Daddies Brat

India

In hindsight, it is no stretch of the imagination when I say trouble found me the second I stepped from the landing, and I made my slow descent.

From the wild look in their eyes to the predatory gracefulness, these beasts of men are as dark as they are deadly as they move in my direction.

They are gorgeous to watch and I find myself staring.

From the way their dark brown eyes scan every nuance of the room, for what I assume might be some lurking danger, to the way they carry their large frames in unison through the crowd like wolves on the hunt. Sleek in movement yet lethal.

It is intoxicating to watch how in sync they are with one another. My heart squeezes and I briefly forget there are tens of eyes watching me. I regain my composure and clamp down on the rolling emotions at seeing Tomas, Maksym, and Stefan weaving through the crowd.

All three raise their eyes to mine over the heads of the other guests and I lose the ability to breathe altogether. Forget shielding my emotions. They are bombs going off inside me and I can’t catch my breath. Surprise. Fear. Excitement. Curiosity. Anger. They are a savage ball of knotted yarn pulling and tugging my insides.

The power of their attention on me is so intense the simple action of locking gazes gives me full-body chills.

Holy shit. What is going on? Why are they here? And why did they just step out of my father’s library? Furthermore, why the hell does my father look like he just swallowed a bottle of acid.

My heart threatens to drop on the floor. Oh, God, they told him. That’s it. It has to be.

Rage fires hotter than lightning inside me. I should have known their radio silence meant they were scheming and plotting payback for dumping them. I will kill all three with my bare hands.

I pick up my pace down the long, spiraling stairs. Their dark gazes roam over me and it is as possessive as it is claiming. Focusing on them causes me to misstep but I right myself and continue.

Fuckers. My knees tremble so hard I can barely keep my legs from buckling. And I bet that is exactly what they wanted coming here. Me, scared and shaking. Hah. Whatever. I dig deep and find some untapped strength and pop the cork. As it pours from its well my knees pretend to stop shaking and my legs no longer feel like jelly. But my heart? Yeah, that treacherous thing is stuttering, stalling, and racing all at once making a fierce blush flash across my bare shoulder and cheeks.

One by one my fingers curl around the polished wood of the railing and for the first time in my twenty-four years, I feel the need to learn how to submit to a man with how possessive their expressions turn as their eyes linger over the swell of my breast. Along the dip of my waist and farther down.

A flash of desire flickers over their faces. It’s there one second and in the next the dark, brooding masks of unmoved men take its place. But I saw it. And I recognized those flames.

What the hell is going on? And why the hell did they have to come tonight, of all nights?

Tomas catches my attention again and I watch his mouth form the words, “We’re coming for you.”

Oh shit.

All bravado slinks back into the well and I’m left in need of a drink.

The black material of their tuxedos contours to their thick arms and fits their tall statures perfectly. I remember every swirl of ink and every scar beneath all that expensive material. Pure freaking muscles carved out of granite.

They are Hollywood gorgeous with real-world rough edges. Polished yet jagged at the same time and it makes my nerves jitter like I’ve had five espresso shots back-to-back.

Three large chandeliers line the length of the ballroom and throw a romantic, glittery hue over the occupants, and I let my attention roam from my admirers for a brief moment so I can catch my breath.

The sudden attention homed in on me makes me self-conscious about the dress I picked for the evening. The soft deep red gown wraps around my curves in a snug fit and falls to the floor, covering my legs. A number my mother would be proud of.Content is © by NôvelDrama.Org.

Until I move.

Each step flashes onlookers with a teasing hint of skin through a slit that runs the full length of my right thigh, making panties a no-go for the evening along with dancing.

A stiff corset anchors my breasts from swaying too heavily as I walk, leaving my shoulders bare but for a few thin, crossing straps and a ribbon to tie around my neck.

To top the look off, I’ve picked impossibly high stilettos I’m still not too sure about, but make my legs look killer. Sacrifices had to be made.

Piper was right. It feels good to shed away the glasses and books of the Ivy League persona I’ve hidden behind since forever and just be a woman for once. Not studious India. Not plain Jane India. Not dependable India who never says no. But sexy India despite the setback of unwanted guests.

They continue to move toward me, but the milling guests make their progress slow.

I sweep my hair over my shoulder and catch quick glimpses of them beneath thick lashes and I can’t help but stiffen when my core clenches as their attention lands there as my slit peels away to reveal skin.

I lower my gaze and descend the rest of the way, trying to compose myself but my knees can’t take the weight of their attention. I falter in my step as I reach the bottom landing.

Gravity takes over and I pitch forward into a wall of a man.

“Take your hands off me,” I seethe. I cast a glance around and hope no one is watching.

I get a grunt in response as a set of strong arms protectively wrap around me moments before I make an utter fool of myself. “I can touch, take, and possess anything I own and you, India Cambridge, belong to my brothers and me.” There’s a finality to his tone that has my body going into full-on lust mode. Shameful as that is. His voice is growly and possessive and caresses my libido in just the right manner that it’s hard not to nod my head and agree. Or, I’m just horny and the alpha in him knows how to tease the submissive in me.

My eyes travel upward and land on the hard, chiseled face of Stefan. From pelvis to nipples, my body presses against his. With my head craned back I watch as his nostrils flare as he takes in a deep breath like he’s filling his senses with my perfume.

I consider him for a moment and try to regather my thoughts. My knee-jerk reaction is to jump deeper into his arms and beg for forgiveness for partially ghosting them. But I don’t have that luxury with literally all the eyes of New York City’s elite watching me. One wrong move and people will pull contracts and ruin my father’s company. I can’t carry that weight on my shoulders.

