in the next heartbeat and harshly grabs my face, drawing it closer to his. “Vince fucked me over for the last time. I am not his brother. I am relentless. I am cold. I am bloodthirsty and he is fucking dead to me.”

I want Vince gone—I do—but murder is not the answer. “Kade…you don’t want to do—”

A rough knock on the door forces me to eat the remainder of my words. Kade looks over his shoulder and releases me. When he looks back, there’s something on his face. Panic? Fear? It lasts only a second before his calm façade returns.

“Pretend to sleep,” he orders in an urgent whisper as he lies me back down.

“Why?”

He slaps his hand over my mouth and brings his mouth to my ear. “This is life or death, Nine. Pretend to be asleep and don’t you dare open your eyes for anything. Understood?”

He pulls his head back to look me in the eyes and I nod. As he turns away, I shut my eyes, but I’m unable to slow my breathing or my erratic pulse. Who is it? Vince? Elizabeth? Moderators? I hear the door open and then the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked. I’ve heard that noise one too many times in the camp.

“You acted too out of character for my liking tonight,” Michael, Kade’s father states.

“I had a bad night so you come ‘round pointing guns?” Kade laughs under his breath. “A little dramatic, don’t you think?”

Silence falls—a deafening silence. One I’m sure betrays the sound of my beating heart. “If you’re going to shoot me, old man, make sure you kill me this time because if you don’t, you’re as good as dead.”

“Why’d you ruin Vince’s birthday?” Michael asks, ignoring Kade.

The sounds of Kade’s shoes occasionally scuffing against the floorboards is the only indication I have that he’s moving about—probably over to his desk. Sure enough, I hear the sound of his whiskey bottle pop and the tinkling of glasses. “I took back what was rightfully mine before he broke it. Whiskey?”

Michael must decline because I don’t hear him move from the door. “If he broke her, I would’ve bought you a new one.”

“I don’t want a new one,” Kade counters. “I prefer her.”

My heart leaps into my throat and I swallow constantly, trying to lessen the dryness in my throat.

“There are plenty more like her, plenty more that do the same thing.”

“Maybe, but I’m a sentimental guy. She’s my first Unfortunate and I’d like to keep her as long as possible.”

Another silence fills the room…and that’s when I hear a floorboard close to me creak. “Why’s she sleeping in your bed?”

“I’ve just finished with her. Not that it’s any of your business,” he lies immediately. He’s been interrogated before by the looks of it and he handles the pressure well. I’d have caved the second I saw the gun.

“Caring for them makes you weak, Kaden, like your mother, and you remember what happened to your mother, don’t you? I won’t be embarrassed by another member of this family.”

My heart stills. Kade’s mother cared for Unfortunates? Kade’s father killed his mother? I feel the cold barrel of his gun press gently to my temple and my heart stops cold. I want to cry, to scream, but I can’t. I’m frozen, locked by Kade’s order not to open my eyes for anything.

“Do it. I’ll let you, if it makes you feel better.”

I’d flinch, if I wasn’t so terrified of having a bullet in my skull. Seconds pass that extend into minutes that I’m sure stretch into hours and all I can think about is not screaming. Then the barrel is removed and it takes all of the energy in me not to sigh aloud.

“I’ll be watching you, Kaden. One more relapse and you’re a dead man. Got it?”

He doesn’t reply, and soon enough, I hear the sound of Kade’s door closing and then I hear it lock. Still, I don’t open my eyes until I feel his hand brush hair out of my face. I open my eyes and almost lose my breath at the sight of his smiling face looking down at me from such a perfect angle.

“You did all right, Unfortunate.”

“He pressed a gun to my head.” I gasp breathlessly as I slap his hand away. “He could’ve shot me and you would’ve let him!”

“If I didn’t play bored, he’d have put a bullet through your head. I saved your life.”

My adrenaline begins to drop and portions of their conversation come back to me. ‘Caring for them makes you weak, Kaden, like your mother, and you remember what happened to your mother, don’t you?’

“He killed your mother?” I ask and Kade stiffens.

He can’t hide it from me and he can’t lie to me, not anymore. “Yes…when I was a child.”

“And she cared for Unfortunates?”

“She did. She looked after the Unfortunates in our house every single day…but she got reckless—stupid—she got stupid and she fell in love.”

I inch closer to him. Here I was thinking it’s not possible for a Fortunate to love anyone but themselves. “And your dad…he shot you. Why?”

Subconsciously, I press my hand to his thigh, right above the scar I know is there. I keep my stare on his face, but Kade drops his to survey my hand against his leg. The silence that fills the air between us feels different, more meaningful than any other silence until he snaps away from me with an exasperated sigh and storms to the bathroom. I watch as he slams the door without a glance over his shoulder and soon after, I hear the water run and the steady stream crash into the tiles. He isn’t going to answer me…he never talks about himself or his life and yet, I feel like I know him almost as well as I know myself.

I snuggle down under the blankets and chew my nails, going over everything Kade’s father said. What an evil man…to kill your wife and shoot your son requires a soul so black and dense, not even light can penetrate it. I see where Vince gets it. He is Fortunate to the core, but Kade…he’s different. He has his moments, moments that have his father written all over it, but then I see someone else, his mother maybe? He has these tiny threads of compassion and kindness and I wonder what would happen if I pull them. Would they snap and be nothing, or would they unravel Kaden Sario, revealing to me his true nature piece by piece? I’m lost in my thoughts until the bathroom door opens once again. I remain quiet and don’t move. Instead, I watch him make his way around the bedroom, wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants. It seems they’re his ‘go to’ bed attire. He saunters over to his computer and touches the screen. No reactions register on his face as he flicks through various panels. While he’s occupied, I let my gaze roll down his clean form. From his chest to his hard stomach right down to the captivating ‘v’ shape that leads into his pants. It’s not fair, really. Fortunates have everything—from large houses and nourishing foods, to soft hair and beautiful bodies. To be stuck with a Fortunate as different and striking as mine is dangerous for me. He switches the computer off and I shift on the bed as he crosses the room and shuts off my lamp. In the darkness, my heart thumps painfully against my ribcage. I become acutely aware how hard my body hurts. The mattress beside me lowers as Kade climbs under the covers and lies down beside me. Instantly, I feel his warmth waft onto me, followed by a sweet cherry smell. Despite the warmth of his body and the smell of his skin, it isn’t enough to ease my growing fear of the dark. In the dark, I swear I can hear them hiding in the corners of the room…I can feeling them grinning at me.

I shuffle closer to Kade, until my knees touch his thighs. “It’s too dark,” I whisper, afraid someone will hear me.

“I like the dark.” He exhales softly. “Are you scared?”

“Yes…”

“Would you like me to move closer to you?”

His question puts steel in my spine. The last thing I want is to be put in another unwanted situation, but then again, if Kade were to kiss me, to be gentle and kind to me…would it be an unwanted situation? I’m not sure, my body isn’t sure.

“Yes.”

He shuffles closer, until his torso is pressed softly against mine. My hands rest against my stomach, sandwiched between our bodies.

“You can relax,” he says, sounding a lot more tired than I feel. “I’m not going to touch you. Not tonight.”

A tired silence falls and with every second I remain untouched by him, my body relaxes more and more into the mattress.

“You and your dad don’t get along, do you?” I mumble, unable to stop myself. I’m stating the obvious, but I’ll do just about anything to learn more about my Fortunate.

“No.”

“How can you live like this?” I say, nervously shifting my feet. “Knowing he killed your mother, how can you—”

“I’ll get my revenge,” he states matter of factly, and strangely, eagerness comes to life deep inside me. “Will you help me?”

I freeze. It’s a question I wasn’t expecting. To help him hurt his father for killing his mother seems like a personal thing, one no one else should be involved in, but as sick as it sounds, I want to be. I want to be Kade’s right hand man when it happens. I want to see the look of vengeance on his face when he finally puts his father down and I want to be the person who helps him dig the grave. He’s giving me freedom, to walk around in his house like it’s my own and I’ll do anything to get there.

“What about Albert and the mine?” I ask, inwardly cringing as I recall his face in the hungry crowd tonight.

“Fuck Albert. I don’t want his business. Once I’m head of the Sario house and move into the city, I’ll take the mine from him.”

Relief washes over me. No longer will thoughts of his penis in my mouth plague me. Fuck Albert.

“I asked you if you’d help me, Nine.” He pauses for a brief moment. “You’re the only person I trust.”

