Love and war, p.64
Love and War, page 64
“You should get dressed,” Vee says with a huff as she zips up her fitted jade-colored dress. “Dad doesn’t like it when we’re not ready to go.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Why? He’ll just make me change anyway.”
At this, her pale cheeks burn bright red. I know she’s embarrassed about how her father acts around me. Like I’m a piece of property. Neither she nor I will discuss why he’s this way. It’s awkward for us both. The only thing that makes sense about my life is the fact that she and I became best friends. She was a lonely, homeschooled child while I’d lost everyone closest to me. We were naturally drawn to one another. I hurry and fire off another text to Ren before Heath gets here.
Me: I miss you too.
Vee spritzes some perfume on and fusses with her eyeliner. She’s looking especially stunning today. I know she’s attempting to please her dumb dad. And probably hoping to lure one of the Rojas brothers into liking her.
It won’t work.
None of the Rojas brothers—not even Oscar—are interested in her. It’s why I’m here in the first place. To be married off to one of them. And while I get along with Oscar the best, I don’t want to be married off to anyone. I had plans. College. A career in filmmaking. And then later on down the road, marriage and a family. But ever since Dad lost his mind and ran off with the psycho who killed my mother, my plans got slaughtered too.
“Earth to Brie,” Vee snaps, looking feisty with her hands on her hips.
God, I wish they would like her instead so I would be off the hook. Life would be a lot simpler that way.
“What?”
“I asked if you were texting with Ren. Has Calder asked about me?” She bats her eyelashes sweetly. I don’t know why she’s asking about Calder. Last time he tried to kiss her, she avoided him. Since I’ve known her, she’s been obsessed with Oscar. And even though Calder is a hot, nice guy, she just doesn’t seem too into him for some reason.
“Ren wanted to crash the party,” I say with a laugh. “And no, he didn’t mention Calder.”
She pouts, and I swear it makes her look sultry, as she tosses her red hair over her shoulder. “Dad would have a fit if Ren showed up. In fact, if he knew you two sort of dated, he’d go nuts.”
I let out a huff. “And that’s why he’ll never know. As far as your dad’s concerned, I’m his dumb little puppet.”
Vee’s eyes well up with tears and I worry she’ll mess up her newly applied makeup. “I’m sorry,” she tells me for the millionth time since I came here. “But I’m not sorry you’re my best friend. If Dad hadn’t adopted you…” Her words trail off and her lip trembles. “I was lonely until you came to live with us.”
I toss my phone on the bed and pull her in for a hug. She’s taller than me, especially now that she’s wearing heels, so I basically get a face full of boobs.
“You’re my family now, Vee. I’m happy I have you.”
We’re still in a sisterly embrace when tension crackles through the air. I can always sense his presence before I ever see or hear him.
Heath Berkley.
The man who owns me.
“Vienna, baby doll, your mother was looking for you. The wait staff is arriving for the party, and she needs you to help direct them where to go,” he says in a smooth tone that makes me shiver.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers against my hair before releasing me.
As soon as she exits the bedroom, Heath pounces.
Like a black panther stalking its prey, he strides over to me. His knuckles lift my chin so our eyes meet. “Why aren’t you dressed?”
Irritation trickles through me and I narrow my gaze at him. “You always make me change anyway.”
He steps away from me and regards my outfit with a disgusted look. “You know I hate when you wear this shit.” He waves at my black yoga pants and oversized T-shirt. “Take it off.”
I’m stunned by his words as he storms into my massive closet. Hangers clang together as he searches for something for me to wear. When he reemerges, a scowl paints his features.
“Off.”
“W-What?” I hiss. “Not while you’re watching me.”
His face reddens and a vein in his forehead pulsates with rage. Normally I do as he says, but he’s never asked me to undress in front of him before. I have to draw the line somewhere.
“Gabriella, take off your goddamned clothes before I take them off for you,” he growls.
