Chapter 16

SCARLET

16

The days dragged by, and I drowned myself in my TV shows and doom scrolling on social media between all the fucking. Cristian and Julian were the main culprits, sometimes sharing me or taking turns, but to my surprise, I rarely had to tend to them more than once a day, and Tyrone had only requested my presence once. Julian and Cristian had used me in the morning, spit-roasting me, where Julian had cum on my ass and Cristian had forced me to swallow, then Tyrone had used me that evening.

He was cold and distant whenever I found myself around him, especially at the dinner table. Then again, I'd stopped being so mouthy as well, and I had a feeling that was welcome for him. Nothing had occurred like that first night at dinner together, which I wasn't sure why I felt a little down about.

But the evening he'd ordered me into his room to suck him off, it'd been a weird thing. He'd been quiet, only finally grunting when he came in my mouth without warning. He'd not spoken or anything, treating me like a goddamn sex toy if anything, just to sate him at that moment. None of the weird need to toy with me like he had at the table.

Although, when I'd swallowed, he'd looked down at me with a strange satisfaction in his eyes.

"Good girl."

Those words did things to me that they'd had no right doing. I'd swallowed his cum as he cleaned himself up with some tissue from his desk.

I'd then dared to ask if they could offer me something more to do than just trawl my phone and watch TV every day.

I'd hoped he'd be more hospitable after just getting off, and he'd just nodded.

"I can get you books or puzzles," he'd said as he'd moved to stand by the large floor-to-ceiling window to gaze out over the city.

"I have my kindle app already," I'd stated. I'd read through the books I'd wanted to, but I was growing bored and restless.

He'd just sighed and turned to me, those dark eyes masked.

"I'll get you puzzles. Now go."

I'd bristled, hating how they all had the same way of dismissing me once they'd used me. It was fucking me up, I knew that. No one wanted to be treated like a disposable object, but I had to remind myself this was the price I paid to stay out of prison. The days were dwindling down, and I'd be free before I knew it.

Now I lay in my bed, watching a show while cuddling with Kenny. It'd been ten days since that night I'd stupidly slept with Cristian and turned my life on its head. I'd taken up sketching in a notebook I'd found in the desk, and I was keeping track of the days in it, journaling everything. I dunno why I did it, maybe it was some bizarre coping method I recalled from one of my countless therapy sessions from past years.

But the past two days, I'd sunken into a pit, their dismissive and harsh use of me making me plunge into a horrid pit.

I wasn't even halfway through the month, and I was struggling. I hadn't showered for the past two days, or done any self-care. I hadn't even brushed my teeth, and I was losing my appetite, having to force myself to eat at dinner and not bothering to eat other meals. At least I'd made the effort to drink some water.

Would they even notice? Julian had called upon me last night, doing me doggy-style on the edge of the bed, and he'd not commented on my uncleanliness.

Now though, I could smell myself, and I didn't even care as I curled in a ball, pulling Kenny in tight against my stomach. I was glad he allowed it, and I wondered if he sensed my discomfort. He was always in my room, only leaving for short periods before returning to be with me.

Julian had remarked on it just last night that it seemed Kenny liked me, but that'd been all he'd said after he'd come on my ass. He'd hesitated for a moment, then dismissed me, and I'd left without a single word. I just didn't have the fight in me right now.

I turned as the door creaked open, and my stomach knotted only slightly at the sight of Cristian in my doorway with that goddamn smug look on his wretched face.

He strode over, the bed shifting under his weight as he climbed on, and Kenny abandoned me, pouncing off the bed and leaving me at Cristian's whim.

"Ready for some fun, kitten?" he breathed as he caged me with his arms, hovering over me and trapping me on the bed.

I stared up at him, wondering if he'd at least make this quick.

He yanked my pants down, and I didn't bother to fight him, which seemed to only irk him more as his smirk turned into a scowl.

"Lost all your fire, kitten? Where's those claws?" he teased as he pinned my wrists down.

I stared at him, no words escaping me, and his scowl faltered for just a second.

