Chapter 1

1

SCARLET

I sat at the dining table, my mind reeling as I stroked Kenny for comfort. The revelation that Cristian had removed my IUD without my consent left me feeling a range of emotions that collided inside me and made my chest tighten. Julian's hands worked my shoulders, attempting to knead away the tension and panic, but his efforts felt futile.

Tyrone's voice cut through the haze. "Cristian, leave. We'll clean up this mess."

I couldn't even look at Cristian. Anger, fear, and betrayal swirled within me, a toxic cocktail of emotions. I heard his huff and inaudible mutter before his retreating footsteps, the chime of the elevator marking his departure.

Tyrone sighed. "It's too early to tell if you're pregnant. We'll wait and see if you have another period."

His words snapped me back to reality. I lifted my gaze, meeting his. "That'll be after my time is up with you guys. When I'm free," I mumbled, my heart fluttering as my hand on Kenny stilled.

Julian's grip tightened on my shoulders, but he remained silent. Tyrone's face betrayed no emotion as he spoke. "I understand that, but this changes things."

I glared at Tyrone, my anger simmering. "How does it change things? I'm supposed to be free to go after our deal. You can't just-"

"You can't leave now," Tyrone cut me off, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Not until we know if you're pregnant or not." He strode to the kitchen, the clink of glass against glass preceding his next words. "We can get you the morning after pill."

The sound of liquid pouring made my throat ache. A stiff drink sounded like heaven right now, but if I was pregnant... I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of confusion.

Julian's hands stilled on my shoulders. "I'm not sure it'll work," he murmured, his voice low and uncertain. "The time frame..."

Tyrone returned, tumbler in hand. His dark eyes fixed on me. "Do you want to do it anyway, or wait to see if you're even pregnant and go from there?"

I dropped my gaze to Kenny, his soft fur a comforting presence under my fingers. My other hand drifted to my stomach, resting there as if I could somehow sense whether a life was trying to begin within me.

I didn't know how I felt about the whole thing. The possibility of pregnancy loomed over me like a storm cloud, dark and unpredictable. I wasn't sure if I wanted kids ever again, not after... But now that it was a real possibility, my emotions were a tangled mess.

The memory of Lily, so small and fragile, flashed through my mind. The pain of her loss, still raw after all these years, mixed with a new, tentative hope. It terrified me.

"I..." My voice cracked. I had to make a decision now, but how could I when I couldn't even sort out my own feelings?

I took a deep breath as I tried to steady myself. Kenny's warmth against my hand anchored me to reality as I wrestled with the weight of this decision as I held my stomach with the other.

Julian's voice was soft and understanding. "I know it's a hard choice, Scarlet. But you need to decide. We can get you the morning after pill if that's what you want."

I shook my head, my voice barely above a whisper. "You were right though. Considering how long it's been since he took it out, it might not work. And if I'm already pregnant..." I paused, swallowing down the lump forming in my throat. "I don't want to risk harming it by trying."

Tyrone's cold voice cut through the air. "You'll be messing it up anyway if you get an abortion."

His words sparked something in me, a surge of anger that burned away my uncertainty. I snapped my head up, glaring at him. "What if I didn't have the IUD anyway? You guys have been fucking me since the start. The pull-out method isn't exactly foolproof contraception. This could've happened at any point. What was the plan then?"

Tyrone's eyes darkened as he stared hard at me, his jaw clenching. "It was a bridge we would've crossed when we got to it." He took a step closer, his presence looming over me. "But things have changed, Scarlet. You're not just our captive now."

I scoffed. "Really? Because you're saying I can't leave until we figure out if I'm carrying a baby or not. So what? You guys are not going to touch me until then? Or use protection?" I spat the words, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "We both know you'll still take what you want and fuck me senseless whenever you want!"

The tears came unbidden, breaking free as the emotions boiled over. I hated myself for crying, for showing weakness in front of them. Julian sighed behind me, his fingers threading through my hair in a gesture that was probably meant to be comforting but only made me feel more trapped.

Tyrone's face remained impassive as he spoke, his voice low and controlled. "You know things have changed, Scarlet. You're tangled in our lives now. You've witnessed things that make you a risk."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. The memory of Angelo's death flashed through my mind, vivid and horrifying. I felt the sob building in my chest before it escaped my lips.

"So letting me see Angelo die was a way to keep me around?" I choked out, my body shaking with the force of my sobs.

Julian's words caught me off guard. "No. It was to get vengeance and show you that you're important to us," he said softly as he braided my hair, his gentle touch slightly soothing despite the havoc swirling around me.

"I'm no one. Just a girl who met the wrong guy at a bar. Now look at the hell I'm in," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

Tyrone sighed, his dark eyes fixed on me. "You need to tell us now about the morning after pill, although it sounds like you don't want to take it."

I closed my eyes, memories of Lily flooding my mind. My sweet baby girl, stolen from me so cruelly. The thought of getting rid of a potential life growing inside me... My stomach churned.