A new determination settles inside me. If we kill Michael, Kade moves into the city and he’ll take me, too. In the city, there is no Vince. There is no one waiting in the shadows, just watching, praying that Kade leaves me alone even for a second. That alone is enough to convince me that I need to do this. Survival. I need to survive. “I’ll help you, Master Kade.”

No more words are exchanged. I lie in the darkness, listening to the steady rhythm of his breath. I feel it skitter across my cheek, so warm and gentle. I feel safe in this moment. I feel safer than I ever have, even when I was surrounded by my own people in the camp. The Unfortunates in this house…they don’t talk to me. They’d hurt me if they were ordered to, that was proven tonight. I’d never hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it, ordered to or not. Kade is more my people than the others are…he understands me, protects me when no one else will, and for that, he has my full loyalty and trust. Screw everyone else.

On a whim, I angle my head upwards and unexpectedly, my lips brush against his. His entire body tightens, hardens like concrete, and I pause, leaving my lips barely grazing his, allowing it to register with my body. My heart races rapidly, begging for me to kiss him, but my stomach twists painfully, desperately pleading with me not to start something I can’t finish.

“Go to sleep,” he utters against my lips. “This is not what you want tonight.”

“Isn’t it?” I ask, wondering how he can tell. I don’t think it is…my head swims and my body aches, but I’m confused. Lying in here in bed with the man that saved me—that killed for me—is confusing my system.

He brushes a finger along my side, from the base of my rib to my hip, and my entire body tightens painfully. Goosebumps that seem almost excruciating erupt over every inch of my skin and silent tears well in my eyes.

“No,” he says, kissing me ever so softly. “It isn’t.”

He pulls his body away from me and turns around giving me his back. I take note of the way my body relaxes, almost sighs, as it realises it doesn’t have to give him anything and I fight a smile. There he goes again, assuring me that he’s different. That he’s not selfish or out to hurt me. He killed for me. I have his unwavering loyalty, his trust, his protection and maybe, I even have a small piece of his heart, too.

 

∞

(A few short weeks later)

 

Weeks pass and we make no move to hurt his father, in fact, we’ve barely spoken of it since the night Michael pressed the barrel of his gun to my temple. Kade has forbid me to leave his room at any time unaccompanied by him. If he leaves without me, he locks the door from the outside and I’m stuck, locked up in the massive room all by myself. It gets a little lonely…especially when he doesn’t come back until well into the night. In those moments, when I hear the door unlock and see him step in, it highlights my entire day. I’m not sure I like the way butterflies run rampant in my stomach when he comes back, or the way my heart beats at a quicker pace, but it happens anyway.

Sometimes we shower together and all of the time we cuddle until we fall to sleep. We don’t talk about it. He refuses to discuss anything that hints to any emotion or memory and I’m content with that for now. He has yet to touch me again like he did the day he blindfolded me and I wake up in the middle of the night, finding myself craving it, craving his touch, but he refuses to put his hands on me. It’s me that usually pushes him for more, desperately wanting him to do something to me, anything, but he never does. He’ll kiss me until my lips swell, until I’m grinding my hips into him, but he won’t take it further. God, I want him to. I want him to so badly. As stupid as it sounds, there’s no one I trust more in this world than him.

This morning, Kade left in a huff and came back just as quick. I sit on the couch, trying hard to ignore him as he storms around the room, cursing under his breath and raking his fingers through his hair.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, knowing better.

Kade pauses and peers at me from underneath his brow. “Not that it’s any of your business, but Michael found out about the mine and he’s pissed. He’s going to pull me as supervisor and second in charge and give the role to Vince.”

I lift myself off the couch and step closer to Kade. “That’s not fair…did you tell him you were going to fix it?”

He shakes his head. “I can’t tell him that. He can’t know I was going to use you to purchase a mine off of Albert. It’ll embarrass him, make things worse.”

I make my way across the room to Kade, who stands by his desk. “What do we do?”

His black irises search mine, flicking between the two. “We have to kill him…before he goes back to the city to make the changes next week.”

My heart stops beating. Kill him? We’re actually going through with that? “It’s been so long since we’ve spoken about it…I assumed you didn’t want to do it anymore.”

“I never change my mind,” he states and I swallow hard.

“Okay…how do you want to do it?”

“You’ll distract him, like you would Albert, and I’ll kill him.”

My stomach churns and rolls, forcing my hands to clench into fists. He wants me to seduce his father, distract him so he can kill him?

“He will see me coming, Nine. I never allow myself to be alone in a room with him and he knows it. If I try, he’ll see right through me. I need you to get him alone in his bedroom.”

“Why would you make me do that? I thought we—”

“You thought we what?” he snaps, daring me to continue. Problem is, I don’t even know what I was going to say. I thought we had an understanding? I thought we were something? I shake my head, hating the way my shoulders slump. “You said you’d help me.”

“And I will, I just thought those kinds of requests were behind us…after everything that has happened.”

“Regardless of what has happened, you are still my Unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate?” I can’t help the offended gust of air that spills from my mouth. “You are an assh—”

He snatches my face in one quick hand and I wince at the pressure as he draws it to his, digging his fingers into my cheeks. His smell flows over me and my knees wobble…God. “If you let the rest of that word roll of your tongue, you’re going to regret it.” I clench my jaw and cringe as Kade’s fingers dig in. “You keep expecting me to be sweet and kind, but I’ve never been either of those things in my life. You’re lucky I don’t bend you over my desk and fuck you like the meaningless possession you are.”

I flinch at his fallacious words and watch as his eyes drop to my mouth and his lips part as a heavy breath flows through them.

“Why haven’t you?” I ask, throwing caution to the wind. He cringes imperceptibly. “Why haven’t you hurt me? Taken me against my will?”

He ponders my question, his face serious and hard. “Because I—”

“Because you care?” I challenge him. “Because I’m not just the meaningless possession you believe I am?”

“Don’t be so imprudent, Unfortunate, it might come back and bite you on the ass.”

“Don’t be so witless, Fortunate.” I slap his hand away, playing on deadly ground now. Relief radiates through my jaw. “You’re not as scary as you want people to believe. You want to threaten me? To hurt me? You want to rip off my clothes and fuck me all over your room while I cry and beg you to stop? Do it, because if you’re going to threaten me and it’s going to happen anyway, why drag on my impending doom? The day makes no difference to me.”

Kade snaps forward, gripping my hips with devastating force and crushing me to his body. He forcefully brushes all of his paperwork and pens off of the desk and onto the floor before lifting me and dropping me roughly against the hard surface.

“You want to play a game? You want to test me?” He forces my thighs open with his knee and panic instantly bubbles in my chest.

“Stop!” I demand, as his hands claw at the edge of my dress and he forces the fabric further up my thighs. “Kade, stop!”

I’m in the deep end now and it’s all because I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. “You want to see how evil I really am? You want me to prove it to you?”

He drops his weight on me, pinning me firmly against the wood. His hard length presses right into the apex of my thighs and tingles flare throughout my body, almost reducing me to jelly. I’m paralysed…and underneath the fear, tingles roar through my body and I like it. His fingers dig into my hair and tighten, making me wince as he tugs my head back.

“You think I’m nice enough not to fuck your tight, virgin cunt until it bleeds for me? Think again, Unfortunate, and make no mistake. You mean nothing to me. I protect you because you wear my crest. You belong to me.”

His eyes flare, daring me to speak again. I’ve already come this far and although he’s giving me a way out of this, I can’t take it. Here I am, pinned under his incredibly hard body, totally helpless...and yet, I’ve never felt so in control in my life. I love that I made him mad. I love that I, Nine, using only the words of my mouth, have pissed off a Fortunate. The feeling is addicting—it elates me and I can’t stop now.

“You killed for me.”

“For respect. I killed in honour of my own name.”

“You held me while I cried, you let me sleep in your bed, and you can’t handle the thought of someone else touching me or telling me what to do.”

He shakes his head—the perfect picture of indifference. “Stupid girl.” His insult rolls off my newly thick skin. He’s out of his mind if he thinks his ‘old Kade’ behaviour is going to drag me back to the beginning. We’ve passed that point. Fortunate or not, he’d never hurt me.

“You see me only for yourself.”

His dark irises flare, seeming more dark brown than black. “I see you as a mere toy I possess.”

My eyes drop to his lips and he runs his tongue over it slowly—the purpose to moisten them or moisten me, I have no idea.

“And yet you refuse to use it for its only purpose.”