He pried my legs apart with his knee, and I gritted my teeth as his length prodded between them.

"Fight me, kitten," he breathed as he dipped his head down beside mine. "I like it when you fight."

I couldn't. Not today. A part of me was dismayed at my inability to fight, but I wasn't feeling it today at all.

He stilled, dipping his head closer as he dragged his lips over my neck, then pulled back, his eyes narrowed.

"When did you last shower?"

"Why?" I sighed.

He scrunched up his nose as he sat back, a look of disgust on his face. "You need to shower."

"Why?"

Apparently my lack of emotions was infuriating, and he lurched off the bed, hoisting me to my feet and causing me to stagger as I found my footing.

"You're going to shower."

"The deal was I only had to tend to you guys, nothing about myself," I muttered.

He made a sound of contempt as he dragged me to my bathroom.

"You want to try to find loopholes, kitten? I can start showing you how rough I can be. Get in there and shower," he snapped as he shoved me before the shower.

"Maybe I don't want to."

I flinched as he slammed his hands onto the shower glass on either side of my head, pinning me against it with his body.

"Don't play games, kitten. You will lose, I promise you that. And these games, they aren't games you want to lose, trust me." His voice was deathly low, those eyes carrying a promise that his words rang true. That these games could wind up with my fire extinguished completely.

Maybe that…

I shoved the dark thought aside, not wanting to spiral even further.

"After all, I still haven't had you covered in red." His hand caught my chin, holding my face in place as those dark eyes devoured me.

I swallowed, my heart skipping a beat as the edge of his mouth pulled into a smirk.

"Now, shower."

He released my face, his hand dropping to his side. I ground my teeth, waiting a moment before accepting he was going nowhere. I tugged my clothes off, turning my back to him, finding the move both awfully satisfying and terrifying. I didn't want to see his wretched face, but having him behind me, knowing how crazy he was, it wasn't exactly thrilling either.

I climbed into the shower, letting the warm water wash over me while I began to bathe, pretending he wasn't just outside the glass, watching me with a burning gaze.

I wanted to take my time, to take some comfort in the warm pressure of the water, but his presence shortened that, and I was done in minutes, not bothering to shave before pushing the glass door open.

The mirrors were fogged up, the air humid and thick, and Cristian stood there, his arms folded as he leaned on the sink like a parent making sure their rebellious child did their chores.

I wrapped the towel around me, glaring hard at him, causing him to scoff with that frustrating smug expression.

"Teeth, kitten," he stated as he stepped aside from the sink.

I pushed past him, some of my fire returning after the shower that had woken me up.

I got to work brushing my teeth, refusing to look at him in the mirror as I swiped my hand over it to stare at myself. My own blue eyes looked tired and haunted, and I hated the sight.

One month was suddenly a very long time, and I was struggling.

I spat once I was done, and froze as I felt my towel get yanked away.

"There, isn't that better, kitten?"

I shuddered as he stepped up behind me, his hand snaking up my back and making my skin prickle.

He used his foot to spread my legs, and I stared into the sink, a sickness churning in my gut.

Would they really let me go after a month? Or was this all a lie? A false hope of mine?

His hand fisted in my hair, and I clenched my teeth as he yanked me up straight, my back flush against his chest.

"I like my kitten like this, taking care of herself." He dragged his lips up the side of my neck, his warm breath caressing the skin.

"I like my men to be those who allow me to consent," I muttered, and he smirked against my skin.

I yelped as he nipped my neck, pain blooming at the sight before he planted a kiss over the spot.

"You chose this, kitten. Don't forget what we did for you." I swallowed as he dragged his tongue down my neck, as if he was following the frantic pulse of my vein there.

"How could I? You won't let me," I hissed, wincing as his hand fisted tighter in my hair.

His other hand snaked around my front, and I glared at my reflection, watching as he teased my left nipple, swirling the nub and pinching it. I hated how it sent an instant rush to my nether region.

