Cruel Kings by Skye Knight

23

Camilla

People stared at our group as I strode down a sidewalk of the posh neighborhood with Noah, Caleb, and Corey. Young women threw awed and sometimes jealous looks at me.

I knew what they were thinking. How could a plain Jane like me be walking around with three hot-as-sin guys?

Corey had his arm around my shoulders in a protective embrace while Caleb walked on my other side. Noah walked in front of us, looking back at times to talk to his brothers.

“That’s the shop,” I said, rechecking the name on the card Mom left me. I stopped and looked toward Corey. “You guys can go now.”

“Go?” He chuckled and shook his head. “This is the best part.”

I didn’t understand why they’d want to accompany me to shop for clothes. Wasn’t it boring as hell for guys?

“Don’t look like that, Milla,” said Caleb. “We’re here to help you.”

“Why?” I asked suspiciously.

“You need to look your best tomorrow,” said Noah in a deep, grave tone. “Dad’s announcement will make things official. You’ll become part of the family. Personal feelings aside, we can’t let you embarrass us in public.”

I halted in my steps and turned around to face Noah. “If you hate the way things are, why not talk to your dad?”

“Do you think he cares about what we think?” Noah asked. “If that had been the case, he wouldn’t have dated your mother secretly for eight fucking years without a word to us.”

I was reminded of what Mom told me about their relationship with Brian. It was confusing how Brian could be so kind and thoughtful toward me, but be so different with his own sons.

“Come on,” said Corey. “No point in talking about things we can’t change. We’re coming with you and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Noah’s silvery eyes gleamed. “Be a good, obedient girl, Milla.”

Or what? I wanted to spit out, but bit my tongue and stayed silent.

Caleb grabbed my wrist and pulled me alongside him. Wrapping his arm around my slim shoulder, he forced me to walk ahead.

Trapped by the Amhurst brothers, I walked into the glass-fronted boutique store.

A woman in a neat red dress immediately came to meet us. Her heavily done eyes gazed longingly at Caleb and Corey who grinned at her.

Jealousy pinched my insides.

I hated them, hated what they did to me, and still, I wanted all their attention on me.

I’m as fucked up as them, I thought dejectedly, wishing I could walk away and leave them to flirt with the sales assistant.

Shirking off Caleb’s arm off, I strode toward the section displaying long gowns. The dresses were beautiful but before I selecting a dress, I checked the price tag on one of them.

Before I could check the price, a hand closed over mine.

“You’ve got our Dad’s platinum card,” said Noah, his gaze boring into mine. “Why do you still care what anything costs?”

“Maybe she’s looking to pick up the priciest one,” said Caleb.

“Why don’t you sit over there,” said Corey, gesturing toward a plush ottoman. “We’ll pick the dresses and you can try them on.”

“I don’t get a choice?”

The three young men chuckled darkly.

“When did we ever give you a choice, Milla?” Noah asked, the look in his steel-gray eyes intensifying.

My heart pounded in my chest, remembering every depraved, sinful situation they’d forced me into. Feeling cornered, I sat down on a plush chair and watched them spread across the vast shop floor.

Three pretty sales assistants immediately joined them.

“Which one’s your boyfriend?” asked the woman who’d first welcomed us. She offered me an elegant flute of pale gold, bubbling beverage.

“They’re my brothers,” I muttered, taking the drink.

Her face lit up at once. “How old are the twins?”

“Around my age, I guess?”

“Oh,” she said with a disappointed huff. “I can’t believe they’re still in high school.”

“I’m not in high sch—”

The assistant walked away before I could tell her I was a college senior. I sipped the drink which turned out to be a fizzy fruit wine.

After a while, I made sure Noah, Corey, and Caleb weren’t paying me any attention and got up to check the price tag on a simple skater dress.

$1299!

The tag slid away from my fingers. If a simple dress could cost that much, I could only imagine how much a gown would cost.

Going back to my seat, I spied on Corey and Caleb.

They now had four women accompanying them, all carrying heaps of clothes, shoes, bags, and small baskets of perfumes and makeup.

“Milla.” Noah’s voice made me turn around.

I glanced at a red dress in his hand and then, up at his handsome face.

“Try this dress on,” he said, handing it to me.

