Beautiful Fiend: Prologue

Two Years Ago…

The screams of the crowd always resonate loudly, but it’s the sound of the fallen that’s deafening.

Tonight, we are the fallen.

Silver Falls is the epitome of the American dream. A beautiful U.S. city full of happy workers and growing families on the south bank of the Silver Snake River. Green parks, bright malls, and one of the best colleges in the tri-state area.

Just like every American dream, it hides its dark, dirty side not far from reach but far enough to turn a blind eye to it.

The North of the river is also simply known as North Shore. Overpopulated, with low to no-income inhabitants, the highest crime rate in our state, and enough criminals to fill up an average-size prison.

Our side of the river is split in two by the gangs who rule it. The Kings of the North Shore, led by the King family, and the North Shore Crew, captained by my dad and older sister.

Criminal organizations have a field day coming to our town and offering deals to our petty gangs so they can grow their empires safely. This is precisely what the Bianco family did. The powerful Cosa Nostra family offered my dad a sweet agreement. They give us protection, money, and power over our rivals, and we work their riskiest crimes in exchange. The kind that would get us arrested and put in prison rather than them. The kind they can always say were never linked to them in the first place.

Thanks to them, in the last year, we took over most of the Kings’ territories. Practically all their deals, and I’m pretty sure they’re running out of options for themselves.

That’s why they contacted the Bratva for help. They want the same kind of sweet pact we have, except with the Russians. The Wolves are a ruthless organization run by invisible men who rarely show their faces. Even their men on the ground are often hard to find. They’re smart, cunning, and always make sure a wolf’s face is the last thing you see.

Which brings me to the here and now. The Bianco family backs up our crew. The Wolves back theirs, and we have been battling over crumbs of business for months now.

It was about time to organize a fight in the Death Cage. The crime families decide who they want to send to settle the fates of us small gangs. The rules are simple, the Bianco family picks someone from NSC to fight, and the Wolves choose someone from the Kings. We settle this the good old-fashioned way; whoever is still standing in the end takes over our town.

It’s archaic, violent, and deadly. But it works. It prevents all of us from killing each other. Only one person has to die to decide who of NSC or the Kings will rule the North Shore.

I wish I’d been picked. I’d have given anything to be in that ring and kill a fucker from the Kings. Not many in our crew can compare to my MMA skills. That’s why I spent a few months fighting in Bianco’s underground rings in California. But since I’ve been back, the head of the Bianco family has shown no interest in me or my fights.

No, tonight our side picked Jake White, a guy I met fighting in L.A. He’s directly linked with Bianco. He’s good, although I don’t know how good the other guy is, and that could change everything.

I tighten my ponytail at the top of my head and hook two fingers in the silver chain around my neck. I run them along it, betraying my nervosity. Jake and I have kind of been dating for the last few weeks. He did it because he wanted to hurt his ex, and I did it because it was nice to have someone by my side for once. Someone warming my bed and giving me pleasure. I’m not the girlfriend type and never really wanted a boyfriend. I would not call what we had a relationship, more like a mutual arrangement. Nonetheless, I’ve started caring for him and don’t want him to die tonight. The Death Cage, as its name points out, only spits one of its fighters back out alive.

My fingers tighten around my chain, and I bite my lower lip trying to focus on the fight. I’m not too close to the front, and I’m smaller than the average seventeen-year-old. Much smaller. I keep having to go on my toes and shift from side to side to try and make out what’s happening past people’s shoulders.

“I heard his girlfriend is here,” a voice startles me. My stepbrother, Xi, is standing next to me, his sardonic smile plastered on his face.

He’s pretending to act unbothered, but if we lose tonight, his side of the business will be the first to suffer. When his mom married my dad, he was given power over the drugs. He meets with our suppliers and spreads it all to our dealers. He gets the money back, takes his hefty cut, and gives the rest to the Bianco family.

If we lose tonight’s fight, we’ll lose Bianco. We’ll lose our suppliers and Xi, his business.

