Page 23 of Kings of Decay
"What do you want to drink?" I asked with a roll of my eyes.
Darkness flashed across his face. "You'd better reel in this newfound attitude, or else you'll be walking home again."
I couldn't help but shudder.
"What do you want to drink?" I repeated.
"Hmm... Jameson?"
"We're out of Jameson." My voice sounded steady, but my insides were shaking. I refused to let myself be intimidated by them.
Pearce chuckled, and the sinister undertones sent a shiver down my spine. "Well, then, it looks like we need to teach you a little lesson."
Before I could react, Ainsley grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards them. I stumbled as they stepped back, dragging me between their bodies. I was trapped, surrounded by their intoxicating scent and overwhelming presence.
My heart raced as I tried to pull myself free from their grasp, but they only held on tighter.
"What are you doing?" I barely managed to whisper, afraid of what their answer might be.
Pearce's hand came up and traced my jawline with his thumb, sending a wave of conflicting emotions through me. "We'regoing to teach you some manners, little mouse." His voice was so quiet I could barely hear him over the other patrons.
"If you're out of Jameson," Ainsley injected himself into our space. "What do you recommend?"
"I told you, I don't drink," I struggled to form words as I shivered between them.
"Well, that's no good," Ainsley said as he held onto my shoulders. "Why don't we take you out? There's a house party not far from here. Wouldn't you like to be with people without dirt under their fingernails?" Ainsley continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
I shook my head, my eyes wide. "Please, tell me what you want to drink. Let me go."
"You can't dress like a nun at this party, by the way," Pearce added.
"Let me go." Why couldn't my voice get any louder?
"Tell Todd you're leaving early," Ainsley instructed, his voice deadly even. "Now."
Chapter seventeen
Pearce
If looks could kill, Willow would have murdered my brother and me instantly.
Ainsley drove us to our family cabin, where a party was already in full swing. All of the richest kids from Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks were here. Which, in any other state, would seem like a lot, but there were only two dozen of us. For a cabin of this size, it was still packed.
It was a tradition that we'd upheld since we were sixteen. Devil's Night in Grayling Pass meant one thing: a wild Halloween party at the cabin.
Our family had built the retreat in the early 2000s. It was far enough from the town that we had privacy, built on our vast expanse of land, which sat on the edge of the dense Alaskan forest.
It was one of the few days of the year I looked forward to. Everyone did.
The cabin was enormous, with a high-beamed ceiling and stone fireplaces. It overlooked a small lake that froze over andbecame covered with snow in early November. The large deck gave spectacular views of the sunrise.
"Here we are, Willow," I said. Her name tasted sweet in my mouth.
The girl just glared at me through her long, curly hair. "Fuck. You."
It was a good thing that I loved a challenge. I smirked and leaned in. "I think we both know that you don't want that," I whispered into her ear. She shivered at my nearness, but I didn't miss the slight catch in her breath. I pulled back. "But if you insist, I won't stop you from trying."
Ainsley snorted next to me, and I shot him a dirty look.
