Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 167819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 839(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 839(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
It swings open the next second and I meet my sister’s wide eyes. “Oh, thank God, Sin. I can’t wake her up.”
I push my way in, and Corbin enters, shutting it behind him. I see her best friend on the bathroom floor rolled up into the fetal position. Her skirt has ridden up on her thighs, showing off part of her ass. Her hair fanned out and covering parts of her face. “Elli?” I ask, shaking her shoulder.
Nothing.
“Ellington?” I push her hair away and open her eyes to see they’re dilated. “What did she take?” I ask.
“I don’t know.” My sister sniffs. “I didn’t see anything. Elli doesn’t do drugs.”
“She took something,” I bark.
“Maybe she was drugged,” Corbin offers. “How do you feel?” He turns to Kira, his hands on her shoulders, checking her eyes as well.
“Fine,” she answers.
“Did anyone give you two drinks?” he snaps, making her jump.
“Yeah, but they poured them from the same bottle, and I feel okay,” she cries, wrapping her arms around herself.
I roll her on to her back. “Ellington?” Still nothing. I place my fingers on her pulse and feel it racing. Yanking the hoodie up and over my head, I order to Corbin, “Hold her up.”
He kneels behind her, lifting her to sit up by her underarms and I place my hoodie over her head. It’s longer than the skirt she’s wearing. And the last thing I need is a bunch of guys taking pictures or recording her pussy on display while I carry her out.
Once it’s on, I place my arms underneath her legs and back, picking up her unconscious body. Corbin helps pull the hoodie down into place to cover whatever it can. “Get the door. And clear me a path,” I bark out.
“Come on.” Corbin grabs my sister’s hand and yanks her out of the bathroom as I carry Elli out of the party with all eyes on us.
I took her home and placed her in her bed. I had every intention of going back to that party and demanding who the fuck drugged her, until I went to leave her room that night and found a bottle of pills on her nightstand. It pissed me off. My sister was right, Elli had never done drugs before. Not that I knew of anyway. Before her father passed, our families spent a lot of time together. I knew her.
I never thought to ask her why she started doing them. I should have. Maybe then I would have paid more attention to her life changing right before my eyes. It had to have been James. I saw the signs but pretended not to care. That I didn’t have the time to get involved. She was sixteen, for Christ’s sake. I knew not to fuck her. Because I’d be going into initiations soon. I knew touching her once and then not being able to for three years would be the worst kind of torture. Plus, I knew that she would one day be mine. I’d have the rest of my life with her.
That night was also the night that rumors started flying about her at our high school. They said she hooked up with several guys that night. She never denied it. I knew the truth, and she didn’t seem to care what others thought. All she had to do was ask me, and I would have ripped their fucking heads off. I would’ve done anything for her then, just like I will now. The only difference is, now she doesn’t have to ask for my help. I’ll do whatever I think is necessary.
“You okay?” I ask, reaching out my hand to her leg. I gently grip her thigh and squeeze.
Her head falls to the side, her heavy eyes meeting mine, and she gives me a small smile. “I will be soon.”
Fifteen minutes later, I’m pulling into the driveway of her mother’s house and the valet opens my door. I walk around, thanking the man who opens hers, but I grab it. “Elli, we’re here.” I reach in and grab her hand.
She manages to open her eyes and turns in the seat to place her heels on the ground. I pull up her dress, so she doesn’t step on it and rip it. Once she’s out, I don’t let go.
Even though she’s been mine since the last time I attended a party here two years ago, this is our first official public night together. By the time we leave this house, everyone will know that she belongs to me.
ELLINGTON
TWELVE YEARS OLD
“DAD? DAD?” I scream. The words so loud it hurts my own ears.
I run over and wrap my arms around his thighs, trying to lift him. “Dad, please,” I beg, trying to lift them again. But he’s too heavy.
I rush into the adjoining ballroom and grab a chair. I drag it across the floor until it’s right beside him. I stand on it, grab his waist and try to lift once again. But my feet slip off the side of the cushion and I fall off the edge. The chair tips over with my arms still wrapped around him. The extra weight making the rope break, and we both go falling to the marble floor.