Age Seventeen – Present Day
I gallop through the fields with the wind in my hair. Today is a warm spring day which brings with it the aroma of blossoming flowers. There’s no one here but me and Ireland as I ride her into the forest and circle back round towards the house. Before taking a trot back, I take in the immense size of the house. Unless something drastic happens, I will be living there very soon. I sigh knowing that a lot of women would give their right arms to live in a house like that.
As I near the stables, I notice Drake is standing by his horse like he’s waiting for me. It’s been another three weeks since that incident at the bar and the subsequent outburst from him.
I hadn’t seen him since.
We’d exchanged text messages, and I could tell his men were following me. Like this morning when I went out for a walk, Kane was snooping, but wasn’t doing a very good job of it. I caught him and we got to talking.
“Kane told me you were here.”
He looks good again today, and I hate the fact that he does. I was happy staying mad at him for three weeks. Happy that—for a little while—I was able to breathe without this constant pull I get from him weighing me down. Now that he’s here, looking every bit the strong, brooding male I have come to love and hate in equal measure, however, I find myself drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
“I caught him following me, so I asked him to bring me here so I could see Ireland. It’s been a while.”
“How is she?”
Leaning over, I lovingly stroke her neck. “She’s doing great.”
“Ride with me?”
Biting my lip, I want to say no, but my body calls out to him. “I want to, but I’m a little tired. Can I ride with you on Max?”
He looks taken aback by my request, but nods his head. “Come on. I’ll help you with Ireland, and then you can help me with Max.” He offers me his hand, and I take it. Pretty soon, he has me off the horse and in his arms.
Our eyes lock as I slide down, and for a moment, we can’t move or breathe. He searches my face with those luscious brown eyes of his, and it hits me right between my legs. My belly dances and my cheeks flame as he draws me in, little by little, bit by bit.
“You know it’s there; you feel it. Yet, you continue to defy me.”
“You’ve been gone again,” I reply breathlessly.
“I can tell you want me to kiss you, but I can’t. If I do, I won’t hesitate in taking you up to my bedroom and finally making you mine. I made a promise, and so far, I’ve kept it, but I only have so much control. Why do you think I’ve been away? It’s not because I want to stay away from you. It’s because I can’t control myself around you.”
I still, shocked at the vulnerability of his words. Does he say I make him weak? “What is it about you?” I wonder out loud.
Drake silently laughs. “I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean.”
“You’re like Jekyll and Hyde,” I observe. “You can be nice and gentle one moment, but then mean and nasty the next.”
Pulling away from me, he grabs Ireland’s reins and clicks his tongue for her to move. I guess that’s the end of the discussion then.
In silence, we put Ireland back and proceed to get Max ready for his ride. Once Drake is on, he motions for my hand and pulls me up. I snake my legs around him, and then wrap my arms around his waist—equally hating and loving how good he feels.
He sucks in a breath. “Ready?”
Placing my chin on his right shoulder, I nod. “Ready.”
“Come on, boy,” Drake urges and Max suddenly flies into action. In an instant, we’re galloping through the fields again, but this time I can close my eyes and relish the sensation. With one sense shut down, my other two kick into gear. I can smell the spring air, listen to the birds sing, and I can feel the warmth of Drake’s body on mine. For a brief moment, I wonder what it would be like to wake up like this with him, feeling the heat from his back pressed into my breasts. But then, all too soon, I realise that it’s not something I have a choice in. It’s not something I have been asked. It’s something that will be forced upon me whether I like it or not. And now, as with every other time, I feel the urge to run rather than to embrace. I don’t want to be a prisoner. At times, like today, I wonder how he can seem so normal. He’s not, though. I see what lies within him. I know it’s there, waiting to get out.
It’s just a matter of time.
After half an hour of riding, we eventually head back home and put Max back into his booth. As we do, a man I have never seen before approaches Drake. “Sir, Mr Stewart is on the line. Do you want to take it?” He holds out the phone, and Drake eagerly takes it from him before turning to me.
“I need to take this, but I’ll be right back.”
I nod my head and off he goes. I start taking the reins off Max, but notice in the corner of my eye that the guy who approached us hasn’t moved. When I look at him, he’s casually leaning on the wall observing me with a cocky smile on his face.
Frowning, I wonder whether to say something, but decide against it and carry on doing what I’m doing. “So, you’re what all the fuss is about.”
I immediately stop and stare back at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You’re Drake’s girl.”
I want to argue that I’m not, but something tells me not to. “So?” I ask, placing the reins on their hanger. I then take his saddle off and bend down to place it on the floor.
“You’re even prettier than I imagined … and that arse … fuck me.”
Snapping my posture up, I turn to the arrogant twat. “Who the hell are you?”
Pushing himself off the wall, his cocky grin disappears as he offers me his hand. “I’m Joe. The newbie.”
I don’t accept his offer. Instead, I stand with my hand on my hip and stare at him. This just makes that cocky grin come back again. “Okay, Joe … the newbie, I think you need to learn some boundaries. I doubt Drake would like it if he knew you were talking to me like this.”
