Chapter One

Bailey

"T here's something seriously wrong with this town," Maureen mumbled through a mouthful of sweet potato fries.

Growing up in Wickford Hollow had never been easy. I was used to the stares and the whispers. Used to being the girl whose parents died under mysterious circumstances. But even I had to admit that the people of this town had gotten more aggressive ever since I bought and renovated the Wickford Mansion.

I shrugged, pretending to ignore the icy glares from half of Ruby's Diner. "It's whatever, Maur. Small towns, you know?"

Maureen bared her teeth at Crazy Fred, sweet potato fries and all.

I stifled a laugh. "Oh, that' ll show him."

" He's supposed to be the town freak. Not you. Fuck him and everybody else." She stuck her tongue out at him, clearly not done with taunting him.

I giggled. "Well, that's what happens when you buy a condemned house that almost burned down. People talk."

For years, Wickford Mansion incited superstition and stories of hauntings. That was the one thing they weren't wrong about…

In the summer after graduation, a bunch of kids even set the Wickford Mansion on fire. They claimed it was an accident, but I always wondered if the town was just trying to get rid of it for good. As soon as word spread of my buying it and moving in, the people here distrusted me even more.

I started to take a sip of my iced tea when a glob of spit landed on my arm. I looked up, furious, to see Billy and his buddies snickering a few feet away—one of them being my ex-boyfriend. Ugh .

"Fucking witch," Billy spat. "Hey, Chad, didn't you fuck her back in high school? Hope she didn't put a curse on your dick." The lot of them burst out laughing.

My cheeks reddened as I wiped my arm with a crumpled napkin. "Assholes," I muttered.

"Fuck this." Maureen stood up from the table. "It's kind of hard to curse a dick that didn't work right to begin with. Maybe my girl here did you a favor, Chaaad ." she yelled back.

I grabbed her wrist as they started to come over. "It's fine, Maur. Just let it go." The last thing I needed was more attention.

Billy licked his fingers before shoving them into our bowl of fries. He crushed them between his fingers and flung them at my face. "That's better. Now you look like the dirty whore you are."

Rage seared through my veins. But before I could react, Maureen swung her fist at him. He ducked and grabbed her arm, twisting her around so her back was pinned against his chest. His buddies laughed harder.

I stood from my seat. "Let her go, Billy. "

The rest of the patrons did nothing. Said nothing. They just watched on like we were in an episode of their favorite reality TV show.

Maureen squirmed in his arms. "Don't you know who I am, fucker?"

Billy snickered. "Please, Maureen. Your daddy might be the sheriff, but he shoots more whiskey than he does criminals. Now shut your pretty mouth before I stick my dick in it."

I was going to fucking kill him. " Billy . I said let her go. It's me you have a problem with."

Chad's eyes darkened. "Hey, let's go, man. I really don't want to get arrested tonight."

Maureen elbowed him in his stomach. "Yeah, Billy, listen to your daddy Chad ."

" Maureen ," I warned.

Just as Billy's eyes turned murderous, Ruby came flying over. "Enough. This ain't one of your house parties, Billy. Get the hell out of my diner before I call the sheriff myself."

Ruby was not a big woman, but her presence was larger than life. She had a short fuse and thick skin. Diner life was no joke. When the customers got out of hand, Ruby laid down the law.

Billy pushed Maureen back toward our table. "I'm bored with you basic cunts, anyway. Enjoy your fries, Bailey."

I let out a sigh of relief as soon as they walked out the door.

Ruby eyed both of us back and forth. "You girls all right?"

"Hell no, we—"

"We're fine. Thank you, Ruby." I shot Maureen a look so fierce she quieted instantly.

Ruby nodded. "Uh-huh. I'll get you some more fries."

That was another thing about this town. No one wanted to get involved in other folks' business unless it was forced onto their lap. If I said we were fine, Ruby was going to take me at my word. She had more important things to do than coddle a grown woman .

"I'm so sick of those assholes, Bales. We need to do something. Like, fuck with them somehow." Maureen's pale cheeks flamed pink and her freshly blown-out hair was starting to frizz at the crown.

