The Bastard Prince (Crellids Book 1) Read online

  "Oh dear," Fabio mused, turning his full attention to me. "What a little troublemaker you have become, little Ashton."

  My skin crawled when his dead eyes roamed over my body. I hated having that man's eyes on me, but I knew better than to open my mouth.

  He wasn't Trigger.

  I couldn't push back with this man.

  I couldn't push back with any of these men without the promise of severe punishment.

  "This bitch again," Yegor grunted, not slowing his pace as he continued to anally defile the poor, suspended girl.

  Breathless, he turned his evil gaze on me.

  "Sorry I missed your birthday bash, baby whore," he sneered, slamming into the girl extra hard. "Could've been a different outcome if me or Anton here had been in town for your initiation."

  Fabio chuckled. "It would have made for an interesting contest."

  I shuddered in repulsion.

  "Help me," the girl cried out, looking at me like I could somehow save her. "Please –"

  Her words morphed into a harsh cry when Fabio roughly yanked on her leash, choking her with her own collar.

  "Work harder, boys," he told his sons. "She should not have air in her lungs to cry out. We need her broken. Make her mind slip away."

  The girl cried harder and I dropped my head, gaze riveted to my knees in pure terror.

  "Look at me," Fabio commanded.

  Without an ounce of hesitation, I snapped my head back up, forcing myself to meet his gaze. I didn’t dare not. I was under no illusions as to who called the shots in my life.

  Trigger might have claimed me at my initiation, but Fabio owned us both. He owned every beating heart in this room and he knew that I knew it.

  "You broke the basic house rules, little Ashton," he told me in a sickeningly soft tone that sounded like nails on a chalkboard to my ears. "Leaving my home without consent– a home that I provided to you when you were an orphan whore without a father to protect you or a birth whore to love you. A home where you were fed and clothed, educated and unharmed. A home where I allowed you to roam free from chains and restrictions. You were given more access and freedom than any other whore and yet, you threw my goodwill back in my face by deliberately breaking my rules." He tutted softly and rubbed his jaw. "How ungrateful you have turned out to be." His eyes danced with malice. "I am most disappointed in you."

  Trembling from head to toe, I swallowed deeply and whispered, "I'm sorry, sir."

  "I do not tolerate disobedience in the whores that live under my roof. This was explained very clearly to you the day you arrived here."

  "Yes, sir," I strangled out, pulse quickening.

  "You should be slaughtered slowly for your disobedience," Fabio continued, keeping his mild-mannered tone. "At the very least, I should sell you off or put you to work so that I can recuperate some of the financial burden it took to raise you to adulthood."

  A cold bead of sweat trickled down the back of my neck.

  I didn’t dare beg him for mercy.

  It would only turn him on.

  Fear aroused him.

  Finishing quietly, Anton pulled out of the girl, who was now semi-comatose, and quickly rearranged his clothes before walking out of the room, never once looking in my direction.

  Sighing dramatically, Fabio tugged on the girl's leash, choking her out before continuing, "But my son is unwilling to let you go. Whether he wants to admit it to himself or not, he is still very much under your spell." A smile ghosted his lips. "Impressive witchery. A dangerous quality possessed by only the rarest of whores."

  "Your son's a bitch," Yegor huffed.

  "Silence, boy," Fabio commanded.

  "Where is Trigger?" I managed to whisper, praying to all that was divine and holy that he was somewhere close by.

  "Working off your debt," Fabio mused.

  "M-my d-debt?"

  "You broke my rules," he explained. "Such betrayal does not go unpunished – or come without a high cost. So, your favorite bastard is currently working his hardest to keep me appeased in order to keep you alive." Fabio chuckled. "Although, I doubt even his best efforts will manage that. Not when you have a defiant streak in your soul just like your father had." Fabio laughed softly. "It will get my son killed trying to keep you alive."

  "Please d-don’t hurt him," I blurted and then quickly regretted my words. "Please," I decided to keep going, knowing that the damage was already done. I had spoken out of turn. I was damned either way. "Don't p-punish Trigger for m-my mistake."