Tears pinch the backs of my eyes, but I refuse to let him see me cry. For three years, I’ve lived in this house and hidden my emotions from him. Not once have I let him see how broken I am inside at having seen my mother’s bloody, dead body or how devastated I was that my dad chose her killer over me.
When he takes a menacing step toward me, I let out a yelp. “Gabriella.” His low, warning growl has me peeling off the big T-shirt. Had I known he was going to force me to undress in front of him, I’d have worn a bra. As soon as the shirt hits the floor, his eyes flicker with desire. I don’t miss the way his slacks bulge with his erection. A shiver of fear ripples through me.
“Pants.”
Swallowing, I slowly push the material down over my hips toward my knees. Thankfully I have on a pair of black lacey boy short panties. He stalks over to me and brushes some hair away from my face. His scent chokes me, and I nearly gag.
“So perfect,” he praises, his fingertips tangling in my hair. He presses a soft kiss to my mouth. My entire body freezes. Heath has kissed me but never on the mouth. Usually on the cheek, forehead, or the top of my head. “Please wear a bra with this dress.” His voice is husky. The heat from his body nearly scorches me although we are barely touching.
“Okay.”
“Now, Gabriella.”
I jolt away from him and scramble to find a bra. Once I’ve put it on in record speed, I start for the dress he’s laid out on the bed. When I bend over to grab it, he steps behind me. His large hands find my hips and he pulls my ass against his hard-on.
“Do you feel what you do to me?”
I swallow and try not to cringe. Embarrassment causes my flesh to heat. “I’m sorry?”
He chuckles and his thumbs rub circles on my hipbones. “I’m not.”
A shriek escapes me when he pops my ass softly with his hand before striding away from me. Before he exits, he turns to regard me with a sly grin. “What do you want for your birthday?”
My freedom.
I yank the dress quickly up my body to hide from him. “I don’t want anything.” From you.
Our eyes lock and he pins me with his heated glare. “Three more days, Gabriella. And then I’m going to give you something we both will enjoy.”
At that, he slips out of my room and disappears.
I have to get out of here.
* * *
Heath’s parties are something out of a fairy tale. He spares no expense when it comes to hosting such events. Everyone who is anyone is invited, the food is incredible, and the décor is impressive. I’ve met more celebrities than I can shake a stick at. Under normal circumstances, this might be cool.
But nothing about this situation is cool.
What people from the outside don’t see is the cesspool of the vilest criminals all dressed up and fancy as hell in one room making subtle and refined negotiations. Heath Berkley is not an honest self-made man. He’s heavily involved in the drug circuit. I know for a fact that his biggest alliance is with the Rojas family. Camilo Rojas is one of the richest men in Colombia. His cocaine empire is virtually untouchable by the American feds. He doesn’t come to the US much—he instead has his two eldest sons, Esteban and Duvan, do most of the overseeing for his drug trafficking. His alliance with Heath is what keeps the feds off his ass. Heath lines the pockets of politicians, influential police personnel, and our local government so they’ll overlook what comes through his shipyard via shipping containers.
So far, the business marriage between these two families has worked out well. But about five years ago, the Colombian government began harassing Camilo. They’re as corrupt as he is and have been extorting a crap load of money in exchange for not blasting Heath’s name to the feds—the ones who actually do their jobs and aren’t dirty—the ones he can’t pay off no matter how much money he waves in their faces. Their mere “business” relationship makes their criminal activity that much more obvious. Why else would a wealthy Colombian family be so well connected with a rich American one? Especially since the American family owns a gigantic shipyard that primarily sends barges to Buenaventura from the Port of San Diego.
For the past several years, Heath and Camilo have slowed on both production of the coke and the distribution here in America to keep the Colombian government off their backs. However, when they finally have me married into the Rojas family, they can make a great show of the actual marriage of the two powerful families. Their relationship will no longer be a red flag.
Of course, I’m not supposed to know any of this.
But, like I said, Oscar, the youngest Rojas son, is actually my friend and has a really big mouth.
