Chapter Twenty-Four

Odette

A week had passed since Wyatt’s family reunion.

A week was left until graduation.

I knew what I had to do now. Strangely enough, it was Dominic who’d unintentionally inspired me. Watching him stand up to his father the way he did made me believe I could, too.

In the past week, I’d brainstormed ways to get Charles to change his mind. It seemed impossible until I realized that I refused to give up without a fight.

Never in my life did I imagine I’d even think of challenging Charles or going against him in any way—it was a death wish. My feelings for Aiden, Wyatt, Niko, and Dominic were stronger than my fear of Charles. I was head over heels for those men, and I’d do whatever I had to to keep them and save their careers, reputation, and manor.

Charles had called me spineless. While that was mostly true, he put me in a position where I had everything to lose. If I didn’t take a stand, I’d lose them and end up with absolutely no one but myself. From that realization, a spine grew.

As a businessman, my father played dirty—or, in his case, illegal and downright corrupt. The only way to win against him was to play his game. I’d always been a pawn on his chess board, but now I knew I needed to hit him where it hurt as his opponent.

For the first time in my life, I’d fall into my role as Charles Whitlock’s daughter. While I was nothing like him and never wanted to be, I planned to be cruel.

After a week of replaying my speech in my head, I was ready. I didn’t plan on telling my professors where I was going, which I felt guilty about. I knew they’d try to stop me or ask questions. Aiden demanded that I never see my father again, and I couldn’t oblige.

If things went wrong and I wasn’t able to change Charles’ mind, I’d tell them the whole truth when I returned home. Keeping this from them was killing me. I wasn’t a liar, but this tremendous secret was eating away at me the longer I kept it.

While it would be easier to pack up and leave without telling them the ugly secrets I’d kept—I couldn’t do that to them. They deserved much more than me pretending my feelings for them weren’t real. Even if I wanted to, that was an act I’d never be able to pull off. Aiden would see right through me.

I loved them, and they knew it.

I despised the sappy word, but there was no other way around it. At the end of the day, love was just a word people used to describe this feeling. I finally admitted it to myself when I realized we’d been saying it all along, just not with words.

Every time Niko cooked for me or made sure I was taking care of myself, he said it.

Whenever Wyatt told me how proud he was of me, he said it.

Dominic said it all the time by keeping me safe—even from my own messed up head.

Aiden said it whenever we locked eyes across the room and conversed silently. I could read him just as clearly as he saw through me.

The signs had been in front of me since the beginning—practically lit up in neon and screaming at me to wake up. This kind of love wasn’t stereotypical, and I knew it was likely something none of us would admit aloud. I was happy with that. I didn’t need them to say the words. I could feel it.

All I knew was that I was a girl in love with four unbelievable men. I’d be damned if I gave that up because an old dying man disapproved.

It was Friday, and I just returned home after school. On top of my stress about Charles and my professors, it was finals week. Yesterday, I took my final for Niko’s class, and today, I completed my final project for thermodynamics.

As soon as I walked through the door, Niko’s arms wrapped around me and spun me around, making me giggle. “Hello to you too!”

“You only missed two questions on your final,” he beamed.

I widened my eyes. Truthfully, my attention in Niko’s class had been lacking. It was impossible to pay attention in class when I kept picturing the Professor naked with his head between my thighs. “Really!” I joined in on his excitement. “I thought I’d get an eighty, at best,” I admitted, running my hand through my hair as relief filled me.

He shook his head. “I told you you’d pass with flying colors, Cari?o. Give yourself some credit.” He lifted me by my thighs and began walking through the house while kissing my neck. “How should we celebrate?” He asked in a mischievous tone.

Wrapping my legs around his waist, a smirk played on my lips. “I have a volleyball meet later, but I’m all yours until then,” I flirted. His hot mouth against my neck sent shivers down my spine.

He sat me on the kitchen counter and stood between my legs. He ran his hands up my thighs while watching me. “Two days in a row?” He questioned.

In hindsight, I could’ve thought of a better excuse than volleyball. They knew I typically only had a sports-related activity two or three times a week. Still, I nodded.

He gave the side of my ass a tap. “With all that training you do, you’ll probably be able to outrun me soon,” he joked, leaning in for a kiss.

“I can outrun you,” I remarked before his lips touched mine.

Trapping me between his arms, he leaned against the counter. “Think so?” He said between kisses.

“I know so,” I parted my lips for him, feeling heat rush between my legs.

The tip of his tongue barely touched mine before he pulled away. He looked unconvinced, watching me with raised eyebrows and a smirk. “You don’t actually think you can beat me in a race, Cari?o, do you?” He questioned, a challenge in his tone.

