Authors: Blanche Hardin
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Thrillers & Suspense, #Psychological Thrillers, #Romance, #Romantic Suspense, #Thrillers, #Psychological, #Mystery & Suspense, #Suspense
“Of course I am. How could I miss all the insults you threw my way callously and without thought to how I might feel? According to you, I’m an embarrassment because I managed to be high when you brought my new pet home.”
“No, not
your
new pet, brother.” Blaine leaned down and invaded his brother’s space, knowing how disconcerting he found it. “I’ve decided Vie has other uses than just your plaything. I’ll give you to her but it will be for a limited time and if anyone is going to break her, it’ll be
me
, not you.”
Zed’s violet-blue eyes narrowed in anger. “When did the rules change? I’ve always been allowed to break them. Since when have I
failed
to do my job?”
“One word: Brigitte.” Blaine stood straight again and folded his arms against his chest. “You didn’t break that bitch—you just made her like you. There
is
a difference. A broken woman never thinks she’s anyone’s equal yet that cunt parades around here like her shit doesn’t stink. She shouldn’t question Xavier about where he’s been or whom he sleeps with because it’s none of her fucking business. She should be waiting anxiously for him to get home flat on her back with her legs spread, waiting to do his bidding. You completely failed when it came to her. I won’t allow you to make the same mistake with Vie.”
“I beg to differ. I don’t think I made a mistake with Brigitte at all. She was never mine to break. Xavier wanted to do it and now that he has gotten lazy and bored with her, it’s my fault he didn’t follow through? Somehow your whole assessment seems unfair.” Zed stood and began to pace agitatedly before he turned toward his brother again.
“I know what this is about, Blaine, but you’re being completely unreasonable. Admit it. You thought this would be just another job you had to do to keep me happy but you are intrigued with her and you don’t want to give her up. Sorry, Romeo, but you don’t get everything you want and she’s
mine
.”
“Not if her body language is anything to go by.” Blaine smiled coldly, his crystal blue eyes icy as a Christmas day in Minnesota. “Remember, her virginity is yours to take. I would rather not deal with
that
messy situation. Virginal beauties hold absolutely zero fascination about them in my eyes. After you have had your fun, she’s
mine
.”
“Or what?”
“Or the deal still stands. If I can’t have her than neither of us will. I’ll use her in a film. It’s a shame, really, when you think about it. A beauty like hers is so rare. Are you willing to be selfish enough to put her life on the line just to keep her? Think about your response very carefully, brother
dearest
.”
Zed looked away and knew he’d lost before he’d said a word. There was no way he could put Vie’s life in the crossfire between a sick game he and his brother had been playing for years. Blaine wasn’t bluffing—he meant every word. He would have the young woman murdered if he couldn’t have her.
Sure, he was taking his word back and that made him a cruel Judas indeed but at least he would be able to experience Vie. It was more than she would probably ever grant him since from her body language alone she already adored Blaine.
They
all
did.
Blaine or Xavier.
They attracted women like flies to shit despite Blaine being bi-polar and Xavier a sociopathic asshole. He never had a chance. Even if he and Vie were more suited to one another. It wasn’t something he thought because he wanted it to be true—he could feel it in his bones.
The woman was walking, talking sex yet she didn’t even know her full potential because she was frightened and disgusted by the very act itself. He could break her in and make her a very good lover. And maybe, just maybe, learn to love her too. If that happened and she fell for him, there wasn’t a damn thing Blaine could do about it.
Zed smiled though it lacked warmth. “I have a better idea instead. Under no circumstances does she die. You play your twisted game with her and I’ll play mine. Let the best man win. Not so fair. No so square. What do you say? Or is murdering innocent women the only way you get your rocks off?”
Blaine raised one of his dark eyebrows questionably. “I don’t murder anyone, brother dearest. That would be Xavier. I merely film it. However, I like your idea. May the baddest and most devious man win?”
“Something like that,” Zed replied before they shook hands.
Blaine might have been a worthy adversary but he was better. He knew that in his bones. Plus he had a card to play his brother never could: empathy. Women fell for it every time. Vie was his. It was only a matter of time.
Games were challenging but this one would be even better and sweeter once he won it and Vie belonged to him.
Chapter 4
Vie
H
ow many times had my mother told me it was rude to snoop on other people?
I’d never wished I heeded her advice so much until today.
The moment I was shown to my room, I looked around but had absolutely no desire to unpack. It was a standard full room with a California King bed, designer everything and a large en suite bathroom with both a walk-in shower and separate bathtub that could easily accommodate two people.