“Yeah, she’s here,” I reply. Jake’s girlfriend or ex, or whatever they have going on, tried to stop him from getting inside the cage. He did it anyway because he didn’t have a choice. None of us do.

“She’s at the front, you know.”

I ignore him, going high on my toes to look at what’s going on.

“She’s gonna have a perfect view of him dying.”

“Stop it,” I snap. “You’re being a dick just ‘cause you didn’t get to fuck her.”

“Maybe I’m being a dick ‘cause he got to fuck you.” He shrugs as if he doesn’t care, even though a second later, his face falls.

“What? What’s going on?” Vast parts of the crowd erupt in cheers, and I watch some people start to make their way out. My people.

Pushing past the crowd, I see Jake on the floor, being strangled by the Wolf guy.

“Shit,” Xi hisses as we both helplessly watch as Jake loses consciousness. “We need to get out of here.”

A bell rings, and Jake’s opponent stands up, his fists raised in the air and a bloody smile on his face.

My heart drops when I see Jake’s unconscious body on the floor. “He’s dead,” I murmur to myself more than anyone else.

Xi grabs my upper arm and pulls me. “Come on, let’s go.” He drags me for a few feet, but a crowd shift separates us and as much as I look around, I can’t find him anymore.

He knows not to wait for me. We have to split and run away before the Kings eat us alive.

I struggle to take in what’s happening. Half an hour ago, I was with him in the changing rooms, helping him prepare for his death.

Worse than that…we lost.

The tables are turning, and this town will belong to the Kings by tomorrow morning. I hear a gunshot and drop to the floor. Someone screams, and the crowd movement turns into a rush of panic. I stand back up right away to avoid what is about to turn into a stampede.

My phone beeps, and I grab it out of my pocket, going to a secluded space. More screams fill the huge warehouse. The Kings’ crew is having a blast watching our downfall and they’re taking advantage of the Wolves being here to get rid of some of us.

I look down at my screen and read the text from my sister, Emma.

My heart drops to my stomach. Caden is the youngest son in the real King family. The ones who started their crew. He is a ruthless bastard, completely unhinged, with a penchant for making people suffer.

During our high school years, the North Shore Crew has been ruling this town, and I’ve taken my fair share of pleasure being a bitch to him and his friends.

Now that they’re witnessing our downfall, he will get his revenge. I know it.

My heart kicks into an unhealthy rhythm, and I hurry in the opposite direction the crowd is taking. They’re all going to the main exit, and I’ll go through the back, where I’m sure Caden won’t be waiting for me.

Walking past the ring, I notice Jake’s body is gone. There’s a small girl still waiting in front of the ring. People are pushing past her, but she doesn’t move or react. Her gaze is stuck to the exact spot Jake died.

It’s Jake’s girlfriend.

Just leave her here. Don’t worry about her.

“Jamie,” I call.

Fuck. I don’t have time right now to be taking care of some girl who has no idea what is truly going on here. She didn’t even hear me, lost in her own world.

“Jamie,” I repeat in a hiss. “Wake the fuck up. We need to leave. This place is about to turn into Wolf Central, and if we stay one more minute, we’re dead meat.”

She looks at me, but her gaze is vacant. She’s in shock and is going to get me killed.

“Come on,” I insist. “Don’t make me regret trying to save your ass.” I grab her hand and make my way through the crowd to get to the back. I don’t stop until we’re outside. There aren’t as many people here as inside, but some have found their way.

Someone calls my name, and I freeze at the sound of his voice. There’s danger in it, and I know it’s all for me.

“Fuck,” I huff. I watch Caden King make his way to us, a carnal smile spreading on his stupidly handsome face. I take a step back, still holding Jamie. “Fuck. Fuck. Jamie…RUN.”

Keeping her close, I break into a sprint, leading us to an alleyway I know belongs to us. Surely, they won’t follow us there.

Things are changing.

What if they don’t care about the limits we have set for our respective crews? This place is a perfect dealing spot and we had banned the Kings from coming here. That was before we lost a fight against them in the Death Cage, of course.

