Page 4 of Kingston
My gaze swivels back to the guys at the front of the room, where they’ve drawn themselves into a huddle, most likely confirming their game plan before they speak to the rest of the brotherhood. There’s nothing for me to do but wait to learn my fate. And sweat. I’m definitely sweating their intentions. But whatever they decide they need to do or say, I’m fine with it. I’ll meet it head-on.
While we continue to wait, I allow my mind to wander for a moment, needing to take my attention off whatever is about to happen. I drift into memories of how my dad used to tell me stories about his time at Hawthorne Hall and some of the shenanigans he claimed to be a part of. I haven’t a clue if he embellished the truth or held back, but either way, he never talked about the initiation process. That makes perfect sense, though, seeing as how he probably signed a legal document stating he couldn’t divulge any part of the process that makes one officially a brother of Hawthorne Hall.
Dad wanted me to be a boy so goddamn bad. What a disappointment I must have been. Those daddy issues of mine had thrown me right into the arms of a guy who took full advantage of my weakness. Getting emotional, I wrench myself from the memories of both my dad and my ex, Nick Carver.
At the crack of Kingston’s hands coming together, my head whips up, and I steal another look around the room, attempting to take in and learn faces.Get it together, girl. You have to stay alert and pay attention.We’ve hardly begun, yet I’m already feeling distinctly in over my head.You’re one of the boys now. Act like it.
Kingston folds his muscular arms over his chest, assuming this I-take-shit-from-no-one stance. I have a feeling this is a very typical formation for them. Kingston in the lead, Archer and Cannon on either side like twin sentinels, ready to back him however necessary, no matter what. I’m terrified of whatever is about to transpire, but I draw myself up, crossing my feet at the ankles, and fold my hands together in my lap.
“Obviously, we’ve got an anomaly this year. Something outside our norm.”
That’d be me.I hold my breath.
And, like I’d assumed would happen, his gaze zeros in on me. “In a few minutes, we’ll present our three initiates—Taggart, Elliot, and Bridger—to the brotherhood and make the decision as to which of you will be assigned to each group of brothers.” He clears his throat. “But before we can do that, we have other business to attend to. Elliot? Come on up here.”
At the mention of my name, there’s some eye rolling and mumbling, which is all stopped with a simple lifting of Kingston’s hand. He beckons me forward, so I stand, smoothing down my skirt with my palms. When I get to the front of the room with them, Kingston moves his finger in a circle, demanding I turn around and face my firing squad, so to speak. No one is smiling at me, but I guess I shouldn’t expect some grand welcome. I dread with every fiber of my being explaining how I managed this stunt.
“This is Elliot Ashford.” He’s standing close enough behind me that his harsh exhale hits the back of my neck where my hair is tied back. “To be clear, we’re not discussing whether or not she’s staying because she’s already signed the legal documents ensuring her silence about whatever she sees or encounters here. She’ll have to deal with the ramifications of it because we have no other choice. It’s too late to bring in anyone else. So.” He pauses, and I imagine he’s looking over my head at each of his brothers. “She’s one of us now, whether we like it or not.”
A rumble of disquiet moves through the group, and my eyes guiltily flick around the room, taking in the biggest dissenters. To be fair, it’s almost everyone—there are only one or twonotgiving me some version of the stink eye. And of those couple, it’s not like they’re smiling encouragingly. More like they’re being very tight-lipped about their actual opinion. Who knows what that means.
Just as I think maybe I’m in the clear, what I was fearing most begins to happen. One after another, the uneasy rumble from a few moments ago turns into all-out, full-throttle aggravation and aggression. I can’t keep up with who is saying what, but their hateful comments steamroller right over me.
“Wait, you mean she’s not a fucking stripper?”
“Dude, I know. I thought they were fuckin’ around.”
“You’ve gotta be fuckin’ kidding me.”
“No fucking way.”
“Last time I checked, brothers don’t have pussies.”
My face heats, burning red.Oh my god.I cringe hard.So much for my earlier plan of acting like one of the boys. That’s not even remotely possible with this kind of response. But also,holy shit.Shoving all the lewd and demeaning comments aside, a nervous wave of energy rolls through my body at the idea that… they’re actually going to allow me to stay.
Cannon steps closer to me and all at once, the room grows quiet. I’m sure as fuck not turning around to find out what’s going on that has caused the rapid silencing of their protests.
Kingston’s voice booms from directly behind me. “All right, cut the shit. We get that some of you are fucking pissed because her presence changes this brotherhood into something none of us signed up for. Trust me. I fucking get it. I don’t want her here either.” He stares pointedly at two of the guys. “We’ll be having an awkward discussion about how you missed this.”
My face burns with humiliation at his words, but it only strengthens my resolve. I should have known from the way he had his hand around my throat earlier that he’s plenty angry. I whirl around and stare at him, at every single feature—from the tense set of his jaw to the frown lines etching his forehead. And then I meet his cold, green eyes and freeze in place. My lips part at the stony expression on his face.
He leans forward and, in a menacing tone, grits, “Turn the fuck back around.”
My lips curve down. I bristle hard but do as he says. I don’t have a choice at the moment. This is definitely not the time to argue.
“So, what are we going to do about it?” A blond in glasses on the right raises his brows in question. I scan his face, which is full of curiosity. This guy and the other sitting off to the right in plush leather chairs are sophomores if I’m not mistaken. The two who made it through initiation last year when Will didn’t. A knife twists in my gut at the thought. Someone must know something.
Archer takes a step forward on my right. “We’re leaving her with the burden of explaining the circumstances of how she came to be here. We’ve never contemplated asking a woman to join our ranks—we all know it. Does it kinda suck? Maybe. That’s yet to be determined.”
I glance to my other side, meeting Cannon’s eyes. The look he gives me is unnerving—disgruntled—and a shiver runs down my spine. I’m fairly certain no one in the brotherhood, initiate or brother alike, truly thinks I belong. I’m a pariah.
But I also have a point to prove and a perfectly logical explanation for why I’m here that I’ll share with these heathens, and hopefully I’ll pull the wool right over their eyes as to the real reason for my complicated charade.
FOUR
ELLIOT
I glance quicklyat Archer as he flourishes his hand, giving me the floor.Here goes nothing.I draw in a deep breath and exhale hard. “It’s pretty simple. I grew up hearing how my dad was one of your brothers. He spoke very highly of the brotherhood and everything it meant to him.” I pause, my gaze shooting around the room to check for their reaction. Half of them leer at me, rolling their eyes, and the remainder snicker behind their hands.Great.“I want the advantages being part of the brotherhood will give me. It would mean a lot to me to be able to prove to my dad that I was able to join, too. He doesn’t have a son to pass the tradition down to. He doesn’t think—” I pause, not wanting to divulge too much information, and let out a heavy breath before continuing. “I’m a firm believer that women can do anything men can do. I will do anything required of me to prove it.”
