Chaos by Sarah Bailey

Twenty Two

Scarlett

Prescott loved me. He loved me. One of the crazy, fucked up psychotic men I’d been sent to destroy loved me. And I loved him back. I loved Prescott Ellis. My heart recognised him and wanted him. I’d finally listened to the stupid organ and admitted the feelings living inside it. How could I not when he’d trusted me with his truths?

All weekend I’d gone back and forth with myself over it. Over the conflicting feelings about the situation I was in. I’d already established I couldn’t hurt Prescott, but it was worse now. So much fucking worse. He’d given me his heart for safe keeping. The thought of ruining him or the others made me feel sick. Bile kept rising in the back of my throat. And I hated everything about it.

What the fuck was I going to do?

It’s not as if I could tell my father I wasn’t going to do his bidding any longer. I dreaded to think what he would do. Likely have Mason drag me back to the estate and then… the less I thought about that, the better. I didn’t want to imagine the beatings and being locked up in the cold room with nothing but the clothes on my back for days on end. There was just me and the concrete floor. The only human contact I’d had was when one of the staff changed the fucking bucket I’d been left with to do my business in and when they fed me. The isolation made my nightmares worse. I would scream for hours at night, but no one could hear me.

I did not want to go back to that life under any circumstances.

It left me in the worst sort of predicament. Whilst I knew the boys would protect me if anyone tried to take me, I didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter when it came to my father’s demands. What the hell could I even do? Feed him false information? What would it achieve if he found out I was lying to him? Nothing.

I didn’t want to hurt the boys either. I had to admit that to myself. I’d fallen in love with one of them, begun to have feelings for another - and the other two? Well, it was up in the air. I wasn’t sure Prescott would forgive me if I did something to endanger his friends. I wouldn’t forgive myself either.

The only time I wasn’t thinking about this shit was during sex. And after his declaration, Prescott had pretty much kept me in bed all of Saturday other than to feed me. Something about being in a blissed-out post-coital haze prevented negativity from encroaching on me. Only when he’d fallen asleep next to me, looking peaceful as ever with his dark blonde hair mussed from my fingers and his chest rising and falling steadily did the guilt eat me up inside. And kept me from being able to stay level-headed.

Sunday came and went with no drama between the five of us. In fact, the others had kept to themselves, leaving me and Prescott to be in a little bubble of our own. I hadn’t expected them to be so… considerate.

Monday rolled around and I was tired, but Drake wasn’t being too demanding at work. In fact, he gave me a bunch of tasks and left me to my own devices. Didn’t mean I was let off from making him coffee.

I carried a fresh cup into his office, noting he was on the phone. Making sure to be as quiet as possible, I placed the mug down on the coaster and was about to leave when he put his hand up. I paused as he waved me closer. Given I never knew what I was going to get with Drake, I was cautious as I came around the desk towards him.

When he grabbed my arm and tugged me in his lap, I tried not to yelp. His arm banded around my chest, holding me in place so I couldn’t escape.

“No, that’s not going to happen … I don’t know what you want me to say … you’ve already told me that before … no, I’m not going to budge on it.”

I shifted in his lap, trying to get a little more comfortable. There was no point in trying to run. I would only get punished for it. Drake did not like me talking back to him or being disobedient. Though after my conversation with Francis about Drake the night of the killing, I had a feeling Drake took great pleasure in punishing me when I stepped out of line.

“What does that matter? We don’t need their business … well, it’s not my problem.”

I almost squeaked when he pressed his face into my neck and breathed me in. What was he doing? This wasn’t like Drake at all, from what I knew of him. He wasn’t particularly affectionate or demonstrative of his feelings. I mean, I knew he wanted to fuck me. He’d made it pretty clear, but everything else? Not so much.

“Quit moving, Scarlett,” he whispered to me whilst the person on the other end of the phone kept talking.

Why did it make me want to do the exact opposite of what he told me? I don’t know why I enjoyed pushing Drake’s buttons so much. Was I asking for a punishment like last time when he spanked me with his belt? I shuddered at the thought of it, shifting against him despite him telling me not to. His harsh breath told me he was not happy with me.