I lie against the brick wall surrounding the alley, holding my ribs as I try to catch my breath. Turning to Jamie, my anger finds her as an outlet.

“We almost fucking died! You need to catch up, Jamie. I know…I know this is hard.” My own voice breaks when it hits me that her boyfriend died. They loved each other. “But it happened.’

“No,” she whispers after a long silence.

“Yes,” I insist as I put both my hands on her shoulders. “He’s gone, Jamie. I’m sorry.”

She explodes in sobs, talking about his family and friends and who will tell them. She falls to the floor and sympathy overcomes me. She just lost the love of her life.

“Shh,” I crouch in front of her and rub her shoulders. “I’m sorry,” I whisper to her.

“I can’t…I can’t, it hurts.” She grabs at her chest, sobbing some more and calling out her boyfriend’s name in vain.

“You’re strong,” I try my best to get her to calm down. “It’s going to be okay.”

She screams, and fear grips me. She’s going to get us found.

“Shh, shh,” I say as I take her into my arms, pulling her close. “I know this hurts, baby. I know. But please, you need to keep quiet. The Wolves have sent the Kings after us right now.” I don’t know why I keep talking and explaining everything to her. Maybe I need to lay down the facts for myself. To understand that this is indeed happening. “The Bianco Family lost an important fight, and the night is turning into a fucking hunt for North Shore Crew and anyone else affiliated with Bianco. If they find us…” I struggle to swallow down the fear. Nothing good will happen if they find us.

“Leave me here,” she rasps. “Just leave me, please.”

“I can’t,” I fight her. “Jake would have never let me. I can’t do this to him.”

“Jake is gone,” she sobs loudly.

My heart stops beating when I hear hurried footsteps at one end of the alley.

“Right here!” a voice shouts. It’s one of Caden’s friends, Elliot. Both are just as fucking crazy.

“It’s Scott,” someone else adds, recognizing me. I recognize him, too. He’s the other piece in their trio: Elliot’s stepbrother, Ethan.

“Shit, shit, shit,” I panic. I want to act strong and keep it down right now but, fuck, if they catch me, I’m worse than dead. I try to pull Jamie up, but she resists. “Jamie, get up. Please, get up,” I beg her.

She finally follows, and I stop to look at the three shadows approaching us.

“Come out, come out, Billie,” Caden sing-songs. A threatening melody that brings goosebumps to my skin. “We’re hunting NSC bitches tonight.”

My voice wobbles when I drag Jamie with me. “That’s Caden King. We need to leave. We need to leave now.”

We hurry toward the other end of the alley, but I stop and force her to stop too. Someone is coming from the other side. It’s impossible to see who from here.

“Shit.” My shoulders slump from the defeat. I let go of Jamie and run a hand over my face. This is not good.

I turn back to the three guys right by us and gather my courage. I cross my arms over my small chest and try to make myself look threatening. Or at least not like a little mouse about to be eaten. I’m not weak; I have years of MMA behind me. I won’t go down without a fight. They can fucking count on that.

Caden gives me his most beautiful, carnal smile. “Billie Scott.” He juts his chin toward Jamie. “Who’s that?”

“I know who that is,” Elliot says. He runs a hand through his blond hair. “That’s Jake White’s girl. Well…was.”

“Looks like we got the best catch of the night,” Caden mocks. His piercing green eyes dart to Ethan then back to Jamie. His friend gets the hint and grabs her by the arm, making her whimper.

“Leave her alone,” I tell Caden. He’s the one in charge, so there’s no point asking his dogs anything. They only listen to him.

He takes a threatening step toward me, and his smile widens. It takes everything in me not to move back. “Now, why would I do that?”

Our height difference is ridiculous. I know the first impression I give. I’m small, with big doe-eyes, and on the skinnier side. But I know what I’m capable of. Caden King will not make me feel weak.

“The girl just lost her boyfriend. Don’t be a dick, Caden.”

