Chapter 5

Five

ECHO

I was literally hanging on the edge of my seat - well, chains – watching two ridiculously hot guys make out like my own private porn show and the doctor bursts in interrupting the best fucking thing I’d seen in years. I had recognised him earlier. The handsome blonde guy who looks like he’s stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine. I mean the guy is gorgeous. Maxim is all dark and broody, Niki a tall Nordic Viking but the doctor… he’s just perfection.

“Angel,” Maxim drawls. “So good of you to join us.”

“The fuck is this?” he screeches as he walks into my line of sight.

“Hey Andrew, long time no see,” I say with a smirk.

“ Andrew?!” Niki signs with a snort. “ Your real name is Andrew?”

“Yes, you big dumbass,” Andrew says. “Look, I’m not here to discuss my first name. I’m here to question your fucking sanity, Max!”

“ You really don’t look like an Andrew .” Niki has his head cocked to one side, a cheeky smile curling his mouth and I have a sudden urge to lick it off his face like a big dollop of ice cream.

“I agree,” I say, joining the conversation, which just pisses Andrew off even more if the audible grind of his teeth is anything to go by. “Hmm… you look more like a Landon. Brandon?”

By the way he’s clenching his jaw, I’d be surprised if Andrew has any teeth left. I don’t remember him being this much fun to wind up when he spent some of the summer at our family home. I’d been on a trip back for a couple of weeks because dad liked to get us all together and play happy families at least once or twice a year, and the twins brought Andrew George Lexington the Third with them to keep them entertained. I wish I had thought of bringing someone to keep me entertained. Conor and Cillian ended up fucking their little ‘Angel’ all over the goddamn house. I couldn’t go anywhere without seeing somebody’s ass. I hadn’t minded seeing Angel’s but my brothers’ … Ew.

I shudder as the memory flashes in my mind and Angel turns his attention back to me.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“Considering I’m hung from a meat hook in the cellar? Yeah, fucking super.” Which was almost accurate. They hadn’t really done anything too bad. Apart from ruining my favourite dress. I think I’m going to have fun with a pair of scissors and Maxim’s shirts. Ooh, maybe I’ll cut off all the buttons so he can’t do them up. Or just put a hole in one sock in each pair. Or?—

“Why do you look like you’re planning world domination?” Maxim asks, a dark brow raised.

“No reason.”

He frowns and opens his mouth to respond but Angel cuts him off.

“And, why the fuck was Niki’s tongue down your throat?”

“ Because it wanted to be there. ”

“It was hot,” I say, drawing the attention back to me. “Look, I promise I’ll behave if you let me go.”

Niki snorts. “ We’re not stupid, little rabbit.”

I shudder at the nickname. I’ve never had one before, and I kind of like it. Kind of makes me feel like I belong somewhere. Which is a first for me.

“Stop getting attached,” Angel snaps. “You need to let her go.”

Maxim’s eyes darken. “I don’t need to do anything.”

“Would this be a bad time to say I can’t feel my fingers anymore?” I give them a little wiggle, and pain lances through my hands. My shoulders are also starting to ache and yet, I’m still horny and my pussy is crying out for some attention.

“Max, you take her down, this instant.”

Maxim sinks his hands deep into his trouser pockets, looking like he has all the time in the world. “Love, you’re not in charge here. You really want that little hellcat running around here free?”

Angel casts a look over his shoulder and I smile sweetly back.

“Fair point,” he says. Rude . “But she wouldn’t be able to roam around here if you hadn’t kidnapped her in the first place.”

“ She broke his nose ,” Niki says, pointing to Maxim. “He can’t let that go unpunished.”

“Do you hear yourself?” Angel scoffs. “You’re not judge and fucking jury. You can’t just?—”

“I can,” Maxim says, and his voice is low and dark, and fuck does my pussy like the sound. “Don’t forget your place, Angel. If I want to be judge, jury and executioner, I will be. This is my world, and I fucking rule.”

Silence descends between the three of them and it becomes a little awkward. “Do you guys need to get a room? Or I could just pretend to close my eyes if it helps?”

Maxim scowls at me over Angel’s shoulder.

“You can’t keep her here,” Angel says softly. “You know her dad will come for her, and do you really want to start a war with the Quinns?”

I can see the cogs turning behind Maxim’s dark eyes, calculating the risks involved in keeping me. Part of me doesn’t want him to let me go, which is insane, but maybe there’s just something wrong with me. I haven’t had this much fun in years.

“If it helps, I don’t think my dad will actually notice I’m missing.”

Three pairs of eyes meet mine instantly. Pretty weird actually. “What?”

“ Why won’t he notice?” Niki asks.

I shrug. “I was shipped out of the family home, hidden in a small corner of the world and left behind. I might have the same surname, but I’m not really a Quinn.”

I try to keep the self pity out of my voice, but judging by Maxim’s narrow gaze and cocked head, I don’t quite succeed.

Niki’s plump mouth splits into a wide grin. The guy looks like a maniac, and I have to admit, the adrenaline his smile sets running in my system, is exciting. I have the sudden urge to run, just to see if he’ll chase me. Hmm… that gives me an idea. An awfully wicked idea.