My reckless streak decided to rear its ugly head. Without warning, I turned around in his lap so I was straddling him. Luckily I’d worn trousers today or I might have ripped my skirt with the movement. Drake’s indigo eyes came into view and there was no mistaking the darkness in them. I gave him a smile as my fingers went to his tie, straightening it for him. His hand came up and gripped mine, stopping me from doing anything further. For a long moment, the two of us stared at each other. He was willing me to back down and I was refusing.

He released my hand and placed his over the bottom of his phone.

“Enough.”

The low and deadly tone of his voice made me shiver. But I wasn’t interested in obeying him today. Not when he’d manhandled me into his lap for no apparent reason.

He took his hand off the phone.

“This isn’t up for debate, Clive, either you sign papers or we have nothing left to discuss.”

I slipped off his lap and leant against his desk instead. Then I ran my fingers down the centre of my chest and bit down on my lip. Drake’s eyes followed the path of my fingers.

“No, I have already spoken to Francis and he agrees with me … well, you’re the one who doesn’t want to understand our position. As I said, it’s not my problem.”

My fingers went to the top button of my blouse. I undid it, exposing the tops of my breasts to him, and the lacy bra I was wearing underneath. I deliberately dropped my eyes to his lap and licked my bottom lip. When I raised them again, Drake’s expression was fierce and stern.

He placed his free hand on the arm of his chair and pushed himself up to his full height. I swallowed, knowing I was about to be on the receiving end of his fury. He took my hand, spun me around and shoved me up against his desk, forcing me onto my stomach. The man held my arm against my back, keeping me pinned there whilst he continued his conversation.

“My final answer is no, either deal with it or don’t … I’m not missing out on anything, thank you very much … fine with me, no skin off my nose … goodbye, Clive.”

He tossed his phone down on the desk and leant over me. I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck, as I’d put my hair up in a bun today. Prescott told me yesterday if I wanted to provoke West, all I had to do was put my neck on show. And maybe when I’d come out of his bathroom this morning, he’d smirked, but didn’t comment on it. He knew what I was doing. It would serve West fucking well right if he got riled up by it. The man kept threatening me with things and not delivering.

Drake, on the other hand, I knew he delivered, so I had no clue why I’d decided to play with fire.

“I see someone woke up and decided to be a brat this morning,” he said, his voice like a caress across my skin. “Tell me, Scarlett, do you enjoy this? I have a feeling you don’t want to be able to sit down for the next couple of days.”

“You think I enjoyed it when you… spanked me?”

“Yes.”

I spluttered, unable to form a damn sentence. I did not want him to do it again… did I?

“We’ve already established you do this on purpose. You want me to punish you. If you didn’t like it, you would have stopped pushing after I did it the first time. So, why don’t we both save ourselves this conversation, hmm?”

“I wouldn’t have to push your buttons if you just fucking talked to me like a normal human.”

He kept one hand pinning my arm to my back whilst the other dusted over the curve of my arse as if he was testing the waters.

“That’s what you want from me?”

“I…”

Was it? I didn’t know any longer. Everything about these four men was so fucking confusing. Well, I wasn’t confused about my feelings towards Prescott, but I didn’t understand why I was so drawn to the other three. Why did I want to knock down Drake’s damn iron fortress and make myself a home inside the ruins?

“Maybe,” I whispered.

His hand landed more firmly on my behind, almost caressing it with his fingertips as they stroked along my clothes. And for some reason, I arched into his touch like I wanted more.

“I see.”

Drake took my wrist from my back and pressed my palm on his glass desk, pinning it there. My other hand was already resting on the glass on the other side. His lips traced a line across the back of my neck, making me tremble.

“You’re so soft and pliable,” he murmured, his deep resonating voice making me melt on his desk. “No matter how many times you defy me, I will always conquer you in the end.”

My breath came out in bursts with my need for him to do something other than stroke my behind. The anticipation made me press back against him. Was I asking to be punished?