“Oh my God, Brie,” Vee whines and sips on the champagne we’re only allowed to have about eight times a year at these lavish parties Heath hosts. “Oscar looks so hot tonight. His hair is getting longer. He looks more like Esteban every day but a whole lot less scary.”
I laugh and scan the growing crowd for our friend. He lives and goes to school in Bogotá, just a day’s drive from where his father’s shipyard is located and apparently around the corner from where one of the warehouses is located. We don’t see Ozzy every time Heath has his parties so I’m glad to know we’ll see him tonight.
“Are Duvan and Esteban here too?” I don’t want either of them to be here. Where Oscar treats me as a friend and makes me laugh, his two older brothers treat me as a prize one of them will eventually sink their teeth into.
“Yep, and old man Camilo. Must be a big deal for the whole family to be here,” Vee says and chugs her champagne. “I’m going to make out with Oscar. I’ll shove him into a dark room and do dirty things to that firm body.” When she starts fanning herself, I laugh.
“Do you even know how to do dirty things? Last I checked, you were a virgin too, nerd,” I tell her with a smile.
A big body comes between us and slinks an arm around each of us. As soon as I inhale the familiar cologne, I know it’s Oscar. “What’s that? You both want to lose your virginity to me at the same time?” he says playfully. “I can arrange that. It’ll be our little secret.”
I chuckle but Vee bristles. Her idea of flirting with Oscar lately is to give him the cold shoulder. On many occasions, I suggested she switch up her approach. Maybe just dress slutty and attack. She always turns her nose up at that idea and prefers to play hard to get. Possibly a little too hard to get.
“I’m going to go talk to Dad for a bit,” she says coolly. “See you around?”
He shrugs as she pulls from his grip. As she walks away from us, her hips sway and I know deep down she’s hoping he’ll follow her. Sometimes I want to push him in her direction. But we all know it’s our parents who have the final say on who dates who.
And right now, it’s still up for debate.
At least until three days from now…
“Come on,” Oscar says and grabs my hand. So much for sending him her way.
He drags me through the throng of people and down the hallway. When we reach one of the many guest bedrooms, he pushes through it. After he shuts the door, he gives me a crooked grin that I know must melt some hearts back in his hometown.
“Miss me?” he asks, waggling his dark eyebrows.
Laughing, I give him a playful shove. “I missed hearing about all of your female conquests. Have you had sex with the entire female population there, Ozzy?”
He unbuttons his jacket and tosses it over a chair before sprawling out on the bed. “Maybe even a small percentage of the male population too. You know I can’t turn down a killer body.”
Rolling my eyes, I kick off my heels and crawl onto the bed beside him. This is our thing. Usually, Vee is right in the middle. Find Oscar, hide from the parents and his brothers, and laugh all night. It feels weird without my best friend. But she knows where to find us.
“You’re a douchebag,” I tell him with an exasperated huff but hug his middle.
“A douchebag you’re going to marry.” He turns and regards me with a grin.
I scrunch up my nose in irritation. “I wish it were you and not one of your asshole brothers.”
“Duvan’s not that much of an asshole. Just acts like a dick most of the time because of Esteban. Always has to prove something. He’s better than he used to be though. Rehab really cleaned him up.” I never even knew Duvan had done drugs. I mean, they’re all sons of a drug trafficker, but I never thought they actually did them. He turns on his side and stares at me, a frown tugging at his full lips. His fingers push some hair from my face. “But it’s me. I’m going to marry you.”
I love Oscar. I truly do.
But I don’t want to marry him.
We’re friends.
Besides, things are beginning to get serious with Ren.
“Ozzy…” I trail off.
His eyes are molten with love and it breaks my heart I don’t feel the same about him. I wish he’d look at Vee this way instead.
“Brie,” he murmurs and slides a palm to my hip. “It’s what Papá has decided.”
Hope blossoms in my chest. At least with Oscar, the idea of an arranged marriage doesn’t seem so frightening. He’s the type of boy who’d never settle down, so I’m sure he wouldn’t care if I dated Ren on the side.
“Really?”