Oh, he thought I was joking? “Easily,” I said confidently.

“ Really,” he chuckled in disbelief. “Put your sneakers on,” he ordered.

“Why does Niko look insane?” Aiden questioned when he entered the kitchen, with an empty mug in hand, going for the coffee machine.

“He seems to think he can beat me in a race,” I answered. “He can’t.”

Aiden seemed intrigued. “You can’t beat Niko in a race, Babydoll. He has the competitive edge of a teenage boy playing dodgeball.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Niko dismissed, still eyeing me. “You know what, since you’re so sure of yourself, let’s have a little race between the five of us—I’d beat all of you,” he assured.

I was tall and slim, built for cardio. Niko wasn’t the only competitive one in the house, and I was overly confident that I’d win.

Still turned on, I hopped down from the counter and crossed my arms. “Fine,” I agreed. “If I win, each of you have to...” I smirked before continuing. “Write a single-page essay on how your frail old bodies couldn’t keep up—in red ink,” I irked. I looked forward to reading them.

Aiden sent me a stern look. “I’ll let that slide this time, Doll . Careful,” he warned.

Niko matched my crossed-armed stance. “And when one of us wins?” He prompted.

“ If any of you win, I’ll let you do whatever you want to me,” I teased in a sultry tone.

With a naughty twinkle in his eyes, Niko chuckled. “Oh, you stupid little girl... you’re really going to regret having said that.”

Using a single finger to tilt my chip upwards, he kissed me, his tongue tangling with mine in a heated kiss. Caught off guard, I moaned into his mouth, wetness pooling in my panties.

He smacked my ass before pulling away, earning a chuckle from Aiden. “Put your game face on, Cari?o; your virginity depends on it,” he smirked before excitedly jogging out of the kitchen and shouting for Dominic and Wyatt to put on running shoes.

My virginity? That was long gone. I glanced at Aiden, wondering if he was as confused as I was.

He took a sip of his coffee. “You’ve got more than one hole, Doll,” he grinned before he also left, probably to put sneakers on.

My eyes widened, recalling Dominic’s finger in my ass, telling me how he couldn’t wait to fuck it... The thought of two of them being inside me at once made my stomach flip with greed. “Jesus Christ,” I breathed out.

I was still going to win, but now I had fantasies of pervy things that wouldn’t stop playing in my mind.

“We’re racing to the mailbox at the end of the driveway,” Niko instructed.

The five of us stood in a line, sneakers on, ready to bolt. I threw on a tennis skirt and a simple T-shirt, knowing this would only take a second. Dominic and Wyatt didn’t seem too interested in winning, given their sweatpants and sweaters, although their pockets were strangely full. Niko and Aiden were more competitive, dressed in shorts and T-shirts.

The driveway was long, about 200 feet to the end, with forest on either side of the gravel road. It was cloudy, a dense layer of fog covering the ground.

Wyatt stretched his arms high in the air and groaned. My eyes dropped to his exposed stomach and V-line. “Wait, this is a race?” He asked, seeming confused.

What did he think this was?

Niko nodded, sending him a sharp look. “Yes, Wyatt. Pay attention.”

“Why...?” Dominic cocked a brow.

In unison, Niko and I began our separate spiels about how we each thought we could beat the other and the punishments that came with losing.

Dominic sent me a stern look at the essay part of the bet. “You’d better be a fast runner, Darling.”

Stretching my arms in front of me, I gave him a kiss-ass smile. “I just need to be faster than you four.”

Aiden chuckled and shook his head. “Shut up and get ready.”

I stood between Niko and Aiden as Niko began counting down from five. One leg was in front of the other, my body slightly forward to propel myself once he got to one. They all had similar stances, but Niko had his eyes locked on the mailbox down the road, looking ready to tackle it.

Just before Niko called one, Aiden mumbled something under his breath that sent shivers down my spine.

“This chase doesn’t end at the mailbox, Odette...”

Chase?

I didn’t have time to analyze his words before I took off running. Niko was slightly ahead of me, and I couldn’t be bothered to turn behind me. I heard their footsteps directly behind me, making my adrenaline spike.

Niko was sprinting, looking like he needed this win more than air itself. I knew he was competitive, but his ego may take a hit when I beat him.

Deciding that I let him have his five seconds of fun, I lengthened my stride. Now, next to him, with the others closely behind (I assumed), I put everything into speed. The mailbox was approaching quickly, and I needed to get there before Niko.