I observe him as he shrugs his shoulders. I can’t tell whether he’s overly confident or just too stupid for his own good. He’s young—not that much older than I am—with a good four inches in height over me, dark blond, spiky hair and blue eyes. He’s attractive in a sense, but he does nothing for me in particular. In fact, his eyes tell a sinister tale which I do not want to explore.
“Maybe I like pushing boundaries. Have you ever thought about that?”
I snort. “Well, that’s painfully obvious, considering you’re the first guy working here who’s dared to talk to me like that.”
Not caring for my words, he stalks towards me until we’re only a couple of feet apart. “They might not say it to your face, but believe me when I say that they all think it. They’re just too chicken shit to voice it out loud.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty,” he says, waggling his eyebrows. “Why? Do you dig me?”
Huffing, I move away from him and start walking out of the stables. “You’re full of shit,” I mutter under my breath.
I’m sure he’s about to retort, but as we venture outside, Drake is stalking towards us. He notices that we’ve just come out of the stables together and his face turns to thunder. “Can I help you, Joe?” he asks vehemently.
“No, sir. I was just asking Miss Montgomery if she needed my help.”
I feel like laughing again, but instead walk up to Drake and place my hand in his. “Are you finished, baby?” Drake frowns at my baby comment, but little does he know I’m doing it deliberately in front of this jerk-off who’s now smirking at me.
“Yes, all done. I’ll take you home now.”
I don’t want to go home. Lately, home is an ugly place with two equally ugly people living in it. I don’t condone people hating their parents as a rule, but if they had ones like mine, I think I could make an exception.
But, not wanting to argue with Drake in front of this arsehole, I nod my head. “Okay, you can
take me home now.”
Age Fourteen
I heard Drake and my parents arguing a couple of days ago, and things have been tense ever since. I’m not sure what it was about, but I certainly heard my name being mentioned once or twice. I hate the fact that they may be arguing over me.
Also, lately, my parents have been acting really weird. They’ve been fussing about my hair, makeup, what dresses I should wear—you name it. The other times, they ignore me like I’m not even there. I don’t like it when they fuss, though. That’s definitely worse than being ignored. I’m not sure why, but there’s something rather… disturbing about their behaviour.
Today is a good day. Today, I’m being ignored and it feels like I can have some breathing space. I’m in my bedroom, getting ready for a day out shopping with my new friend, Mandy. I’ll be fifteen soon and want to get a new outfit for my birthday party round Drake’s house. He’s been such a good friend to me. I would even say he’s fast becoming the father I never had. Although, for some reason, I don’t like to think of him in that way.
Feeling thirsty, I decide to go downstairs to the kitchen to get a drink. My mother is out at her yoga class, but my father is here, conducting business as usual.
As I get down to the bottom of the stairs, I start to walk past his study when I hear my name being mentioned.
“Evelyn’s almost fifteen. She’s beautiful … and highly popular.” I frown, but then smile at my father’s compliment of me. That’s the first time I’ve heard him refer to me as beautiful.
“We can discuss finances when you get here,” he says, making me frown again. “When are you next in town?” It goes silent for a moment before he speaks again. “I know there’s a couple of others who are definitely interested, but I’ll see what I can do. In this day and age, you have to strike whilst the iron’s hot.” He starts laughing, and all I can think about is what in the hell is he on about?
“Okay, I’ll set it up and get her ready by then. See you Tuesday. Bye, Isaac.”
Frowning, I hear the phone click and rush away before my father catches me. While I’m in the kitchen getting some water, all I can think about is that phone call, how strange it was, and who the hell Isaac is. In fact, his name sounds all too familiar.
Shivers run down my spine when I think of that evil-looking guy at my house a year or so ago. Could it be him? Drake knows him, and I remember him telling me to tell him if I saw him again. Technically, this isn’t the same, but I have to ask.
Rushing back up the stairs with my bottle of water, I grab my phone off my bedside and text Drake.
Me: This guy you told me to tell you about. His name’s not Isaac, is it?
My phone immediately rings. It’s Drake. I’m about to say hello, but he beats me to it. “Is he there?” He sounds really angry.
“No, but I heard my father on the phone. I think they were discussing me.”
I hear a loud crash, and I’m about to ask if he’s okay when he speaks. “Tell me everything, Evelyn. The whole conversation you heard.”
I tell him all that I heard being discussed, and when I’m finished, Drake immediately says, “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Just stay in your room until I come for you. Okay?”
“Okay,” I answer a little shakily. For some reason, his reaction is scaring me. Who is this Isaac and what does he want?
The line goes dead, and I sit, waiting and wondering what’s going to happen. I’m supposed to be meeting Mandy in an hour. Getting up, I start pacing the floor, wondering what’s going to happen once Drake gets here. After a few more minutes, I hear the thunderous wrapping on the door and then my father answering. The shouting gets louder as they talk, but pretty soon, it fades away. They must have moved into my father’s study.
At first, I sit there, waiting for when Drake will arrive, but then curiosity seems to get the better of me. Step by step, I wander over to the door, open it a little, and creep through. Whatever argument they were having seems to have died down, but I can still hear voices. Once I reach the bottom of the stairs, I take tentative steps towards my father’s study, so I can hear them better.