“Talking about dicks.” He smirks down at her. “How about I ram mine down her throat. She’s single now.”

The rumors regarding what Caden does to girls are sickening. What makes it even sicker, is that he prides himself on them agreeing to the shit he does to them. He’s yet another guy on the North Shore with the biggest mommy issues who will never deal with it healthily. I’ve never had any real problem with him because our crew was in charge.

Until now.

Before I can help, Jamie is retching, holding herself against the wall and throwing up against it. She’s been caught in the North Shore war, and she doesn’t deserve it. Not after what she went through tonight.

I cut off the men’s laughs with a stern voice. “How about you play your fucking games with someone who can take them.”

“Yeah? You think you can take me, Billie?” Caden tilts his head and bites his full lower lip. Someone so sick shouldn’t be so beautiful. His angled jaw tightens before he talks again. “With the state we found Kay in after she visited you guys, you’re not gonna like what’s to come.”

His older sister, Kay, visited our crew a few weeks ago. She wanted a truce between our gangs. She wanted to stop the war. Of course, in true North Shore style, we beat the shit out of her and sent her back bloody and broken.

Karma really is a bitch tonight. And she’s coming for me.

I almost choke on the fear for the second time tonight as I swallow it down my throat, but I don’t move.

I feel a presence behind me, but I don’t turn around. I can’t turn my back to the Kings, they’ll stab it.

“Take your catch and go away, King.” His voice is unfamiliar. So when Caden and his friend execute his order, I know he must be a Wolf—someone more powerful than us, who doesn’t care about what becomes of our fate.

Caden grabs me harshly, pulling me to him and making me grunt from his tight grip on my arm.

I keep my head high as his two friends come on either side of us, and they all escort me out of the alley.

I stay silent, using it as a protection, as we walk along the edge of the forest surrounding the North Shore. Despite my heart kicking and screaming, I say nothing when they taunt me. It’s best not to encourage them.

“Should we take you to the forest?” Elliot sneers.

“Deep in there where no one can hear you scream while we torture you?” Ethan adds.

“We can make her dig her own grave,” the first laughs.

I manage to keep calm until we stop in front of a matte green truck, and Ethan unlocks it. My body halts when I understand they’re taking me somewhere, maybe where the rest of their crew is. Who knows what could happen there?

I don’t think anymore, I just move. I throw back my free elbow and catch Caden in the jaw.

“Fuck,” he spits as he lets go of me, taking a step back. Not waiting for them to realize what’s happening, I make a run for it.

Despite running six miles every morning, my legs are just too short to outrun them, and Elliot is on me in a split second. He crashes against my back just as I reach the woods. I fall on my front, my hands and knees crashing against the dried pine needles and pebbles to protect my head from hitting the harsh ground.

He grabs me by the shoulders and flips me around before putting his heavy weight on my hips. “Where are you going?” he mocks. “Want to start the fun early?”

I grunt when he strikes me across the face. My head snaps to the side and my vision goes blurry for a few seconds. Blood tastes like copper in my mouth. My arms are trapped against my body, Elliot’s thighs keeping them tight against me.

“Billie,” Caden chuckles as he settles by my head, standing tall above me. Ethan is right next to him. “I thought you said you could take me, baby. I’m only taking your word for it.”

“Fuck you,” I hiss. “Fuck you and your entire crew, Caden. Enjoy this because I swear to God, you’re going to suffer when we get back at you.”

He doesn’t say anything. His big, Cheshire smile is the creepiest thing I’ve ever seen. The moonlight is casting a shadow across his face, and he looks demonic. He lifts his foot and presses the sole of his boot against my cheek, pushing until the other side of my face is squashed so hard against the ground I can feel the pine needles digging into my skin and creating dots of blood on my cheek and temple.

I squeeze my eyes shut, doing my best not to scream from the pain of his foot crushing my jaw.

“Oh, believe me. I am going to enjoy every single second of this.” He presses harder before letting go. I take a deep breath just as he tells his friends, “Put her in the car.”

