Damaged: A Dark Bully Romance (The Primes Book 2), page 13
Everyone always leaves.
Iz didn’t stir when I got out of bed and padded toward the kitchen for coffee. The house was quiet; everyone was probably asleep, catching up from last night. I was the only chump who was wide awake.
When I walked into the kitchen, I was surprised to see Klause holding a cup of coffee while he gazed at the ocean through the windows. He turned and lifted his cup in greeting.
“You too, huh?” I asked, noting dark circles and bloodshot eyes.
“Yeah. Lee and I fought all night. You?”
I pulled out a tall cup and filled it up with the black brew. “Nah. We made up.”
Klause studied me until I looked up and sighed. “It’s me. I can’t get over her leaving and placing herself in danger. Especially . . .”
“After what happened that night and the constant threat from Arnoult?”
“Exactly. It’s like I can’t trust her to be safe.”
He set his cup on the table and sat before me. “Yeah. I feel the same way. However, I couldn’t even dwell on that because Leah is too stubborn to see that we were trying to protect them.”
My only response was a rueful laugh. It was always one shitstorm after another.
“What do you think we should do about Heather?” Klause took a sip from his cup with his brows drawn together.
The million-dollar question. “If we set her free, we’re giving Arnoult what he wants. If we don’t, he’ll continue to torment us.”
“He’ll continue, regardless. He’s a psychopath bent on punishing the Vanderfords,” Klause denounced. We sipped on our drinks quietly until Klause pushed off his seat and placed his empty cup in the sink. “We still have our fathers to deal with.”
The bastard hadn’t crossed my mind, but I wondered if my parents were home. I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Ross questioning my parents’ whereabouts.
He responded they were on the other coast—their preferred residence.
“Mine are gone, but I’m certain they’ll be back for more torment.”
Klause sniggered. “Yeah. I’m sure their threats about our betrothals will be something we’ll have to deal with soon.”
In response, my tongue clicked in disapproval. “I won’t let it come to that.”
Klause studied me for a moment; I could see his mind churning. “Are we ready for that?” I knew he was referring to ascending as patriarchs.
“Ideally, it will be a last resort, but if I’m forced into it...” We needed to neutralize Arnoult before we took on the patriarchs. If we ascended now, we wouldn’t have a choice, but I wouldn’t let my parents cause friction between Izzy and me.
“Yeah. You’re right. Perhaps they need reminding that they only hold their positions because of us.”
I grinned. “My thoughts exactly.”
We stayed in the kitchen until we heard the house stir, then we made our way to the main living room where we liked to congregate. We found Tilly and Izzy both with their arms crossed and visibly upset.
“What’s going on?”
Izzy met my eyes and shook her head while Tilly sank into the sofa, holding back tears. “Izzy, please understand that we were trying to protect you.”
Iz shook her head. “I’m having trouble accepting that everyone lied to me.”
“We didn’t technically—”
“Omission of the truth is the same as lying,” Izzy cut her off in a biting tone.
“I agree with Izzy.” Everyone looked up as Leah walked into the room and sat next to Iz in a show of unity. “We deserved to know. Being kept in the dark doesn’t protect us. If we knew this was all related to Heather, we would have dealt with Lauren differently,” Leah said.
They didn’t get the danger they were in. “How?” I asked with a cocked brow. Nothing they could have done differently would change the fact that Arnoult Senior wanted to make them suffer.
Iz got up. “If I knew we were playing a game with Lauren, I wouldn’t have gone after her. If I knew we had something they wanted, we . . .” She gestured to the room. “. . . after we all agreed on a course, would have dealt with her accordingly.”
In frustration, Klause ran his fingers through his hair and tugged on the ends. "That may be so, but it wouldn’t change the outcome. Arnoult Senior is playing with us. Lauren and Heather are only small pieces of that game.”
“We’re big girls. We can handle the truth.” Leah glared at Klause.
“We all made a collective decision to keep it from you two. For your protection!” Klause responded with a stubborn jut of his chin.