Keeping my hands against the wood and not on his body, I push my head forward, crushing my lips to his. I feel his body tense against mine, as he no doubt tries to make sense of my actions. I run my tongue along his bottom lip and a growl emanates deep in his chest. He kisses me back with wild abandon and I open my mouth to him. Not a second later, I feel his fingers glide quickly under my dress and up my thigh, making me quiver. They slow as they reach the top, almost hesitantly, and I bite down on his bottom lip, causing him to gasp into my mouth. His fingers press against my centre and I shudder as one slips between my lips and touches a small, electrifying spot. I moan loudly, subconsciously thrusting my hips into his finger.

“You’re so goddamn wet I could slip right in,” Kade groans against my lips. “Fuck, I want to slip inside and fuck you until you dissolve into nothing.”

Oh, I want this…I want him. He kisses me roughly, fucking my tongue with his. A shiver rips down my spine as he begins to circle my little bundle of nerves. My stomach twists and I begin to pant and moan every time our lips separate for air.

“Touch me,” he demands against my lips and I falter with my kiss. How? How do I touch him? Is there a certain way I’m supposed to do it? Kade growls impatiently, lowering his mouth to my neck. “Put your fucking hands on me.”

His finger strokes me ruthlessly, sending an electrifying pulse through my body and I rake my fingers through his hair, drawing him even closer to me. His hair is soft, feeling exactly how I imagined it.

“Oh, god!” Something sinister builds and builds in my stomach, threatening to spill over and crush my organs. “Wait. Wait!” I gasp, not ready for what’s about to hit me. “Stop.”

I hear him chuckle darkly under his breath and I bite my lip hard enough to draw blood. Kade slips the very tip of his finger into me and my breath hitches at the sudden friction and pressure. My back arches and my entire body clenches as I scream out and waves of ecstasy roll over me. Kade crushes his mouth to mine as vibrations shake my body and I grind my hips into him, unashamed by my outburst, until the intense pulses cease to exist. When he pulls away, his breath hits my face in heavy bursts and I can’t help a lazy smile as I glance up at him through heavy lids.

“You don’t fear me anymore…” A statement, not a question.

“No,” I reply, uncurling my fingers from his hair. I smooth out his jacket and allow my fingers to brush along his rough jaw, speckled with shadow. “Not anymore.”

“Why?” He releases me, bringing his hand to rest on my thighs. He’s frustrated. I can hear it in his tone—deep and gruff.

My smile fades. Why don’t I fear him? I don’t even know the answer to that. In the beginning, he was the most terrifying thing in my life, but somewhere along the line, the fear melted away and we’re…I don’t know…friends, maybe.

“You saved me,” I utter, avoiding his stare. “I trust you.”

Though our conversation has flowed into casual territory, his length still presses hard into my thigh. I flick my gaze to his and heat filters into my cheeks as his dark, stormy irises study my face.

“If you trust me, you’ll do this for me.”

He knows I’ll do it and he knows I don’t have a choice. I straighten my posture, trying desperately to remain unaffected by Kade, who stands dominantly between my legs. “I’ll do it, but you have to kill him before it goes too far. I don’t want to have sex with anyone…” I pause because that’s not entirely true. “Unless it’s y—”

His fingers dig into my thighs. “Don’t say it.”

I cover his hands with mine. “Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to make this harder than it already is.”

I frown. “Harder than it already is?”

Peering up at me from underneath his brow, his face betrays no softness. “You think I don’t think about it? You think when I sleep on my hands most nights it’s for fun? No. I struggle with myself every day when it comes to you.” He exhales slightly, slumping his shoulders ever so subtly. “I am different to the rest and they know it, too. I’m watched all of the time and they’re just waiting for me to fuck up. I almost have. If this becomes more than a normal Fortunate/Unfortunate relationship and we’re caught…neither of us is coming out of this alive.”

I angle my head. Did I not just have an orgasm by his hand? “But it already has, hasn’t it? Become more than a normal relationship?”

I want him to admit it. I want him to admit that over the past few weeks he has developed feelings for me, like I have for him. Mine started the day after he saved me from the Black House. In the morning, we had breakfast together and neither of us said a thing. Then he left, locking me in his room until nightfall. When he came back, he switched off my lamp and climbed into bed. That was enough for me. In those dark nights, all I had was him. He comforted me, soothed me back into my own skin by wrapping his arms around me and holding me close. In those weeks, he didn’t have to say much, but then again, actions have always spoken louder.

He grits his teeth and I see his perfect jaw tighten. “What exactly are you fishing for? A declaration of feelings? Of love? So I made you come,” he states plainly with a shrug of his shoulders. “Don’t be so naïve. Orgasms are a specialty of mine that I’m more than happy to give away.”

“Even though you’re not allowed to,” I point out. A selfless act, really. “Tell me, how many Unfortunates have you made come by your hands?”

“Don’t play this game with me.”

“How many?” I ask again, more forceful this time.

When he allows it I like to push him, and there’s something that tells me he likes it when I push. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about arguing with someone who’s supposed to be in ‘power’ that electrifies every cell in my body. Dominating a Fortunate and making them uncomfortable is every Unfortunate’s wet dream.

“One.”

I manage to keep my lips from curling victoriously. “One.”

Exactly what I thought.

He smirks. “You’re reading into it. In this world, you have to watch who you fraternise with. You don’t want anyone to slip up and spill all of your secrets, so yes, only one. One that I trust will not share it with anyone else.”

“I wouldn’t,” I say with absolute confidence.

In this house, Kade is the only Fortunate I’m loyal to, everyone else can go to hell.

“I’ve answered your intrusive questions and sated your annoying curiosity. Are you finished?”

My fingers twitch around his. “For now.”

Kade’s irises flare and the corner of his lips pull further. “Good, now we can get back to work.”

He pulls away from me and straightens his thick, black tie. While he adjusts his clothes, I adjust mine and slip off of his desk. My bare feet press into sheets of paper and pens. Out of instinct, I reach down to tidy them up.

“Leave them,” Kade orders. “We’ve got other things we need to deal with.”

I straighten my posture, placing my hands on my hips. “Like what?”

With a tiny breathtaking smile, he slips his hands into the pockets of his pants. “Take off my clothes and I’ll show you.”

I feel my brows pull in, furrowing tightly. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Take off my clothes,” he drawls. “And I’ll show you.”

“Is-is this a joke?” I wonder aloud as I step closer to him.

He exhales in annoyance and angles his head. The way he looks at me from such an adorable angle kicks the rate of my pulse up a notch. “Keep wasting my time and you’re going to wish it was.”

I suck in a breath and stroll towards him. Naturally, I reach for his tie and, naturally, he swats me away before I even see it coming.

“The jacket is first,” he tells me in a dark, frustrated tone as I hiss and cradle my hand to my chest.

“You know this whole thing would go a lot smoother if you just told me what you wanted me to do instead of slapping me away whenever I try.”

“Are you even trying?”

“Yes!” I shout and when his eyes darken like coal, I wish I could take it back.

“So you’re telling me you don’t have a single seductive bone in your tight little body? Not even one?”

I shrug. “I don’t know…but if I do, let me figure it out on my own. You and your slapping isn’t helping.”

“You want to do this on your own? Without any coaching?”

I almost scoff. Coaching, my ass. I think he looks for excuses to piss me off and turn my skin pink. “Yes.”

Abruptly, he reaches out for my waist and tugs me into him. I’m still in his grasp as his brooding eyes scan my face. “Good luck with that. You do whatever you have to do to distract my father.” He drags an index finger over my bottom lip and I bite the inside of my cheek as his warm breath skitters across my face. “But if these lips touch his, I’ll kill you both,” he adds in a whisper and I almost smile.

“Death threats over a kiss? I thought you said you had no feelings for me.”

He catches my lip between his thumb and forefinger. It stings, but I do nothing to free it. “Get out,” he orders, staring a second too long at my mouth.

When he releases me, I whirl on my heel and march to the door. “You know where to find me,” I call over my shoulder with a wave. I approach the door, ignoring the rapidly rising panic of the outside world. I haven’t left the room in weeks. On the other side of the wood, Vince exists—dangers exist—but I’m too proud to turn around and ask Kade to let me stay. I had to go the course. I had to show him that I’m capable of making my own decisions and that I’m not one hundred percent controllable, and I never will be.