  "The lamb still loves her wolf," Fabio mused. "After all he did to you. Abandoning you. Humiliating you. Defiling your body. Caging you. Yet, you are still loyal to him." He tilted his head to one side. "Impressively devoted."

  I flinched at his words, feeling conflicted, his words hitting me deep.

  "Ah, just string her up and let me fuck her already," Yegor barked and then let out a furious snarl as he released inside the girl.

  Motionless, she hung limply from her suspension.

  They'd done it.

  They'd broken her mind.

  She wasn't here anymore.

  I wished I could call her back and ask her to take me with her.

  I watched as one of Fabio's men untied her.

  She collapsed in a heap on the floor beside me, unmoving.

  She wasn’t dead.

  She was just…gone.

  "Someone needs to be punished," Fabio said, dragging my attention back to him. "My son took it upon himself to bear responsibility for your reckless actions, and I reluctantly agreed. You were placed with the whores for a reason – to give my son the opportunity to pay off your debt. You were not raped down there. You were fed and watered. All you had to do was wait, but you are a spoiled and willful whore. My son indulged you, he has always treated you too kindly, and you decided to break my rules again. That's twice. There are no second chances in my world, little Ashton," he continued to taunt me. "It will cost you." He smirked. "But it will cost him much more –"

  "Don’t hurt him," I squeezed out, feeling faint at the thought. "Please."

  "Then who should I hurt? Who should I punish for your behavior?" he asked softly. "Hmm?"

  I flinched, stomach heaving. "Oh god."

  "You?" he coaxed. "Or him? The choice is entirely yours."

  "Not him," I choked out, tears filling my eyes. "I fucked up, not him."

  "Then get to your feet, little Ashton," Fabio said and his tone left no room for bargaining. "Show me how much you love your wolf."

  I couldn’t.

  My body was paralyzed with fear.

  "Get up," Fabio growled, tone hardening. "You are a whore. Whore's listen and obey. So, get up. I will not tell you again."

  Frozen to the floor, I heaved, knowing that my world was about to implode on me.

  Shaking my head, I tried to move, but my limbs locked into place, my body unwilling to move a muscle.

  "So disobedient." Sighing heavily, Fabio clapped his hands together once. "Suspend her."

  My heart stopped dead in my chest.

  "No!"

  Moments later, several pairs of hands landed on my body and I was stripped bare before being suspended to the very straps the girl before me had dangled from.

  "Collar her," Fabio ordered and I felt my body break out in a jolt of violent tremors.

  I couldn’t reach the floor.

  Not even on my tiptoes.

  My arms burned.

  My muscles screamed out in protest as I dangled from my arms.

  I felt every set of eyes on my naked body and I quickly clenched my eyes shut, stemming the flow of my tears and blocking them out.

  Float away, Ashton.

  Just fly away.

  I felt the cool leather tighten around my neck and my jaw went slack.

  Tune it out.

  Switch your mind off and just float out of your body.

  The crack of a leather belt on my bare bottom caused my breath to leave my lungs in an audible gasp.
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  Don’t scream.

  Don’t cry out.

  He hit me again.

  Shh.

  It's okay.

  Again, again, again.

  Hold it in.

  Let go.

  Just close it off.

  Bite after bite of the belt.

  I was screaming now, writhing in agony against every merciless lash of the belt.

  He must have hit me fifty times.

  I couldn’t keep count.

  I was dying.

  The pain was unbearable.

  Unable to stop myself, I screamed at the top of my lungs, praying and begging for mercy.

  It never came.

  When I felt my legs being pushed apart, a piece of my heart died in my chest.

  When I felt someone press at my front entrance and another at my back, my entire soul fractured and splintered apart.

  Bracing myself for death, because if these men didn’t kill me, I was going to do it myself, I locked my muscles into place and frantically hunted for a happy memory.

  Something to cling to.

  Somewhere to run to.

  Meaty hands groped at my bare breasts and another pair of hands lifted me into position.

