I cleared my throat loudly, effectively quieting the room and causing nine sets of eyes to settle on me still sitting on the bed that I assumed belonged to Gabriel since I was supposedly his birthday present. The tall, dark and scary one along with Owen and Kota looked at me with heavy suspicion while Victor, Nate, and the sexy foreigner watched me with curiosity. Only Gabriel, Luke, and the golden haired doctor seemed excited by my presence, though that probably stemmed more from their questionable mental state than my personal charm.
"I need to pee." I spoke, my voice scratchy from sleep and whatever drugs my body was still fighting off, but it was still strong. I was definitely feeling uneasy surrounded by so many crazy males, but I was glad that my voice betrayed none of that. I sounded almost bored, to be honest, and I gave myself a mental high five.
Most of them looked taken aback by my words, but Kota just cocked his head to the side, his green eyes calculating as he muttered to himself. "Curiouser and curiouser."
Gabriel grinned widely like nothing made him happier then my body's urge to urinate and clapped his hands abruptly, surprising me with the sharp sound and making me jump. "That, I can help with."
The dark clad one shifted his weight studying me before smirking. "She's fucking tiny."
"She's not tiny, North." The other giant said, his accent doing funny things to my stomach. "She's fun size."
He sent me a wink and I almost blushed, which in and of itself was a surprise. I hadn't blushed in years. North mumbled something in a foreign language and it made his friend chuckle as he ran his deep dark eyes over me. I raised an eyebrow at him but didn't comment; I kept my face neutral and filled with what I hoped came across as apathy.
"I'm surprised you gave her up, Vic." Nate said, leaning over to nudge Victor with his elbow. "With hands like those..." He left the sentence open but Victor groaned and shoved him back.
"Don't remind me." He grumbled and rolled his eyes, the simmer burning a bit brighter as he glanced down at the hands I held clasped in my lap.
Gabriel sighed as he shot a glare back at Victor. "Oh, stop your complaining. You just want her for her...uh, Kota what are they called again?"
"Phalanges." Kota said distantly, his focus on Owen as they leaned their heads together to murmur quietly.
"Yeah," Gabriel pointed a finger at Victor's face, "Her fucking phalanges!"
Victor shrugged, like the fact didn't bother him one bit. "I use the metacarpals, too." He sent me a sexy smile, the one he'd given me at the bar. "I'm not wasteful."
Luke snickered as Gabriel pulled a face before turning back to me, mumbling under his breath. "Imagine if I let them all have a go. She'd have nubs for hands and move like a Weeble Wobble! And then Sean would kill her on the operating table..." He stared off towards the closet, his sentence left hanging as his eyes glazed over like he was lost in thought.
"I heard that." The doctor, Sean I presumed, grumbled as he folded his arms over his chest looking rather unamused. He caught my eye and his frown turned into a sly grin. "Don't worry, Pookie, I'd take extra care with you on my table. No dying for you." He said with a wink and I cringed at the both the nickname and the sentiment. Somehow neither did anything to settle my doubts. Was he even a real doctor?
North smacked his friend on the chest with his head and nodded his head towards the door. "Come on, Silas, I'm done." The sexy Adonis, Silas, nodded before glancing back at me with a rather soft expression I wasn't expecting. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion and he gave me a sad smile. What the-?
Before they could exit the room, Gabriel shook himself from his thoughts and clapped his hands together loudly again. "Alright, you lot, get the fuck out. Me and my doll have business to attend to."
"Aw." Luke's earlier good nature crumbled before my eyes and he suddenly looked extremely distraught. "I thought tonight we were gonna play a game? Doesn't she wanna a play game with us?"
From the looks passed between several of the guys, I had a feeling playing a game with this lot would not be a pleasant experience so I was relieved when Owen shook his head. "Game night will be postponed. Best to leave her to get used to her new home, Lucian. We wouldn't want her ruining our enjoyment with her rabid instincts."
Rabid instincts? Excuse me?
I made a rude noise as I glared at the perfect suit clad figure and he held my gaze firmly. I jutted my chin out in defiance, refusing to look away first. He took a few steps closer till he was standing next to Gabriel, though he didn't look away either. It was a battle of wills, one that I could tell he was used to winning. He'd never met me though, so he should know I don't back down easily. He wanted rabid instincts, I would give him rabid instincts.
"Are you sure you don't want me to train her, Gabriel?" He said, his grey eyes hardening in displeasure as I straightened my spine and crossed my arms over my chest, never breaking eye contact. "She won't play nicely."
Gabriel waved him off. "Fuck, no. She's got spunk! I don't want you breaking her."
"Ah, but that's where the beauty lies," his voice dropped to a croon, "in the breaking."
I unfolded myself as I rose slowly from the bed and I could feel the tension in the room tighten. It was as if everyone had taken a deep breath and was waiting to exhale. You could cut the anticipation with a knife.
"I don't break easily." I ground out between clenched teeth.
The tips of his mouth tipped up slightly in a millimeter smile that made him look absolutely sinister and more than a little sexy. "We'll see." He murmured, tipping his head to one side. "Now, be a good girl and sit."
He said the last word like a command you would give a dog and my vision tinted red as the rage that I'd been containing this whole time bubbled over. Oh, hell no! I knew I was supposed to keep a cool head, but there was no stopping the creature in my chest from surging forward with a snarl sending my body flying at Owen as I imagined ripping his perfect silver eyes out. If he wanted to treat me like an animal, I'd show him just how dangerous an animal I could be.
