CHAPTER THREE
Twenty-two years old ...
It was only a date. I could handle a simple fucking date.
I shook my head as I stared at myself in the full-length mirror in my bedroom. Tonight was my first night as Marco’s hired out escort to a big client, and my stomach had been sick all day about it. I was a confident guy, I knew what I looked like, and I knew how easily I could make people laugh and smile when I wanted to. I rarely got nervous or had any self-doubt, but tonight, I was filled with both. It had been a year to the day since my parents died, and I still felt only relief to have them out of my life. I knew that was horrible of me, but that was just the way I felt. I hated my parents, and I was pretty sure that before they died, they hated me and my brothers too.
Their death hurt Damien, my youngest brother, the most, and like a ripple effect, their deaths caused the death of another at the hand of my little brother. Being an escort was all part of a deal my brothers struck. Marco didn’t have to think twice about how he would make me pay off Damien’s life debt; he knew from the jump what he wanted me to do, and I didn’t give it much thought until now.
“Are you nervous?”
I jumped when Ryder spoke. I lifted my head, and through the mirror I saw that he was leaning against my doorway, his arms folded over his chest. I smiled for his sake because he suddenly looked at lot older than his twenty-five years, and I knew it was because of the deal we made with Marco. He was the head of our family now, officially at least. Ryder had always been the head of our family; our parents just never realised it.
“Nah,” I said, uncaring. “I’ve been on dozens of dates before for Marco in the past year. I’ve got this.”
Ryder didn’t move a muscle.
“I’m fine,” I pressed. “Don’t worry about me.”
He snorted. “Easier said than done. I always worry about you guys.”
“Well, you don’t have to. We have these jobs to protect Damien, and once we meet Marco’s quota, we’ll be free of him and this shitty life forever.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.” Ryder sighed.
He entered the room and came to my side, looking into the mirror with me.
“It’s weird that we all look so much alike, but none of us are a pretty as you.”
I grinned. “God didn’t realise what he was doing by making me this sexy. I’m sure he made the four of you so ugly to balance out my beauty.”
Ryder laughed and slugged me in the shoulder.
“Asshole.”
I snickered as we left my bedroom and headed down the stairs to the foyer. I could hear the twins before I could see them as well as Kane snapping at them to stop fighting, and it made me snort.
“You’re the daddy,” I said to Ryder. “Go break them up.”
He rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched as we entered the living room and found Kane between our twin brothers as they tried to fight on another. I moved to Dominic’s side and hooked my arm around his neck. I knew he could break out of my hold if he wanted, but he’d have to hurt me to do that. He struggled a little but sighed loudly and gave up, which made me chuckle. I looked over at Damien and saw both Ryder and Kane had him while Ryder was in his face, talking harshly.
“What happened this time?” I asked Dominic as I released him. “And don’t lie.”
He brushed his arms and grunted. “That dickhead has been looking for a fight all day. He’s been in my face every chance he gets, and it’s pissing me the fuck off.”
“Come do something about it then!” Damien hollered from the other side of the room.
I grabbed Dominic when he tried to grant his twin’s request.
“Shut it!” Ryder snapped at Damien. “What the hell is your deal today?”
“This isn’t just today,” Dominic bellowed. “He’s been like this since Mom and Dad died, since he killed Trent!”
Things were silent for a moment, then Damien shrugged out of our brothers’ hold, storming out of the room and then the house.
“He’s angry about all of this happening to us,” Dominic said, his tone defeated. “He won’t say it, but I feel it whenever he looks at me. He wants me to hit him because beating himself up isn’t enough.”
Ryder placed his hands on his hips, then turned and wordlessly followed Damien out of the house.
“Dominic,” Kane said, gaining his attention. “Come and train with me. It’ll make you feel better.”
It would make him feel better, but Kane had used every free moment he had to help Dominic train. His job was no joke, and he had to be on point constantly or he could be physically hurt. He was only fifteen, so he had to take everything regarding his fighting technique seriously, and Kane knew that, which was why he was the one to help him perfect it.
Dominic looked at me with a raised brow, so I said, “I’ve got a date. Go with him.”
He nodded and left the room with Kane. I looked up at the ceiling and sighed. We were only a year into these damn jobs and already they were putting a huge strain on us. I looked at the doorway when a throat was cleared and found Jenner, one of Marco’s men, in the doorway.
“I’m to bring you to the pleasure room.”
I pulled a face. “Why?”
“That’s where your date is.” Jenner shrugged. “It’s just a location, nothing more.”
I gathered my bearings and nodded. I left the wing of the compound that housed my family, crossed the courtyard, and descended the stairs with Jenner that led to the underground pleasure room. It was where parties were held, ones that ended in an orgy in one way or the other. The journey to the room was quick, and Jenner filled me in on the man who paid for my company this evening. When I entered the room and saw a stout, balding man leaning against the wall across the room with a drinking glass in his hand, I put my game face on.
“Hello,” I said, forcing a smile. “I’m Alec ... I’m going to be your dat—”
“Plaything,” the man cut me off. “You’re going to be my plaything this evening.”
My steps sauntered as I crossed the room, and my smile fell.
“I’m sorry?”
“Come in.” The man waved. “I only have thirty minutes with you, and I intend to make every single one of them count.”
The door behind me suddenly closed, and the sound of its finality made me feel somewhat caged. I turned from the door and looked at the stout man.
“Sir,” I said, unsure of myself. “I was informed we were going on a date.”
“Well, you were informed wrong.”
I froze.
“I’ve already paid my half for my time with you, so hurry up and get over here.”
I turned, and without a word, I walked towards the door but was horrified to find it locked. I yanked on the handle, and when it became apparent the door was locked, I felt sick.
“Get on with it, Alec,” Jenner’s voice hollered from outside. “Marco’s already been paid. He told me to remind me of your family’s deal with him in case you want to leave.”
Damien.
I thumped on the door. “I was told it was a date, Jen!”
“Look.” Jenner sighed. “The quicker you fuck the creep, the quicker you can leave.”
Fuck him?
“I’m not fucking anyone, Jenner!”
Laughter flowed from behind me. “You’re right. You won’t be.”
I spun around and found a second man, taller than the stout man, but fatter and uglier.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“I went half with him,” he jabbed his finger at the stout man, “to avail of your services.”
To avail of my services?
“There has to be some mistake,” I said as politely as I could. “I’m not ... I’m not a prostitute.”