Page 89 of Reign of the Queen
I turn back and glare at my grandmother. Her dislike for my mother is getting tedious. I get it; they hate each other, but I am sick as fuck of being in the middle of the two of them. I love them both, but I can't wait to be away from both of them. Then the reminder pops into my head that I have literally sold my freedom to my grandmother to protect the kings; rage fills my blood. "I'm sure she didn't, grandmother. If you'll excuse me, I want to see Carter."
Not waiting to be excused, and having enough of all of them, I walk out of the room. My skin feels strung tight, and my blood is pounding in my ears. The only thing calming me down is the thought that now I own them, just like she owns me. I intend to use that in any way I can.
Pulling out my phone, I text my grandmother's contact, instructing him to have Raegan's dad removed today rather than next week from his home. The fucker is to be sent to his new placement far away from Casbury, Raegan, and her mom.
I send another text to Samantha's mother with a still from the video that the hacker I employed managed to steal from where Theo was storing it. The fucker really thought that with time and my resources, I wouldn't be able to get at it. The still image shows her daughter's face while getting railed by Mr. Dunnville. The warning implied that she had better remove her daughter from Casbury and far out of my reach, or her family will be next for my wrath.
My last text is to Raegan to make sure she’s okay and to let her know not to come to the house under any circumstances. I know it’s a bit cryptic and will probably freak her the hell out, but I don’t need her here and in further danger.
By the time the kings figure out I've made these moves and that they no longer have the video in their possession to leverage over me, the threat to Raegan will be gone. It'll be too late.
I grin to myself as I walk into Carter's room. The lockdown, while annoying, is appreciable for allowing me to make plays without the kings knowing. More importantly, without them being able to counteract them. By the time they are released from my home's captivity, they won't be able to reverse what I have done, and I truly will own them.Why does that prospect bring me mixed feelings?
Carter is lying on the bed with the sheet pulled up to his waist. His colorful tattoos are on display across his chiseled abdomen. His defined muscles are prevalent even while sleeping.Fuck, why is it that everything deadly is wrapped in beautiful packaging? The devil really does his work well.
Tom set up a drip in his arm, and Carter has sensors attached to his chest monitoring his heart rate. The medical team has given him an oxygen tube in his nose. He's deathly still and pale, his lips looking bloodless, long lashes a dark contrast against his pale cheeks. My heart rate speeds up, and a flutter of anxiety moves through my body as I approach the bed.
A female nurse in purple scrubs moves from the corner of the room, coming closer to the bed. Her kind and confident face smiles at me, and I can see that Carter's in good hands. "He's sedated Miss Stratford but doing very well. The oxygen is just a precaution to help him rest and recover. We are flushing the remainder of the drugs out of his system and keeping him stable and comfortable."
I nod, taking the seat at his bedside. All the machinery, beeps, and tubes bring back the memory of my stepfather during his last days while cancer ravaged his body. Watching him as machines breathed for him and kept him barely alive destroyed a huge part of me. I was there when he took his last breath, his skin cold and ashen. Looking at Carter right now I can see the ghost of my stepfather and the pain that clutches fiercely in my chest almost stops my breath in my lungs.
I lift Carter’s tattooed hand from the bed and intertwine my fingers through his to try to reassure myself that he’s alive and breathing. His palm is clammy but reassuring with its weight. I watch as his chest rises and falls with each breath. Banishing the images of Jared from my mind before I go down a dark hole I won’t be able to climb back out of. I bring up the memory of the last couple of times Carter and I were together, letting those images race through my mind. The last kiss he gave me in the hallway, his hands on my body in the empty classroom. The devilish smiles and smirks he sent my way.
Then another memory assaults me.
"Please, please just leave me alone." I cry, holding my hands firmly across my chest.
"Come on Amelia, show us the goods." Carter reaches out again and tries to pull on the strap of my tank top.
"Stop touching me, you fuck face!" I scream back, pulling away from his hands.
Mateo and Theo crack up, laughing at my frightened and angry state.
"Why the fuck do you want to see the cows udders, Carter?" Theo asks, laughing. Mateo is laughing so hard tears are trailing their way down his face as he makes mooing sounds.
I'm afraid, my legs are shaking, and my breath comes in rapid pants out of my chest.
"Tits are tits, prick. She's got huge ones. Just look at the size of those things. I want to get a good look." He moves forward and pulls hard on the strap of my tank top, snapping and tearing the cheap cotton material.
"Fuck you, you demon." I slap his groping hand away from me.
"Guys, why don't we just leave her alone, yeah?" Finn asks from behind me on the other side of the fence, and I turn suddenly, not realizing how close he is to me.
"Shut up, Finn! You always have a soft spot where this cow is concerned. I want to see her tits, and she's gonna show them to us." Carter darts forward with aggression and malice on his twelve-year-old face. My body ends up backed against the fence poll. Panic is racing in my veins; I’m almost trapped with Carter directly in front of me and the other two just flanked behind him. The menacing looks on Carter’s, Mateo’s and Theo’s faces gives me no hope that they will halt the terror they are putting me through. I can’t see Finn off to the side, and I am too terrified to take my eyes off of Carter.
Why can't they leave me alone? I don't even go to their school anymore. They made my mom lose her job. Now I'm back at the public school on my side of Casbury. These demons just keep coming here to torture me, and I don't understand why. I never did anything to deserve them bullying me.
"Please!" I beg, tears making their way in rivers down my face. My heart is racing so fast that I can't seem to catch my breath, and it’s choking me. My one hand is holding the ripped strap of the tank top, keeping my training bra and my breasts hidden. My other hand is in front of me, pitifully trying to ward Carter off.
I trip as I walk backward, trying to protect myself from Carter and the other three; my ankle twists under me as I walk across the uneven and broken concrete sidewalk. My leg gives out, and I feel instant pain, my knee takes the brunt of the fall, scraping against the dirty concrete. I can’t stay down, I need to get up. I need to try to get away from them. I pull myself back to my feet, the pain sharp in my scraped knee and in my ankle. Don’t look at how bad it is Amelia, keep them in your sights.
"Just show us your tits, and we will leave you alone, cow." Carter grins and makes another move to grasp onto my other strap.
I scream and turn my body until my front is trapped against the fence pole. He grabs onto the back of my shirt instead, digging his nails into my flesh. I hear a ripping noise and feel cool air hitting my back, I turn my neck so I can keep them in my sightline. My shirt is torn all the way down to almost my waist.
He grasps the back of my head, grabbing on to my hair and pulling hard, while his other hand digs into my arm trying to dislodge my hold on the fence poll and my shirt. Tears stream down my face as strands of hair are ripped out of my scalp, the burning sensation causing me to scream out.
Laughter comes from behind Carter, Mateo and Theo are enjoying the show Carter’s putting on by torturing me. They’re egging him on to rip my bra next. The fear is causing nausea to rise and I’m about to vomit up all my food from earlier.