Not the backseat, of course. I’m roughly thrown into the bed of the truck and even hit my head as they roll back the shutter. I feel sick from the turns of the road, and I don’t know how long I spend in there, but as soon as they open it again, I kick with both my feet. Instead of hitting any of them, they grab me before I can do any damage.

Elliot and Ethan are the ones holding me now, each grabbing an arm tightly enough to cut off circulation. I spit blood on the floor from when Elliot hit me. They walk forward, and I have no choice but to follow. Only when I look up, do I start to wish they had just taken me to the woods and made me dig my own grave.

They’ve taken me straight to Sawyer Price’s house. He’s their second in command, and his house has been turned into the Kings’ HQ over time. I could not be deeper into enemy territory if I tried.

“If only you could see your face, little Scott,” Caden cackles. I hate this nickname. My older sister Emma is the Scott girl, and I’ve always been little Scott so no one would get confused. I know he’s using it to make me feel like a little girl who can’t handle this.

“I think someone’s just realized the situation they’re in.” Ethan’s words freeze me to the bone.

They drag me inside the house no matter how much I wriggle around and try to kick them. There’s a party going on in here, and everyone is drunk and high. The smell of sweaty bodies and the overwhelming bass of heavy music makes me dizzy. People cheer when they see me, congratulating Caden and his friends. They shout insults at me and the things they’ll do once Caden is done with me.

Someone throws a drink at me, and I gasp as the cold liquid hits my skin. Ice slides down my white tank top, and I struggle against Elliot and Ethan.

“Bitch, wait until I get my hands on you,” I hiss at the girl who’s now snickering in my face. She slaps me and looks up at Caden.

“Nice,” she smiles. She runs a hand against his chest and adds, “Don’t be too long with her. I want to play too.”

Who with, I’m not too sure.

Wherever they’re taking me, it isn’t easy to get there. We keep bumping into people who want to see me, hit me, insult me. I’ve had a few drinks thrown at my face by the time we reach the other side of the kitchen and go through another door. Once we’re in, I realize it’s a garage. There’s shit everywhere, open cardboard boxes on the floor, and car parts spread throughout.

“You’re popular among the Kings’ crew. Aren’t you, little Scott?” Caden asks.

“I bet many of the guys in this house wish they had caught you tonight,” Elliott adds.

“They’d pay us a lot of money to do whatever they want with you,” Ethan concludes.

I chuckle to myself and peer up at the three of them just as they release my arms. I take a step back for a proper view since they’re about two heads taller than me.

“Let me tell you something,” I say low. “If you kill me tonight, you’ll have the entire North Shore Crew on your ass. You won’t get away with it. And if you hurt me and let me go, I will come back with my stepbrothers and Emma. And you can be sure we’ll get you when you least expect it. You might hurt me tonight, but you won’t get out of it unscathed, either. So, if I were you, I’d just let me go before you get yourself in real trouble.”

The three of them eye me for a minute before Elliot bursts into a loud laugh. Caden claps his hands slowly, and Ethan takes a bow.

“Wow, that was beautiful,” Ethan cackles.

“Guys…she’s going to come back with her stepbrothers. I’m so scared.” Elliot pretends to shake and hold Ethan.

“Honestly, great speech,” Caden says. He maintains his creepy smile when he adds, “Now get on your knees and open that pretty mouth.”

I take another step back. This can’t be happening. “Fuck all of you,” I seethe at them.

It wouldn’t be the first time I got on my knees to get myself out of a situation. Everyone on the North Shore learns survival techniques early in life. I’ve not slept with many people, yet no one can judge me for the number of dicks I had to suck to get myself out of trouble.

But never have I ever had to get on my knees for the Kings, and I don’t plan on doing so anytime soon.

“I swear, Caden, I’ll die before I agree to suck your dick,” I snarl as I look around. Surely there’s something here I can use to defend myself.

“If you want to tick dying off your list before sucking me, I’d suggest doing it right now,” he says, approaching me slowly. I walk back, only stopping when I feel metal shelves hitting my back. “Because my cock is going to be down your throat in less than a minute.”

