Deceived: A Dark Reverse Harem Romance (The Devil's Syndicate Book 1) Page 3

  My throat was dry and scratchy. I had no idea how long I’d been asleep.

  He didn’t say anything else, just turned and walked away. Who knew if he was going to get me something or not. Perhaps he’d got bored of me speaking to him.

  Why had these four men taken me? Why would they be complicit in something like this? Keeping a naked girl chained up against her will. Xav made it clear he didn’t like what Quinn was doing but I had no idea about the other two men.

  I looked around the room again. Nothing had changed but reality started to set in. Would I see the outside of these four walls again? What if the blonde-haired man was lying and Quinn really would let me freeze and starve to death?

  I trembled, trying not to allow myself to cry again as tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.

  “You belong to me now, Ash.”

  Screw that shit. I wasn’t Quinn Knox’s possession. I didn’t even know anything about him other than he hated my father. But who didn’t hate Frank Russo outside of his inner circle? He was ruthless and took no prisoners. He’d shown me that on more than one occasion.

  Images of the last man he’d brutalised in front of me flittered across my retinas. I shut my eyes, trying to flush those out of my brain.

  The blood. So much blood. It ran down his chest in rivulets and dripped from the chair onto the bare concrete floor.

  I dug my palms into my eyes. Those reminders weren’t welcome.

  Drip. Drip. Drip.

  I shivered again, a slight whimper escaping my lips. The things my father and his men had done haunted my dreams. Except Nate. I’d never seen him hurt another living soul. Unless you counted him breaking my heart. Desolation began to sink into my soul. That prick probably didn’t care I was missing.

  I felt something being settled over me. I dropped my hands and stared up into the hazel eyes of the blonde-haired man. He’d draped a thick blanket over me. Unable to form words to thank him for his simple kindness, I pulled it up to my chin.

  He sat on the bed before handing me a glass of water. I took it and sipped at it.

  “Will he take this away from me?” I indicated the blanket with my head.

  “Probably.”

  “Then why give it to me?”

  He stared at me. His eyes were far too discerning like he could rip me open and learn everything about me with one glance.

  “I’m not Quinn.”

  I almost scoffed. Well, that was obvious, but it didn’t mean he had to be nice to me.

  “Well, not Quinn, thank you.”

  His lip twitched.

  “Rory.”

  I gave him a half-smile. Whilst he still unnerved me, it didn’t seem like he would hurt me. At least I hoped not.

  “Does he know you’re here?”

  He inclined his head once before his eyes flicked around the room. I followed his gaze, noting there were cameras. Why didn’t that surprise me? Had he been watching me sleep? Why would I assume Quinn had been watching me? Perhaps it was the way he’d looked at me with such hunger in his eyes. Like I was a meal he wanted to feast on. A shiver ran up my spine at the thought of it. There was no way in hell I would allow him to touch me up in any way shape or form. Quinn might be devastatingly handsome, but he was dangerous, sinful and downright terrifying. I knew men like him and I had no interest in playing his games.

  “You can tell him he’s a creep for spying on me.”

  Rory’s lip twitched again. I drained the glass and handed it back to him. He stood before turning and walking away to the door.

  “A word of advice if you want to survive this. Don’t provoke Quinn.”

  He left, not shutting the door behind him. I trembled at his parting words. They sounded ominous. Like if I pushed Quinn’s buttons I wouldn’t like the outcome at all.

  I lay down on the small bed again, hugging the thick blanket around me to keep warm. And vowed to myself I’d survive whatever Quinn Knox and the others had in store for me. I had no idea what these men wanted with me. I had to find a way to stay strong and resolute.

  No more crying.

  No more wishing my father would come and get me.

  If I knew anything about Frank Russo, it was that he protected his own, but not at the cost of his own interests.

  Would his own daughter be worth the effort for him?

  Only time would tell.