The last fifty feet was a battle. I would be ahead by a few inches, then Niko would be. It was incredibly frustrating, and I wasn’t expecting the race to be as close as it was.

With my heart racing and a smile on my lips, I won by inches. Too close for comfort.

“Damn it!” Niko shouted in defeat before I saw him turn into the woods in my peripheral.

It took me a few seconds to slow down, stopping a few feet past the mailbox. Turning around, I was ready to gloat my victory. “I told you—”

They were gone. The world seemed eerily quiet compared to the footsteps just seconds ago. The gravel crunched under my shoes as I stepped forward, looking at the manor and into the thick trees. “Guys?” I called.

No response. They’d vanished into the forest. I stood in the middle of the road, a new wave of adrenaline flowing through my veins as I recalled Aiden’s warning.

They were watching me; I could feel the heat of their gaze on my skin as I stood still. “Don’t be sore losers,” I playfully called out, hoping they’d respond.

Just as I finished my sentence, something white in the road caught my attention. It was a piece of balled-up paper. Sending another weary glance towards the trees, I hesitantly walked and picked up the paper.

Unfolding it, I read the red ink in Aiden’s handwriting:

If you’re so fast... prove it. Come find us. Or are you scared?

With my bottom lip pulled between my teeth, my eyes scanned the trees again. To my confusion, I felt arousal puddle between my legs. A mixture of fear and excitement of the unknown filled me, and I found myself taking hesitant steps towards the tree line. I knew the chase was on once I stepped off the gravel. The real chase.

The earth crunched and snapped below my shoe as I slowly entered the thick woods. “Aiden?” My voice was barely above a whisper. “Wyatt?”

My heart was pounding. I couldn’t fathom why I was so uneasy. After all, it was just my professors. Still, I felt like prey being stalked and hunted.

A twig snapped behind me, making me whirl around. Wyatt stood with some kind of collar with a ball on it, a playful Hyde - ish glimmer in his eyes. Thanks to my horrific Google search months ago, I knew it was a ballgag, and I knew exactly what it was used for. They knew how much I liked having my mouth played with... and they knew putting that on me would be torture.

“You look scared, Baby,” he taunted while slowly approaching me. “Are you?”

To gloat or not to gloat? Part of me was still relishing my victory, while the other begged me to return to the house. Unfortunately, I remained stupidly competitive. “A little, maybe. Knowing I can outrun you all makes this less scary.”

Taking my words as a challenge, he nodded once while humming to himself. “Careful. Next time you sass, I’ll count the syllables,” he warned before taking a quick step towards me.

I flinched back, ready to dart in the opposite direction. To my relief and confusion, he stopped, smirking at my fearful withdrawal.

Leaves crunched to my left and right, and I saw Dominic and Aiden appear, wearing the same eager grin as Wyatt. They wanted to chase me, and I was going to let them. I could only imagine what would happen if they caught me, which excited me.

“Odette!” Niko’s sing-song, chipper voice echoed through the woods behind me, followed by a devilish chuckle that sent chills to my core.

Aiden was the first to move, and I dashed into the woods. Footsteps were all around me, coming from different directions on the dirt ground. We weren’t racing towards a specific spot; the woods were fair game, and they took full advantage.

I came to a skidding halt, seeing Dominic casually leaning against a tree, waiting for me. How he got ahead of me was beyond me. Quickly turning in the opposite direction, I was instantly trapped in Niko’s strong arms. “That didn’t take much, boys,” he smirked as the other three surrounded us.

My hair was yanked back, and I whimpered as Wyatt stood before me, gag ready in his hands. “Open,” he demanded.

I was too scared to sulk even for a moment as I opened my mouth, where he placed the ball into my mouth and secured the strap around my head. “Show me what you do when you can’t use your safeword,” he insisted. I tapped the nearest thing to me (which happened to be Niko) twice. “Good,” he said softly—deceptively. His eyes flicked behind me once, and my shirt was torn off of me by Niko.

Niko’s hot mouth was against my neck as his greedy rough hands pulled my skirt up my waist, exposing my ass and pussy. My panties were ripped from me, the lace breaking as he tossed them to the side. “Look at this,” his finger slid between my slick folds, roughly pumping a finger inside me without warning.

I gasped around the gag, my eyes widening at the sudden pleasure.

“Looks like our little Bambi got off on being chased down,” he groaned against my ear, his wet tongue teasing the cartilage.

Dominic’s large hand cupped my cheek. “Such a pretty Plaything. I almost feel bad for what we’re about to do to you,” his brows knitted in false sympathy.

