Beast’s Demands by Sam Crescent

Chapter Sixteen

Ashley

 

One week later

Something was different.

Earl was different.

He didn’t stay around anymore. Nor did he sleep in my bed. He was distant. Not exactly cold, but close enough.

I couldn’t get through to him no matter what I said.

He moved me from the apartment to a hotel room. There was room service and multiple men at my door and inside it.

I’d been here for a week.

He only came at night.

Always sat in the chair, never coming to bed.

It was like being back at the island, only this was worse. I knew what to expect back there, but here, it was even harder.

The noises were an illusion.

I was scared. Someone had tried to kill me. An enemy of Earl tried to remove me from his life. In doing so, I saw the change in him. He wasn’t the same man.

That night, when he entered the hotel room, I knew something was going to happen before he even opened his mouth.

“Come here, Ashley.”

No hello. No asking how I was.

He’d sat through the doctor pulling out shards of glass that had been embedded in my body, tending to my bruises, and all he’d done was sit stoically as it happened.

No words.

No encouragement.

Just sat silently.

I’d hated every second of it.

Still did.

I had fallen for this man, and yet, I didn’t recognize him. No smirk. No smile. He was dead inside. His eyes gave it all away. There was nothing there.

“Earl, what’s going on?”

“Come here.”

No room to talk. An order. A strict instruction. The desire to deny him was so strong, but I knew he wasn’t ready for that. This was serious.

Getting to my feet, I walked closer to him.

I held myself perfectly still as he stroked his knuckles down my cheek. “This is for your own good.”

The next thing I felt was a sting, and I glanced down to see he held a syringe.

Instantly, my body got heavy. I felt sick. The world began spinning.

He spoke the words again.

“This is for your own good.”

Everything went black.

****

Everything felt heavy. My body wasn’t my own. My arms were full of lead to lift up and wipe at my eyes. Even my eyes felt sore. My lips were numb.

“Ashley,” Earl said.

Opening my eyes, I kept them open.

No blinding light. Darkness. It was night.

I tilted my head up and saw I was in a car, slumped in a seat but with the belt on. Slowly, my body began to work. I could move my arms but not quickly.

Everything around me seemed to be moving fast.

I reached up and rubbed at my eyes, looking out the car window. I knew this place. We were in the front yard of the Monsters’ main house. This was where we stayed when they were hunting the fathers.

Why were we back here?

“Good. You’re awake. I thought I’d given you too much of the sedative.”

I turned my head to look at Earl. He sat in the back with me. I noticed his driver didn’t turn to look.

“What is going on?” I asked.

“Simple. This is the end of the road. Our time together is finished. Your bags are already inside. Here is your passport and your purse.”

With each word he said, I grew more alert. Panic seized me.

“What?”

“I told you our time would come to an end, and now it has. Your friends are expecting you.”

I looked toward the door to see it open. Emily with her four men, and I turned back to Earl.

“You’re getting rid of me?”

“I told you this day would come. I’ve had my fun. You’re no longer a virgin. You hold no appeal, and to be honest, you’re boring me. You’re more trouble than you are worth.”

His words cut me to the core. Each word tearing a layer of confidence, crushing my heart.

I’d known it all along, but there had always been a shard of hope. A glimmer of promise.

“You don’t mean that.”

“Ashley, please don’t be a stupid woman now. I’ve enjoyed playing the hero and fucking you. You’re nice and tight, but like so many times before, I’m bored. I’ve grown tired of you, and I don’t intend to settle for one cunt. I’m not a one-woman man.”

“Is this because of what happened? None of that is your fault.”

“I knew I should have let you handle this, Ford,” Earl said.

“Would you like me to remove her from the vehicle?”

“No, that won’t be necessary.”

“Ashley, you were good while you were what I wanted, but you’re just so…”

“Flawed? Wrong? Irritating? Bad for you?”