The other two jump me, making my heart pump harder from the violence in their movements. They drag me to the middle of the room, and I fight with all I have. Which isn’t much right now.

“Wait,” Caden says, and hope grows within me. “She’s right, guys. We’re not going to do this right now.” I relax my stance slightly, eager for this to be over. “Get her clothes off first.”

“No!” I shout as Elliot grabs my jacket. Ethan grabs the front of my tank top, pulling so hard it rips from my body. I cry out when one starts holding my arms behind my back and the other rids me of my jeans. “Fuck,” I gasp. “Caden, don’t do this.” Panic overtakes me, and I still when they violently rob me of my bra and panties.

I’m shaking, trying to convince myself that this isn’t really happening. Not to me, not with them.

“I told you I’d get my revenge for what you did to my sister.”

“She came to us,” I fight back as my throat tightens. The cold air raises goosebumps all over my body, and I feel my nipples tightening as he approaches me. “You would have done the same to any of us if we showed up at your house. But this…we didn’t do this to her…”

I cry out when he grabs one of my small tits. His huge hand covers it all, making it disappear within his grasp.

“No? You didn’t do this,” he tightens his hold on my breast, “to her?”

“No!” I whimper just before he lets go. “We might have beaten her up, but we didn’t…we didn’t…” I can’t get myself to put an actual word on what they’re doing. I struggle against Ethan, who’s holding my arms behind my back. “Just beat me up,” I whisper in defeat. “Please…just hit me and send me on my way. We’ll be even.”

I can take a beating. It wouldn’t be the first time and I get hit all the time at MMA training. But I can’t take what they’re about to do.

I know his answer before he even says it. It’s all in that sick smile of his. In those piercing green eyes as they light up with sadism.

“No.”

“Fuck you!” I scream as Ethan forces me to my knees. “You’re fucking dead, Caden, I swear.”

“Am I? What a great way to die,” he mocks me, undoing his pants. “While getting my dick sucked. Open, little Scott.” I shake my head, tugging back until I feel one of the other guys grabbing my neck. At the same time, Caden fists my ponytail.

I hiss but do my best to keep my jaw shut as his hard dick comes to tap against my cheek. “Knock, knock.” He pokes me playfully, having the time of his life. “See, that’s just silly, Billie. Because now you’re going to make me play unfair. We were having such a good time.”

He nods to Elliot, and I feel him shift. While Ethan is kneeling behind me, holding my arms tightly, Elliot crouches next to me, with his hand still at the back of my neck. He winks at me, shakes his head to get his blond hair off his face, and casually brings his fingers to my nose, pinching tightly.

I fight back, wriggling and trying to gain back any sort of control, but I quickly lose my strength as the lack of oxygen gets to my head. In under a minute, my lungs are heaving with the need to breathe, and I gaze up at Caden, pleading with him silently to stop this.

“Fuck,” he rasps as the tip of his dick traces my lips. “I love this look on you, little Scott. On your knees and at my mercy.”

My body gives up, my mouth opening to drag air in, and just as I do, Caden shoves his cock past my lips so violently it hits the back of my throat. I retch around him, gagging as tears come to my eyes. Elliot finally lets go of me, but I’m still dying for air.

Caden must read my thoughts because his threats don’t stop. “Bite, and there will be nothing left of you when your crew finds you. Ever had your jaw wired shut? Test me and find out.”

That kills the fight in me.

He pumps into my mouth until said tears fall off my eyelashes and down my cheeks. “Very nice,” he smirks down at me. I squeeze my eyes shut, the humiliation too much to process as reality.

My stomach twists as he goes further, and I’m scared I’m going to be sick all over him. I feel him shift before telling me, “Open your eyes, pretty girl.” I do and recoil at what’s in front of me.

His phone is pointing down at me. The flash comes on, blinding me and making me squint my eyes, but it doesn’t come off.

The bastard is filming me.