It was elegant yet understated. I hadn’t expected anything different but after spending so much time in the airport and on a plane, I wanted to explore this gorgeous home located in the hills of Hollywood and breathe fresh, non-recycled air.
I quickly took a shower and changed into a pair of jean shorts and sleeveless Joan Jett & the Blackhearts t-shirt I’d picked up at a thrift store. It was completely vintage and totally eighties with strategic cuts throughout to show off a little skin.
I might have been a virgin due to my genophobia but I sure as fuck wasn’t innocent. I didn’t have a problem with my sexuality—it was dealing with men and their need to want to fuck me that was the issue.
I walked out of my room and closed the door behind me before traipsing down the stairs. My lack of shoes kept me quiet and unnoticeable; hence how I almost walked in on Blaine and Zed discussing me.
“After you have had your fun, she’s
mine
,” Blaine said in an authoritative tone.
“Or what?” Zed countered.
My God. Were they actually negotiating terms about me? And why didn’t this surprise me in the least bit?
My face grew heated and I backed up a bit in the hallway.
Surely they’d heard of women’s rights and the fact that a woman couldn’t be ordered around? Were they as crazy as they sounded or had I just slipped into some alternate universe where women were only around to do their bidding?
Yes, they were good looking guys but I had an issue with the male sex in general. The looks of a man—or lack thereof—weren’t the reason why I was still a virgin. I had no interest in sex, period.
Nada.
It didn’t stir any pangs of desire in my loins and my panties didn’t get wet. There was just a blank slate below my waist. I knew it wasn’t normal—hell, I studied abnormal psychology and had a Master’s degree in the subject. I knew I had a problem but it wasn’t
theirs
to solve. I certainly wouldn’t put up with being treated like a fucking birthday cake everyone could just have a piece of and that applied to the Pascal-Baasch brothers as well as anyone else.
I continued to back away from the sitting room, not wanting to hear anymore of their conversation when I hit a wall.
A human one that was well over six feet tall and built like a brick shithouse.
I turned around to face one of the most beautiful creatures I’d ever seen.
Dark hair, cut short yet long enough for a girl to run her fingers through those silky brown locks. Piercing crystal blue eyes, a creamy almost girlish complexion and features that were pure Pascal-Baasch. This was the famed Xavier and my cover had just been shot to shit if I had one.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he murmured, as he looked me up and down like a delectable dish ready to be served up.
“Vie,” I said simply, my heart throbbing in my chest like I was about to have a heart attack while I grabbed my slender neck and wrapped a hand around it to prevent a panic attack.
“Xavier but you can call me Zavi. Everyone else does.”
I smiled. “I like Xavier better in that case.”
“Baby, you’re free to call me whatever the fuck you want.” His blue eyes darted away from me before he smiled but there was no mirth in it. “Eaves dropping?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I came downstairs because I felt claustrophobic in my new room and they were . . . discussing me. I couldn’t just walk in and join the conversation, could I?”
Xavier cocked his head to the side. “Actually, you could have. At least that would have been my first instinct if I heard strange men trying to divvy me up for their own personal pleasure without any regards to my own.”
“Yeah but you’re not five foot something and one hundred and ten pounds, soaking wet—I
am
. Kinda hard to tell two virile, strong men what I will and won’t do when they can physically overpower me. The idea of being
forced
. . . well, it would send me into panic mode. I couldn’t handle that.”
He wrapped an arm around my waist and turned us around. “Follow me. I promise I won’t hurt you—I’m not like Blaine and Zed. Playing with women isn’t exactly a past time of mine. I like to fuck them and forget it except for one certain blonde who won’t take a hint and get the fuck gone.”
“Where are you taking me?” I asked casually.
“Lesson number one . . . if you are going to survive those two, you gotta get high. They have something planned for you tonight and I can’t stop it. Neither can you but I can numb the pain.”
“I don’t do drugs—”
“Well then, let me introduce you to some that are about to become your friends, at least for today.”
“No . . . I can’t . . .” I trailed off.
“Listen, it’s your choice. Do you want to be scared . . . or do you wanna feel brave?”
Well when he put it that way, I didn’t have much of a choice.
“B
loodstream” played in the background while I lay on the sofa in a massive game room. My head was spinning deliciously and I felt sexy and very high. My head, nestled in Xavier’s lap, swam with unknown feelings and sensations.