 

∞ Kade ∞

 

Kade slumped into his chair. Nine was becoming harder to control, harder to keep in line. She’d always been different, always curious and proud, but it had progressed tremendously over the course of her stay. Kade knew it was his fault. He knew he let too many things slip with her, but he hoped she was smart enough to remember her place when other Fortunates were around. If it were witnessed, Kade would have to punish her…and he really didn’t want to. He tapped his fingers along his bare desk. She cared for him, trusted him to protect her, but he knew better. There would eventually come a time when Kade wouldn’t be able to help her and she’d be as good as dead. It was inevitable.

At the meeting this morning, Kade’s father discovered that fault in mine one. He said the team Kade sent down was barricaded in tunnel twenty-seven, probably crushed by the weight of the earth. He yelled at Kade in front of everyone, and it took all of the resilience in Kade’s system not to kill his father right then and there. He recalled Vince smiling smugly at him from across the room as his father stripped Kade of all rights to the mines. Kade smiled back. He knew the change would never be passed. He knew his father would never make it back to the city, not this time. Tomorrow night, Nine would get Michael alone and distract him long enough for Kade to take his father’s life.

 

∞

 

Kade spent the rest of his day at his computer, filling in incident reports for all who were killed today at the mine. Once this disagreement with his father was over, Kade made the decision to travel to the mine and blow it sky high himself. He was sympathetic towards Unfortunates, most of the time, but if they’re messing with his shit, all the sympathy he had meant nothing. Only those loyal to him deserved respect.

The sun was setting low, but Kade made no move to turn on any lights. He knew if he left his chair, he’d go right out the door and march all the way to Nine’s room. He’s grown accustomed to her being here, lounging around his room. She never said much, but when he was here, she’d watch him and ask the occasional question that he never wanted to answer. When he came in late, she was awake just waiting for him. It was a nice feeling knowing someone depended on you to make their day. In the night, on most nights, he held her close to him. Her body was warm and firm, fitting with his so perfectly, and in the morning he’d lay and watch her for a few moments. When his chest began to stir up feelings and he’d twitch between the legs, he’d leave and go about his day, ignoring it all. Kade was doing his part. She was helping him, now more than ever, and he was going to let her live with him for as long as he could. Anything else was pointless and he didn’t want to hurt Nine. The feelings she developed on her part were her own problem and he refused to acknowledge them. To encourage such emotions would be catastrophic, to the both of them. Kade had been shot once and he didn’t fancy going through it again.

A slight knock on the door pulled Kade from his thoughts and he hit ‘send’ on his very last incident report. His stomach growled, but he ignored it and didn’t bother shouting for the knocker to come in. He was too tired and the thought of opening his mouth seemed to be too bothersome a task. Slowly, the small metal handle turned and the door creaked open. He watched intently from the shadows as auburn hair fell through the crack first, followed by a face—Nine’s face.

“Master Kade?” she asked, her sights scanning the room until they finally landed on him.

Without a word, or permission, she stepped inside and closed the door. He didn’t pull her up on it. He’d much rather listen to her beg to stay rather than apologize for intruding.

“It’s dark in here,” she muttered, taking in the surroundings.

“I like the dark,” Kade replied, drinking her in.

She was wearing the yellow dress, the one he forced up her thighs this morning.

“I know…and maybe I like it now, too.”

Nine made her way closer to Kade and he noticed immediately that her steps were too calculated for his liking. She had something planned…something he couldn’t decipher. As she stepped closer to him, he detected a small, sexy smirk that hinted at her lips. It was mischievous, a look that had his heart racing and his fingers digging into the arms of his chair.

“You look nervous,” she stated, running her index finger over the very edge of his wooden desk with a smile so playful it made his pants tighten. He remained still and said nothing. Have I fallen asleep? he thought. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had dreams that start off like this. He realised quickly then that it wasn’t a dream. In his dreams, she never wore clothes. She rounded the corner of his table and swallowed the distance between the desk and his chair. His brows furrowed as her delicate fingers brushed over his arm and up his shoulder, heating his blood along with it.

“Relax,” she whispered, bringing her mouth close to his ear.

His entire body tightened and hummed, and he swore he could feel the pulse of her heart thrum through him from the tips of her finger. What was this? She added another hand and moved them up and down his arms, caressing him through the fabric. The longer she made contact with him, the quicker his self-control slipped away. As her tongue glided over the shell of his ear and sensations tore through his body like nothing he’d ever felt, he realised what she was doing. She was trying to seduce him…and surprisingly she was succeeding. He had to give it to her. He was as hard as stone. She moved from behind his chair and promptly sat her ass down on his desk in front of him, putting her feet on the space between his legs. The sides of her toes brushed against his inner thighs, sending arousal, white and hot, throughout his body.

The second her knees fell apart, Kade leaped from his chair, forcing himself between them. “I know what you’re doing,” he said, his voice rough and low.

She grinned, exposing her perfect white teeth. “Took you long enough.”

Her finger tightened around his tie and she tugged him closer. It irked him that she reached for his tie first, yet again, but judging by her glistening eyes, she did it on purpose. She liked antagonizing him and he knew that. She liked receiving reactions for her actions. She liked having the smallest taste of control, just like a Fortunate. He’d smile at the thought if he wasn’t so on edge by her actions.

“Stop it,” he demanded, his voice hardly convincing.

Nine batted her eyelashes at him, drawing him in even further. “Why? This is what you want…which is subsequently what I want.”

He swallowed hard, his lips suddenly grazing hers. “Not like this. Not on my desk.”

“Then take me to your bed, Kaden.”

Kade snatched her thigh and she squeaked as he tugged her hard against him. Her eyes never left his as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her hard against his body. He could feel his belt buckle pressing hard between her thighs and she bit her thick bottom lip as he pressed his hips even harder into her. He should tell her off for calling him by his real name, but in this moment, it didn’t matter. It only fuelled the desire swelling inside of him. Pulling her off of the desk, Nine left his tie alone and raked her fingers through his hair. Her stare flicked between his mouth and his eyes and he saw her confidence waver ever so briefly. Suddenly, the last thing he wanted was for her to change her mind. He was too far gone, too tightly wound to stop. Kade crushed his mouth to Nine’s and she willingly opened her mouth to him. She tasted good, like orange and chocolate, and Kade knew Nine had spent the day with Portia. Oranges and chocolate was Portia’s favourite treats. Kade usually let her indulge in it when his father was in the city.

He marched Nine over to the bed with his tongue buried deep in her mouth and dropped her onto the mattress. Quickly, he shrugged out of his jacket, tossed it to the side, and draped his body over hers. Her legs wrapped around his waist and squeezed him against her. Unable to stop it, he groaned once into her mouth as he ground his hips into hers. His cock rubbed against his pants and the friction wasn’t pleasant but it was something, at least. Her warmth radiated through his slacks and her moans penetrated his flesh. Kade had never wanted anything so bad in his life. He’d never beg for sex and had never had to, but he was certain that if Nine stopped this he would plead, he would get on his knees and beg for her to let him between her legs. It was finally happening. What he thought about every night when he held her and dreamed about when he slept was finally happening. She was beneath him, completely at his mercy and she wanted to be. Electricity flowed through him like never before and their bodies stuck together like static. Her hands wrapped around his neck and her soft fingers dancing on his flesh, enticing him to go further, and he would. He’d have her, of that, he was certain, and he no longer cared about the consequences. If she fell for him, that was her problem. If she stayed in line and remembered her place, it’d make no difference to him.

Nine began moving her hips against his, harder and faster. The faster she moved, the closer she brought him to the edge, an edge he wasn’t ready to fall off, but god she smelled so good, like cherry, always like cherry. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and an unmistakeable tremble vibrated her legs.

“Don’t,” Kade warned her, ashamed by the sound of his own breathless voice. “Don’t do it.”

He stopped moving his hips in protest. If he moved any more, he was certain he was going to ruin his pants and he’d never done anything so teenage in his entire life. Nine growled in frustration and flicked her hips, pushing Kade down and rolling herself on top of him. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and his immediately gripped her hips. She rocked her hips back and forth, over and over and over until her legs began to tremble once more.

“Nine,” Kade groaned as tingles flared across his scalp, down his spine and between his legs. This was not how Kade wanted to start or finish this encounter. He wanted to come, sure, but not like this.

Her fingers buried themselves into his shirt and she balled as much of his fabric as she could into her hands. He watched, too mesmerised to stop as her lips parted and her eyes thinned. She was beautiful, even more so with the pink flush burned into her cheeks.

“Kaden,” she sighed, rocking her hips desperately. “Please let me. I need this.”