“I don’t,” Aiden rasped before cupping my breast, his index and thumb pinching my hardened nipple. I flinched back further into Niko, who continued to fingerfuck me and nibble at my neck. “Look at her. Bucking her hips, drooling, eyes begging us to use her like a slut,” he smirked.

“Is he right?” Niko’s voice was slightly higher than usual, almost tauntingly. It intimidated me. “Is that what you want, Cari?o? You want us to be rough with you?” He bit down on my lobe as he pulled his finger out of me.

Craving their hands, lips, cocks—craving them, I eagerly nodded. Please.

Without warning, something big was shoved inside me from behind. I didn’t know when Niko undid his pants, but I was instantly clenching around him. I screamed around the gag, my hands gripping Dominic’s chest to keep me stable as Niko drilled into me without any tenderness.

He slapped my ass a few times, the sting making my eyes water, adding to the pleasure. “Her pussy’s so wet, I might not even need the lube,” he chuckled.

Lube?

My walls tightened hungrily around his long dick, and my eyes began to roll back. My fists tightened in Dominic’s hoodie, feeling my climax quickly approaching. “Cummimg already?” Wyatt tsk’d. “Don’t stop, Niko, she’s making that slutty expression that we adore,” he degraded.

My skin heated in a crimson blush as the three watched me lustfully. Aiden’s hand was still torturing my breast, Dominic was basking in the satisfaction of my unsteady body using his to keep me up, and Wyatt was palming the tent in his pants.

Their attention was all mine, and I loved every second of it. I didn’t know what turned me on more, Niko’s throbbing dick viciously pounding me, their heated eye contact, or being used so carelessly.

“That’s it, cum on this cock, Baby,” Niko cooed, his hands digging into the flesh of my hips. “Just like that... you feel so good around me,” he moaned.

His words sent me over the edge as I whimpered around the gag, saliva dripping from my lips as I craved their fingers, tongues, and dicks in my mouth.

Dominic bit his lip, his eyes half-hooded as he drank me in, humming in satisfaction. “So addicting,” he mumbled to himself.

Niko’s thrusts slowed as he pulled my back flush against his clothed front. “Don’t be shy, let’s show them that pretty pussy, hmm?” He wrapped his hands around my thighs, just under my ass, and lifted me up, his dick sliding out of me.

Niko didn’t struggle or waver once as he held me, but Dominic was quick to grab my shoe-covered ankles and put them above his shoulders, almost bending me in half. I was lucky I had long legs.

Wyatt held up a small tube before tossing it to Niko, who caught it with one hand. I widened my eyes, realizing he was about to fuck my ass. I heard the bottle pop open before something cold pressed against my hole. My nerves flared up momentarily, and I shifted in his arms, beginning to worry about it hurting.

“Easy, Doll. Let us take care of you and relax,” Aiden hushed, his hand gripping my thigh as it dipped down to my crotch. “Play with your clit for us,” he ordered.

My fingers shyly found my clit, and I gently rubbed circles around the sweet spot. I’d only done it a handful of times before the incident with Jimmy Erickson, then in the hall when Wyatt caught me.

Niko pushed himself an inch into my ass, and I flinched at the stretching sensation, my movement faltering and my muscles tensing.

Aiden’s calculating eyes glanced at Niko before looking back to me. His finger dipped into the slit of my pussy, glazing his finger in my juices. “Did I tell you to stop?” He warned, pushing two digits inside me.

My toes curled inside my shoes as I watched Wyatt’s veiny hand stroke himself through his sweats. It was a mouth-watering sight, unfortunately for me. I was making a mess, salivating around the annoying gag.

My eyes stayed on Wyatt as Aiden and I worked together. My fingers massaging delicate circles, his pushing into me, relaxing my muscles as I moaned into the woods.

Niko’s lips touched my neck again as he placed wet kisses all over. His lips moved gradually until he was buried all the way inside me. It was slightly uncomfortable, but it didn’t exactly hurt. I just felt full and stretched. “Fuck, Baby...” Niko moaned, his hips slowly rocking in and out of me. I could feel his restraint on himself as his dick twitched inside me. “You’re taking it so nicely,” he placed a kiss behind my ear.

Aiden and Niko laughed as my core clenched around them at the praise. “Such a good girl for us,” Aiden added with a curl of his fingers into my G-spot.

Bucking my hips, I pushed Niko further into me, silently telling him he could move a little faster. That earned a delighted groan from him as he picked up his pace, steadily fucking into me.

Niko’s hands gripped my ass, where he supported my weight. “Do you like having your ass fucked like this?” He husked against my neck. “Ready to feel Daddy’s hot cum dripping out of you?” His crotch was slapping against my ass now as he lost himself in the pleasure.