"You should try to enjoy your time with us. You enjoyed that first night with me, and you sure as shit enjoyed my brother on the table," he said as his lips pressed against the sweet spot where my shoulder and neck met. His tongue flicked out, dancing over the skin and making a shiver course through me before he began to suck.

I didn't comment, wishing I could take back those moments of pleasure I'd experienced. My body had betrayed me, like how it was right now, responding despite my argumentative mind.

His hand continued on its path down my body, his fingers trailing over my stomach.

I stared at the tattoos adorning his arm, tribal stuff with skulls and roses, typical sleeve tattoo designs. Although my gaze caught on one, some fancy script writing on his forearm surrounded with roses.

Baby Girl.

"Who's baby girl?" I asked, and his hand froze on my stomach, his lips stilling on my skin.

"You ask too many questions," he said after a moment. Whoever she was, I'd struck a nerve.

Did he have a partner? The thought was ludicrous. He was not the kind of man to be tied down to one woman. Unless it was an open sort of thing, but who the hell would willingly be with crazy?

I gasped as his teeth clamped down on my skin, his hand falling between my legs. My hands found the edge of the sink, and I bared my teeth as his fingers glided over my clit.

He was toying with me, and it made my skin burn and blood boil, both for different reasons.

His teeth released, and he trailed his tongue over the aching bite. I was sure to have a mark from that.

My body quivered involuntarily as his fingers skimmed over my clit again, this time swirling over it.

"You want to hate us, hate what we do to you, but a part of you loves it. You thrive on the chaos in your life, the wildness, and you hate that you love this," he breathed against my ear.

I wanted to light his ass up for this. Because no matter how much I wanted to deny it, a part of me did find some twisted pleasure in this. In the moments where I was not just fucked, but toyed with. Teased until I was getting all hot and antsy.

It was a whole different kind of torture.

"Fuck you," I ground out as he started applying soft pressure to my clit with his movements.

"Oh, please do," he groaned as he rubbed his clothed dick against my bare ass.

I closed my eyes, trying to quell the pleasure rising up in me. It was wrong on so many levels, and yet my body told another story.

He released my hair, his hand dropping down, and I heard his zipper slide down as he freed his dick.

He didn't stop teasing my clit as he rubbed his dick against my ass, his lips dancing over my shoulder.

I trembled as the pleasure coiled inside me, a whimper betraying me as it slipped from my lips.

I gasped as he whirled me around, hoisting me onto the edge of the sink and forcing me to grab onto his shoulders for balance.

The air was torn from me as he drove into me with force, his hand circling my neck and holding me steady.

I grabbed his wrist, digging my nails into it as he hissed, his lip curling upwards as he continued driving into me.

"Wrap your legs around me," he growled, and I glared at him, wanting to disobey.

He grunted as he used his free hand to hoist one leg over his hip, his grip tightening on my throat until my airflow was cut off.

"Do it," he growled.

Our gazes were locked in a silent standoff, his dick now buried inside me but his movements frozen.

It wasn't until my chest was on fire, my vision blurring, that I finally relented and wrapped my legs around him.

His grip on my neck loosened, and I sucked in painful gulps of air. I swear my throat had only finally healed up mostly from last time, and here I was, testing him again.

"Good girl," he quipped with a smirk, and I bared my teeth. My expression faltered when he drove into me hard and deep, making me hiss before those lips crashed against mine.

I tried to turn my head away, hating how soft his lips were, his tongue skating over my lower lip before sucking on it.

He broke the forbidden kiss, giving me his damned lopsided smile before he pulled back.

I arched as his free hand found my clit once more, teasing it as he pounded into me.

Fuck.

I squirmed, not wanting my body to betray me, not with him, but I couldn't change the angle as he continued burying himself in me, working my clit with expert fingers.

"Look at me, kitten," he grunted, his fingers digging into my throat as I tried to look anywhere but him. "I said look at me!" His grip tightened, and I dragged my gaze to his.

The scowl that had crossed his face morphed back into a wicked smirk, and I swallowed as the wretched pleasure reached breaking point.

"That's right, kitten, we're the only ones who will bring you bliss from now on, got that?" Those dark eyes were swallowing me up, burning with a wickedness that made my heart flutter madly.