What I thought he was going to do was far from what he did do. He didn’t do drugs either—at least not illegal ones—but a couple of shots of Absolut followed by a bump of Oxy and I was high as a fucking kite. My skin felt electric to the touch and as he rubbed my arms, I wanted him to do more than just that.
How could this be happening?
I kept waiting to feel like I would overdose or an interaction of the two that would have me suffering from a horrible anxiety attack. I knew about the deadly effects of mixing two depressants together, especially those as addictive as both Oxy and alcohol.
Fortunately, Xavier had studied to be a pharmacist and knew more about drugs than I did. He explained the exact combination he’d given me and how it was a low dose of Oxy and therefore not extremely hazardous to me. It would just calm me down and make me feel better.
Every part of this experience felt surreal. It was
too
satisfying to my jaded mind, even when he sat me up and pulled me into his lap. I could feel the hardness of his cock pressed against me and I wondered if he would try anything. Had I walked from one trap right into another?
He brushed my hair out of my face as his hands caressed my cheeks before they pulled me to him. Our lips met and a rush of adrenaline kicked in. I tried to back away but he was strong. It was only a kiss and I didn’t want to ruin my high so I gave in. My lips slightly parted while his own met mine and his tongue immediately sought mine out.
His mouth tasted fresh and clean; the cologne he wore smelled of mint, lemon, green apples and a hint of vanilla. It was impossible for me not to want to deepen the kiss just to get closer to him.
Xavier pulled away and worked his mouth down my jaw and to the side of my neck where he sucked hard. The sensation was beyond amazing and for some reason if he’d asked me to lay down and spread my legs, against my better judgment, I probably would have done it.
“What the fuck is going on here and why didn’t you tell us you were home?” Blaine exclaimed in anger.
We separated but it wasn’t fast enough for him as he strode toward us, grabbed me and picked me up as if I weighed nothing.
“What the fuck did you give her?”
“It’s nothing,” I replied, my hands caressing Blaine’s face. “I forgive you for wanting to pass me around like a present. Am I? A gift or some such shit for Zed? Is it his birthday?”
Blaine’s blue eyes coldly glared at Xavier. “What’s she on?”
“Just vodka and Oxy,” I replied.
“You fucking prick—you know people die from that shit, right? It’s the reason why Jocelyn isn’t here and you
gave
it to her? What the hell is going on in this house? You’re usin’ pharmaceuticals and Zed is high on coke and marijuana. Must I do everything around here myself for it to be done correctly?”
His brother shrugged. “Not my problem she heard you two talking about her and was scared out of her wits. If I hadn’t sedated her like I did, she would have bolted. Thought I was doin’ you a favor—”
“Next time, don’t!” Blaine turned around and carried me upstairs.
I hummed to “Body Electric” playing in my head before being unceremoniously dumped on a bed. I sat up, expecting for it to be my suite but this one was overly formal and completely male, dominated by the colors chosen and the choice of furniture—or lack thereof.
“Is this your room?”
“Yes and no.” Blaine began to pace before he slammed one of the double doors in fury. “I rarely stay here. I have a loft and a studio in the Pacific Palisades and I stay there mostly. You know why? Sometimes I can’t handle their antics and this one goes beyond the pale. Giving you
drugs
? They both know I have absolutely no tolerance for that shit.”
My adrenaline spiked again, and I stood before I strolled directly in the path he was pacing. “Maybe it’s because I had to hear how you have ‘zero fascination’ with virgins and how Zed was free to do what he wanted with me until you were ready to ‘break me in.’ Yeah, that was gonna make me feel real welcome downstairs so excuse-fucking-Xavier if he wanted to stop me from running because I would have if it wasn’t for him
and
the drugs.”
He laughed out loud before his arm shot out and he wrapped his hand around my throat. “You’re not goin’ anywhere, sweetheart. Unless you wanna come with me to my loft. You can stay here or there. As for running . . . they’ll be none of that.”
“Why? What are you going to do to me?” I shot back.
“I will fucking break your neck like a breadstick.” He began to squeeze and my air supply was completely cut off. Being high and drunk, I was slow to react yet even if I’d been sober, there was no way I could have clawed him off of me.
I finally gave up fighting and he let go. I dropped to the Persian rug like a rag doll and tried to catch my breath in a fit of coughing.
Blaine was immediately over me, his body covering mine as he spread my legs and fitted himself between them. “Is that what
you
want? For
me
to break you in? Seriously? I don’t want to deal with broken hymens and what not. It hasn’t been my thing in a long time, not since I was sixteen. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll let your first time be with Zed.”