“Whichever one you need to pick to help you get through this. I don’t care, but I do need you to leave. I have work to do.” He pulled out his cell phone, and as easily as that, I was dismissed.

He was done with me, no longer wanted me.

I wasn’t surprised. This was a feeling I was so used to.

My mom did it. I’d felt it all my life.

A means to an end, and Earl had found the end of his use with me.

Pain shattered my heart. Tears filled my eyes, and a sob escaped.

“Don’t be so dramatic. In time, many men will use your cunt and take what they want. It’s the way of the world.”

I tuned him out. I didn’t want to hear him. I took my purse from him, as well as my passport. Gripping the handle of the door, I climbed out.

My body still hurt from the beating it took weeks ago. Ignoring the pain, I went to Emily. My best friend waited for me. She must have seen the despair in my face because she came out to me.

I’d known it would end like this.

Earl had never pretended to be a good man. He’d always been open, telling me right from the start what he’d wanted, and like a fool, I had thought I could make him want differently.

Emily wrapped her arms around me. I didn’t want Earl to see me collapse, so I held on to her. She was heavily pregnant and couldn’t afford for me to lean on her.

To my surprise, Caleb, River, Gael, and Vadik surrounded me.

“We’ve got you,” Emily said.

“You don’t have to fight this anymore. We’re the ones who have you. He’s not going to hurt you anymore.”

“He didn’t beat me up,” I said. I didn’t know why I was defending him.

I had to be in shock. Everything hurt, and yet I felt completely numb. The pain was all over, and yet not one focal point could I pinpoint.

“We know what happened, and that’s not what we’re on about,” Emily said. “I’ve got you.”

In Emily’s arms, I didn’t fight it. I let it go. Pouring my heart and soul out to her, I broke down.

I had fallen in love with Earl Valentine, and in return, he’d shattered my entire world. Broken me down until there was nothing left.

****

Emily

 

I brought down the tray, and I wasn’t happy.

Ashley had been with us a week, and she hadn’t eaten. I’d already started to see the weight dropping off her, and I didn’t like it.

Caleb, River, Gael, and Vadik were each in the kitchen when I returned. They stopped eating as I entered.

River was the closest, so I went into his arms, putting the tray down on the counter. “Still no change?” he asked.

“No change. She sits on the window ledge looking out at the garden. I’m scared for her. She shouldn’t be like this, should she?”

“You told us she’d fallen in love with the prick,” Caleb said.

“Yeah, and this doesn’t make any sense. Why did he get rid of her? We all saw the way he held her.” I tucked some of my hair behind my ear.

Our baby was being a little pain today, not settling, and enjoyed kicking me in the ribs, winding me.

The base of my back was also giving me trouble, but I didn’t tell any of my men. They’d only worry and put me on bed rest for the remainder of the day, and I had to take care of my friend.

Ashley needed me.

They all needed me, but I didn’t have a problem with that.

I enjoyed being their everything.

When it came to my best friend, though, guilt clawed at my gut. Earl had gotten his hands on her because of a deal my men had made. If it hadn’t been for me, or them, Ashley would have been safe.

No one would have gotten to her.

“We know he’s been attacked. Ashley nearly got killed,” Vadik said. “He’s probably doing it to protect her.”

“But once he’s all done, he can come back for her. I don’t get it. Why lose her in the process?” It was all getting a little confusing for me. “I hate seeing her like this. So broken. So lost. It’s not fair. She’s too good for him. For all of this.”

“Do you want us to kill him for you?” Caleb asked.

“I’d be happy to,” River said.

“I always hated that he got away with fucking lying to us. Breaking his bastard word,” Gael said.

Earl Valentine was a sore subject for all of us. Even though I wanted him dead for the pain he currently caused my friend, deep down, I knew she’d hate me for killing him.

“No, we can’t kill him. She loves him too much to put a bullet in his head.” I stared at the counter, but it didn’t offer any valuable alternatives. “We’ve got to be patient. Ashley’s strong. She’ll get through this.”