  "I've been waiting for this since you got my brother killed, cunt."

  Remember your bird, Peter?

  He was beautiful.

  "I'm going to fuck you until I split you in half, baby whore."

  Maybe you'll get another bird someday.

  And a big white cage.

  I felt something hard probe against my vagina, moments before a deafening bang thundered through my ears.

  Something wet splattered across my face and the probing was gone.

  Another deafening bang filled my ears, taking with it the hands at my back.

  "Try it and I will kill every last one of you."

  My eyes sprang open at the sound of the familiar accent and locked on a man standing in the doorway of Fabio's lair.

  No, not a man.

  A king.

  My king.

  Trigger's dark eyes landed on mine, so full of rage and ferocity, that I felt something snap back into place.

  Looking wild and feral, he stormed into the room, flanked by several men in black suits.

  The army, I quickly registered.

  They were still alive.

  Some of them, at least.

  "You took your time," Fabio chuckled, not one bit fazed by the many guns pointed at his chest. It didn’t matter to him. He truly believed that he was untouchable, and in truth, he was. For every gun that was aimed at his chest, two more were aimed at me.

  "You killed your brother," Fabio stated, not even flinching at the sight of Yegor's lifeless body crumpled on the floor. "That's two of my sons, bastard."

  "Sounds like we're even," Trigger shot back without missing a beat. "Two of your family members for two of mine.”

  Fabio tilted his head to one-side, considering this. "Hmm." With a carefree shrug, he smiled. "I believe that sounds about right – if you consider whores to be of the same value as my sons. Which I don’t."

  "I don’t care what you consider fair. We had a deal," Trigger replied in a deathly cold voice as he moved for me, gun still cocked and aimed at his father. "You have no honor."

  Hooking an arm around my waist, he lifted my weight up and then inclined his head to one of his men.

  Immediately, the guard came and untied me and I fell heavily against Trigger, body limp and aching.

  "Be smart here, son," Fabio mused. "Every act has a consequence. You know this. Shoot me and she dies. Shoot another one of my men and she dies. If one more bullet flies in this room today, she dies."

  "Fuck you," Trigger seethed. "Animal."

  "Put your guns away, gentlemen," Fabio chuckled. "I have no intention of killing your prince today."

  "Ashton is mine." Keeping his arm hooked around my waist, Trig pressed me into his side and cocked the hammer on his gun.

  Sagging against him, I felt my arms go around his waist and my tears fell freely.

  "You do not touch her." Trembling with unbridled fury, he let his emotions get the better of him and switched his attention to my face, gaze roaming wildly over my body.

  His eyes darkened, settling on my neck.

  "Bastardo!" he roared, truly livid. Shoving his gun into the waistband of his pants, his fingers moved to my neck. "Corderito –"

  "And there it is," Fabio said, sounding like he was scolding a misbehaving child. "Your distraction is a weakness. She is your weakness, Trigger. She always has been. If I wanted to kill you right now, you would be dead. Do you know why? Because you turned your back on me. Rule number one; never take your eye off your target and especially not for a whore."

  "You do not collar my woman!" Trig roared, entirely distracted, as he freed my neck and tossed the leather back at his father. "She is not your fucking slave!"

  "Someone needs to collar her," Fabio replied calmly. "Your whore is out of control, Trigger. You need to break her in like a brood mare. You need to break her spirit."

  "She is not my whore!" Trig roared, vibrating with rage.

  Backing slowly from the room, he pushed me behind him and yet somehow managed to keep his arm around me and hold me up as we moved.

  I was thankful for his help, knowing that I didn’t have the energy to hold myself up on my own.

  "Oh yes, I forgot," Fabio mocked with a chuckle. "She is your queen."

  "She has her father's blood running through her veins and I, regrettably, have yours," Trigger taunted back. "Which means that we hold more power together than you ever can. And unlike you, I do not fear my woman. I worship her."

  "Careful, son," Fabio warned. "Any more of this fighting talk, and I might begin to think that you want my throne."