I sighed. "And do what? They'll only come back at us harder. No. I just want to forget about them. Do you see why I hate coming into town now?"

"Well, this is your town too. You can't let them keep you locked away in some creepy mansion all by yourself forever."

A twinge of guilt stirred in my belly. I still hadn't told her about… them . Maureen was my best friend. My only friend. If I told her I was living with three spirits in the house they were murdered in, she'd have me committed. If I told her all the vile things they do to me… she'd never speak to me again.

" Bailey . Are you even listening to me?"

I shuddered. "Yeah. No. Sorry. What were you saying?"

She rolled her eyes. "I said, when are we going to have a girls' night? It's almost been a year, and I still haven't gotten drunk and slept over at your place. I'm not gonna lie, Wickford Mansion creeps me out but you're my best friend, so I'll suffer through," she teased.

Since moving in, I hadn't let her, or anyone get any farther than the front sitting room off the kitchen. There was no way I was going to ask Poe, Grim, and Saint to stay hidden all night in their own home. And I wasn't ready yet to introduce her to them.

"Soon. I promise. Believe it or not, I'm still settling in. I've got crap everywhere. Just give me some more time. Please, Maur?" I physically hated lying to her.

Her eyes lit up when the new basket of fries arrived. Her hand was already digging in before they touched the table. To be fair they were the best sweet potato fries in town.

She swirled one in a bowl of ranch sauce and shoved it in her mouth, her eyes rolling back in her head like she was about to cum. "Fine, Bales. Whatever you want. Just don't wait too long. I've only got one more month in this place. It would be nice to have a couple of sleepovers at my best friend's house before I go."

My heart sank. Every time I thought about Maureen moving away, I wanted to hurl. It's not that I wasn't happy for her. She got accepted into Tenebrose Academy, her dream school, but it was in Raven's Gate, which was six hours away. Her dream of studying Gothic costume design was finally coming true. I just wish it didn't have to take her so far away.

I fought back the urge to cry. Maureen hated mushy shit. "I know. I promise we'll have a girls' night before you leave."

Somehow I was going to have to find the balls to fess up to my best friend about Poe, Grim, and Saint. They were tied to this town, and I was tied to them. So despite getting smooshed fries thrown in my face, being with them was worth every snide comment and hateful stare cast my way.

I pushed open the front door and was instantly hit with an array of scents—freshly picked wildflowers on the foyer table, sweet incense smoke burning throughout the house, and the rich aromas of meat and garlic wafting from the kitchen.

Home .

I let out a grateful sigh and threw my keys on the table. "I'm back," I called out.

Before I could walk three more steps, a pair of strong arms wrapped around me from behind.

I jumped at first, still getting used to the fact that my guys could appear and disappear at will. Another ghost thing I was learning to live with.

"I missed our little fox," Poe rasped in my ear. His lips brushed my earlobe and sent a tingle straight to my core .

I sank back into his arms. Safe. Loved. "You have no idea how much I missed you all today."

He dipped his fingers into the waist of my jeans. "Everything all right, love?"

I bit my lip. The last thing I wanted to tell him, any of them, was that I had a run-in with asshole Billy and my stupid ex. It would only make them angry and fearful every time I left the house. Not that I even wanted to go into town, but someone had to get the groceries. Plus Maureen would throw a fit if I didn't keep our weekly lunch dates.

I squeezed his hand, urging it lower. "Just peachy," I cooed.

Poe chuckled and pushed his fingers inside my panties. "Are you trying to tempt me into eating out that sweet pussy of yours?"

Shuddering, I leaned my head back against his chest. "Is it working?"

"Little fox… you tempt me every time you walk into a room." He slid his middle finger down my already wet center. "I will devour every sweet and sticky inch of you."

My breath hitched as his fingers probed deeper inside my folds. "Fuck… Poe . How do you always know what to do?"

He kissed my neck, sending goosebumps across my flesh. "Because I know what you want, little fox." His thumb circled my clit. " I know what you need ."

