She handed me a long, dark-blue t-shirt. “It’s like a dress on me. So it should be the same for you. Get dressed. Pee. Do whatever, and then you can come and join us in the kitchen.”
I nodded as she walked out of the room. I sat on the edge of her massive California king bed. What had I gotten myself into with this town? Already it was nothing like back home, but this was going to be my future, so I might as well make the best of it and not make any enemies. I didn’t need some other traumatizing event happening to me right now.
I stripped out of the lingerie set, bunching it up before pulling the comfy, faded dark tee over my body. It was a little snug on my chest, but it fit everywhere else, stopping at my upper thigh. As I walked back into the living room, I pulled my hair up into a messy bun. I’d worry about taking my makeup off later. Right now, the aroma that filled the air smelled amazing, and my belly grumbled in agreement.
I paused, my mouth agape as I watched Annika straddle Theo’s lap with Noah behind her, cupping her ass and kissing her neck. Her having three men was not what piqued my curiosity, but how the hell she fucked them. The question was burning the tip of my tongue, but I could save that question for another day. Watching people have sex wasn’t something I shiedaway from, so I’d like to be a fly on the wall when it came to the foursome they had. I cocked my head to the side, picturing Annika bent in odd positions before snapping out of my mind.
A noise in the kitchen drew me to the savory aroma, the scent hitting my nose and making my stomach growl. It had been entirely too long since I'd had a home cooked meal. There was another muscular man with his blond hair pulled into a man bun and tattoos that tangled up his body to his jawline.How the hell were all three of these men insanely hot and huge?Annika found men straight out of aGQmagazine.
“Drew?”
He looked at me with a bright smile, and I saw the scar across his right eye. Recognition fluttered through my mind, but I couldn't place his face.
“Hey, Kadence, right?” I nodded. “Welcome to our humble abode. Lemme guess, make out session on the couch?”
“Yeah, I didn’t want to intrude.”
“Sit, and I’ll bring you a plate.” I thanked him, sitting in the corner chair.
I pulled out my phone. It wasn’t my iPhone that I adored, but it was enough to keep memories of my brother and text if I made friends. My fingers hovered over the keypad as my father’s number repeated in my head. I didn’t know why there was a part of me that wanted to call him and tell him I was safe. Years of neglect made me hate him, but why was he the one person I wanted?
Locking my phone, I tossed it to the side, dragging my fingers through my blue hair. One day, I’d call him and talk, but I needed things to settle before I did. For now, my main focus was processing what happened and moving on.
CHAPTER 20
KADENCE
Drew brought me a steaming plate of shrimp alfredo and garlic bread, and my mouth watered before he could put it down. I dug into the food, moaning as the savory flavor hit my taste buds. This was the best goddamn thing I’d put in my mouth. If a man could cook like this, his dick game had to be spot on and Annika was a lucky girl, but I still had questions.
Annika was carried into the kitchen by Drew as he sat her down next to me. I slurped a noodle, alfredo sauce dripping down my chin, causing both of us to laugh. This was something I hadn’t had in a long time, and the laughter was genuine. Annika was a saving grace in a sea of darkness.
“Sorry.” I grabbed the napkin, cleaning my face as I jumped back in.
“Drew's food is amazing, so I understand.”
I got to know the guys more, which caused Annika to turn as red as a tomato since they were telling me embarrassing stories. While they talked, I saw love in their eyes for each other. I was a romantic, I couldn’t help it. Admiring and craving other people’s relationships was how I managed, so when I did find my forever, I had the perfect blueprint. I just met the four of them, but I could see how much they loved each other.
When we finished eating, I helped Annika clean the kitchen, listening to flirty pop music. Drew kissed her neck when the last dish was in the dishwasher, causing her to moan and push against him. Annika excused the two of them while they went to shower. I told her I would be going to bed myself. It was a long night. Hell, it was a longexistenceand sleeping might be a little easier.
My nerves were already shot with my first official day at Hades tomorrow. It was just waitressing, so nothing should go wrong, right? I felt like Blaize was going to be a problem, though. Tonight was only the second time interacting with her, but everything was still fresh. I said goodnight to Theo and Noah as I scurried off to the bedroom.
The darkness was deafening.
I felt like I was being chased, my red flags at high alert as the world spun around me. “That’s it, you fucking whore.” Rough, brutal hands gripped my body as searing pain ripped through me. “You are mine to use how I want.” Dom’s face faded to view, anger and hate in his eyes. I used to love those mocha eyes, but now they brought nothing but pain and misery.
“Stop!” Everything was on fire as his dominating form hovered over my body. “Goodbye, Caden. I’ll be seeing you.” A gun fired, and before I felt anything, I was falling into a dark abyss.
“NO!”I screamed, kicking at the blankets that stuck to my sweaty body. My hand went to my chest, feeling for a bullet wound that wasn’t there. “Fuck.” I reached for my phone, sighing at the time. I’d only been asleep for three hours. I pushedthe blankets aside, pulled down my shirt, and quietly left the room to get some water.
Leaning on the counter, I rested my head in my hands and rubbed my temples. I needed to get on medication or some kind of therapy. This was not going to work.
I heard footsteps coming up into the kitchen, and I looked up to see Drew shirtless in his black boxer briefs. I gave him a small smile as I finished the water in the glass. “Nightmare?” he asked, and I nodded. “Heard you scream. The others are out like a light, but I don’t really sleep much.”
“You know that’s not healthy.”
“Touché, but I sleep when the other two leave in the morning with Annika before she has to go to the club. It’s only a few hours, but it’s something. The mind is a crazy thing.”
“It really is,” I muttered.