  "I piss on your throne," Trigger sneered with a shake of his head. "I will not forget this," he added, pushing me through the doorway and into the arms of one of his guards, who quickly removed his jacket to drape around me. "I will not forgive what happened today."

  "My patience is wearing thin," Fabio replied coldly. "Don’t push too far, boy."

  "Kill me," the girl who had been mercilessly raped before me cried out then, eyes locked on Trigger. "Please have mercy and kill me."

  Stiffening, Trig glanced down at the girl and then back to his father.

  Keeping his eyes locked on his father, he pulled his gun from the waistband of his pants and pointed it at the girl. "Que Dios se apiade de tu alma."

  May god have mercy on your soul.

  Moments later, the girl was dead.

  A single bullet wound pierced her skull.

  "That was an expensive mistake," Fabio said, eyes narrowing on his son. "One you will pay for with your queen whore's blood."

  "Not as expensive at the mistake you made when you collared and beat my woman," Trigger countered coolly. "However, you do not have enough blood in your body to pay for your crimes."

  "Oh dear," Fabio taunted. "Then how shall you make me pay?"

  "Have patience and you will find out, padre."

  15

  "You have one hour to find a good hiding place for your whore, son," Fabio called after us, as he stood in the hallway with his guards flanking him. "Time; a gift from a loving father to his ungrateful bastard. After that, it will be open season, and I will come for her." He smiled serenely. "A whore for a whore."

  "I will make you suffer for what you did," Trigger shot back with a snarl. "I will kill you slowly."

  Fabio grinned. "Is that another challenge, Trigger?"

  "You will die, padre," Trig said coldly. "At my hand."

  "I am standing right here, son," he countered, gesturing to his body. "Unarmed. Take your best shot."

  Snarling, Trigger twisted his neck from side to side, sounding truly feral. It was a double-edged sword that he wasn't prepared to fall on.

  If he shot his father, Fabio's guards would shoot me. I could feel countless guns ai
med at my naked body.

  Trig was trapped and he knew it.

  Inclining his head to his father, he hissed, "Soon."

  Laughing in delight, Fabio clapped his hands together. "One hour," he chuckled with a rueful shake of his head before heading back inside the lair. "Use your time wisely, son."

  Everything happened so quickly after that.

  Commands were barked, orders were obeyed, and guards…more guards than I'd ever seen in one place spilled into the corridors, armed with guns.

  Some belonged to the army.

  More were Fabio's men.

  Numb.

  I was deathly cold and numb to the bone.

  Reeling, I curled up in the smallest ball I could and remained cemented to Trigger's chest.

  Blocking out the agonizing pain in my back, I took comfort in the fact that I was still in Trig's arms.

  He was losing his ever-loving shit, shouting and spitting in Spanish at anyone stupid enough to cross his path, and he did all this with my body securely pressed to his chest, with the steady beat of his heart drumming against my ear.

  He didn’t pass me off to one of his men.

  He didn’t drop me on my ass.

  He didn’t bark orders at me or scream in my face for fucking everything up.

  Again.

  He just…held me in his arms.

  Snatching comfort wherever I could find it, I pressed my cheek to his chest, soothing my soul, and slowly repairing the fractured pieces of my heart.

  "¡No me importa un carajo!" Trigger barked, replying to something one of his guards had said. What, I couldn’t tell. I felt woozy and weak and was concentrating too hard on the steady rhythm of his heartbeat as it thudded against my ear to translate. "¡Haz que suceda! ¡Tiene que ser ahora!"

  He strode off again, jostling me in his arms, and I winced in pain.

  Unable to bear the sensation of his touch on my back, I hooked my arms around his neck and scrambled until we were chest to chest, with my legs hooked around his waist.

  Sniffling, I buried my face in his neck and clung to his big body like a small child would cling to a parent.

  Breathing in the smell of his familiar cologne, I clutched him tightly, unwilling to let go.

  Whether we hated each other or not was irrelevant in this moment.