She arched her back, lowering her mouth to his and he found himself pulling and pushing her hips, trying to get her to move faster—harder—against him. It felt too good to stop now, his balls were too tight, his shaft to hard and his brain too foggy to even think about the aftermath of letting her come right now…of letting himself come right now. It built up too quick for him to realise and Nine’s eyes closed as she bit her lip, her body went rigid. His own orgasm hit him like a tonne of bricks and she moaned as Kade squeezed her harder against his shaft.

“Fuck,” he groaned as he poured himself into his own pants. It felt good to finally have a release, but he didn’t want it like this. The realization cooled his body down and the sight of Nine smiling smugly down at him irritated him beyond belief. When his breathing slowed, the anger began to push through his ribs and surface.

“Are you happy now you’ve embarrassed me?” he barked out, rolling her off his body.

He could feel his sticky fluid touch his bare skin and it repulsed him. He was a grown man, not a boy. She made him into an amateur, one thing Kade knew he wasn’t when it came to sex.

“I returned the favour, Kade, and I showed you I can do it.”

“Congratulations, you can make a man come,” he deadpanned, lifting himself off of the bed. “I’m sorry to say it, Unfortunate, but you’re not the only one.”

“Not like that,” she rebutted. “I’m willing to bet my life that no one has made you come like that.” Red flared across her face before pooling in her cheeks and she lowered her violet eyes. “I thought I did good…”

Sympathy rolled through Kade and he inched closer to her, but stopped himself. He needed to get a handle on this situation. What just happened was not okay. Her disregard for rules and regulation was not okay and it infuriated him that he had to repeat himself over and over.

“I’m going to shower.” He turned away from her. “I trust you know where the door is.”

Kade didn’t peer over his shoulder to see how badly he’d upset her. He wasn’t sure he could stomach it. Nine was fighting desperately for his affection and she had it, she had to know that, but things were different with him. In this world, beyond sex, it would never work out. He offered her freedom, that was all she’d wanted, but now she wanted him. In the beginning, she couldn’t stand his touch and now she craved it, just like he said she would, but now, this entire thing was becoming a disaster…one that could blow up and kill both of them.

 

∞ Nine ∞

 

I lay on my bed replaying the events in my head over and over. It’d be a lie if I said what transpired after our ‘situation’ didn’t hurt a little. I’d upset him, which was far from what I wanted to do…then again, I didn’t plan on dry humping him, either. It was all Portia’s idea. I went for a walk along the tree line by the lake and found her eating oranges and chocolate high up in a tree—or, she found me. She’s an expert at picking your brain. With a few expertly placed questions, she opened me up and read me like a book. I told her everything I could about Kade and what we’d done—excluding the plans about his father. From there, Portia launched herself into a speech about survival. She swore to me that Kade was the only Fortunate I’d be safe with, which I knew already. She also told me that Kade never invests his time in something that isn’t worth it. It was a warning I heard loud and clear, a warning that now leaves me lying in the wake of my own mess… and now that I think about it, perhaps I read too far into it. What the hell was I thinking? Kade was right. I did embarrass him, but I was so caught up in my own heat, too aroused to stop. He pulls me in and I can’t help myself. It’s in his scent, his movements, his perfect body and serious demeanour…I can’t get away even if I try.

It’s late. Not even a mouse stirs in the large manor. Guests from dinner have returned to their own mansions or are still passed out on the grass out the back. The Unfortunates have finished putting away the tables and chairs and most have retired back to their rooms…which makes me wonder about Thirteen. I haven’t seen her in so long. Worry turns my stomach at the thought of Vince punishing her for what went down weeks ago in the Black House. As the worry progresses, panic begins to stir. I haven’t slept alone in weeks, not since that night. What if Vince knows? What if he knows I’m down here alone in my bed?

I shoot up and swing my legs off the bed. The bare soles of my feet touch the cold stone and I realise my door has no locks…I can’t stop him even if I try. Desperation clenches my organs. I need Kade. I want to be tucked up in his large, soft bed and wrapped in his strong, thick arms. The thought alone is enough to have me on my feet and out the door.

The halls of the manor are dark and long. I move as quickly as I can, letting my fingers graze against the smooth walls. The last thing I want is to get caught out here alone. No good will come from a Fortunate or Moderator who spots an Unfortunate sneaking about a manor at night. The conspiracies they’d spin with that would be endless.

When I reach the stairs, I move quicker than ever before, putting all of my weight on the tips of my toes. Not only is this Kade’s part of the manor, but it’s Vince’s, too. The second my foot presses the very first floor board at the top of the stairs, I hear a door open and close, then the unmistakeable sound of a girl swallowing her own sobs. The sound lights a fire under my ass and I launch forward, sprinting across the hall in front of me and into the first door I see. Inside, it’s dark and quiet, but I don’t waste time looking around, instead, I peer through the crack that I left. My quick pants of hot breath collide with the cool wood and blow back onto my face. In the dim light, I see her, Thirteen, treading as softly and as quickly as she can, desperate to get away from Vince.

“Thirteen!” I whisper, but she doesn’t hear me.

As she passes my door and her shaky fingers reach out for the railing, I open the door a little and peer out. I’m aware my neck is so far extended it could be slit at a moment’s notice if I’m caught by a Fortunate. I suck in an inhale, ready to call her name again until I see him. Vince, shirtless and completely happy with himself treads lazily to the stairway. Even in the darkness, I see his lazy grin and notice his satisfied gait. I pull my neck in as quickly as I can and press my back hard against the wall adjacent to the gap in the door and clamp my hand over my mouth. My heart thumps loudly, so loud I’m certain he’s going to hear me. With my back to the wall, I’m forced to see more of the room I’m hiding in and holy shit there’s a sleeping Fortunate in the massive four posted bed on the other side of the room. If my heart was racing before, it’s absolutely flooring it now and I have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. This was a bad idea…I should have stayed in my bed, not venture out to climb into Kade’s. How could I’ve been so stupid?

“It’s late, Unfortunate. I trust you’ll make it back to your room without waking anyone up,” Vince says and I dare myself to have a little peek between the crack.

“Yes, Master Vince,” Thirteen responds, then silence falls.

I wait with bated breath. The sleeping Fortunate shifts in their bed and I squeeze my eyes shut. If I can’t see them then maybe, just maybe, they won’t be able to see me. Thankfully, whoever it is doesn’t wake up, and after a few solid minutes of silence, I push myself to my feet and step out of the room. The cold, metal door handle squeaks inaudibly in my hand, but I manage to get the door shut without any major disturbances.

“Sneaking about, are you?”

I squeak as I whirl around, bracing my hands against the door frame. “Master Vince,” I exhale anxiously. My heart squeezes into my throat as he pushes off of the banister. Idiot! I was so anxious to get out of the room I didn’t think twice about looking for Vince by the stairs. I take a minute step back and instinctively play off my fear with a nervous smile.

“You scared me. I-I was just on my way to Master Kade’s room.”

“Were you now?” His tone is sceptical and I don’t like it. “Shall we go see him?”

Familiar panic begins to raise its head, but I don’t dare let it cross my countenance. I nod and step forward. Kade will have my back. He’ll lie for me. If he doesn’t, if he’s still mad about earlier and wants to me suffer, I’m screwed.

I let out the smallest exhale as we stop in front of Kade’s door and clench my fist before finally tapping my knuckles softly against the wood. In a fit of impatience, Vince reaches around me, grabs the handle and pushes the door open. It swings with a vengeance and slams against the wall. In a slow, unbothered movement, a half-naked Kade turns his head towards us. I take in the scene before me. Kade lies on large cushions smoking a pipe in front of a crackling fireplace that casts a beautiful, luminous glow around the room. He eyes Vince and me closely. The look is enough to set me on edge and my hands begin to tremble.

“There you are, Unfortunate,” he states finally. My spirits lift, my eyes widen and appreciation floods my tummy. I knew he wouldn’t throw me to the dogs, or dog, rather. “Did you get lost?”

I nod, overeagerly. “Yes, Master Kade.” I step closer. “I’m sorry.”

With a bored sigh, Vince leaves and fear begins to grow roots in my belly once again. I stand still as he draws his pipe to his mouth and inhales, all while his eyes lock on to me. The long, thin glass pipe is the width of a human finger then round, like a bubble. I drag my eyes down the pipe to the small embers that flare and burn the grass at the bottom. Ten seconds pass before he lowers the pipe and blows out the smoke. I watch as it swirls in mesmerising patterns in front of him.

“Come in.” I step inside and a small twitch pulls at the corner of his lips. “Shut the door.”