“Well. I’m angry about the fact that I was lied to!” The couple sounded like they picked up from where they left off last night. These two had some pretty heated fights and from the looks of it, they were just getting started.
“Can everyone please stop yelling?” Mason walked in, followed by Noah, Edgar, and Luc. Noticing that Tilly was upset, Luc pulled her into his arms.
The drama didn’t interest me. I only cared about Izzy. My issues were something I needed to deal with on my own.
Luc fixed the girls with a hard stare. “What do you want us to do? We kept you two in the dark. It’s done; we can’t take it back.” He didn’t like seeing his woman upset. However, he also loved Iz and Leah, hence the look of frustration on his face.
“Not that I think we made a mistake, but I understand how it made you two feel,” Mason said in a placating tone. He was always level-headed and never wavered when protecting the girls.
“We’re sorry we didn’t include you two.” I’d gotten to know the brothers these past few months, and Noah hated conflict. He always hid behind jokes when shit got too serious. He was usually the first one to ease the tension.
Izzy, who had a soft spot for everyone in the room, sighed. “Look, like you said, there isn’t much anyone can say to make us feel better. We understand why you did it, but it still sucks. Let's just all take a beat and eventually, we’ll get over it.” She was right. Her running away triggered something inside of me, and there wasn’t anything she could say or do right now that could make that go away. Only time would ease my fear.
Klause stared at Leah, who lifted her chin in defiance as she walked away. He marched toward her to catch up, and soon we could hear their raised voices.
Tilly grabbed Izzy’s hand. “Iz, please tell me you forgive me. Please. I can’t stand it when we fight. Aside from these three, you and Leah are the only ones I have.”
Izzy’s eyes softened, then she pulled Tilly to her chest and allowed her to cry. “I love you, Tilly. Just because I’m upset doesn't mean I stop loving you.” That sentiment was nice, but it wasn’t always easy to believe. Izzy was stubborn as hell, and you never knew how she’d react. I would never rest until she was entirely mine in every way possible. Until we were married, there was still a chance she’d be taken away from me.
To say that tension in the house ran high through the weekend was an understatement. Leah’s and Klause’s raised voices filled every corner of the house until they stopped fighting on Sunday and moved into loud make-up sex. The brothers and Tilly stayed away from the common area while Izzy and I took advantage of our time together.
However, no matter how many times we fucked, I couldn’t get rid of that nagging feeling in the pit of my belly.
She left.
The worry faded when I was buried deep inside her. Otherwise, the familiar feeling of isolation and abandonment clawed at me.
It was the same feeling I got after several days of being locked in my room with only water for sustenance. I feared that my parents would forget about me and that I’d die a slow, agonizing death inside my room.
The same feeling of hopelessness had me jolting awake at night.
“Are you okay?” Izzy asked, not for the first time this weekend.
“Yeah. Just dealing with shit.”
“Is it . . . I know you’re having nightmares . . .” She cupped my face, but I couldn’t look her in the eyes. I wasn’t ready to talk about it. “Christian. Look at me.” She waited until I met her eyes. “I’m sorry I left. It was really selfish of me. I didn't think about how it would affect you. You’ve been selfless and have taken care of me since the incident, but we haven’t talked about how you feel about it. Please know that I see you and understand your struggles. Please let me be here for you like you were for me.” Concern and sadness stared at me.
I wanted to tell her about my nightmares, but didn’t know how to communicate my feelings. My shrink said I needed to learn to get in touch with my feelings so I could learn to overcome my past trauma.
How the fuck did one do that?
“Christian. I love you.” She pressed her lips to mine. “I wouldn’t know how to live if I lost you. I promise that I’ll never leave you. Ever. Even if I’m taken from you, I’ll never stop trying to get back to you.”
Her words were comforting. I hoped they were enough to keep the demons at bay.
I kissed her hard, wanting to believe her. I hoped the unpleasant darkness would go away so I could go back to enjoying her touch because these past couple of days had been a mind fuck.