Tilting my head back, I couldn’t help but watch him as he came. His eyes softly shut, his eyebrows lifted, his bottom lip between his teeth as he spilled his load inside me.

The sight, along with Aiden’s and my fingers, brought my own leg-shaking release. I moaned around the gag, surprised at the gentleness of the orgasm. It didn’t rip through me like they normally did. It was a gradual build drawn out by Aiden’s curling fingers.

Niko touched the gag’s strap. “That definitely earned you a reward, Cari?o,” he carefully undid the strap. “If you brag about winning, I’ll shove this back in. Got it?” he warned as he pulled himself out of me.

I nodded quickly, overjoyed at the idea of the plastic out of my mouth. He smiled, removed the gag, and put it in his pocket.

Dominic supported my weight fully, wrapping my legs around his waist as he pressed his lips against mine. My stomach swirled at the taste of him, and I moaned into his mouth.

He pulled away too soon as he dropped my wobbly legs to the ground. Wyatt stood in front of me while Dominic positioned himself behind me. Dominic ran his hand down my spine, pushing me down, bending me at the waist. Wyatt pulled his dick from his sweats, finally freeing the raging erection he’d been edging. “A minute before her mind goes blank?” Wyatt teased.

“Thirty seconds,” Dominic huffed a laugh. Just as Wyatt placed himself against my lips, I felt Dominic’s dick push into my pussy.

Both of them let out a groan in unison as they demolished my holes. They were back to being rough with me now. I gagged on Wyatt’s dick, looking up at him with dreamy eyes, cumming in seconds around Dominic.

“Poor girl can’t take her mouth and her cunt being used at the same time. All that schooling just for cock to turn her into a brainless cock-hungry slut,” Aiden laughed, playfully shaking his head at how easily I came.

I watched in a trance as Aiden stood next to Wyatt and pulled his own dick out in front of me. My eyes rounded, salivating at the sight of the two standing over me, cocks hard for me, and Dominic making a mess of my dripping pussy.

“Aw, look at her. So much cock, and it’s all yours, Babydoll,” Aiden chimed.

Jerking Wyatt off, I took Aiden into my mouth, swirling my tongue around his tip before pushing him down my throat. I was in heaven, blissfully watching them watch me go back and forth between sucking and jerking them off. I’d lost track of how many times I came, too caught up in them to focus on myself.

It wasn’t until my legs gave out and Dominic had to hold me up that I gained back a sliver of a brain. “Had enough yet, Darling?” He asked, slowing his pace.

“Hmm?” I hummed in confusion. “Are you done?” I panted over my shoulder at him, noticing how wet my back felt suddenly.

Dominic shared an amused look with my other two professors. “About thirty minutes ago, remember? You begged me to keep going,” he said.

“You came?”

“Twice. So did Wyatt,” he chuckled, wet droplets falling from his hair.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you have a kink for fucking in the rain,” Aiden teased.

Dominic pulled out of me, holding me by my shoulder as I straightened. My back popped a few times. My limbs felt heavy, and the brain fog was intense. The four of us were soaked to the bone. “Where’s Niko?” I asked.

“He left a long time ago. He told you he’s making dinner...” Wyatt widened his eyes. “You know, it’s a little alarming how fucked out you get,” he and Aiden shook their heads in unison.

“Oh,” I panted absentmindedly. I faintly remember that, but it felt like remembering a distant dream that I couldn’t quite grasp. “I’m tired,” I deadpanned, leaning against Dominic.

He scooped me up into his arms, walking out of the woods with Aiden and Wyatt flanking us. “How about a bath and a nap?” Wyatt suggested, picking a leaf out of my hair.

“Mhm, before I have to go to... the... whatever I said earlier,” I waved my hand absentmindedly. I rested my head against Dominic’s chest.

“Volleyball practice,” Aiden reminded, an edge to his tone.

I promised myself that would be the last lie I ever told them.

Stepping out onto the front porch, I locked eyes with Aiden and momentarily froze. He was leaning against the front of my car with omniscient, concerned eyes. His hands were tucked into the front pockets of his sweatpants. One leg was straight, the other with his foot against the fender.

Intimidated by his seemingly knowing presence, I ambled up to him. I stood in front of him, waiting for him to speak. Ever since I’d known the man, it was obvious he could read every room, person, and situation like a book. Not just any book—his favorite book. Looking at him now, I could tell that Aiden had seen right through me. I didn’t dare speak first.