Trembling, I reach out for the handle and push the door shut. Of my own accord, I lock it. I don’t want Vince to come back.

Kade’s eyes narrow in. “Sneaking around the manor at night…do you have a death wish?”

“No, I—”

“—what do you want?” he asks, almost bored.

I guess he’s still mad I made him ruin his pants. I almost smile at the memory of how useless he was to stop it. I had his body under control. I owned it.

“I’ve come to see if you need any company.”

He turns his attentions back to the fire. “I would’ve called you if I needed company.”

“No, you wouldn’t have.”

Silence falls between us. The only sound to stop it from being deafening is the lulling crackle of the burning wood. “Come. Sit.”

I do as I’m told and make my way over to him as quickly as possible. This is where I want to be… in here with him. I feel safer. I always feel safe when he’s around. He gave me the benefit of the doubt tonight. For all he knows, I could’ve been walking around looking for an escape. I lower myself onto a large, red cushion beside him and he hands me the pipe. A distinct lesson blares in my head. ‘Drugs of pleasure aren’t meant for Unfortunates,’ and so I shake my head at him. Kade’s volcanic eyes narrow in and he draws the pipe closer to my mouth.

“I promise you’ll like it.”

I swallow hard and recall the last time he said that to me. We were alone and it was right before he blindfolded me. The last time ended well so why would I say no this time? With minimal hesitation, I lean forward and put my lips around the warm, smooth glass. The taste of trees and dirt tickle my tongue, numbing the area. There’s a gleam in Kade’s eyes, an arousing, naughty gleam, so I inhale and hold, letting the smoke caress my throat and burn my lungs. Instantly, my head begins to float, feeling completely unattached from my body. Almost instantly, I begin to pulse in hot waves between my legs. The waves then intensify when I feel Kade’s rough hand on the inside of my thigh. His hand feels like a million tiny, vibrating nodes and I close my eyes. I inhale more smoke, loving the way my head swims and my fears slip away from me. And suddenly, I no longer exist…which is really hard for me to wrap my head around. I mean, I exist, I can see Kade and my surroundings, but I feel light and…invisible. In this moment, I’m no longer an Unfortunate, but a human, equal to Kade. I don’t fear him…I crave him. I crave his mouth, his skin, his tongue, and his hands. All of it.

I want it.

I open my eyes and he’s watching me with the same lustful expression that is undoubtedly displayed on my own face. I blow the smoke out and he lowers the pipe, letting it drop to the floor with a slight thump. We watch each other, neither one making a move. It’s quiet—dead quiet—and I hear my heart drumming in my ears.

“Careful, Unfortunate,” he murmurs, his hand stilling on my thigh. “If you keep looking at me like that I’m going to have to do something about it.”

“I didn’t know empty threats were your style,” I say, almost breathlessly. They haven’t been so far.

“I wasn’t expecting you to come tonight,” he admits, pushing himself further onto his elbow. “I was just lying here, wishing you’d show up at my door…”

I eyed him warily, ignoring the way my stupid heart flutters. “And I did.”

He nods, his thick, warm fingers twitching against my thigh. “You did.”

Warmth floods my body, washing over me like solar flares. My head ceases to spin, but the pulsing waves refuse to stop. “Do you want to talk about this afternoon?” I ask, swallowing hard, and he dips his head subtly. In a swift movement, he’s on his hands and knees and closes the slight distance between us. I try not to worry about his arms that are planted on the floor either side of my legs. His gesture is sexual, not violent.

“This afternoon when you came in here all confident and impertinent I decided I was going to finally slip myself between your legs and have you.”

My breath hitches and I fall back on my elbows as he crawls over me, his demeanour as calculated as a tiger. “You were?”

“Oh yes.” He lowers his mouth and kisses the very edge of my lips. God…he smells good. “I was going to be kind and loving…then I was going to bury myself deep inside you. That’s how I wanted to come, but you were being too sexy. Your body felt too good against mine and I couldn’t help it.”

“I was being sexy?” I never thought I’d hear him admit that I succeeded this afternoon.

Kade pulls back slightly, his eyes flaring in front of mine. “I came in my pants, Nine. Fuck yes, you were being sexy.”

“If that’s how you felt this afternoon…how do you feel now?” My head is clear, my mind unhindered by the effect of the pleasure drugs, but my body is working itself into a frenzy. It’s taking everything I have not to wrap my legs around his hips and pull him into me.

“Don’t worry about me.” He plants another kiss on my lips, making them part unintentionally. “I want this to be all about you.”

“What, more nipple pinches and hand slaps?”

He smirks playfully, making my heart slam into my ribs. Why doesn’t he do that more often? It takes years off of him and makes my insides melt like butter. “Only if you ask me to.”

In the next heartbeat, his mouth is on mine, his tongue slipping right in between my lips. The taste of wood smoke and berries floods into me, making me dizzy. As he continues to sensually taste me, I breathe him in. He smells of cherry and musk, a scent I wish I could capture in a bottle. Kade pulls back and our breath collides in hot pants.

“I wanna take you, Nine. I wanna take you places you’ve never been before.”

“Well,” I say, unable to hold a nervous laugh. “The beach is a good start. I’ve never been there.”

He chuckles. “Always sarcastic.” Kade pulls back even more, far enough to let me take in his whole face. His stare flicks between my eyes and my mouth. “Tell me what you want me to do, Sweetheart, and I’ll do it.”

I watch him curiously. Why is he being like this? All kind and not asshole-ish. What has changed between this afternoon and tonight—despite the obvious? The drugs have my body on fire and there’s a building pressure between my legs, even my nipples pulse in agonising rhythms against my dress, but other than that, I feel normal. I don’t feel funnier, happier, angrier or sexier…just normal. Kade, on the other hand, is different all over.

“Are you all right?” I ask, caution lacing my tone.

“I’m better than all right.” His stare falls to my lips again and it stokes something wicked inside me. “I’m happy…even happier now you’re here.”

I’m unable to hide my smile, and dammit, I don’t want to. I want him to see that I like it when he’s nice. “I make you happy?”

I watch him, expecting him to drop the shutters and close me out. He doesn’t.

“You make me a million things.”

“And you mean it?” My voice is low, a heady breath of anticipation. “You’re not playing a game with me?”

Is it possible that he regards me as fondly as I regard him? Is it possible that he wants this as much as I do?

“Telling you whether or not I mean it is easy. I’d rather show you.” He lowers his mouth to my neck and I angle my head, giving him access to my skin. With a smile I barely feel at the base of my throat, he tortuously drags his lips up my skin to the lobe of my ear and I shiver. “Will you let me?”

It’s a no brainer. I want him. I want him in ways I’m supposed to have him and in ways I shouldn’t. I nod my head before my brain even registers his promising words. He crushes a heavy kiss to my lips, sucking the air from my lungs.

“Bed,” he orders, the gentle tone but a veil over his stern command.

Kade pulls back from me and I take a second to gather my thoughts. Shit. Is this really going to happen? Now? Am I ready? How do I ‘become’ ready? I blink a few times, ignoring the way the fire in my body danced with the nausea. Noticing my uneasiness, Kade extends his hand to me in one slow, comforting movement and I take it. He pulls me up from the floor and escorts me over to his bed. I swallow hard, hoping it’ll take down some of my sudden anxiety with it.

“Nervous?” he asks in a teasing manner, smirking slightly.

I am, but I’m not going to admit it to him. Not after the show I put on this afternoon. I don’t want to go backwards…I want him to be proud of me for being confident. “Should I be?”

“It wouldn’t be the strangest thing.”

Keeping his eyes locked on mine, he frees his belt from his pants and tosses it to the side. Unintentionally, I take a minute step back, until the back of my knees touch the edge of the bed. He looks pointedly at my dress. “Take it off.”

I push the straps off my shoulders and the dress pools in a mess of blue-white fabric at my feet. With a satisfied smile, he steps forward, but I quickly raise my palms.

“Wait.” I inhale then exhale. I want this, I do, but I’m absolutely petrified. “Will it hurt?”

He pushes my hands down and wraps an arm around my waist. He pulls me in, until his naked torso is flush against mine and it feels good—natural even. Under my breasts, I feel his muscles tighten.

“Maybe a little, but I’ll make it feel good, so the pain doesn’t matter.”