I wanted to pull away, but I also needed her. It was scary how easily Izzy could destroy me, and I was having trouble accepting it, especially with the obstacles ahead of us.
Our kiss deepened until I was plunged deep inside of her, which caused her to throw her head back and let out a loud moan. I fucked like a man desperate to feel . . . something. Someone who was chasing away his inner demons.
It worked for a bit until I was back to reality.
I could see how much she loved me as she gazed into my eyes. It eased my tension, but eventually, worry would cloud over after we were done fucking.
I hated that I couldn't hide my struggles from her.
Sometimes, I wondered if distance would help, but I couldn't bring myself to leave and be away from her. I was fucked. Perhaps I needed a session with Dr. Feldman—my shrink to whom I pay an ungodly amount of money—but he never helped with my issues. The only good that came out of our sessions were ways for me to cope and pretend to act normal around others.
That night, Klause and Leah had more than made up. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other at the dinner table. I sometimes wondered if they enjoyed fighting to get to the make-up sex. The brothers, Tilly and Edgar, were present, and it almost felt normal.
We ended the night in the theater room. Even Mason, who never took off from work, joined us. We threw popcorn at Leah, who wouldn’t stop talking during the movie.
That night, I slept well. I only woke up once, but fell back asleep when Izzy was back in my arms.
The next day, I hoped all that shit was behind us.
Even the morning sex with Izzy was gentler. I didn’t have any demons to chase; there were only the two of us and how much we loved each other.
A peaceful smile adorned my face as Izzy and I walked hand in hand toward Leah and Klause.
Mason drove us to school as the girls gossiped about stupid shit I wasn’t interested in. Per my favorite pastime, I traced my fingers on Izzy’s soft skin. I didn’t think I’d ever tire of touching her. I could imagine doing this forever. Even when her skin was old and wrinkled, I’d enjoy the feeling of it against mine.
We walked down the hall, sharing a secret smile whenever our eyes met. That was until I noticed the guys watching her. The girls always stared at me, which wasn’t new, but I never saw how much the guys gawked at her.
I didn’t like it one bit.
When we reached our lockers, I pulled her face to mine and plunged my tongue into her mouth. With a tilt of her head, I kissed her deeper. She gripped my arms as I felt her knees weaken from my kiss. One thing I knew for sure was Izzy could never resist my touch.
My lips tilted in the corners and morphed into a smug smile after I released her.
“What was that for?” she asked in a breathless tone.
“Nothing. Just wanted to do that.” I shrugged, but I was preening inside. No one would doubt who she belonged to. My gaze traveled across the hall and stared down at anyone still gaping at my girl.
When the bell rang, I pulled Izzy away from Ally and Leah, who were talking about boring shit.
“Are you okay, Christian?” Iz asked when we were out of earshot of the others.
“Yeah. Why do you ask?” I responded, but my gaze stayed on the students to ensure no one looked at my girl.
“Nothing. You seem . . . I don't know. Off?”
I studied her, gauging whether that was good or bad. She didn’t look upset, so it must not be wrong. When we reached the front of her classroom, she stopped, but I urged her to keep moving and walked her to her seat. She was seated next to girls, and no other guys dared to look at us. I flashed her a satisfied smile and kissed her head before walking out the door.
Klause and Rome lingered in front of our classroom until I joined them. Rome wore a scowl.
“What’s wrong with you?”
He shrugged, but Klause said, “He and Ally broke up.”
I didn’t think they’d last, but I was surprised he was upset about it. When we made it to our classroom, he murmured, “Whatever,” and then walked to our regular seats in the back. He slammed his books on the table and glared at anyone who looked his way.
The teacher started his lecture but was interrupted by someone walking in late. I heard Klause suck in a breath as he stared at the girl. She was gorgeous and walked with her head held high. Everyone murmured as she greeted the teacher and exchanged a few words.
She had an air of superiority that could only be found in a prime. “Who is it?” If she was prime, then that meant trouble for Izzy.
“It’s Amelia Rose Baron.” Klause sounded like he was struggling to control his emotions.