A soft cry escaped my lips as the climax hit me, rolling through my body as I quivered and quaked.

"Fuck." He drove into me hard, his dick pulsing inside me as he unloaded, his own body jerking from the orgasm.

Our gazes were still locked, and there was something strange dancing in those depths as an odd smile crossed his face for a moment. Then it was gone as he yanked out of me, releasing my throat and leaving me on the edge of the sink.

"You want to hate it, but your body says otherwise," he said smugly as he reached for the hand towel and used it to clean his slick cock before zipping up his pants.

"I hate you," I muttered.

He moved fast, his hand around my throat in an instant as his face moved before mine. My heart lurched at the closeness, fear spiking in me.

"You want to hate me, kitten," he said with that goddamn smirk that made my blood boil. "But you'll learn to feel other ways for me. You want me, you want this bliss, you want the chaos."

"I don't want you," I spat the words with enough venom that the edge of his smirk faltered, just.

He cocked his head at me, searching my eyes, and I didn't back down as I held those dark orbs. My hand was wrapped around his wrist, an automatic reaction to when he'd grabbed me.

"You like the fire, kitten," he said as he reached into his pocket and fished something out.

I heard the familiar click of metal, and then felt the warmth as he brought the flame up to my wrist.

The damned bastard had my lighter. I'd wondered what had happened to it.

The flicker of the flame danced in his eyes, a dangerous game unfolding as the warmth became scorching hot.

"You like the fire, don't you, kitten?" he taunted, the heat close enough to singe reality's edges.

"Been burned more times than I can count," I shot back, the sarcasm a thin veil over the dread that coiled in my stomach.

He pressed the flame to my wrist, skin searing, the smell of burnt flesh invading my senses. My eyes glistened with unshed tears, but not a sound escaped my lips. I was not about to cave, not from this. He may be able to make my body betray me, but pain, now that was something that had become far too normal long ago.

Cristian grunted, a guttural sound of frustration or maybe admiration—it was hard to tell. Those dark eyes burned into mine, and I gritted my teeth, refusing to show him weakness. Not now.

His jaw ticked, and the lighter clicked shut as he cocked his head at me, those dark eyes dancing with something I couldn't narrow down.

Then he was dragging me to the sink, the cold water rushing over the burn in a cruel twist of tenderness. It doused the burn, washing away the pain but not the memory.

The cool water eased my wrist, but it couldn't touch the heat in Cristian's gaze as he stared hard at me.

"Can't handle your own brutality?" I hissed through clenched teeth.

His jaw tightened, the muscles working like he was chewing on glass. No words came out; just a shadow passing over his eyes.

"Julian!" His voice boomed through the cramped space, commanding yet oddly strained. I flinched at the loudness of it.

Not even a minute later, Julian was stepping into my bathroom, and he arched a brow at us, taking in my naked form, before his gaze fell to my wrist still under the running water.

His brow furrowed, those dark eyes meeting mine for a moment before flicking to Cristian's.

"Patch her up," Cristian ordered, his tone brooking no argument.

Then he left, just like that—no backward glance, no lingering threat. Just the echo of his footsteps, leaving me in the hands of his brother.

Julian didn't speak as he took my arm, his touch surprisingly light. No comfort offered, no soothing words—just the methodical task of wrapping my wrist in gauze from a first aid kit he pulled out from under the sink after applying some cream. His fingers were deft, the bandage snug but not too tight, betraying a tenderness I hadn't anticipated.

I tried to catch his gaze, a bizarre curiosity winning out, but he focused on the task at hand.

"Thanks," I muttered, unsure why I felt compelled to offer gratitude in this twisted scenario.

He gave a noncommittal hum, finishing my bandage before standing back to assess his handiwork. He met my gaze for a fleeting second, something indecipherable flickering in his eyes.

"Try not to aggravate it," was all he said, his voice low and devoid of warmth.

Then he was gone too, leaving me with the ghost of an odd gentleness, naked and alone.