My knees shook as he wedged two fingers deep inside my pussy. I let out a soft whimper as the pressure inside me grew. We were insatiable. All of us. I ached for each of them every minute of the day. No matter how much we gave each other, it was never enough.

"I'm so close, Poe…"

"I know, love." He pumped in and out, slowly, pushing and pulling his fingers through me with bittersweet torture. I rolled my hips, swaying to the rhythm of his movements. Riding his hand as I chased my orgasm .

"Oh, fuck," I cried out. I clenched around his fingers as my juices spilled out.

He palmed my pussy, pressing it hard against my clit. "Mmm, just like that, my love. Unravel for me. Such a good—fucking—girl ."

His voice in my ear was my final push over the edge. I let out a throaty moan as my orgasm rolled through me. " Ughhh …"

"Fucking beautiful." He stilled his hand as I panted.

"Well, that's one way to greet a woman when she walks in the door," I murmured.

"Are you surprised? I've only been making you cum non-stop for a year straight, little fox," Poe teased.

I turned to face him and planted a soft kiss on his lips. "And yet I always want more. I'm greedy like that."

He flashed a devious grin as he sucked my cum off his fingers. "So am I. I'm determined to keep that sweet little cunt of yours dripping wet at all times."

We were about three seconds from ripping each other's clothes off and fucking on the marble foyer floor. I stepped into him and sighed. "I need a shower and you should probably check on whatever delicious food you've cooked that's got the whole house smelling like a gourmet restaurant."

Poe licked his fingers again. "Mmm, yeah. You are filthy. And I have a special anniversary dinner planned for all of us."

I giggled. "But Halloween Eve isn't for three more weeks."

"So? It's our anniversary month. I'm going to spoil you every day, little fox. Get used to it." He squeezed my ass and planted a firm wet kiss on my cheek. "Now go take your shower and slip into something naughty."

Despite the renovations, this house still creaked as if it were as old as the foundations it stood on. While the original frame remained intact, the interior had gone through extensive repair and upgrades. But no matter how many fresh coats of paint were slapped on, the soul of the house remained. Poe, Grim, and Saint made me feel safe, but when I was alone in a room… something eerie prickled me.

Great horrors had taken place inside these walls. Pure evil had lived here with them. Some imprint of that energy still lingered. I could feel it in my bones.

A shiver crawled up my arms as I walked the endless corridors. The floors and décor were also new. It was no secret that I loved dark and Gothic vibes and the house reflected that.

With black velvet curtains, tied together with gold brocade ropes, plum and gray tapestried walls, and marbled floors, it was a mixture of the past and the present—their tastes and mine. And while we filled these once barren rooms with love and laughter, something cold and sinister still permeated here. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it prickled the hairs on the back of my neck like a chilly draft you couldn't figure out the source of.

I paused in front of the floor-to-ceiling window at the end of the west wing hall. The black velvet curtains were parted, fastened to the wrought iron frame with that thick gold rope. The glass streaked with condensation as the moonlight strobed through. It was almost winter in Wickford Hollow and with the way the wind beat against the house, I knew it was going to be a cold one. Maybe the coldest one ever.

It had almost been a year since I'd broken into this once abandoned house. The cursed and condemned house of Wickford Hollow. Only one year since Maureen had dared me to walk in here by myself, drunk off of jello shots and adrenaline. I could still remember the rush, the excitement, and the fear when an unseen force shoved me into that locked door at the top of the stairs.

I'd always been obsessed with the occult, but I never fully believed in urban legends or ghost tales. I just really liked Halloween and all the dark and delicious things that came with it. But the moment Poe dragged me out of my bed later that night, I knew something wicked my way had come.

And yet after just one night with him, Grim, and Saint, I didn't want to let them go. My three deviant ghosts. The ghosts of Wickford Mansion, cursed to spend an eternity locked away until that night I set them free. And now they were mine. Wickford Mansion was ours. We made it our home. So why did I feel like something was going to burst in and snatch it all away?

I stared at my reflection in the window and barely recognized myself. My skin was paler than usual from the lack of sunlight. My blonde hair, longer, hanging all the way down to my lower back.