What was his fiancée doing here? I bet this was his father’s doing.
“Hi, Klause.” Rose flashed him a smile and took the empty seat next to him.
Everyone watched the two, including the teacher. I had little patience for anyone’s drama today, so I barked, “Face front.” To the teacher, I said, “I’m not wasting my time sitting here if you’re not going to teach.” This got the idiot teacher’s attention, and the class finally stopped staring at the two.
After a few minutes, Klause got up with a huff and left the room.
Great, Baron’s presence would upset Leah. Then Rome and Ally broke up. With her two friends in crisis, it meant the drama affected me.
Just fucking great!
Irritated by the teacher's voice, I got up to follow Klause.
“Hey, wait up,” Rome called, but I ignored him.
I spotted Klause walking into the girls’ classroom, and my footsteps sped up.
“Can I help you, Mr. McLaudre?” the teacher asked Klause, who ignored her and walked directly to Leah.
“What happened?” she asked Klause. In response, he shook his head and reached for her hand. She gathered her things and walked out with him, followed by Izzy. Ally hesitated, but Rome held out his hand. She took it, and they followed us.
No one spoke until we were outside. “What happened?” Izzy asked.
“Rose is here.” Klause cupped Leah’s face between his hands.
“Why?”
“It doesn’t matter. I want you to be prepared, so when you see her, you’ll be ready. Remember, I’m on your side. No matter what. Okay?” Klause watched Leah war with uncertainty and insecurity, but eventually, she nodded.
He let out a breath, and his shoulders visibly relaxed. “Good,” he said before placing a kiss on her forehead.
“I can’t believe this. This has to be Lauren’s doing.” Izzy had her brows drawn together.
“No. It’s my father. He threatened as much.” Klause sounded tired. I felt the same way. He and I might need to deal with our fathers sooner rather than later.
“Yes, but I know it has something to do with Lauren. You saw the video. The two are lovers,” Izzy insisted.
“Yes. Which negates our arrangement. Whatever those two are up to, it won’t work.” Usually, Klause looked polished and unphased, but right now, he couldn’t hide the darkness inside of him. He looked like a man that would enjoy making someone bleed. I saw the same look before he plunged the knife into Heather’s thigh.
His eyes darkened further as he spotted the Baron cunt walking our way. Klause pulled Leah closer and kept his arm around her shoulders. “What do you want, Rose?”
“Klause . . .”
“Now is not the time to fuck with me, Baron. I’m warning you.”
There was no malice in Rose’s expression. That was probably why Izzy hadn’t stepped in yet. Since that night, she had been overprotective of Leah and Ally and wouldn’t hesitate to strike if anyone caused them trouble.
“Leah, please let me—”
“Don’t!” Klause stepped in front of Leah.
“Wait.” Izzy moved toward Leah, but Klause turned to her with a scowl and with a sharp voice, he said, “Elizabeth—”
“I would watch your tone when speaking to Izzy if I were you, McLaudre.” I stepped forward, ready to knock him to the ground. No one spoke to Izzy that way, especially not in my presence.
“Okay. Everyone stop.” Iz raised her hands and threw Klause and me a hard stare. “You two, back off.” I relaxed, so she stared at Klause until he stepped back. “Leah?” Iz called, and Leah grasped her hand in response as they both faced Rose, who still looked upset.
Klause paced behind us while Rome and Ally stood next to the girls in support. “What did you have to say, Rose?” Iz asked.
“I wanted to tell Klause and you”—Baron’s eyes softened as she looked at Leah—“that I’m not here to cause trouble. My father sent me here because of Mr. McLaudre. By now, my relationship with Lauren is common knowledge. I wanted to warn you all that this came from Alexander Arnoult.”
Izzy and Leah frowned at Baron. I watched her closely, trying to catch her in a lie, but there was none.
“Are we supposed to believe you when you’re with Lauren?” Everyone gaped at Ally, who usually cowered around primes.
“Who are you?” Rose’s brows rose as she looked down at Ally.