He’d been off since we returned from the woods a few hours ago. Since then, we’d taken a bath, ate soup, and napped. I dressed in a black button-down and a new tennis skirt. It’d been a cozy afternoon, but somehow, like always, he figured me out.

Electric eyes burning through my own, he tilted his head to the side before he spoke. “Do you have something you’d like to tell me?” He asked.

So much. There was so much I needed to tell all of them. Information, secrets, and threats I should have told them long ago. I wanted to blurt out what Charles had planned to do. If I told Aiden now, he wouldn’t let me go. As much as I wanted to be honest, I needed to see Charles tonight. I nodded. “Yes.”

He didn’t waver at my answer. “I know. Babydoll, you’ve been off for the past few weeks, and I know it’s not because you’re worried about graduation.” His eyes softened as he removed his hands from his pockets and stepped towards me. “I don’t know why you’re lying about where you’re going, but you know that you can tell me anything. You can tell us anything, Odette.”

A lump sat in my throat as I blinked at him. “I know I can,” I whispered. “And I will,” I promised. “But I need to do something first.”

Deep in thought, he took a breath. “I rarely get bad feelings, but everything in me is screaming not to let you go,” he said. “If you’re planning on seeing Charles, I won’t allow you to go alone,” he ordered.

Aiden was slowly putting the pieces together as we spoke. The more I reacted, the more I said, the more he learned.

Taking his hand in mine, I placed a kiss on his cold hand. “Aiden, I promise I will tell you everything tonight. I need you to trust me, okay? I’m a hypocrite for asking that because I haven’t been honest,” I admitted, my voice cracking as the lump grew.

With his hand still wrapped in mine, his other hand cupped my cheek, stroking it with his thumb. I closed my eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of his hands on me. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t tie you up to keep you away from that man. Why I shouldn’t make you tell me what’s been going on in that pretty little head of yours...”

There was only one answer I could possibly give him. He had every right to ask me to stay, knowing what Charles allowed to happen to me as a kid. He had every right to press me for details about my honesty— or lack of it.

“Because you’re my dream men. And if I don’t go, I’ll wake up,” I mumbled.

Aiden took no time to understand what I meant. After all, he had told me he loved me by calling me his dream girl. There was a storm in his eyes as he watched me. Relinquish and worry battled before his eyes finally softened. “Will you be safe?” was all he asked, giving approval for me to go.

“Yes,” I answered. Charles was cruel, but he wasn’t dangerous—not in a way that would put me in danger.

Still at war with his gut feelings, he looked to the sky before back down at me. “Keep your phone on. I’ll bring you home myself if you’re not back in six hours. Understand?” He decided.

Two hours there, two hours to convince Charles to reconsider, two hours back—that was plenty of time. Agreeing to his terms, I quickly nodded. “Thank you,” I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his hoodie. His masculine scent and warmth calmed my racing heart as he returned the embrace.

Parking my car in the massive circular driveway, I noticed the other vehicles. There were chauffeurs in the drivers’ seats, patiently waiting for their bosses. I wasn’t expecting others to be here, but it didn’t deter me from my mission.

I only had to knock once before Lawrence opened the door for me. His double take made it clear he expected someone else. “Miss Whitlock, my apologies. I wasn’t informed you’d be here this evening,” he said, stepping to the side.

Despite my unease, I sent him a halfhearted smile. “I didn’t tell anyone,” I clarified as I entered the house.

Other than voices in the next room, the house was relatively quiet. The warm lights were dimmed, giving the house a deceptively cozy ambiance.

“Dotty,” a friendly voice whispered from across the room. Turning, I saw Anthony walking up to us in his usual work attire. “Hey, what are you doing here?” He greeted with a smile.

“Hey Tony, you’re looking sharp,” I teased. He always hated wearing the monstrous black and white waistcoat, top, and slacks. He’d much rather be in jeans and a hoodie. “I just need to talk to Charles,” I explained vaguely.

Lawrence straightened next to us. “Truth be told, now isn’t the best time, Miss Whitlock. He had to call an emergency meeting. Perhaps I can bring you some supper or a beverage while you wait?”

Tony cocked an eyebrow at me. “Lestat is still missing; he probably took the money and retired in the Bahamas. But now that he’s out of the picture, the business load he was responsible for has to be distributed to the others—”

“Charles will make time to see me, trust me,” I interrupted, not caring about his business or the men he worked with. I patted Tony’s arm before I began walking towards the voices. I was on a time crunch, and I didn’t want to lose the confidence I’d worked up to all week.

“Odette, it’s pretty icy in there!” Tony whispered after me. “Like he’s seriously pissed.”