Kade urges me back, lowering me onto the mattress. He parts my legs with his knee and slips into the space he created. His lips twitch when his eyes zero in on my rapidly moving chest. I’m not going to lie, I’m nervous as hell. My palms sweat and I have no fabric to wipe it on. I bunch the blanket up in my fists and squeeze as Kade surveys my face. I see his features dampen, becoming more sympathetic than aroused. I want him. I want to run my hands over his hard body, to feel his muscles. He has muscles in places I’ve only seen bone and skin so clean and smooth. It’s like he’s from another world. A world filled with beauty and unity, nothing like the one I live in.

“I want to touch you,” I blurt out, not wanting him to change his mind.

The thought of fisting the blankets through this whole thing unnerves me. I’m not a scared girl. I am a woman, a woman who is choosing to have sex with someone she wants to have sex with and believe it or not, that’s rare in this world and I should feel empowered.

Light ignites in his irises and he lowers his mouth to mine, until his bottom lip brushes teasingly over my own.

“So touch me,” he whispers against my mouth.

Finger by finger, I release the blanket. With free hands, I press them to his sides and his hard muscles contract and twitch under my touch. Holy hell, it has to be the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. His skin was soft and perfect…my fingertips feel rough against his silkiness and I pause. He is a Fortunate and I am an Unfortunate, yet I’m running my fingers over him like I have the right to. My teachers would slap me in the face if they knew of the disrespectful things I’ve done to him. However, even as the thoughts filter through my mind, I keep touching him…because I want to touch him. Touching him fills me with power, with control, and I crave it. I crave making my own decisions. This isn’t allowed and yet I’m doing it of my own accord.

I admire Kade’s arms as they tighten while he holds his body off of me. I follow the veins up his arms before finally dragging my stare over his collar bone and down his chest. Perfection. All of him.

I trail my fingers down his chest and over his stomach. I don’t stop until my fingers slip under the button on his pants. He tsks at me and the sound has me snapping my hands back to my chest. To my relief, no slaps or nipple pinches ensue.

“I have some things to show you before we get there.”

He kisses my mouth before I have the chance to ask him what he wants to show me. Then, he kisses my chin, my jaw and my neck, trailing heavy kisses down to my chest. His lips brush over the swells of my breasts before his wet mouth engulfs my sensitive nipple. My breath hitches, my hand instantly flying to his hair. He teases it, flicks it with his tongue over and over. Occasionally, he’ll graze me with his teeth and I shudder, earning a smile from him.

“This is my favourite part about sex,” he tells me, trailing warm kisses onto my ribs. “Making us both crazy first, without fucking.”

I quiver as his lips move over my navel and onto my left hip.

“I’ve wanted to part you with my tongue since the moment you stepped into my room on Selection day,” he confesses, his finger brushing over my slit.

“Wait!” I shoot up on my elbows. “You’re going to put your mouth on it?”

It’s not allowed, it’s taboo! To be caught in such a position would get me killed—Kade too, considering his past with Unfortunates. After a few seconds, he drags his gaze from between my legs to my face. My heart stills and melts into a giant puddle, adding to the endless amount of hot fluid coursing through my body.

“Baby,” he says in a voice so erotic and husky it makes me suck in an inhale. “I’m going to do more than put my mouth on your pussy.”

I blush at the word. I’ve only ever used vagina because, well, that’s what it’s called. “And what if we’re caught?”

“Then we’ll both die happy.” Keeping his stare locked on mine, he parts his lips and I watch as his tongue slowly slips out and presses between my creases. The warmth, the wetness, hits me like a bolt of electricity and my breath hitches. His tongue, languid against my centre, swirls gently, testing me and tasting me as if I’m as good as the berries he eats. He groans deep in his chest, setting fire to my blood. My blood burns, hotter and hotter, getting thicker and thicker until it melts my organs and becomes red hot lava. My leg muscles twitch as the lava eats away at my humility and my worry until his body is the only thing in this world I want. In this moment, as his mouth moves faster and he begins to suck and nip at my super-sensitive flesh, not even my freedom matters. To me, in a way, this is freedom…I’m liberated, and liberation has never felt so good.

Of their own accord, my hips move, rocking with the motion of his tongue. I’d never imagined something so erotic would ever happen to me. In my dreams, the naughty ones, I’ve always been in control. I’ve made them suffer—beg even. I suppose it’s a little fetish of mine, to control a Fortunate. Right now, though, I’m happy being at the mercy of his mouth. One of Kade’s hands slip under my ass and angle my hips while the other is poised strategically between my thighs. I feel his index finger brush the very inner flesh of my thigh before it caresses my tender opening. I squirm, panting as though I’ve run a mile. My skin is pebbled with goosebumps and my muscles twitch with every flick of his tongue.

“Oh,” I whimper as the very tip of his finger pushes past my lips and into my core. The friction is perfect, the rigidity of his finger is just enough to start a chain reaction of tingles in the pit of my belly. They flare rapidly, tearing through my body and setting me alight. I feel his hot breath on my thighs as he chuckles darkly and inserts the tip of his second finger. My fingers dig into the blankets beside me as sensations take my body by storm. Unable to stop it, my back arches and my thighs press together as my entire body tenses.

“Yeah, that’s it,” he rasps as I sink my teeth into my lip, opting for deep gasps of air over screaming. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

Stars dance behind my eyelids while flames lick me all over…until the pleasurable feelings fade and my muscles twitch as a result of being ticklish, not aroused.

I unclench the sheets and run my hands over my face. I feel Kade move away from between my legs and lie beside me. I shield my face from him, out of embarrassment. It’s a strange situation…for me, anyway. I angle my head and peer through my fingers. Kade smiles at me and soon I feel his fingers dance across my belly, earning a few last minute spasms.

“That looked intense,” he says, his voice filled with teasing charm.

Despite myself, I laugh, blushing brightly, I’m sure. “It was…” I clear my throat. “Thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me,” he states.

My breath hitches as his eyes darken, filling with naughty intent as he leans closer. My heart begins to waken from its orgasm-induced sleep, beating faster and faster until I’m right back where I started—excited, worried, and ready. He stops as his lips graze mine and our noses touch. Our eyes remain locked, his black to my violet, and slowly, I feel his tongue slide against my bottom lip.

“Ohh…” The moan falls from my lips before I’m able to stop and it propels me. I swallow the tiny distance between us, closing my mouth over his. On his lips, I can taste my previous excitement…so sweet and distinct. His strong arm wraps around my hip and he tugs on my body, pulling me right on top of him. He grinds his hips into me, making me shudder. I realise immediately how aroused I am…that’s all I need to throw caution to the wind and scream ‘fuck everything.’ I grip his face, urging my tongue between his lips. Underneath my bare chest, his skin burns hot and I roll my hips with his.

“You’re not going to catch me like that again,” he groans, pulling his mouth from mine. I squeak as he flicks his hips and rolls me off him. Then, he rears back, kneeling above me. “I’ve thought about this for a long time, believe it or not,” he confesses as his fingers play with the button to his pants. It pops and my heart hammers violently into my ribcage.

“Me too,” I utter, earning a small smile.

In a painfully slow movement, he lowers the zipper and pushes his pants down his thighs. I try not to stare…and fail miserably. I’ve always thought Kade had a beautiful penis, but my memory never did it justice. It was thick and long and clean…quite possibly the most enticing piece of flesh I’ve ever seen, forget abs. In the next heartbeat, he lowers himself over me, settling between my legs, and I swallow hard at the feel of his very tip pressing against my centre.

“You’re so wet,” he breathes on the shell of my ear. “I can feel it already.” He presses a little harder, until his tip passes my lips. His breath catches and the sound sends shockwaves through my body. I nervously flick my tongue over my bottom lip as he reaches between us and nudges my legs wider. His eyes remain on my face as he rubs himself all over me, testing my wetness.

“You ready?”

I nod and a burning sensation radiates at my entrance as he stretches me to my limits.

“Just relax, and you’ll be all right.”

He pushes further. Shit! I wince and clench his arms. Is it supposed to hurt so damn much? I imagine this is what birthing a baby feels like only it’s trying to climb back in to my vagina. Noticing my pain, Kade stops and brushes a stray lock of hair out of my face. His expression is strained, his brows are furrowed and his teeth gritted.

“Are you all right?” I ask through a heavy breath.

“I just pushed myself into your body and you’re asking me if I’m all right? I’m fine, but I really, really want to move.” He shivers and rakes his teeth over his bottom lip. “You feel fucking amazing, better than I ever imagined.”

I flush, regardless of how hard I try not to. “Are you…are you all of the way in?”

He shakes his head. “Not even close.”

“Go quick,” I plead. “It’ll be like ripping off a Band-Aid.”