He slides his fingers into my hair and grips me gently. His eyes darken as he drops his mouth near mine. “Really.”
And before I can register what’s happening, his mouth is on mine. Demanding and eager. He deepens his kiss the moment I open my mouth to ask him to stop. His heavy body slides over mine and his erection pokes at me through our clothes.
“So hot and mine now,” he murmurs against my mouth.
His kiss has left me breathless, but I start to protest. “Ozzy—”
He lets out a groan as his hands roam my body. “We can finally have what we’ve always wanted.”
When his fingers pinch my nipple through my dress, I cry, “What has gotten into you?” He never acts like this. “Oscar, we can’t do this. I’m seeing someo—”
He silences me with another kiss. My heart races in my chest as I try to wriggle free of his expert touch that starts to roam south. Turning my head to the side, I let out a groan. “Please stop.” I push at his massive shoulders, but he’s immovable. He suckles at my neck as he manages to shove my dress high up my thighs. This is going too far. “Oscar, no. I don’t…” I trail off. “…want this.”
His hot breath causes me to shiver. Balling my fist, I prepare to punch him in his ribs until he gets off of me. But it’s too late. I lock onto a pair of familiar green eyes that glimmer with betrayal in the doorway.
Vee.
No!
“Vienna!” I call out over Oscar’s shoulder. “You idiot! Look what you did!” I slap at his head, but he just gives me a wicked grin.
“What?” he says in a smug tone. “You liked it.”
I shudder in disgust. “Get out! You’re an asshole!”
I go to kick him, but he jumps off the bed out of the way.
His brows furrow in frustration. “You love me and when we get married, I’ll—”
“You’ll do what, little brother?” a deep voice says from behind him. “Last I checked, you weren’t in the running for this little contest.”
Normally, I hate Duvan but today I’m thankful for his presence. Oscar just crossed a major line.
“Fuck off, D. You know she and I are better suited for each other,” Oscar grumbles and adjusts his erection in his slacks. “She doesn’t even like you or Esteban.”
Duvan steps from behind Oscar. My eyes meet his almost black, rage-filled glare and I suppress a shudder. His gaze falls to between my legs where my dress is still lifted. I squeeze my thighs shut to hide from him. When his darkened gaze meets mine, he stalks over to me. The hunger in his eyes scares me.
“Out, brother,” Duvan bites out, his tone a no-nonsense growl.
Remorse washes over my friend’s face. His eyebrows are pinched together and his eyes flicker with regret. For him to maul me like he did is way out of character. We’ve always been friends and nothing more. “I’m sorry, Brie. I just wanted us to—”
“NOW!” Duvan roars.
I flinch at his barked order. “Please check on Vee,” I beg. Oscar gives me a single nod before turning and slamming the door behind him.
Now that we’re alone, Duvan’s hardened stare softens. He quirks up one side of his mouth in a knowing smirk. “You look hot as fuck when you’re aroused, tigress.”
“I wasn’t aroused,” I argue with a glare of my own.
He chuckles, and I have the urge to slap him upside the head too. “Little Ozzy turns you on. And just think, I’m bigger and better than him in every way. When we’re married, I’ll show you just how much bigger of a man I truly am.”
I narrow my eyes at him as I climb off the bed. He doesn’t stop staring at me as I quickly smooth my dress down over my thighs and cross my arms over my still hard nipples. Thanks a lot for that, Ozzy. As if he can read my mind, he smirks.
“You can’t hide from me. I’ll be seeing what’s under that dress and be inside of you by the end of the week, tigress. And that’s a motherfucking promise.”
CHAPTER TWO
Ren
“Have you heard from him?” I ask as I pace my room at home. I can hear Mom banging pans around. She’s been in a pissy mood ever since Dad left for a meeting in Chicago. But apparently, women shouldn’t fly this late in their pregnancy, according to Dad. Mom’s about to pop with a baby boy any day now. My parents call the kid an “oops” baby. Calder and I call him a “pull out method gone bad” baby…but never to their faces.
