By the time I got back, it was getting dark. We drove past the familiar large trees and massive land. Stopping, the driver parked the car. "Welcome back, Prince Ryder," my cab driver said as I gave him a nod before exiting. I looked up to the large home and couldn't be more than happy to be back. Back to her, that is. Making my way to the double doors, it had opened to reveal my mother whose eyes glazed over and a relieved grin on her old gorgeous face. "Ryder!"
Running to me, she threw her arms around me as I hugged her back. She hysterically sobbed into my chest. I smiled and kissed her forehead. "I miss you too, Ma," I softly said as she tightened her hold on me.
"Ryder!" Dad boomed then soon did everyone else.
Mom backed away so I could do a man hug with everyone who approached me. "Welcome home son," he says as he pats my back. He pulled away and looked at me. "I see you've been really working out."
I chuckled. "I had seven years of free time."
Louie practically jumped on me. "Damn bro! You're hella huge now." Everyone laughed. Then the next person to come and approach me was AJ who shook my hand alongside Leo. "Welcome home, big bro. You're looking better than ever." All I could do was nod, not quite sure what was going on. Last I had remembered, I had ordered them not to let him out. Dad came over and slapped my shoulder. "I'll explain later. You must be hungry. Come!"
We all entered and it was as if I had never left. We all sat down as I looked around for the one person I have been anxious to see. Staring out the doorway, my beating heart sped but once I saw it was Princess Nina, I frowned. "She locked herself in her room, Ryder," Leo quietly said to me as everyone made loud conversation.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why?"
Leo gave me a wary smile. "Let's just say...She's not the same old Scarlett you last saw and know."
"Ryder! You're back!" Princess Nina said. I looked up at her and nodded. "Look at you! You're as huge as a monster. Bae, why can't you look like that?" She joked to Louie as she sat down beside him. He scowled at her as everyone erupted into a laugh but me.
"Leno!" I looked to my dad then to the direction of where he was looking. A tall well built man stopped and came towards us. To say he looked almost like me back in the days was an understatement. He looked exactly like me. "Yes King Kamier?"
"Where are you going at this hour?"
"Princess Scarlett has business to attend to with the House of Guyver about a property near the northeast coast by the secluded beach. I'm...guessing she didn't tell you then."
"House of Guyver?" I practically growled out. "What business does my princess has with those skanks?"
He stared at me with confusion until it was clear to him as to who I was. "Prince Ryder. Welcome home. And to answer your question, I'm not allowed to speak of such business unless it is with King Kamier or Leo." He then stared at my mother and slightly bowed his head. "I do apologize that she'll be missing dinner again."
Mom slapped her hand on the table and abruptly stood. "She said she'll stay," she growled. "Are you saying she lied to me?!"
"Angie," Dad grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down on her seat. "Calm down." She got out of his hold and moved away from him and started storming out of the room. "Ang!"
We all followed her out and then stopped when she did. Coming down the stairs cooly with her hair curled to one side and clothes that stuck to her like a second skin, was none other than my oh so different looking princess. The black dress like clothe didn't even reach past her once thick thighs. Her legs on for show as she wore ankle boots which tapped away and echoed against the walls of the open hall.
(Sorry, very bad at details)
Her neck that should have been occupied by my brand necklace was in replacement by a small thick gold chain. Once she made eye contact with me, her emotionless face didn't even change. Neither did her steps. Making it to the final step she brushed her hair back. Mom went up to her angrily. "You said you'd stay."
She looked to my mother and scoffed. Smirking, she stepped up towards my mother with so much confidence and strength, so much intimidation and fearlessness. Even my mother had stumbled back. "Boo...hoo," my little princess cooed. "Why don't you go and bawl your eyes out again because it seems that's all you ever do in this damn house." She looked at everyone with a scoff and turned to walk away.
My heart seemed to stop. Is this really my princess? My, Scarlett? I watched as she walked away with Leno falling in step with her and just outside the doors awaited many other men. Once the door closed and the cars were heard zooming off, I glared at every single one of them. "What, the fuck, did you do to my princess?!"
I sat there listening to how my family had turned my innocent little being into someone like myself. A monster looking for blood every fucking night. I was heavily breathing now as the three boys sat in front of me uncomfortably. "And what of AJ? Had I not instructed-"
"Scarlett let him out," Louie interrupted. "AJ have been behaving well and was rewarded. We have all eyes on him and his movements so if he does anything wrong to upset Scarlett, he's back in the box."