I try to shake my head, except he goes harder. I plead with my eyes, twisting to pull at my restricted arms. There’s nothing to do. My entire body is stuck, and a sob wracks my chest.

“Fuck, Billie,” Caden whispers in a ragged breath. “It feels so fucking good to put you in your place.”

Please, stop. Please, stop. Please, stop. I chant in my head. Surely, he’ll hear it at some point.

I’m certain he does because he does the exact opposite. Just to spite me. He goes harder before pushing so far down my throat my nose hits his pubic bone. He’s choking me. I can’t breathe. He’s going to kill me like this. I bend and turn, causing everyone’s grip on me to tighten. Tears are flowing down my cheeks, and I’ve never felt so close to breaking in my entire life.

He pulls out, allowing me to take a deep breath. “Cad—” He doesn’t let me finish, forcing his way back in. He increases his pace, his hand at the top of my head holding my ponytail so tightly I fear it’s going to rip.

“Fuck, she’s hot,” Elliot breathes out.

“Come in her mouth, Cade,” Ethan adds.

And he does. I feel him explode against my tongue and slow down. Even when he stops moving, I can’t even spit it out or swallow with his hard dick still in my mouth.

“I’m going to take my dick out of your mouth, and you’re going to show me my cum on your tongue,” he says low, his phone still pointing at me.

I shake my head, so he puts on a fake sweet voice. “Do it, and I’ll let you leave.” Another sob threatens to come up my throat, but I keep it down.

“Don’t spill,” he grins as he pulls out of my mouth. I keep my lips tightly wrapped around him so nothing drips out. “Good girl. Now open for me. Show me the way I marked you.”

I open my mouth wide, and he points the camera flash at my mouth. He pushes two fingers in, spreading it all over my tongue and making me whimper at the ferocity of his gesture. He pulls his fingers out, wipes them on my cheek, and says, “Now swallow like a good little bitch.”

I swallow, holding my breath to try not to taste anything. Then I open my mouth to show him it’s gone.

He cackles in my face and stops the video. “Have you ever considered a career in acting? You’d be an amazing porn star.”

He takes a step away from me and zips up his pants, but behind me, Ethan hasn’t loosened his grip.

“Let me go.” My voice is hoarse from the face-fucking, and the attempted order doesn’t mean much at this point. I sniffle and look up at Caden. “Let me go,” I repeat, begging this time.

He shakes his head at me. “I’m not quite done yet. Put her on her back.”

My heart drops in my stomach, making me feel like I’ve swallowed lead. “No,” I whimper. “Don’t do this. Please, don’t do this.”

Ethan and Elliot force me onto my back, and I shriek knowing what’s coming next. “You said you’d let me go!” I sob. “P-please, don’t.”

Caden spreads my legs as Ethan secures my wrists above my head. “Film her, Elliot.”

“Don’t, don’t…Caden, please.”

“I’m going to be watching this video if only to hear you beg over and over again,” he taunts.

Then he does the last thing I expected. He drops his head between my legs and licks me from my entrance to my clit. I gasp, the shock so intense I don’t even register that the light from the phone is back on me.

“Oh,” he laughs. “You thought I was gonna hurt you. That’s why you just lost your shit.” He runs his knuckles against my clit, making me tremble. “No, pretty girl. I’m going to make you come.”

He disappears between my legs, and I shake from the lurid feeling of him licking my clit over and over again. I have never had anyone do this to me before. None of the men I’ve ever been with went down on me, and the sensation is like nothing I’ve ever felt.

There’s something that feels hard against my clit, that feels perfectly pleasurable, and I only realize after a minute or so that he’s got a piercing on this tongue.

Pulling away slightly, I feel his breath on me when he talks. “Huh, sucking my dick got you a bit wet, little Scott. Did you know? Let’s make it even better.” He spits on me before his mouth is on me again, his tongue playing with my entrance before moving to my clit.

I try to keep my mouth shut, but he keeps going relentlessly, licking me and sucking at my clit until a moan escapes me.

