Page 27 of Greedy Grizzly
“Excellent.” He clapped his hands as if he’d given me a choice and I answered properly. “We’ll have the ceremony Sunday.”
“Yes, sir,” I replied, blinking my eyes to dry up my tears. I had to pull myself together and make Basil believe I was on board with his sick plans.
“Now ask her.” He put a ring on Violet’s finger.
I connected my gaze with my sister’s. Her green eyes were red and swollen. She must have continued crying while I was unconscious.
I could tell she didn’t want any of this either. How could she? She was only fourteen, the same age I’d been when the women started entering my bedroom.
Basil and Juniper were two mentally ill people.
“Violet, you know I care about you, right?” I asked her, gently cradling her face in my hands. “And I’d never hurt you?”
“Yes,” she softly replied.
“Will you marry me, and I promise to always love and protect you?”
“Yes, Brent. I’ll marry you.” More tears fell on my face.
“Good. Now kiss her,” Basil said in a firm voice.
And I obeyed, giving Violet a chaste kiss.
I meant what I said, I would protect her from her fucked up parents. It felt like my feet were held to the fire. I needed to take action before I was forced into taking Violet’s virginity.
I wouldn’t do it.
I couldn’t do it.
I’d die before I hurt her.
There would be no ceremony on Sunday. Nothing and no one would stop me from escaping this cultish household on Saturday.
I just needed to figure out how to get the other kids to somewhere safe so I could burn the place to the ground with Basil and Juniper in it.
7
TOBY
When Libby had given me an earful over how stupid it had been withholding my visit from Grizzly, and how my actions had inadvertently set off a chain reaction, I felt like shit. It hadn’t been my intention to shake up the clubhouse or expose Grizzly’s sexual orientation, but that was exactly what had happened.
Grizzly had taken off after he learned Maddy and Storm knew he was gay. And they knew the truth because Libby had confided in Maddy. Storm had let it slip and the shit had hit the fan. It was so bad, Libby couldn’t talk to me on the phone because she was exhausted from crying.
I felt horrible but honestly, it was time the club knew the real Grizzly… My friend. The dude I was into. I wanted nothing more than for him to be himself without fear of judgment. Which would hopefully pave the way for me to stop living a lie, too.
I pulled my rental car up at the gate and rolled down my window. A new guy I’d never seen before approached. Similar to the other members, he was tall, muscular—no doubt, thanks to Boxer and Ire—and veryserious.
“What’s your business?” he asked in a monotone voice. His light green depths were vacant and there were dark bags under his eyes, like he hadn’t slept one wink in the last decade. A skunky scent radiated off him.
Now, I wasn’t a choir boy. I’d smoked my fair share of weed. But as far as I knew, Storm didn’t allow the guards at the gate to drink booze or get high during their shifts.
“Hey, I’m Toby Hamilton, Maddy’s brother. How’s it going?” I let my voice trail, so he’d introduce himself. My sister hadn’t mentioned a new prospect. I wouldn’t hold it against her, she was in the thick of motherhood with two kiddos under three. Then there was my brother-in-law. Storm was just as demanding of her attention, if not more, than the babies. Surely, the mention of a new prospect had slipped her mind.
“Is she expecting you?”
“What’s your name?” I twisted my lips, displeased with him for ignoring my cue to introduce himself.
“Not your business. Lemme check with Prez to see if you’re authorized to enter the compound.”
