Chapter One

Leah

I stand tucked into my brother's side as we watch the exchange between Gary’s father and Darius. Instead of looking fearful that one of the richest men in the whole state, shit maybe even the whole country, is standing there promising to ruin his life, Darius just smiles wide looking slightly unhinged.

“Oh, so you only care about that son?” Victor’s upper lip twitches.

“I’m going to make sure you spend the rest of your life rotting in a jail cell,” Mr. Hayes seethes. Gary is on his feet again, thanks to the help of his team mates, clutching his arm to his chest. It brings me great joy to see he is in agony—serves the bastard right. I did as he told me to, okay well maybe I got two out of five off the field but how was I to know only Saint and Darius drink that particular protein shake that I put the powder in! Before the end of the last quarter everyone’s phones began to ping with incoming messages. The moment I felt eyes on me I just knew what happened before I even opened the link.

“As long as you’re in the one next to me,” Darius says like he isn’t worried.

“You broke my fucking arm!” Gary screams. Darius just shrugs and smiles at both the Hayes men.

“You’re lucky that’s all I broke, you rapist.” Gasps ring out around us and I drop my gaze in shame.

“That’s bullshit and that video proves it!” Mr. Hayes tries to defend his son. Darius steps forward until they are chest to chest. Corvin releases me as he and Beck move in closer ready to pull Darius back if he swings at Gary’s dad.

“No, that video just proves that you put your son up to it. You tried to use your golden boy to fuck me over and keep me quiet, except now, it won’t work.” Victor eyes Darius with careful scrutiny.

“You have no idea who you just fucked with,” Victor growls.

“I know exactly who I picked a war with and believe me, I’ll fucking win this,” Darius spits.

“Someone call the cops, Dad I want his ass arrested,” Gary yells like a little bitch. Darius tears his gaze from Victor to look at Gary.

“Fuck,” Corvin mumbles, almost like he knows what is about to happen.

“Daddy won’t let his son get arrested, he was talking out of his ass. He can’t afford the publicity right now with the sale of his company being announced in a few days.” Victor’s eyes widen, Gary frowns and scoffs.

“I’m not getting arrested, you dumb fuck, you are!” Darius shakes his head and tsks. I look around us to see everyone has stopped and are watching this scene instead of stepping in, I guess this just proves that the five of them really are the kings and no one touches them.

“You didn’t hear me, dipshit. Daddy won’t let his son go to jail right now.”

“I am his son!” Gary screams.

“No, you’re one of his sons.” I suck in a sharp breath as I look between the three of them with wide eyes.

“What the fuck, Dad, what the fuck is he on about?” Gary demands, but Victor is too busy staring at Darius in shock.

“You picked the wrong twin, Victor. I promise you, I will outshine you and your pick of the litter. When I’m done fucking you over, you won’t have two pennies left to scratch together.” Gary stares at Darius for a second before snapping his gaze to his father who is grinding his teeth so hard I fear he may snap them. “Watch your back, Hayes, well as best you can because you won’t see me coming when I end you.” Darius turns and stalks toward me. He doesn’t even spare me a glance as he shoulder checks me on his way out. Crue, Beck and Saint shoot me pitying looks before they race after their friend.

I feel sick. Darius and Gary are twins. One raped me and the other one I’m in love with.

Corvin’s coach goes to him and whispers something in his ear, Corv nods and marches to me gripping my arm and dragging me from the field. I don’t question him when I hear the sounds of sirens in the distance, somebody really did call the cops.

The second we get in the car and Corvin peels out of the lot he starts. “Tell me Gary was full of shit and you haven’t been fucking my best friend behind my back for years?” Just as we are about to hit the street, Corv slams on the breaks lurching us both forward but thanks to the seatbelts we both jerk back in our seats. “Fucking hell,” he snarls as he winds his window down. I look up and my heart leaps at the sight in front of me. “Either get the fuck in the car or move your asses!” Katie and Cody exchange a quick glace before they both race toward us and climb in the back. I turn in my seat and look to each of them.

They both smile awkwardly and shrug. “We thought you might need some friends to talk to,” Cody says. Too choked up by their show of love for me, I turn around and look over at my brother as he white knuckles the steering wheel and speeds down the road. I frown when he doesn’t turn down the street that will lead us to his house.

“Where are we going?” I ask hesitantly.

“Unless the next words out of your mouth are to tell me the truth about you and Darius, shut the hell up Leah.” I clamp my mouth closed and slink back into my seat. “Call Beckett.” The car’s Bluetooth system registers his command and dials Beck’s number.

“Where are you?” Beckett says in lieu of a hello.

“About to hit the interstate,” Corv answers.

“We got the go bags, I’ll get Leah’s shit.” I frown as I peek over at my brother.

“Pack extra, we got two strays in the back.” Cody and Katie bristle at being called strays and I don’t blame them.