I held the hanger high, staring at the long, sleek gown of red satin.

“It shows too much skin,” I said, noting a large amount of fabric missing from both the back and the front.

“So?”

“I’m not comfortable wearing something like this.”

Grabbing my arm, he pulled me against him.

A shiver ran through me as he brought his face closer, his warm breath fanning across my cheeks.

“Noah, please,” I whispered fearfully. “Not here.”

“Stop disobeying me. Go, try it on.” Loosening his hold, he gave me a light push.

Swallowing a retort, I walked toward the changing room in the corner.

Closing the door, I took off my jeans, hoodie, the t-shirt underneath, and even my bra. The off-shoulder dress wouldn’t allow one.

Cringing internally, I stepped into the dress and pulled it over my body. A soft moan escaped me as the silky soft material glided smoothly over my skin. Securing the straps on the back of my neck, I checked my reflection in the mirror.

My boobs were pushed together to form ample cleavage over the scandalously low neckline. The dress wrapped over every curve of my body, leaving nothing to the imagination. Even the outline of my panties was visible through the fabric.

“Darn this!” I cursed and bent down to take off my panties too.

Turning around, I saw that my entire back was on display.

My cheeks heated. I felt naked with the dress on. At the same time, the silky, soft material against my skin gave a luxurious feel. Still, there was no way I was ever wearing this to a party.

A knock sounded on the door.

“Need some help?” Noah’s voice sounded from the other side.

“The dress doesn’t look good on me.”

“Let me see. Open the door,” he said in a commanding tone.

“You don’t have to see,” I said at once. “It’s horrible on me.”

“Milla,” My name was a warning hiss on his lips. “Open this door or I’ll break it down.”

I hated him for pushing me around so much. Opening the door, I stood at the threshold.

Three pairs of eyes raked me from head to foot.

“Wow!” Corey breathed while Caleb whistled loudly.

I looked over at Noah who watched me with a darkened gaze, his eyes hungrily settled over my cleavage.

“It doesn’t suit me, right?” I mumbled, looking down at my toes.

“Get it off,” said Noah. “I’ll ask them to pack it for us.”

“What? No way!”

“Why are you wasting your breath, darling?” Corey said with a smug grin. “Get back inside and try the other dresses.” Turning around, he called. “Come on, ladies. Bring everything here.”

I watched helplessly as their assistants came in with clothes, shoes, and bags. One of the assistants walked into the spacious changing room with me.

“Please, let me help you,” she nearly begged. “I need the commission to buy my boyfriend a new guitar. Please, pretty please?”

I looked closely and read her name tag.

“Fine, Alisha,” I said. “Just make sure you turn around when I’m getting my dress off.”

She giggled. “What are you embarrassed about? You’re hot. Those guys got boners simply looking at you. Which one’s your boyfriend?”

“We’re just friends,” I lied. “Now, turn around and hand me the black dress.”

Alisha obeyed and turned around, chattering away about her boyfriend and how she’d go after Noah if she wasn’t committed to him. Her presence eased my anxiety a little.

One by one, I tried on the dresses and then Alisha helped me match the shoes and purses that suited each outfit. Once everything came together, I was forced to parade outside the changing room, giving the Amhurst brothers a stupid fashion show.

The shop was vast and only a few clients flitted around, making the whole ordeal a little less embarrassing.

Caleb and Corey chose a wide variety of clothes, including skinny jeans, sexy tops, and lingerie. Were they trying to change my entire wardrobe?

I wanted to tell them to stop spending their dad’s money uselessly. There was no way I’d be wearing any of these clothes. 

Out of everything they chose, I loved a black dress that came with a corset top. The skirt flared around my hips, giving an exceptionally royal gothic look to the outfit.

“Try this necklace,” Alisha said, handing me a choker made of dark rubies.

“These aren’t real, right?”

She chuckled. “Of course, not. But they’re still pricey as hell.”

The ruby choker made the ensemble perfect.

“Let’s try this,” said Alisha, stepping behind me. She gathered my long hair and wrapped the strands into a thick high bun. “What do you think?”

“I love it.”

I stared at my reflection with desperate eyes. Noah rejected quite a few clothes his brothers chose. I wished he’d let me keep this one.

