Page 17 of Wreckin' Amethyst

Damn, Jack Frost had one hell of a glow up, is all I can think as everything goes black.

Chapter 11

“GivehertoSebby,”Carter orders quietly. I’m as aware as he is, there’s a parole officer back in the manor hunting for his charge. I felt the same trepidation, after Charley couldn’t find Ami in any of the bathrooms.

Plucking the syringe from her neck, Owen appears to take it from me, deftly unhooking the blood-stained diamond collar in one, smooth move. Reaching for the discarded ballgown, he then places both items and bloodied spoke inside, wrapping the lace into a bundle. The whole lot, body included, will be buried within the grounds tonight, until we’re able to burn it all tomorrow. Just like the ease which Amethyst displayed lingering near a dead body, this isn’t our first rodeo either.

“Myles. Pass her over to Sebby,” Carter growls again. Sebby takes a tentative step forward, but we both know he won’t be fighting me for her. Not when my arms tighten protectively, her gangly frame appearing so small in my hold. Amethyst would probably attempt to shaft me too for holding her like this, but nothing will force me to let her go. Making a move to leave, heading west towards a hidden entrance to the manor, Carter steps into my way.

“You can’t be trusted.”

“I may have done many things Carter, but I’ve never taken someone without their consent and I stand by that.” My nostrils flare, daring him to argue. We both know I’m innocent of my accused crimes, and to suggest otherwise now would destroy whatever thread of self-esteem I have left. Sighing, Carter allows me to pass. I make sure to shoulder barge him anyway.

“Wait,” Sebby whisper-shouts. My fists tighten, careful not to harm Amethyst, until Sebby helps me out of my jacket without needing to put her down. Placing the jacket over her almost naked body, I give him a nod of thanks. Crossing the grass on impatient strides, I near a darkened corner at the base of the hill. I know the blind spots, accustomed to needing a breather from the tightly structured life I must lead. Above, idle chatter floats from overhanging balconies. Carter’s voice penetrates the air, announcing it’s time for the auction. I huff. Typically, he’s chosen not to get his hands dirty.

Following the steady incline of a path worn into the grassy bank, I round the manor, ducking back as headlights flash. Teens, dripping wet with pool water, are being bundled into a limo by security, the door slammed closed on their protests. Daughters of a main investor who sneak champagne when no one is looking. The same shit happens every year.

Holding back until the limo has veered through the driveway and disappeared through the gates, a soft click sounds above my head. Peering at the window, Carter regards me with the usual clench to his jaw. The one that says I’m disappointing him again, and I long since stopped caring.

His outline retreats, leaving me to push the window open and navigate climbing through whilst supporting Amethyst all by myself. I’m careful, taking more time than I should to brush the loosened tendrils of her hair back from her face. She’d never let me get this close whilst conscious. My hand cups her cheek, my thumb stroking a path at the corner of her mouth. So serene. So unaware of the emotion she stirs within. Blood splatter flecks her chest above the cover of my suit jacket, leaving me bereft with a mixture of anger and pride. I wholly believe I’d forgotten how to feel anything before she came along, a lifeless drone following orders.

Movement sounds beyond the door of the study. I stagger back into reality, dipping behind the door which Carter left slightly ajar. Bastard. Whoever it is moves on, and as I peer across the entrance lobby, there’s no one in sight. Waiting another moment to make sure, I bundle Amethyst closer to my chest and make a run for it. Across the shining marble, up the staircase. Briefly pausing at the top of the stairs, I look left towards the sex rooms. Amethyst has claimed the bondage room as her own, but that’s not the direction my feet travel in. Turning right, I make a beeline for my room at the end of the hall, but I don’t make it there fast enough.

The handle to Owen’s bedroom twists, his door beginning to open from the inside. Diving into the closest room available, I spin into the en-suite bathroom just as the light from the hallway fills Sebby’s room. I don’t know what caused me to hide, but I put it down to instinct. There’s no way Owen could be back already, unless he needed something. Gloves, perhaps? Shaking my head to myself, I begin to move when a silhouette catches my eye.

Watching through the crack of the door, a woman steps inside. Her heels move silently, the outline of her dress clinging to her tall and slender frame. I strain to watch as she steps out of view, curiosity getting the better of me. It’s an Elite. It has to be. No one else would manage to bypass the security guards, or know where to find our bedrooms. The manor is a maze to those who aren’t familiar with it.

Ahh fuck,I think to myself. She’s probably looking for me. It’s not uncommon for me to ditch these parties and entertain myself by any other means possible. Anything to avoid being watched for when I inevitably slip up, and leave a mess Carter has to fix. He’s ensured it’s how our dynamic works best. The Elite moves further into the room, lingering. She must have seen me. I press my forehead against the tile, careful to not squash Amethyst. Not that it matters now – I’m screwed either way.

