“Bring it, Buttercup!”

Elicia:

“Continue.” She wiggled her nose in annoyance as she went back to the buckle, tugging and chewing at the leather with a few squeaking scoffs.

Yeah, it crushed me emotionally. My whole life I only knew the orphanage. I was abandoned as an infant nineteen years ago, and Miss Clay took me in with open arms. She gave me my name, a home, a family and just a safe place. I got accepted at the International School of Fine Arts in London, so my big surprise turned into my New Life with a sour taste in the beginning.

Hearing her muffled grumbles along my ear as the leather strap released around my head, spitting out the gag with a sharp inhale of musky cellar air.

“Thank you.” Whispering out to her as she scurried down my chest to my wrists next, flexing the aching cramp out of my jaw with a few gapping bass mouths movements.

“My pleasure. Keep talking in the link.” She quickly examined the thick leather around my wrists, rubbing her tiny paws together as she started chewing away at the heavy leather straps.

I was a nervous wreck on the flight, but thank the heavens for Mama Eve, or Eve Arkas was sitting next to me to calm my troubled mine.

“Wait! You know Eve Arkas?” Her little eyes glazed over with panic as her nose and whiskers stopped twitching briefly as I nodded “yes” to her.

Yeah, she helped me a lot and one of the flight attendants, Randi, knew her. So, it was encouraging when he asked her to show me around town for my first time. It was the best night of my life. We danced, drank Blue Breezes and it was the first time meeting the brothers, well, the “Watchmen”.

Smiling at the memory of Elias and Randi sharing a strange conversation, then to my surprise, his brothers appearing with those delicious matching muscles and tattoos. Licking my lips, noticing the chewing sound had stopped, looking down at the slack jawed expression as her tiny paws leaned against the leather straps.

What’s wrong? You look spooked.

Noticing her tiny body shivering in fear as her eyes looked like a deer stuck in head lights.

“N-nothing. Continue.” Her voice shook with a hidden fear as her teeth went back to chewing away at the leather.

Okay. So, I woke up at Randi’s the following morning, hungover and just swirling with unspoken emotions. Panic attacks were always prominent growing up but talking to Randi that morning really helped. Until I found out that a secret account had been created in my name, after Randi decided he would feel better with me staying at his place, instead of the apartment I was to live in during school. Seriously, who would leave that much money for me? I’m an orphan, no parents, no family, well, besides Miss Clay, her husband and daughter, and the other orphaned children under their care.

“Maybe Miss Clay?” Her voice sounded calm as her teeth gnawed and chewed against the thick leather.

We’re talking about a lot of money, and they live very simple lives. We were always on a budget.

“You never know, a lot of wealthy people live simple lives and raise their children to value hard work over laziness and greed.” Oddly, her words sparked the gears into motion.

“Tell me about the brothers.” Her giddy laugh had me smiling as the tears slowly formed at the corners of my eyes, quickly blinking them away.

Where do I start? Ben is the youngest, reserved, quiet, but a silent warrior with a tender heart. Chris is the second youngest, goofy, laid back, but has no problem speaking his mind when needed. Elias… strong, dominant, calculated like his oldest brother Roger, but as the second oldest, he’s the one that holds them together in a brotherly bond.

“There’s four of them. Jeez girl, talk about biting off more than you can chew.” Her light laughter had me giggling as she continued to chew with all her might.

I know, I was so overwhelmed by their presences in the beginning but when I’m with them, everything feels so trivial. It’s like we were meant to meet. The Nightshade Quad… Halted by the scared squeak, quickly catching her trembling body in my bound hands as she ducked into my palms for protection as my stomach muscles clenched and contracted against the heavy bruising.

Thyra, are you okay? What’s wrong?

Her trembling form scared me even more as she squirmed and wiggled, darting her eyes over the room as she peeked out from my cupped palms in a weird sitting pose like I was praying.

“Nightshade. You’re talking about Desmond Nightshade, right?” Her trembling voice halted my thoughts as she slowly climbed out from my palms, resting firmly on my wrist.

Lifting her up enough, so we were eye level with one another.

Yeah, their adoptive parents and they have one other brother, Dominic, Izzy and Desmond’s biological son. Why? Do you know something? Am I in trouble?

“Oh no, not you, but my idiot son is and so is Myles.” Her toothy grin had me chuckling as she went back to work chewing away at the leather at a slow pace.

What about Peyton? He ambushed me at school, Chris showed up, his brothers after I was tossed into a mirrored wall. It was a crazy fight between them. I woke up at their house, only to find out that Randi’s house had burned down, while I was unconscious and the brothers were handling business overseas.

“That slimy little bastard. He may be my son, but he is no longer the sweet little boy I gave birth too. If the brothers are involved, then all Hell is fixing to break loose. Honey, listen to me closely. Your situation is serious. If Bain went through all this trouble to kidnap you, then his intentions are not good at all. You have to promise me that no matter what, you stay calm, focused, and don’t let him break you. He is going to use every trick, along with the guidance of his father and uncle to break every single fiber that makes you special.” Her tiny head snapped up, sniffing the air as her whiskers flicked wildly with a scoffing squeak.

“Hurry, scoot over to the grate and make it look like you were attempting to break loose.” She quickly grabbed the gag, dragging it over to the grate as my ass scraped angrily along the stone floor, managing to unclasp my ankles, before placing my wrists against the bent metal of the grate.

Her little body squeezed back through the opening as the sound of heavy footsteps approached with loud laughter, rubbing enough to mask the tiny teeth marks as the metal door slammed open with a crashing bang.

“Well, well, well. Aren’t we just the little Houdini?” Bain laughed coldly, twirling the heavy key ring around his finger, noticing his black skinny jeans and boots now replaced with loose fitted black sweats, Nike slides and bare chested. His glistening tanned muscles highlighted by the water droplets dripping from his slicked-back locks.

“You expect me to stay tied up. How romantic.” Spitting my venom back at him with a heavy eye roll as his jaw muscle clenched tightly, pushing up from the metal doorframe with his shoulder.

Flinching away as his blazing palms scooped me up by the armpits, slamming my body into the stone wall with a growling hiss as my cheek scraped along the rough stone.

“There is nothing romantic with what I have planned for you, little orphan.” His cold tone sent shivers rocketing down my spine as the blood drained from my body in a heavy gulp.

“Let the punishment commence.” His menacing laughter sank my heart into the pit of my stomach as his muscular arms wrapped firmly around my ribcage, crying out against the aching pain that rattled my bones as he lifted me up.

Thrashing against his hold as he casually strolled down the damp hallway, kicking open the metal swing doors into a large shower room as Dani leaned unfazed against the far back wall, covered in a heavy layer of mildew causing the white subway tile to look grayish-green. Tossed to my bound hands, sliding across the tiled flooring in a whimpering scream.

“Strip.” Bain commanded, arms crossed over his bare chest as his swirling orbs of blackish-amber bore holes through my body as my trembling arms, lifted my bruised and battered body up from the cold tiling.

“And if I refuse?” Staring at my bound wrists, catching the swift movement of Dani as she back handed me, tumbling back to the tiled floor spitting out the bloody mucus.

“Refuse all you want, but I would hate to see that pretty face all busted up.” Dani laughed darkly as Bain wrapped his arms around her waist, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Perking a curious brow.

“Bring it, Buttercup!” Swiping the bloody drool away with a new determination greater than anything I have ever felt.

Time to face my demons.