  Chapter 5

  Xavier paced the room like a caged wild animal. I sighed, rubbing my face. This situation weighed heavily on all of us. Quinn had never steered us wrong yet, but kidnapping Frank Russo’s daughter was a whole new low even for us. We all knew what was at stake. What we had to achieve. Fractures in our friendships wouldn’t do. The four of us had to stick to the plan and see this through.

  “I don’t know why he has to treat her like she’s a dog,” he growled.

  “I don’t agree with it any more than you do.”

  He turned on me, his blue eyes blazing.

  “You fucking undressed her so don’t tell me you’re not in agreement with him.”

  I put my hands up. Undressing her had been a bad idea. Ashleigh Russo’s subtle curves and pretty tits were hard not to stare at. I think all four of us had sucked in a breath after I’d unzipped her dress, unbuckled her shoes and removed her little lacy set of black underwear. Underneath her innocent exterior lay a girl whose body was sinful. Taunting us with thoughts of what it’d be like to sink into her every which way we could.

  “I didn’t want a fight.”

  He rolled his eyes and started pacing again. It was the truth. Fighting with Quinn only led to trouble and none of us needed that right now.

  “Always the goddamn pacifist. Keeping the peace doesn’t always work, Eric. Sometimes you have to stick up for your fucking principals.”

  I sighed. When Xav got in a mood like this, it was hard to get him to see sense. Not that any of this was rational in the first place. I questioned myself and the guys almost daily, wondering whether this was really necessary. Yes, we had our reasons. Didn’t mean I had to like it. Didn’t mean any of it sat well with me. I still had a moral compass and this went against it.

  “You used to trust Quinn.”

  “I still fucking trust him, I just don’t like this. He could at least make her comfortable, but no, he has to be a dick and treat her like she’s less than human.”

  “You know what she did.”

  He growled in response, slamming his hand against the wall and bowing his head to his chest.

  “I wish I didn’t.”

  I approached him. Spooking Xav would be a mistake. We’d known each other since we were kids. All four of us had met at school. So I knew how to handle him, it’s just I wanted to do more to help. My fingers itched to reach out and touch him. Soothe him. Take away the ache in his chest. Xav lived with so many demons and I wanted to calm his soul. But I couldn’t. Risking our friendship would disrupt the fine balance between the four of us. So I kept my hands to myself.

  “Xavi, I know it’s hard, but we have to stay the course.”

  He tensed at my address. I hardly ever called him that. It was usually Xav.

  “Stay the fucking course? The cost… what if it’s too high? What if this destroys everyone? Destroys her? Will he feel fucking vindicated then? And don’t fucking tell me she’s not innocent. I know that, but it doesn’t make it feel any less… wrong.”

  Xav had a thing about not hurting women after what happened to his family. I understood why this riled him up and made him want to punch Quinn’s lights out.

  “It’s not about vindication. And we’ll make sure he doesn’t destroy her, okay?”

  How we’d stop Quinn, I had no idea. The thought of there being nothing left but a vacant shell when we were through with Ashleigh Russo left a bad taste in my mouth. Her light blue eyes were so full of intelligence and life. When she’d looked up at Xav like he was her saviour, it caused a stabbing pain in my chest. Feelings I refused to acknowledge surfaced inside me. Whilst Xav might be attracted to men and women, he certainly had a thing for broken birds who needed saving. Ashleigh Russo would end up being one of those broken birds by the time Quinn was done with her. And Xav would want to rescue her in the end.

  Bile rose up in the back of my throat at the thought of it. He had no idea the torment he caused inside me. No idea of the longing and shame I felt whenever I looked at him. The burning sensation in my chest grew and grew. I took another step towards him, unable to help myself.

  “How?”

  “Give her comfort when we can and make sure she knows she isn’t alone.”

  “As if fucking Knox would let us.”

  The urge grew too strong. Gently, I placed a hand on his shoulder. Xav’s tense muscles loosened after a few moments, filling me with relief.

  “What’s he going to do? He needs us. And she will too.”