I stepped out of the changing room and nervously glanced at Noah.

His gaze met mine.

“She looks amazing in this dress,” said Corey, smiling at me. “She’s not cringing or making a face.”

I could’ve kissed him willingly at that moment.

“Do you want this one?” Noah asked.

“Yes, please,” I said in a small voice.

A sudden smile lit up his beautiful face. “Do you want to wear it to the party tomorrow?”

“Can I?”

“Sure.”

A smile spread on my lips. “Thanks.”

“I guess we can finally get out of here,” Caleb muttered. “Princess has a dress she likes.”

“I’m starving,” said Corey. “By the look of things, you didn’t get to eat much at brunch.”

I was surprised he even noticed.

Noah turned toward Alisha. “Pack everything and hand them over to our valet.” He nodded toward me. “Give her the card.”

I took the sleek black credit card from inside my purse and handed it to Alisha. The young woman mouthed a ‘thanks’ in my direction and hurried inside the changing room to help me out of the dress.

“I hope you come again,” said Alisha, helping me with the zipper. “You’re such a wonderful client and your boyfriends are seriously hot.”

“They’re not my boyfriends.”

“Right, keep telling yourself that.” She winked at me and carefully hung the dress.

Noah, Caleb, and Corey as my boyfriends? The thought was strange but oddly, I didn’t see the problem. They’d all fucked me and nothing was a secret between the four of us.

The Amhurst brothers owned me. That was a fact I was coming to accept.

As long as my mom was with their dad, they’d dominate my life. Someday soon, they’d get bored of me and move on to other girls. It was better to harden my heart right from the start.

The four of us would never be in any real relationship. They were bullies.  Even if my body lusted after them, I’d never let them into my heart.

I walked out of the changing room in my jeans, hoodie, and sneakers, feeling like I was back in my skin.

Corey grabbed my hand and dragged me down the aisles until we reached the exit doors.

“Where’s Caleb and Noah?” I asked.

“Getting the car.”

A cool breeze blew the strands of my messy hair in my face. I was about to bat them away but Corey came closer, gently tucking the stray locks behind my ear.

“You have red in your hair,” he said, caressing my dark auburn strands.

“It’s only noticeable in the sun.”

“I like it this way,” he said, meeting my gaze. “Don’t you dare dye your hair.”

“I’m not your doll! I can do whatever the hell I want.”

He chuckled darkly and leaned down to peck a kiss on my lips. “That’s exactly what you are to us. We love playing with you. Just dare taking away what we like, Sugar. We’ll make you regret it.” His arm circled my waist, pulling me against him.

I bit my lips to stop the moan threatening to break free. Fear and desire collided inside me, heightening my arousal.

He pressed his rock-hard body against my soft curves, skimming the tip of his nose along the column of my throat.

“Corey,” I moaned, desperately wanting his lips to touch the sensitive skin.

His chuckles sounded close to my ear. Next moment, a sharp sting flared up on the spot at the pit of my neck. He’d sunk his teeth there.

His tongue swept over the spot, soothing the bite.

“There,” he said, stepping away. A satisfied look came over him. “Perfect.”

I looked down and found a small bruise appearing there. “Why did you do that?” I shouted, punching his chest.

He laughed, absolutely unbothered by my small fists pummeling his chest.

“Everyone’s going to see it tomorrow,” I said angrily while Corey grinned happily. “What if Mom asks who did it? What will I tell her?”

“You’re worried about what your mom will think?” He looked at me with a strange look.

“That’s the only thing that matters to me,” I said gravely. “Why do you think you and your brothers are still roaming freely after what you did to me? You’d be locked up with assault charges. I don’t want anything to hurt my mom. That’s the only reason I’m staying quiet.”

“Milla.” He met my angry glare with a somber gaze. “Don’t use that threat on Caleb or Noah. They won’t let you go unpunished.” He caressed my cheek with the back of his hand.

His gentle touch surprised me.

“You’re going to be very sorry one day,” I said in a low voice.

His emerald-green eyes widened.

“It’s not a threat,” I said quietly. “Not even a warning. It’s just a fact.”

The sound of an approaching car made us both turn toward the street. A sleek white BMW came to a stop beside us.