Ignoring his caution, I knocked three times on the door. “Not now!” Charles shot quickly, and I heard the frustration in his tone. I somewhat understood; he was gone in less than a week, and the empire he built had an issue. I didn’t care, though.

When I opened the door, I saw nearly 20 men sitting or standing around a massive table, papers, and laptops everywhere, all in a heated conversation.

I felt intimidated for a moment before I remembered my purpose. The conversation died down quickly as they turned towards me. My skin crawled, knowing what some of them subjected me to as a child. My brows fell into a soft glare before I looked away from them and to Charles.

He was standing over the end of the table, pointing at a document before I interrupted. He was clearly upset at my intrusion, but his eyes softened upon seeing that I disobeyed him, not one of his workers.

“Odette, what are you doing here?” He asked once the initial shock was over.

Well, after I got my brains fucked out by the men you hate, I decided to come serve you blackmail.

“You asked me to, remember?” I hinted. He had said to come sign the documents anytime leading up to graduation.

A satisfied smirk flashed quickly before he straightened. “I see.” He turned to his business partners, who looked confused—especially Vincent. The last time he saw me, I was being carried out of a BSDM club. Still, it was oddly comforting to have a friend in the room. “I’ll only be a few minutes. Please, continue,” he addressed before he walked out the door with me towards his soundproof office.

“It’s unacceptable for you to just show up out of the blue like this, Odette. Your timing is impeccable—however, I’m glad you’ve come to your senses,” he gently scolded while closing and locking his office door behind us.

“I’m not here to sign the papers,” I deadpanned. Instead of sitting across from him, we stood on either side of his desk. A standoff.

He lifted his head higher, skipping a beat as he watched me. He wasn’t accustomed to being caught off guard. “So you’re dooming them to a tarnished reputation, destroying their credibility, ending their careers, and making them homeless in the process?” He said condescendingly.

“That’s not going to happen either,” I shook my head confidently.

He chuckled. “I don’t recall giving you a third option.”

I matched his fake chuckle. “No, I’m giving you the third option.”

“Odette, I don’t have time for this. Sigh the damn papers.”

“You care a lot about your reputation, to a fault,” I started. “That’s probably your most consistent trait, other than being cold-blooded,” I widened my eyes, my fear of him shrinking as I prepared for my threat.

“Don’t get me wrong, to everyone else, you’ve been the picture of generosity and have played your character very well,” I complimented. “You’ve got the media fooled with the help of the Tweedle brothers. They’ve always been incredibly loyal to you—”

“What point are you trying to make, Odette?” He clenched his jaw.

“Do you think they’ll remain loyal to you as a dead man?”

He said nothing as he narrowed his eyes on me, anger brewing behind his eyes.

“I don’t think they will,” I answered. “For instance, if someone approached them about the biggest scandal, fraud, and truth about who the great Charles Whitlock really was... they’d jump at the story,” I paused, watching his fists clench at his sides. “Furthermore, so would every other media outlet. I imagine that after certain truths are told about how Charles Whitlock made and spent his fortune, not many people would attend his funeral.” I shrugged. “Maybe one person would attend, but not out of sorrow or grief,” I shook my head in thought. “She’d go to spit on his grave, knowing she spoke her truth and the world knew what he’d put her through.”

His upper lip curled as he stepped around the desk, now only a few feet away from me. I stood my ground despite the urge to retreat. “Are you threatening me, Odette?” He spat.

“Yes.” My tone was firm and didn’t waver once. Aiden would be proud. “My life has always been in your hands. Your death is in mine.” My confidence faltered as he took another step towards me. “Charles, you will put the manor back in the university’s name. You will void the restraining order. Their lives will remain unchanged, safe from your schemes. Or I will drag your fucking reputation through the mud after you’re dead ,” I seethed.

Standing in my father’s shadow, I had no time to react, flinch, or put my arms up to defend my face. In the blink of an eye, his fist connected with my cheek.

My mind went blank as emotions and pain flooded through my every nerve. Stumbling backward, I held my heated cheek, staring at the furious man with wide, watery eyes.

My initial thought was that he made a mistake. Maybe he went in for a slap or didn’t intend to actually make contact and only scare me. He’d slapped me before with an open hand and the tips of his fingers. This was no slap.

I could feel the developing bruise on my cheekbone and faintly tasted blood like I’d bit my cheek.

My anger mixed with confusion and sadness as I stared at him. “Y-you... you hit me?” I said, in disbelief that he would ever bruise or leave a mark on me. He was always so particular about my appearance. He would be very upset if I was photographed with a bruise on my face. Or so I thought.