  Xav looked at me, his blue eyes glinting and a rueful smile gracing his lips.

  “He doesn’t need anyone.”

  “He might like the world to think he’s a lone wolf, but you, Rory and I know that’s not the truth.”

  He rolled his eyes, straightening and my hand dropped. My fingers tingled from the loss of contact.

  “Oh no, he’s just a fucking prick.”

  I smiled. Quinn was many things, including a prick, but he’d also got us through the darkest of times. All four of us were loyal to a fault despite the tensions between us over the situation with Ashleigh Russo. And after I’d undressed her, there was a lot more fucking tension in the room. None of us could deny wanting her. Even our silent, stoic Rory who barely said a word to anyone. I’d seen the dark glint in his hazel eyes. The one which told me he’d do depraved shit to
her if he had half the chance. Rory might like to think he was a locked vault, but we all knew each other too well for that to be the case.

  “He’s still the only one who has the balls to go up against the worst of the worst.”

  Xav shrugged and rolled his shoulders.

  “They need to be put down like the animals they are.”

  I wouldn’t dispute that. We weren’t any better in all honesty, but we had our own reasons for the depraved shit we’d gotten into. All of us did.

  “Just remember who we’re doing this for.”

  He sighed before reaching out and touching my arm. I knew it meant nothing, but my skin heated at his fingers brushing over my bare skin.

  “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Eric. You’re the only one who keeps me fucking sane.”

  I gave him a tense smile. One which didn’t betray my inner turmoil. I hoped.

  “I’ll always be here for you.”

  In more ways than you’ll ever know.

  Chapter 6

  Seeing Rory give her a blanket made me wonder what the fuck he was playing at. Was he messing with me on purpose or had the girl affected him? Rory never allowed anything to get to him, so who knew? If she had, then she had a heck of a lot more to answer for.

  The steady rise and fall of the blanket told me she was asleep, then again, so was everyone else at this hour. No one had fed her, which was an oversight on my part. I couldn’t starve her. I wouldn’t call myself a nice person. I had chained her to the wall naked which weren’t the actions of someone who had a kind bone in their body. But I also wasn’t a complete monster.

  I turned off the cameras, knowing Rory would notice when the recording went blank but not caring in the slightest what he thought. He could spend fucking eternity wondering what I did with Ash tonight. All of them could. They didn’t get to dictate what I did with her.

  Sighing, I rose from my office chair and walked down the hallway to the kitchen. Eric had left a plate in the fridge for me, but I wasn’t hungry. I took it out, sticking it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Setting everything up on a tray, I took it down to her room and shut the door behind me. I set the tray down on the floor and stood over Ash’s sleeping form.

  The urge to see her uncovered lashed against me. Rory was right to be concerned, but I wouldn’t tell him that. Crouching down next to the bed, I reached out and slowly pulled the blanket off her, exposing her body to me inch by inch. The cool air made goosebumps rise all over her skin. Luminescent skin which taunted me. You’d be a fool not to notice how beautiful she was. How angelic her features appeared to be. I brushed her blonde hair out of her face. It was long and flowed down her back. She was lying with her head resting on her hands. Perfectly still other than the soft rise and fall of her chest.

  “Ash.”

  If I touched her right now, I wouldn’t stop and I really wouldn’t care if she screamed. Would certainly teach her a lesson about who she belonged to now.

  “Ashleigh.”

  She let out a soft moan which had me clenching my fists. She blinked, staring up at me for a moment. Then she screeched and reared back.

  “What the fuck?”

  I cocked my head to the side. She scowled at me, looking down to find herself bare all over again.

  “Don’t even think about covering yourself up.”

  I should probably let her given this wasn’t helping quiet the need coursing inside me, but I was clearly a fucking sucker for punishment. She ignored me, putting her hands over her breasts and shutting her legs tight.

  “What do you want?”

  “You haven’t eaten.”

  That is why I was here. Not to touch her in the ways I wanted, but to feed her.