“Come on,” said Corey, opening the back passenger door.

I followed, climbing in after him.

“Where are we going?” I asked, suddenly feeling nervous about being in a car with all three Amhurst brothers.

“Good question,” said Corey. “Did you guys decide what we’re eating?”

“I want burgers,” said Caleb.

“Me too,” Corey agreed. “Oi, Noah! Take us to Kenny’s. Our girl needs some meat in her.”

“Got it,” said Noah, navigating through the traffic.

I didn’t have to wait long. We arrived outside a pub with darkened windows with a big ‘Kenny’s Gastro’ neon sign on the front.

Caleb, Corey, and I got down while Noah drove further ahead to park the car. I dug my hands into my jacket’s pockets as a cold breeze blew by. Even though the sun was shining, the late March afternoon was cold.

It was a relief to enter the warm interiors of the burger joint.

The place turned out to be a spacious restaurant with gastropub vibes. The darkened interior was divided into a bar area, a lounge, and a bigger space for regular dining.

Noah led our group to one of the tables. Being out in a public space, I let myself relax a little.

A young man came to our table and handed out big menu cards, asking us if we’d like to start with drinks. I stayed quiet, letting them give out their orders in loud voices, attracting everyone’s attention to our table.

“What do you want, Milla?” Noah asked.

“Errr...” I looked down at the menu and everything looked great. The prices, however, gave me pause.

Corey shifted closer to me on the couch we were sharing and peered down at the menu card.

“Their pulled pork sandwiches are great,” he said.

I gave a nod, still perusing through the items on display to find the cheapest item. “I want to have their fish-and-chips,” I said, spotting something that I could pay for comfortably.

“Eww!” Caleb muttered and grabbed the menu from me. “Get her the same things we’re having.”

I glared at him. “Is it too much to even let me eat what I want?”

“We brought you here to fatten you up,” said Corey. “Smelly fish sticks won’t do the trick.” He slid closer, letting his hand rest on my thigh.

I glanced at him. He grinned back with a challenging look in his gleaming eyes.

I sighed, letting him draw patterns on my thigh with the tip of his finger.

“Are you sure everything will be prepped for tomorrow’s party without a hitch?” Caleb asked, focusing his attention on Noah.

“Don’t worry,” said Noah. “I paid the man well.”

“I’m still not sure about the whole thing,” Corey said in a grim tone. “It’s a tad dramatic.”

“Girls love drama,” said Caleb, grinning at me strangely. “Don’t they, Milla?”

“I guess? What exactly are you talking about? If it’s about the party, wouldn’t it be better to ask your dad?”

“He doesn’t need to know everything,” Noah stated softly. “Besides, everyone loves drama. That’s the best way to make a party memorable.”

“What exactly are you guys planning?” I asked.

“It’s a surprise, hon,” Caleb said in a high-pitched voice, mimicking my mom.

“Don’t you dare play a prank on my mom,” I hissed, glaring at each of them.

“Why do you think we’d do that?” said Noah. “Your submission has kept her off our hit list. You pay for her sins.”

My submission? I balked at the word but quietly swallowed my indignation like bitter poison.

The waiter returned with a massive tray filled with food. The dishes covered the entire table and looked enough to feed a dozen people, not just four.

I picked up a mammoth burger with three patties packed between the buns. My stomach groaned at the sight. This is going to get messy, I thought giddily as my eyes took in the cheese and other fillings.

Over the next half hour, our table went quiet as we devoured the food. They ate fast, finishing their burgers in a few bites.

“It’s taking you forever to finish,” said Caleb, grabbing French fries and shoving a handful into his mouth. “Hurry up or there will be nothing left for you.”

“It’s okay,” I said, taking sips of my delicious brownie milkshake. “I’ll be lucky to finish what I have on my plate.”

Caleb rolled his eyes and Noah shook his head.

Despite their jabs, I enjoyed the food immensely. It’d been a while since I had an appetite to eat so much.

A sliver of surprise shot through me. I should be too scared and anxious to be eating with these guys, but somehow, I felt weirdly happy with them.

I’m totally fucked up, I realized, taking another big bite of my burger and smearing melted cheese and sauce all over my mouth.