“Oh, fuck,” Elliot laughs at me from behind the phone. “She’s fucking loving this.”

I shake my head. “I’m not!” I cry out, although it betrays my pleasure. I try to close my legs, but Caden’s hands are tightly wrapped around my thighs, ensuring I can’t move.

“Shit,” I gasp as his teeth graze my clit. I feel my stomach tighten, my muscles starting to shake and my heart beating in my throat.

My orgasm is building slowly, and I begin to buck my hips against his mouth, chasing it desperately.

“She’s gonna fucking come,” Ethan taunts me. “You’re going to come, aren’t you?”

“No,” I squeeze my eyes shut. But it builds higher and higher, curling inside me and making me feel hotter by the second. “No, no…No!” I scream as I come hard against Caden’s tongue, my hips rolling, despite him slowing down.

Finally, he comes back up and smiles with glistening lips. “You taste fucking delicious.”

Tears run down my cheeks as he lets go of my legs and stands up. “Why?” I rasp.

“Because,” he says low, “with one video of you sucking my dick, you’ll probably not get help after this. There’s still a risk, though. Mean boys from the opposite gang made you do something you didn’t want to. People could take your side if it got leaked. But with a video of you coming apart on my tongue? I know for sure you won’t ever want anyone to see that.”

Ethan releases me, and I curl into a ball on the floor. My entire body is in pain from everything that’s happened, and I can’t find the strength to get up anymore. I feel disgusting from what they forced on me: the humiliation and the pleasure.

“So,” Caden squats next to me and caresses my hair as I try to stop the tears from falling. “This isn’t going to get out of this room. Right, Billie? You’re going to keep our little secret to yourself, or those two videos will be seen by every single fucking person who lives on the North Shore.” He grabs me by the jaw and forces me to look at him. “Understood?”

I nod as another pathetic whimper escapes me.

“That’s a good girl,” he beams. “Now get the fuck out of here.” He grabs my clothes and throws them at me.

It kicks me back into reality, and I dress in record time. They open a side door that leads outside, and I’m almost out when Caden calls me again.

“Hey, little Scott.” His voice is soft, and I turn around, confused by the sudden change. He smiles tenderly. “Your cock-sucking skills are top-notch. Come back anytime.” He explodes into a laugh with his friends, and they shut the door in my face.

I don’t think, I run. It takes me almost half an hour to run back to my house, but I don’t stop. Too scared of anything that could happen before crossing over to our territories. I wipe my face free of tears and zip up my jacket. I can’t have anyone at my house seeing my ripped tank top. They’ll ask questions I can’t answer.

I push my front door open and walk right into the living room. My sister, Emma, and Xi are on the couch. Not far, my other stepbrother, Lik, is sitting on the armchair my dad usually sits on.

“Billie!” Emma shouts in relief. “Oh my god, where have you been? I texted and called.” She hurries to me and looks down at me. She’s much taller than I am and looks more and more like our dad as she gets older. “What happened to your cheek?”

Elliot hit me. I’d forgotten about that after the latest events.

“I fell running through the forest,” I lie. “Some Kings chased me, but I managed to lose them.”

“Fuck,” Xi huffs. “This isn’t good. It’s not fucking good at all.”

“I can’t believe we’re about to lose the North Shore,” Lik adds.

“Everything is gonna become Kings’ territory,” Xi concludes.

Emma, the oldest out of the four of us, looks down at me again and frowns. She runs our crew with our dad, and I know she won’t let us go down without a fight.

“We’ll figure something out,” she tells us. “We’ll get together with the rest of the crew tomorrow. For now, I’m just glad you’re all alright.”

She digs her blue eyes into my muddy ones. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Maybe she can feel me trembling; maybe it’s her sisterly instinct.

Either way, I smile and nod. She takes me into a tight hug, and I breathe in her warmth and her strong perfume.

With the taste of Caden still on my tongue and the phantom touch of his soft lips between my legs, I lie to my sister. “Yeah, I’m okay.”