Kade plants a soft kiss on my lips. “I don’t think this is the same thing, Nine. The slower, the better…the less I hurt you the more rewarding this will be—for the both of us.”

“If you go slow, will it feel good? Like all of the other things you do to me?”

I see sympathy flash in his eyes and that’s all the answer I need. This was going to suck. When I pictured having sex with Kade for the first time, I imagined hard fucking, orgasms and dirty talking…what’s happening is far from that fantasy. Granted, it does feel good and I do want to do this with him, I just expected it to be different. I didn’t think my body was going to let me down.

“It might not feel good this time, or the next time, but it will eventually.”

With another kiss, he slowly inches out before pushing in again, further this time until pain slices through my entire body. I cry out, but am stopped as Kade covers my mouth with his. I breathe rapidly through my nose in an attempt to lessen the pain and it works to a degree, but not enough to make me forget about it entirely. I like the pain, but hate it all at the same time.

Kade pulls away from my mouth and I wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m okay,” I whisper, ignoring a hot tear that burns out the corner of my eye. “It’s done? You’re all there?”

Hell, I hope so. I don’t think I can take much more. This guy could jam his forearm in me and I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

“I’m all there, baby.”

“And now we race to the finish?”

Kade chuckles. “Yeah, something like that.”

I love that he’s doing it so much tonight. It reassures me of my decision—all of the decisions I’ve made thus far. He’s a different person than the one he projects on others…and tonight he’s a different person than the Kade who graces me with his presence every day. In this moment, I swear we’re the same in every way. It feels genuine, like we share mutual feelings for each other and, oh god, do I have feelings for him. My whole life I despised the Fortunate I thought I’d be assigned to. Every night before bed, I hoped and prayed that I’d be signed as a kitchen hand or something equally as isolated. When I was made a personal slave for Master Kade Sario, every fibre in my being was repulsed by the thought of him. Then I saw him for the first time. He looked up at me from underneath his brow and settled his dark, mysterious eyes on me. He seemed bored, or at least he tried to be. I saw the way his eyes roamed me, devoured me inch by inch and I’m sure if I listened hard enough, I’d have heard the air being forced from his lungs. He affected me, too. He wasn’t at all like I imagined. He was perfect…intimidating, rude, and demanding, but still perfect nonetheless.

Kade pulls out ever so slightly and then thrusts back in with a groan. Beside me, I feel his arms tremble.

“You feel amazing. If it wasn’t your first time, I’d feel bad about coming so soon.”

I want this to be over, preferably sooner rather than later, but it’s not because I’m not enjoying it. I like having him here…I like feeling the weight of him, draped over me like a silk blanket, and I like how cute he’s being, but the cramping and the stretching is really ruining the mood for me.

I snort. “Men and their excuses.”

“Watch yourself,” he warns, his dark eyes flaring. “I’ll have you in my bed all day and all night tomorrow just to prove you wrong.”

His threat excites me in ways I never thought possible and with that, he shifts his weight and pulls out briefly before thrusting back in. He flicks his hips harder this time, sending an unexpected jolt of heat up my spine. I dig my nails into his skin with a startled breath. It felt…good. It actually felt good.

“You liked that, Nine?” he teases, his voice deliciously rough as he repeats the movement. It hurt, but the sudden pleasure overbears it and surprisingly, I want more.

“Oh, yes.”

Kade props himself on his elbow and hitches my leg over his hip. I wince as he propels himself deeper. Despite the pain, my blood is still burning white hot and I can’t drag my eyes from his. The more he moves, the more I get used to his thickness and length. Eventually, I find myself lifting my hips to meet his, desperate for more of the sweet agony he wants to give me. My fingernails release Kade’s flesh as sex progresses and the pain begins to float away. Every flick of his hips instils a pleasure purer than the last and I don’t want this to end.

“Are you okay?” he asks after a few more thrusts and I wish he hadn’t. I’m in the zone, dammit!

“Yes!” I inhale sharply. “More, please, more.”

I’m panting, burning, and covered in a thin layer of sweat, and I couldn’t be happier. I flick my hips into his and he groans deep, gravelly, and tight. I can see why Fortunates love sex now. I didn’t understand it before, but I see the appeal. To have sex with someone you’re attracted to is uplifting…a beautiful experience. Of course, it’s not as beautiful when the other participant is crying and begging you to stop. Nausea rolls in my stomach as a vision of Thirteen and Vince flashes through my mind. She’ll never experience what I’m experiencing…I doubt Vince took it easy on her. I doubt she begged him for more. My skin cools…maybe I should end this? For Thirteen’s sake? I open my mouth with the intention of asking him to stop…then his wet mouth engulfs my hard nipple.

 

∞ Kade ∞

 

“Kade!” she cried out, arching her back.

He sucked hard, so hard he was sure it hurt. When he was certain her nipple couldn’t take any more, he released it and consumed her mouth with his own, tasting every inch of her. Kade liked the way she tasted—forbidden, dangerous, and beautiful. Her walls clenched him and he shuddered, slowing his pace. He wasn’t going to be able to last much longer, but it was okay this time. Nine would be sore and no virgin comes on their first go. Kade increased his pace again, ready to bring it home so he could work on healing her. Abandoning her mouth and dropping his forehead against hers, Kade moaned, digging his fingers into her thigh. He wished he could be inside her pussy all night. It never felt like this, even with Elizabeth. With her, it was just sex, but with Nine he felt like he was giving her something to hold on to…hope, maybe. Although he couldn’t give her absolute freedom, he could give her endless orgasms and companionship.

“Oh, god,” Nine panted, shutting her eyes.

Kade gritted his teeth, desperate not to let himself go and fuck her into the mattress. Fuck, he wanted to. He wanted to press her knees to her chest and hit it so hard she lost her breath…and he would, eventually, just not tonight. He told her he’d be sweet to her and give her the love she deserved. Then he promised her he was going to fuck her hard, to show her exactly how crazy she made him.

He felt it in his balls first, the tightening, the unbearably pleasant sensations that started there and spread up his shaft. The pressure was intense, too much for him to handle. A heavy breath fell from his lips and Nine’s entire body tightened at the sound.

“Are you—”

He covered her mouth with his hand to avoid another question. He knew exactly what she was going to ask. “I’m gonna come.”

Her gorgeous violet eyes widened, and he tracked the red flush from her cheeks right down to her bouncing breasts. Unable to help himself, he drastically picked up his pace, thrusting into her a lot faster and harder than he intended. It wasn’t to hurt her, or to help him come quicker. He just wanted to feel the velvety insides of her pussy before he came and left her alone for the next few days. Then it was over. He came, harder than he ever had, and he rode it out until his body quivered at the mere touch of her soft walls. With trembling arms, he lowered himself, careful not to drop all of his weight onto her smaller frame. Kade let his fingers slip from her perfect lips before covering them with his mouth. He kissed her softly, letting his tongue caress instead of fuck. As the effects of orgasm began to wear off, he realised what’d just happened. He’d taken his Unfortunate…he’d taken her virginity. There was no coming back from that. He pulled his mouth from hers and looked down at her. She smiled sleepily up at him.

“That looked intense,” she teased, using his words against him.

“It was.” He smiled, a genuine smile. He couldn’t remember the last time he smiled a genuine smile before Nine came into his possession. The gesture had lost all meaning a long time ago.

“Now what?”

In thought, he raked his teeth over his bottom lip. He should tell her to clean up and go to bed…he should get up and have a shower without a word…but he didn’t want to.

“Now, I clean you up and then we sleep.”

Cautiously, her eyes flicked between his. He didn’t like that she always thought he was playing some kind of game, then again, why wouldn’t she? Kade was a Fortunate, the face of her nightmares.

“You’re not going to tell me to leave?”

Her words pierced his chest and it took a lot of effort not to flinch. Was that how she saw him? She thought he’d just kick her out after using her? No. That wasn’t him…that wasn’t the real him. “No.”

He grew accustomed to having her in his bed…he’d never been a snuggler, but she was just so soft, warm, and welcoming. He pulled the pillows to the fireplace because he couldn’t stand the thought of sleeping in his bed without her. The drugs, he was going to smoke them until he passed out…passing out was the only thing that’d stop him from walking to her room and carrying her back to his. Then she came to him…because she couldn’t be without him. She didn’t have to say anything, but they were on the same wavelength. Nine was the only girl Kade had wanted to be with and it was more than just physical. He could trust her…she was going to help kill his father, after all.