I heard several exclamations of warning as I lunged, though I didn't know whether they were directed at me or Owen, but it didn't seem to matter as he moved so quickly I couldn't track him. Before I could even land a scratch, I was grabbed roughly, my body jerked around until I found myself quickly incapacitated. A hand was fisted firmly in my hair tangling and pulling sharply as one of my arms was yanked back behind me in such a way that made agony rip through my shoulder and down my spine. I couldn't stop the yelp of pain from escaping as I bent over at the waist trying to ease the ungodly pain, but his grip only strengthened and I swore he was going to break my arm.
Gabriel was cursing loudly and yelling about how he didn't want me broken or my hair ruined, but I was too pissed to care. I felt my face flush with mortification at the position I found myself in and I struggled uselessly against Owen's powerful grip. He tightened his grasp and I felt my shoulder complain sharply and I froze for fear of pulling it out of its socket.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Owen berated me as he held me securely at his mercy. "Bad girl."
I heard several nervous chuckles sound around me along with Gabriel's continued complaints, but it was khaki slacks that filled my vision as Kota crouched down to meet me at eye level. He pushed his glasses up his nose with his middle finger as he studied me before giving me a small pleased smile. "There she is." He said, moving his hand out to pat my head. "I wondered when you'd come out to play."
I snapped my teeth at him and he jerked his hand back as Owen tightened his hold on my arm causing me to protest the movement as pain ricocheted up and down my arm. "Careful, Gabe," Kota said, a smirk in his voice, "she bites."
"I really don't think this is a good idea." North's gravelly voice rumbled through the room. "She's fucking crazy. She's gonna kill him."
Gabriel whined as Owen agreed. "I must agree with North on this, Gabriel, she's much too wild."
"I'm no pussy!" Gabriel yelled, his legs filling my line of sight as I was still bent over at a painful angle. "Do you really think I can't handle her?" He was met with a silence that only seemed to annoy him. He ducked down similar to how Kota did and gave me a narrowed assertive look. "You're not gonna cause trouble, are you?"
I sneered at him, baring my teeth, but he just huffed and shook his head. "You don't wanna go to his obedience school, Doll, trust me." His eyes got a sad, a despondent look taking over his features as he reached out a finger and grazed it along my jaw. "He'll ruin you and you're too fucking perfect for that."
I stilled at his words as he trailed his finger to the corner of mouth where he traced my lower lip. I felt a strange heat blaze across the path he drew and I swallowed thickly, trying to hold onto the anger he was quickly dousing. His eyes were brilliant, beautiful really, and I found myself getting lost in the shining facets. No one had ever expressed worry or concern over me before, and I found it strange coming from the boy who was currently keeping me here against my will.
"You're not going to be trouble, right?" He asked me again, his gaze dropping to where the very tip of his finger rested against my bottom lip. Play nice! I reminded myself as I minutely shook my head. He smiled, transforming his face into something beautiful as he rose to standing. "See, she's fine. You can let her go now."
Owen hesitated before pulling me up, my spine screaming in protest to the abrupt movement. He turned me, his hand still tangled painfully in my hair, bringing me around to face him. He held me close to his body, though we weren't actually touching, but it was still close enough to see the mad glint in his steel eyes. "Be a good girl." He ordered and I did my best to hide the quake in my knees from his commanding tone. "Or I may have to fashion you a muzzle."
My monster roared at the threat and I gave him an overly sweet smile before I gathered the saliva in my mouth and spit at him. He jerked at the action, blinking his eyes in shock as my spittle splattered across his face and glasses. His jaw tightened and I saw a look of pure evil darken his gaze and for the first time I felt true terror rip through me. I'd just made a grave mistake and I was sure he was going to hurt me but I never found out how as I felt arms grab me around the waist and yank me backwards. I felt a couple strands of hair tear from my scalp where Owen still had it wrapped around his fingers, but I held back my cry of pain as several curses were heard in the room.
Sean and Kota moved to grab Owen's arms, as if to hold him back, but he held up his hand to stop them. He stood stock still, not coming towards me, though I could see in his face that he wanted to grab me again. Instead, he simply dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief which he used to wipe his face. He pulled the glasses from his nose and cleaned the lenses thoroughly as everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath, frozen in expectation.
Gabriel held me back against his chest, his chin resting against the side of my head and his arm circled tightly around my waist. "Please, Owen," He begged, pulling me closer against him like he was afraid of losing me, "I'll make her be good, I promise. Just don't take her away." I realized there must be some sort of pecking order with this group, and judging from the absolute stillness that descended over everyone as they watched Owen tuck his handkerchief back into his pocket, he must be the top dog. They answered to him and if he made the decision to slit my throat, Gabriel wouldn't stop him.
Owen returned his glasses to his face looking up at me as I leaned back into Gabriel's embrace, realizing perhaps I needed his protection in this moment more than I thought. I was stuck between survival instinct and my pride. My pride told me to keep my head up and not back down while my desire to live told me to submit. I ended up doing a little of both by ducking my head while keeping my eyes fixed on his. He seemed at war with himself as well as his anger battled with another dark emotion I couldn't read. Desire...excitement, perhaps? It was as if he both hated and loved my rebellion and he was fighting for control of both, and I was all too pleased to watch the struggle. If I lived through this, it was going to be so much fun ripping his control apart piece by delicious piece.
Finally, after what felt like hours of tense silence, the corners of his lips quirked up in his millimeter smile, his silver eyes swirling with dark promises that both terrified and kind of delighted me. He was going to make me pay for my insubordination but not right now; he would bide his time. I felt an evil surge of pleasure at the thought, and I was momentarily stunned at the way his darkness called to mine.
He straightened up, touching his already immaculate tie, before slipping his hands into his pockets as a collective sigh of relief swept through the room. Apparently, the danger was passed...for now.
"Gentlemen." Owen said, his controlled stoicism firmly back in place, "Dibs."