“Let me go,” I state flatly, my eyes fixed to a point over his shoulder.

“Is that what you really want? If so, you need to look me in the eye and tell that to my face. Then and only then will I release you.”

My eyes snap to a passing couple. The Devereuxs. My mind works like a vault of information pulling up their details. Stuffy old-world money. By the book. Roughly worth fifteen billion with some change. Stockholders in the company and also contract holders. The real kicker is if they pull because of a scandal I create, they’ll take at least three other clients with them.

I raise my eyes to lock on Stefan’s darker ones but my lips can’t form the words. His gaze dips over my body, caressing over the pulse along the side of my neck before sliding to the steep cleavage-showing dip of my dress.

“You’re stunning. But I miss the glasses.”

“Contacts.” I keep my answer short but my heart quickens at his compliment. Between my thighs, I feel the ache of not having them touch me in so long.

Strong, warm hands rove over my bare back and I get the impression he can’t believe I’m in his arms any more than I can.

“Please. Really. You need to go.”

Stefan leans in a fraction until I feel the soft brush of his breath across my cheek to whisper in my ear, “You were not saying that the last time I held you this close.”

“To be fair, she did beg us to untie her.”

Maksym’s voice is a deep rugged gravelly caress over my senses.

“And then begged us to fuck her hard.” Tomas taps the side of his temple. “Memory like an elephant.”

The longer they talk the farther my heart drops.

“Shh.” I push at Stefan’s chest but of course, the lug doesn’t move. “Lower your voices.”

My hands are on his shoulders and damn if my hands don’t have a mind of their own when they slide down to settle over his pecs. “You need to leave. Can you do that for me? We can talk some other time. When we are not the entertainment for the evening.” Please, please, please. Before I make a fool of myself.

Instead of answering me with words, the insufferable man’s only reply is the dark glimmer of hunger in his eyes and it does not seem he cares about hiding the fact.

Straightforward, limited words. I narrow my eyes at the three of them. “What? Nothing to say? Not like any of you to not have a snappy retort.”

“We’re biding our time for when we have you alone, malyshka. The longer you talk the longer your punishment will drag out. That’s a promise.” Stefan smiles like he’s enjoying this.

My eyes pop open. “My what?”

Behind him, Tomas and Maksym smirk. They’re only a couple of paces from us and keep a perimeter so nosy bodies can’t get too close.

My stomach flutters with how Stefan stares at me with a tiny smile tilting his lips and I no longer care I almost face-planted in front of New York City’s most dangerous and powerful.

I do, however, care about onlookers.

I turn on my spiked heel and move through the crowd. I aim for a small inlet designed to offer guests privacy and comfort for long talks without stopping the flow of the mingling crowd. There are small sectional screens placed along the yawning mouth and I slip behind one to find the pair of black leather high-back chairs empty of anyone. Thank God.

I can feel they are following me so that when I turn back around, I know where to aim my dagger-like gaze. I hit all three with the same what the fuck look. I raise a hand and poke the nearest one in the chest.

“Since I was the one who did all the invitations, I know you are not here because you were invited. I don’t even want to know what brought you here, but say what you’re going to say and then leave.”

Stefan grips my hips and pulls, forcing me to plaster my hands and my body against him. There was only half a foot separating us to begin with, but the second our body heat becomes one, my hands go to his tuxedo jacket. Through it, I can feel the heavy thud of his heart.

Tomas and Maksym both move in unison to close in around us and act as a solid shield.

“You thought you could simply leave us?” He gives a dark chuckle. He swears something in Russian I have no hope of understanding with my linguistics capabilities limited to only English and French.

“Excuse me?”

Stefan smiles down at me but there is not an ounce of humor in it. “We punish all those who disobey us. You are no exception. Soon enough you’ll learn why we are here. For now, kiss me.” The side of his perfect lip curls into a smile.

Arrogant, cocky bastard. And he knows it. Just like I know the second I follow his order I’m doomed. Game over. He’ll own me. They all will.

It’s hard to cross my arms over my chest so I go for option two and arch a wicked brow that says fuck you. True, I could push out of his hold on me, but I doubt the man will release me just to prove a point. One I’m beginning to suspect is along the lines of me belonging to them.

“I wasn’t aware I was under any order. And even if I were, I don’t submit to the likes of any man.” Anger hotter than the sun burns inside me.

Beside me Tomas grunts. “We’ll see about that.”

Tomas’ eyes glitter almost as if the facets of his banked curiosity catch the light before morphing and shifting behind those thick, lashes.

My hands trek south and I grip Stefan’s bulging forearms and balance my footing. My chest tightens as shock runs through me. Shock and something else entirely that borders on pure, unfiltered lust.

A truth I hope none of them pick up on.

My heart is pumping all these very real feelings through me.

Pure heat spikes my blood and my heart lurches with enough power to fuel a long night of passion with him between my thighs.

The trajectory of my thoughts surprises me, but I don’t dash them away either. Gorgeously muscled and pissed.

I should excuse myself. I should put as much distance between me and all this muscle and those dark, arresting eyes.

But more than the wall of muscle anchors me in place.

Tomas reaches for my hip and settles a hand just above Stefan’s. To ignore the instant crackle of energy is impossible. And it’s like a dam breaks open inside me. Tears well and the fight gurgling and bubbling inside me dies out. It is as though their touch grounds me in some way. And this is why I can’t find it in myself to walk away, I discover.