Cold shivers trickled up my arms as I glimpsed a subtle movement behind me. I took a deep breath through my nose and forced myself to still. A few months ago, I started seeing things in mirrors. In anything with reflections. Nothing solid, just little flickers and shadows. I had started feeling things I couldn't explain.

The guys tried to assure me that it was nothing. That it was just a big house with dark corners, lots of windows, and mirrors—plenty of reflective surfaces for the wind and the moon and the stars to play tricks on my mind.

Even the lights flickered when I walked into a room despite the brand new electrical wiring. They said it was most likely because of them. They were spirits after all. But it didn't feel like them. This felt like something else. Fuck, I was probably just losing my mind.

My breath hitched as I strained to see through the window, fixated on the reflection of the hall behind me. A lump formed in my throat as I waited for movement. Nothing. I sighed and turned around to face the empty hall. " Get it together, Bailey ," I muttered.

I stood at the top of the curved staircase and gripped the railing. Every time I walked down, I had this indescribable feeling that something was going to push me. Visions of my twisted body, bloody and mangled at the bottom of the foyer flashed through my mind. I forced the bile down my throat and made my shaky descent, my black stiletto heels clicking against the marble like keys on a piano, echoing down all three levels.

By the time I reached the safety of the main floor, my thighs were slick with sweat. The back of my neck, clammy. I had to fight to keep my legs from buckling as I walked into the kitchen.

But as soon as the decadent scents of Poe's cooking hit my nose, a warm rush flooded me, chasing away the chills as if they'd never been there to begin with. Poe's lips curled into a smirk over the steaming ladle he held to his lips.

"There's our good girl," Grim rasped as he came up behind me. He wrapped his strong arms around my waist.

I sank back into him.

Poe sauntered forward and held the ladle to my lips. "It doesn't taste as good as you, but I think you'll like it." He winked.

Grim's hands roamed my hips, slowly tugging at the edges of my tiny black skirt. "Let's feed our little fox, so we can have our dessert."

Saint stalked in, his massive body barely fitting through the doorway. His black T-shirt and jeans hugged his frame, showing off every curve of his muscles. He ran a hand through his long brown hair before tying it up into a top knot.

I let out a tiny whimper. The sight of the three of them never got old. They were viciously beautiful. Dominant. And always hungry for me.

We took our seats around the kitchen table. There was a fancier one in the main dining room, but it was so formal. I loved the kitchen. It was warm and cozy and smelled incredible after Poe cooked.

Tonight, I sat between Grim and Saint with Poe across from us, his sloppy grin growing as he watched me devour his stew. I moaned into my spoon. "This is delicious," I mumbled.

Grim squeezed my bare thigh under the table. He played with the edge of my skirt. " You're delicious . "

Heat flooded me.

Saint wiped a dribble of soup off my lip with his thumb and sucked it off. "How was your day, love?"

Poe adjusted himself under the table. "Fuck, you're making me hard. I love to watch you eat."

I smirked at the three of them. They were such deviants. It was hard to get through one meal without wanting to rip each other's clothes off.

"It was fine. We had a nice lunch," I lied.

Saint squeezed my other thigh. "You still haven't told Maureen about us, have you?"

My stomach knotted, the guilt clawing at me. "No."

Grim glared at him. "It's all good, little fox. You'll tell her when you're ready."

Poe nodded. "We have all the time in the world to meet her."

Another gut punch. They had all the time in the world. But I didn't. I was a mortal woman who would age and at some point die. What happens then? Would they remain here without me? Or would their souls follow me to whatever existed beyond this life? It hadn't crossed my mind in the beginning. I was too swept away by them. But lately, it was all I could think about. Yet another issue I didn't want to burden them with.

Saint grabbed my wrist, stopping me from taking another bite. "Enough talk. As much as I like your cooking, Poe, I'd rather our little fox here be the main course."

Grim leaned back in his chair. "What did you have in mind?"

My pussy quivered under their ravenous stares.

Saint caressed my cheek. "Let's move this party to the dining room. I want to see our little fox spread out on the good linens."