"I don't think I can do it," I admitted, my voice cracking. "Knowing I could be getting rid of a potential life in me... I just can't." I opened my eyes, meeting Tyrone's gaze.

"The morning after pill doesn't work like that," Julian stated. "If you're already pregnant, it won't do anything from my understanding. You'll need the medical abortion pills."

I looked at him, my stomach dropping. So the morning after pill was pointless anyway considering everything.

I felt trapped, cornered by my own emotions and the impossible situation I found myself in. Kenny's warmth in my lap was the only comfort I had as I faced the reality of my decision. I also knew if I was feeling like that now, then I couldn't abort it either if I wound up being pregnant. I wasn't about to share that with them though, I'd just have to hope upon hope that I had dodged falling pregnant. And the implications on if I was pregnant… I didn't even want to think about what that would mean.

Tyrone's expression softened slightly, his dark eyes meeting mine. "I understand," he said, his voice low and steady.

The weight of the situation pressed down on me, suffocating. I needed space, time to process everything that had happened. My voice came out small and uncertain. "Can I go to my room?"

Tyrone nodded, his face impassive once more. "Go."

I rose from my chair, cradling Kenny against my chest. His warm, furry body provided a small comfort as I turned away from the brothers. Julian's fingers slipped from my hair, the loss of contact both a relief and a strange disappointment.

My legs felt weak as I headed for the stairs, each step an effort. Kenny purred softly in my arms, oblivious to the turmoil swirling inside me. I focused on his rhythmic vibrations, using them to ground myself as I climbed.

The silence behind me was deafening. I could feel their eyes on my back, watching my retreat. Part of me wanted to run, to flee from this nightmare I found myself in. But where would I go? The reality of my situation crashed over me anew with each step I took.

I could be carrying a new life, one still forming inside me, and the thought was both exhilarating and terrifying.

I retreated to my room, my mind a mess. The thought of losing another child, even one barely formed, tore at my heart. Memories of Lily, so small and fragile, flashed through my mind continuously now. I couldn't bear the thought of going through that pain again.

Yet, the reality of who the father might be left me feeling sick. Cristian's betrayal stung deep, but the possibility of carrying a child fathered by any of the brothers was equally unsettling. They were a crime family, men of blood and power, with murder in their veins, and they'd raped me. I knew I should consider terminating the pregnancy if it was true, freeing myself from this twisted situation when my term with them ended. But something held me back, a primal instinct I couldn't ignore.

I just had to wait it out, see if it was just a scare.

I sank onto the bed, burying my face in Kenny's soft fur, his body vibrating with his gentle purrs. The door creaked open, and I looked up to see Julian entering, his expression a mix of concern and hesitation.

"Hey," he said softly, closing the door behind him. "I'm ordering dinner. Thought you might want some company."

I nodded, not trusting my voice. Julian sat beside me, careful not to disturb Kenny.

"I know you must be feeling conflicted about all this," he continued, his voice low and strangely soothing. "If you want to talk about it, I'm here to listen."

I took a shaky breath. "I don't know what to do. I can't... I can't go through losing another child. But this situation..." I trailed off, unable to put my tumultuous thoughts into words.

Julian's hand found mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I understand. It's a lot to process. We'll figure it out. Besides, you might not even be pregnant."

I looked at him, searching his face. All I saw was genuine concern. Despite everything, I felt a small measure of comfort in his presence.

"Okay," I whispered, leaning into him slightly. "I just need some time to think. Cristian…"

I felt the tears welling up in my eyes as I continued. "I just... I feel so betrayed. I thought things had changed with Cristian. I thought we were..." I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

Julian's arm tightened around me. "I understand, Scarlet. What he did... it affects us all. It's not something we can forgive lightly."

I nodded, wiping away a stray tear. "And Tyrone? What will he do?" I couldn't help that a part of me wondered what would happen if I was pregnant and didn't abort. Cristian apparently wanted this, but would Tyrone decide to get rid of it? Make me vanish completely? I banished the dark thought, a part of me not believing he could do such a thing.

Julian sighed. "He's fuming. The possibilities of this situation... Tyrone likes control, and this throws everything into chaos."

We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of it all pressing down on us. Kenny purred softly in my lap, oblivious.

"I know Cristian's mind is... warped," Julian said softly, breaking the silence. "After what happened to him, he's never been the same."

I shook my head as the anger bubbled up inside me. "How could he have possibly thought this was a good idea? Saying I deserved a child, along with him? That was not a decision to take lightly, nor one he could just make on his own."

"You're right," Julian agreed. "He was being selfish and impulsive, not thinking things through. Cristian's always been wild, but this... this is beyond anything he's done before."

I stroked Kenny's fur in an effort to calm myself. "I doubt I could ever forgive him for this. It's just... it's too much."

Julian was silent as he nodded, his expression grim. The heaviness settled over us like a heavy blanket, suffocating and inescapable.