Whether the Elite signed an NDA or not, finding me hidden in the dark with the bloodied, unconscious body of a woman who turned me down mere hours ago would be too much of a headline to miss out on. I already know I wouldn’t be able to buy her out, because the Elites aren’t just here for the money or the sex. It’s the fame. The association of being one of my top five, like Hugh Hefner’s bunnies.

Becoming one of my Elites, after Carter declared I have the need for them, gains immediate spotlight. Entry to the classiest parties, the most exclusive clubs. The more I can be seen with consenting females, the more I’m able to prove I deserve to run my father’s company. That I’m not the type of leering asshole who stalks women down in the gardens and drugs them. I hate being associated with such men. If I can even call him that. Yet the longer the Elite remains stationed outside the door, the more I can feel the life I’ve done everything to protect slipping through my fingers.

Somewhere through my barrage of bitterness, drawers open, papers ruffle. The hangers in the wardrobe scrape as they’re shoved from side to side. A frown claims my features, my brows pinching. Using the darkness to my advantage, I step forward to peer around the door just as Amethyst murmurs in my arms. Freezing on the spot, I try to still her gentle squirming, a soft moan leaking from her lips. My heart judders, thoughts jumbling inside my mind. Without a better option, I do the one thing I swore to Carter I wouldn’t. My mouth closes over Amethyst’s, silencing her with a stolen kiss. The presence in Sebby’s room is sent into a panic, a flurry of movement rushing towards the bathroom.

Fucked. We’re so fucked. Yet as an alarm blares inside my mind, a click sounds. Ringing out, releasing the iron-tight grip on my heart. Releasing Amethyst’s soft lips, I peer into Sebby’s room, noting we are completely alone. Rushing to the door and throwing it open, there’s no one to be seen. A ghost of the night, gone. But there’s also no time to dwell on it now, as Amethyst squirms again and I don’t stop moving until she’s being lowered onto my bed.

“Shh,” I soothe. “It’s okay, I’m here.” I’m not sure who my words are supposed to comfort, but it clearly wasn’t Amethyst. She shudders further, her hands finding the sheet to clench them tight. Knowing there’s nothing I can do for her until the drug-induced haze passes, I attend to her body.

Removing her heels and fetching a cloth, I wet it in my bathroom, ensuring the water is lukewarm. Grabbing a bar of soap and hand towel, I return to clean her. Inch by inch, until her creamy complexion is returned, albeit slightly reddened. I try to resist trailing my fingers, gently dragging my knuckles over the indent at her waist, and fail. Once I’ve done all I can, I settle on the edge of the bed, exhaling deeply. My eyes fall to her blood-stained bra and thong. They have to come off. They must join the bloodied hand towel and cloth in the nearby trashcan to go into tomorrow’s burn pile.

My fingers flex against the edge of the mattress. And here is when I enter that gray zone. The torment between receiving everything, everyone I’ve ever wanted, and being denied the one I truly crave. I didn’t know what yearning felt like until Amethyst denied my advances. Looked me in the eye and had no inclination of lust. My therapist is going to have a field day at our next appointment, but for now and for once, I’m all on my own.

Carter will bust my balls over this, but there’s nothing else for it. Averting my gaze, I twist back and drag the thong down her long legs. Her bra consists of suction cups I need to pry from her breasts, ignoring the way they jiggle once freed. A groan locks in my throat. Heading for my dresser, I catch sight of my own bloodied suit in the mirror.

“Leave her alone,” Amethyst twists, her face contorted with pain. I rush to grab us a matching set of white t-shirts and boxers, changing quickly to return to her side. “I’ll do it…just…leave her.” Each mumbled word clenches my gut tighter. Hovering over her body, I hesitate. Her movements become more erratic, and as I slide the boxers over her feet, she jerks and attempts to kick me in the face. Yet being caught with her stark naked in my bed and seemingly in distress would be so much worse, especially as she begins to cry out.

“No. No!” Fuck it. Pinning down her legs, I drag the boxers into place and fight Amethyst to get my t-shirt over her head. She has full use of her limbs again, but her eyes remain tightly closed. Scrunched shut. Shoving the shirt down over her flat stomach, I sigh and drop back into the mound of pillows, my weight dislodging hers. Now pressed against my side, Amethyst begins to weep. Her voice filters into a pained whisper.

“How could you?” My own heart shatters. I don’t know what happened to Amethyst, why she’s so tormented, but in this moment, the wash of pain is as real as if I’m the villain of her nightmares. I’m the cause of her heartache.

Careful not to move too quickly, I ease my arm beneath her head and pull her into my side. Drawing the cover over us cements my decision. She’ll flip out when she wakes, but there’s nowhere else I trust her to be safe tonight. Laying here, I will absorb every truth she unknowingly reveals, and tomorrow I’m going to hunt down every fucker who’s ever hurt her. Not because I want her body, but because I want her soul freed of the weight it’s burdened with.

“You’ll wish you never met me,” she promises. I nod, already knowing that will be the case. But damn me if I can’t resist her.

“It’s okay, baby. You’re safe here. You’re safe with me.”

Chapter 12

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