I closed and opened my hands to relieve some tension. Soon, scraping sounds were heard on the door as Leo stood up and opened it to let in...a dog. "Is that who I think it is?" I asked once Leo sat back down as the dog sat obediently between to Leo and Landon. "Scarlett adopted him two and a half years after you got locked up. He was the only thing keeping her calm most times."
"And all the other times, she came to beat me up," Landon gritted out lightly. Landon reached down and patted Soul's head as the pitbull closed his eyes and rubbed his snout inside Landon's palm. I ran a hand down my face in frustration then up through my hair. "She hits hella hard bro. Dad taught her good."
Louie cleared his throat nervously. "She's uh...made herself known as yours of course. And uh...made herself known in other ways." I narrowed my eyes at him as he stirred in his seat. "L-like, ahem, Prince Ryder's hellhound."
"Satan's daughter," Leo then said.
"Widow maker," Landon quietly said.
"More or so Prince Ryder's hellhound," Louie concluded.
Everything they were saying was making me angrier by the second. My sweet and innocent Scarlett was no more. Gone. Out of this, fucking, world. And as a replacement, I get a more bloodthirsty and dangerous woman. Soul stalks over to me and nudges my leg with his nose knocking me back to reality. I stared down at him and calmed myself down and rubbed his forehead. "When is she coming home?" I asked to no one in particular.
"Whenever business is done," came my father's voice. Soul quickly moved to see then jogged his way over to him as dad scratched behind Soul's ears. "Come on boy, time for bed or else your mama will kill me." Soul lightly barked and walked out of the room and down the hall. Dad looked at all of us and bid us to get a good night's rest. "We will talk more of this tomorrow. Go get some sleep."
The boys dismissed themselves as I stated seated. I glared out to the empty hallway and rubbed my jaw irritatedly. "Amica mea, what have they done," I whispered angrily. I exited the study and headed up to my room and tried to get some rest. Which was a major failure considering my mind was still racing with rage and my beautiful love was not in my bed with me telling me how much she missed me or how much she hated me for leaving her. I threw off the blanket and exited my room and headed downstairs. Just as I reached the dining room, the lights in the open hall go on and the doors to the garage opened.
I moved myself into the shadows and watched as Leno entered first followed by a blood drenched princess. "Princess," Leno calls out to her before she goes further up the stairs. She stops and turns to stare at him. He looks up at her. "Do you need me to assist you in your wounds?"
She looked down to her bloodied knuckles then shook her head. "Nah. I'll leave it as a master masterpiece." She gave him a smile then proceeded up the stairs and down the hall. I came out of the shadows as Leno turned to me with a sigh. "She has a slightly deep cut on her abdomen and bruised knuckles for being careless and hitting a wall in her rage. Ruben Guyver had made a contract with Princess Scarlett that a good portion of his land was to go to her but he had backed out on it and decided to change the names to his granddaughter."
"What is on that land that makes Scarlett want it?"
"She's found that the land that Ruben owns holds a few houses that consists of orphans or kids up for adoption. Within the homes, she's seen reports that the children there are being abused both physically, mentally, and sexually. One child in particular that she had met in secret with, told Scarlett that the houses that holds the children, the basements are all connected to make and deal drugs. From there, if succeeded, the children who to school and sell the drugs there."
My little, dangerous, princess.
"Explain the blood."
A small ghostly admirable smile crossed his face. "She...made sure, the contract stayed in her name and made changes to it saying that whatever lands Ruben owns is now hers to control."
"So all of the northeast coast is ours?" Leno nodded. My chest soared and burned with a certain proudness for her. She's been doing my job for me. For the Quantum family. "Thank you for looking after her."
He shook his head. "It's actually the other way around. I was actually a mole put in the Quantum family by Queen Kathy Asher, the black widow, and Princess Chyna Asher. Scarlett found out but still spared me for the reasons, I'm still unsure of. But she kept me alive and put me and my whole family under the protection of the Quantum family." Leno then smiled. "She even let me own a few shops and stores where my family resides around."
"You seem fond of her." I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes.
"That's because I am Ryder. She's one hell of a woman. Strong. Fearless. Confident. And definitely scary when she's angry." He rubs his jaw. "Hits hard as a mother fucker."
I held back a smirk and extended my hand. Leno stared at it confused. "If my princess can trust you then I should also." Leno smiled and took my hand, shaking it firmly.
"It's an honor to serve this family."