“I don’t want to hear any more of this, William.”
“Of course not, sir,” my father answers. “You’ve made me a very happy man. I’m sure Charlotte will be thrilled when she hears the news. You’ve very generously brought us out of a rather messy situation.”
Wondering what they’re talking about, I lean in further and notice that the door isn’t completely shut. It opens slightly, making me gasp. I close my eyes, thinking they’d heard me, but when I open them again, all I can see is Drake leaning over my father’s desk, writing something. After a few seconds, he rips out a piece of paper—which looks like a cheque—and hands it to him. “This is first of two instalments. I want you to keep Evelyn here and away from prying eyes. Do you fucking understand me?”
“Of course.” I can hear the slight tremble in my father’s voice.
“Once she turns eighteen, you can have the other half, and I will be taking her into my care. I’m offering you a very generous deal here, William. She’s a fucking child at the moment. Don’t ever forget that.”
Gripping my shirt tight to my chest, I feel like I want to hyperventilate. I want to run away, but I just can’t seem to move my feet.
“I know, Mr Salvatore. We’ll do our best by her, you can be assured of that.”
“Now that I’ve paid this down payment on Evelyn, I will assure she is also kept safe and secure in my care. I will pay for anything she needs and will provide for her in any way I can. Do you understand that?”
Down payment? How is this possible? They’re talking about me as if I’m an object. Something to own.
I hear my father’s chair push back, and I see when he offers Drake his hand. “I do understand. It was a pleasure doing business with you. I’m sure Evelyn will be very happy with you.”
Drake shakes his hand back. “On her eighteenth birthday, she’s mine.” His tone makes me shiver.
“That goes without saying.”
I can’t listen anymore. In a panic, I turn—not caring if I’ve made too much noise—and go running out of my house. Once outside, I see a couple of Drake’s men milling around the car and they see me. At first, they’re not sure what’s happening, but I don’t wait around long enough to find out what they do about it. Instead, I turn to the side of my house and go running for the hills. I don’t care where I go. I just want to be far away from my house … far away from my father … far away from Drake.
All these years, I thought I really knew him. I thought he really cared when all he was interested in was what? Owning me? Possessing me like a doll bought in a toy store? For some reason, this betrayal hurts more than the fact that my own parents want to get rid of me.
Feeling sick and disgusted, I keep on running. Tears are streaming down my face, and I’m finding it hard to breathe, but I keep going.
In the distance, I hear my name being called, but I ignore that too and keep going. Yesterday if he had called me, I would have gone running to him. Now, all I want to do is run away. I want to get as far away from that sick man as possible.
“Evelyn, stop running!” he shouts, but again, I ignore him. I don’t even turn to see where he is. I just keep running as fast as I can.
Once I reach the trees, I run in amongst them, hoping that they’ll camouflage me somehow, but it’s no use. I hear Drake calling my name again, but this time it sounds as though he’s right behind me.
Again, I don’t look. I keep on going for a few more seconds until I feel a hand grip my wrist and spin me around. “Will you stop when I tell you to?”
We’re both breathless as I lean up against the tree for support. “How– How could you? I thought I could trust you.”
He suddenly looks annoyed. “You can trust me.”
“So what was that about with my father? You just put a down payment on me like I’m some … some hooker.”
&nb
sp; Drake smacks his hand against the tree by my head, making me jump. “Don’t call yourself that.”
“Well, that’s how you made me feel. Did my ears deceive me? Was what I heard really true? Are you buying me once I turn eighteen?”
Still catching his breath, Drake drops his head down for a moment before looking back up to meet my eyes. “Yes.”
My eyes widen and then the anger sets in. “Well, I refuse to be … to be owned like that.”
Drake smiles, but it’s not a nice smile. It’s one I’ve not seen before on him. One I don’t like. “You don’t have any say in the matter. Once you turn eighteen, you’ll be living with me.”
Not being able to take in what I’m hearing, I try moving out of the way. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
Drake grabs my arm, pulling me back to the tree trunk. “Yes, I can. And I will.”
“Why are you doing this?”
Leaning closer to me, Drake snarls, “Because I want you. Plain and simple. And when Drake Salvatore wants something, he gets it. You’re just going to have to get used it, sweetheart.”
A lone tear drops down my face. I don’t know who this man is all of a sudden. What happened to the Drake who was sweet to me, made me laugh, and bought me a horse for crying out loud?! I thought he genuinely cared, but all he was doing was … grooming me?
Ugh! Suddenly, I feel sick. I feel abused and I feel betrayed. I was starting to love the man who I thought loved me in return. I was starting to open up to him in ways I thought I never would with anyone.
“I thought you were a nice man. I thought you cared about me and that you loved me, but you were just waiting … biding your time.”
“I do love and care for you.”
“Well, you have a funny way of showing it!” I shout.
“Keep your fucking voice down,” he snarls. Immediately, I still. This is definitely a new side to him, and I don’t like it.
“This is an arrangement you’re simply going to have to get used to. Wouldn’t you rather it be me than someone else?”