  “And why would you care about that?”

  I smirked. Ash had no idea. I swivelled slightly and picked up the tray before popping it on the bed for her. She looked down at it, eyes narrowed. She needn’t be suspicious, I wasn’t trying to poison her.

  “Eat, Ash.”

  She sat up against the wall and put the tray on her lap. I sat down on the end of the bed and watched her. The chain rattled as she ate, the noise ringing through the room. Seeing her restrained was like a drug, intoxicating me. Even if she ran, she couldn’t escape.

  “Why are you staring at me?”

  My eyes roamed down her chest, noting how her dusky pink nipples were hard little nubs against her ample breasts.

  “You belong to me.”

  Her face contorted with irritation.

  “I’m not a piece of property.”

  My tongue flicked over my bottom lip, imagining how sweet those nipples would look clamped. Would she pant because of the pain when I tugged on the chain I’d attach in between them? Would she beg?

  “That’s where you’re mistaken.”

  She put her fork down and crossed her arms over her chest, hiding her breasts from my gaze. My eyes flicked back up to hers, finding those iridescent blue eyes dark with anger.

  “You can’t own another person. It doesn’t work like that, and stop staring at me.”

  “Why? Does it bother you?”

  “Yes.”

  I reached out and trailed my fingers along the top of her foot which was next to me. She let out a little gasp, her eyes falling on my hand.

  “Too bad. I don’t take orders from little girls.”

  The scowl etched on her face deepened.

  “I’m not a fucking little girl.”

  She was little compared to me. So small and lithe. My fingers trailed higher, tracing lines across her ankle. She trembled and I knew she was affected by this simple touch.

  “No? Aren’t you daddy’s little pampered princess?”

  “If you think my father has ever pampered me, then you really have no idea.”

  I looked down at her plate. She’d mostly finished everything including the glass of water I’d brought her. Leaning forward, I plucked the tray from her lap and set it on the floor. Ash’s eyes widened when I gripped her arms and tugged her down so she was flat on her back. I crawled over her naked form, settling my legs in between hers to make sure she couldn’t do anything like knee me in the balls. My hands rested on either side of her head.

  “Do you think your father is coming for you?”

  She stared up at me, anger seeping out of her pores.

  “He loves me.”

  I smiled, leaning closer until I was inches away from her face.

  “Your father loves no one but himself and his own interests.”

  She clamped her mouth shut as her pupils dilated, telling me she wasn’t unaware of what seemed to pulse between us.

  “You’re my little girl now, Ash. I will use you as I see fit. If you fight me, you’ll regret it.”

  I rose a little and lifted one of my hands from the bed. My fingers landed on her chest, right above her breasts. Her skin was so soft against the pads of my fingertips. So delicate and fragile. Pity I’d break her down piece by piece.

  “Rory told me not to provoke you.”

  “You should listen to him.”

  My fingers trailed down her chest, in between her breasts and lower. I splayed my hand out across her stomach and I heard her breath catch in her throat.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Taking what’s mine.”

  Not that I should be. Too damn tempting. That’s what Ash was. Her skin against mine felt like fire and I couldn’t get enough. Lifting my fingers from her stomach, I brushed my knuckles over the small thatch of curls above her sweet, delectable little pussy.

  “Don’t,” she whimpered.

  She could say no all she wanted. I needed to know what she felt like. Despite her words, she didn’t move an inch, like she was frozen, waiting for me to do what she’d just told me not to.

  “No? Tell me, Ash, did that little fuck you used to call a boyfriend ever really satisfy you? Did he make you scream when he fucked you? Because I’ll make you scream if you’re good for me.”

  She sucked in a breath, her eyes widening. Oh yes, I knew all about Nate fucking Tucker and his relationship with her. What Ash didn’t realise is just how much I knew about the inner workings of the Russo family.

  “What?”

  “See my theory is you catered to his every need. He only cared about what he wanted. You need a real man to show you exactly what you’ve been missing.”