“You ungrateful, insolent whore,” he shouted down at me, still walking towards me. There was a deranged look in his eyes, making me feel incredibly unsafe.

Stumbling backward, I cautiously watched the murderous man approach me. “Everything I did for you,” he raised his fist again, and I blocked it with my arm, bruising it in the process. I wasn’t fast enough as he followed up with his left fist, landing another blow to my cheek, making me cry out. “And you dare threaten everything I’ve worked for for some lowlife second-class college professors!” He shoved me against a bookshelf.

Tears were streaming down my face in pain, shock, and sadness for my former self. As of 30 seconds ago, Charles had stooped to a new low. I never thought he was capable of beating a woman... Not like this.

My world was incredibly distorted from the pressure I felt in my head and the thousand thoughts that followed. It almost didn’t feel real, like I was going to wake up from one of my nightmares any minute now. The heavy bookshelf wobbled, causing books to fall to the floor with thuds.

Too discombobulated to anticipate his next hits, I was forced to take them all. My shaking arms in front of me served little purpose when he began letting his rage out on my torso, too.

With no end to his attack in sight, I screamed out for help, hoping someone would hear my muffled screams through the soundproof room. “Stop! Please, you’re h-hurting me!” I sobbed, feeling my body ache.

A hearty, mocking chuckle filled the room as he stepped closer to me, making me stumble back. “They don’t care about you,” he grabbed a fist full of my hair. “You are nothing without me. Those men who you’re willing to throw your life away for don’t give a fuck about you either.” His other hand reached out, and I quickly attempted to block him. He was bigger and much stronger than me, easily gripping my shirt and holding me against the wall.

“They like you because you’re young and stupid enough to spread your legs for them,” he growled. His grip was so tight that a few buttons came undone, but I couldn’t bring myself to care as he slammed my head against the wall.

“That—” I could hardly breathe. “That’s not true,” I defended.

A knock on the locked door was music to my ears, and my heavy eyes darted to it. “Hey, is everything okay in there?” A man asked, his voice muffled despite him being next to the door.

Charles threw me to the ground by my hair. Every limb felt heavy as I tried to push myself up. My arms shook, and with a swift kick from Charles, I was back on the ground, vision blurring. “S...Swan,” I panted quietly.

Another kick to my stomach, and I screamed. I hardly recognized the shrill broken sound as my own before my head was yanked back up by my hair, silencing me. “You are my life’s biggest disappointment,” he hissed in my face. With his final punch, I went limp on his office floor, waiting for the nightmare to be over.

Black dots began to grow as my consciousness slowly began to fade. The last things I remembered were how badly my body and heart ached, the office door banging as someone tried to open it, and the sound of Charles picking up his office phone, demanding to get his real estate team on the line.

“Jesus Christ...” a man panted before something warm was draped over me. “What the fuck is wrong with you!” He shouted. “You’re okay, Sweetheart, I’ve got you.”

“Niko?” My voice was barely a whisper. The world was blurred, one eye swollen shut, the other filled with tears. I was fading in and out of consciousness, making the noise around me impossible to understand.

“No...” his voice seemed sad. “No, it’s Vincent. I’m going to take you home, okay?”

“I need... are there papers on the desk?” I groaned in pain. I couldn’t leave without the voided documents.

“What? You’ve been through a lot and are confused—”

“The printer...?” I cried. I didn’t know how long I was passed out on the floor, but my hopes that Charles would change his mind were low.

He slid an arm under my knees and another around my shoulders, lifting me into his arms, his coat draped over my shaking body. “There’s no papers, Odette.”

Another wave of exhaustion hit me as he carried me quickly through the house. “Back off!” Vincent shouted. Somehow, he held me with one hand while the other shuffled by his waist until something clicked in his hand. “I’m not fucking around. Back off,” his voice terrified me, and I was glad I was the one in his arms and not on the other end of what I assume was a handgun. I didn’t understand, and too much had happened for me to even try to think about anything else besides that I was leaving empty-handed.

“Anthony, please ensure my car returns to my house.”

“Sir... Mr. Whitlock dropped this by the front door,” Tony’s voice was quiet as if he’d seen a ghost. “My God, Dotty...”

The world and time were a blur as Vincent carefully placed me in my car’s passenger seat, buckling me up and placing a manila folder in my lap. “I’m so sorry... we couldn’t get the door open,” he apologized (mostly to himself) before he closed the door and walked around to the other side.

I squeezed the folder in my hands, too exhausted, my vision too blurred to attempt to examine the contents. All I could do was hope that whatever was in there was worth it...