“Drake, I wanted to talk to you about… oh, oh my… I’m sorry, I didn’t know…”

My head whipped up, almost knocking into Drake’s as his body remained over mine. Standing in the doorway was Tonya. Her eyes were wide with shock and her mouth was opening and closing like a fish.

“Leave and close the door,” came Drake’s firm voice, vibrating across my back.

For a moment, she continued staring at the two of us. It must have looked quite the sight, me bent over Drake’s desk with his hand pressing mine down and the other cupping my behind. Her eyes betrayed her disapproval and judgement at finding me in such a compromising position with my boss. Only Drake was kind of more than just my boss. I didn’t know how to define my relationship with the Horsemen, but we’d crossed the line between employer and employee the moment West fucked me over his desk. The fuse to a catalyst of events leading up to me becoming theirs to do what they wanted with. And me giving in.

“Can I see you after this?” she asked.

“Now, Tonya.”

She put her hands up and backed out, but not before glaring at me. I didn’t react. It wasn’t worth it. I could tell West about it and he would probably gut her like he’d threatened. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea. I didn’t want him killing her for me.

The door shut, leaving the two of us alone again. Drake nibbled the top of my ear, making me shudder against him.

“I’m not going to go easy on you, Scarlett.”

He straightened, letting go of my hand. Both of his went to the button of my trousers, before he tugged both them and my knickers down, exposing my bare behind to his gaze. I almost flinched when he stroked his hands over my cheeks. And I cried out when he slapped me, the sting radiating up my spine. They came again and again, across each of my cheeks until I was shifting on the desk, trying desperately not to cry.

It occurred to me Drake’s punishments didn’t remind me of the horrific things my father had done when I stepped out of line. When I’d come here, I’d been meek and obedient because of it, but the girl behind the glass wasn’t either of those things. She was fire and brimstone. The more time I spent around the Horsemen, the more I became like her. I could feel it. The change echoing around me and giving me back the person I was. The cracks forming across the glass were small and perhaps I’d finally be able to smash through. I’d see the past and it would explain everything… or at least, I hoped it would.

A particularly hard smack across a sore spot jolted me out of my thoughts and returned me to the room. Who the fuck knew how many times he’d slapped me. All I could feel was the burn across both my cheeks. I knew sitting down would be unpleasant for the rest of the day. And the worst part? I was ridiculously aroused by the entire ordeal.

You do like to push his buttons and get punished for it. It’s a game and you like playing it.

I wouldn’t admit it to him, but I could tell myself the truth.

The final smack he gave me was harder than the rest. The sound of it rang in my ears. His fingers caressed the sore skin, making me whimper in response.

“I don’t make idle threats. Every time you push, you will receive a punishment. And trust me, it will not be this every time. I can be quite creative when I want to be.”

I didn’t doubt that in the slightest.

“Now, go make me a fresh cup of coffee and get back to work. And if I hear you’ve been in one of the others’ offices for any reason that’s not work-related, there’ll be consequences. Work hours are not playtime.”

I hadn’t planned on going to one of the others, but him telling me I couldn’t made me want to see Prescott all the more. However, the thought of Drake punishing me further today had me resisting the urge to seek out the man I loved.

I lifted myself off Drake’s desk and pulled my clothes back on, hating the way they rubbed over my sore and no doubt red behind. Turning around, I looked up at him. He had his hands shoved in his pockets and his expression was neutral like the whole thing hadn’t affected him in the slightest.

I don’t know why I stepped up into his personal space and pressed my hands against his chest. He didn’t move, but he didn’t tell me off about it either. Going up on my tiptoes, I pressed a kiss to his cheek before dropping back to my feet and walking away. I didn’t look back to see his reaction as I knew there wouldn’t be one. Not a visible one, anyway. Maybe I wanted to leave him wondering why I’d done it. I was pretty sure the last thing Drake expected after he’d left me with a red arse was affection from me in response.

You can wonder all you like, Drake Ackley. If you’re going to be so insistent on this punishment shit, then I’m sure as hell going to play you at your own fucking game in return.