“Is that a good idea?”

Corvin sighs tiredly, he’s dressed in his football uniform, pads and all. “I didn’t have a choice, they blocked my car.”

“We going off grid?” What the hell does that even mean?

“Yeah, brother, for at least a week until we can get out in front of this shit.”

“We’ll see you in eight hours.” Corvin ends the call.

“Where the hell are we going?” Cody asks.

“To the Batcave.” I roll my eyes at Corvin’s stupid answer. The longer we drive, the more the ache in my cheek begins to grow. I didn’t feel it before but now that the adrenaline has worn off, it’s fucking painful.

My eyes sting and my cheek continues to ache but I refuse to say anything and risk Corvin going off at me again. I check the time on the dash and stifle a groan. It’s after one in the morning, the girls fell asleep a couple hours ago. If the pain in my face wasn’t so bad I would be fast asleep as well. Corvin exits the interstate, I look around and see nothing but mountains. Where the hell are we? We continue to drive for another twenty minutes on darkened roads with no street lights. He finally slows the car and pulls into a gravel driveway that is lined by pine trees. Even with the windows up I can still smell the scent of pine. It reminds me of Christmas. Mom always said we could never have a fake tree, it had to be real or it just wasn’t Christmas.

I spot a lone light up ahead and gasp when the car’s headlights display the cabin in front of us—it is majestic looking. It’s a two-story with a wraparound porch on the second level, and huge A-frame windows, allowing you to see the beautiful mountains that surround the property. Downstairs is all windows, allowing the natural sunlight to beam in daily. Shrubs are planted around the house, and a swing seat hangs on the front porch. Corvin parks the car and shuts the lights off, taking away my source of light. I sigh. I guess I’ll just have to take in the beauty of this place tomorrow in the daylight.

“We’re here!” Corvin says loud enough to wake the girls. They both yawn and stretch before we pile out of the car. My ass is numb and my back is aching from the long drive, I need a hot shower and some Tylenol to numb the pain in my face, then a nice comfy bed would be great. “Come on,” Corv says as he leads the way up the paved path to the cabin. The moon is high in the sky and lights the way for us to not trip on our own feet, well the moon and the porch light. I stumble up the stairs thanks to the lack of lighting. My brother doesn’t even offer to help, just grunts and continues to the door. I sigh, Corvin has never been this angry at me before. Katie reaches out and squeezes my hand in silent support. Right now, they are the only two people I have on my side and who actually seem to care about what I went through at the hands of Gary.

Corvin reaches behind the porch light and pulls out a key, he unlocks the door, reaches in and flicks some switches before light blinds us. I blink my eyes to adjust before taking a deep breath and following my brother inside. My jaw hits the floor, this place is stunning. High vaulted ceilings with a chandelier that hangs in the entryway. Beautiful pictures of landscapes adorn the walls, I round the corner and gasp, a sunken living room with high ceilings and another chandelier, white suede couches that wrap around the area and a cozy open fireplace. I turn the other way and find an open plan kitchen with wooden bench tops and a stainless steel gas stove—a pot rack hangs above the butcher’s block in the center of the room.

I continue through the kitchen to the open door off the back where Corvin disappeared. I marvel at the room. It’s a game room with a pool table, air hockey and a projector screen on the other side with recliners. I follow Corvin as he leaves through another door that leads us past the kitchen and living room. We head up the beautiful wooden stairs that lead up to the second floor. I peek over the side and love how you can see the entire downstairs from the landing.

“That’s Beck’s room.” I turn to where Corvin is pointing to a closed door on the other end of us. “Next to his is… Darius’s, then a spare room which your friends can sleep in.” I get the double meaning, I’m not to be trusted to share a room next to Darius anymore. “There’s the bathroom.” He points to the open door next to the spare room. “Then that’s my room.” He points to the last door, I frown.

“Where do Saint and Crue sleep?” I ask.

“We converted the basement for them, they stay down there,” he answers in a clipped tone.

“And, where do I sleep?” I ask as I nibble on my bottom lip nervously. His gaze drills into me and I look away unable to meet his angry glare.

“Next to me so I can make sure you don’t sneak out for a midnight romp.” I cringe and Cody snorts next to me. Corvin swings his gaze to her. “Something funny?” he snaps. I expect her to remain silent but she surprises me when she steps into Corvin, spearing him an angry look of her own.

“Yeah, it is, actually. You stand there and judge her for sleeping with your best friend but not once have any of you selfish sons of bitches acknowledged what happened to her! Your sister was fucking date raped and all you care about is Darius fucking her?” She doesn’t give him a chance to answer. “You’re fucking pathetic and she isn’t sleeping in your room either.” She reaches back, grips my arm and drags me toward the spare room leaving an open-mouthed Corvin standing there on his own.