Page 17 of The Karma Project
Zoe
The next day I woke in a cold sweat, my throat sore from screaming. I quickly sat up in my bed and hung my legs over the side, a bad attempt to try to catch my breath. I haven’t had a nightmare since I killed my father, so I’m more than confused as to why they are all of a sudden back.
Closing my eyes, I finally take in a deep breath and sigh. For a moment it was like I was back there in that trunk. My wrists bound behind my back and my legs tightly taped together from my thighs all the way down to my ankles. I knew it was another test, but it didn’t mean I’d live. If anything, it terrified me even more knowing that I wasn’t kidnapped by a stranger, but my father. Put in the back of a dark and smelly car trunk completely bound. I knew he wanted to see me escape, but I also knew that if I died in this situation, it wouldn’t hurt him at all. If anything, it may relieve him to know he doesn’t need to feed me anymore.
I can still feel the terror coursing through my body when a man took me from the trunk and brought me into that warehouse basement. So many screams… and their cries. Oh my god, their cries.
“Hey,” a voice from behind me shot me to my feet, my heart racing.
“Fuck, Dean. What the hell?” I growl, holding my hand over my racing heart.
“I didn’t mean to scare you, but I heard screaming. You, okay?” His words sound concerned, but his expression is still that permanent scowl.
“Why do you care?” I say, rolling my eyes and dropping my hand from my heart.
He stays stoic, no flinch, no tweak of an eyebrow-- his expression completely vacant. Finding it useless to wait for him to respond I break the silent staring contest, “I’m fine. You can leave now.”
Despite me waving him off, he continued to stare at me, insisting on not breaking our eye contact. When I eventually turn away from him his voice pulls my attention back to him. “Kahl really did a number on you, didn’t he?”
I snort at the mention of my father, “Something like that.”
“Go back to bed,” He begins to walk out of my room, “And stop that screaming. You’re going to wake the whole fucking house.” he snarls from over his shoulder. Asshole. Just as soon as he appeared, he was gone.
I gape at the now empty doorway we once stood in. Where his massive shadowed silhouette once stood, is now completely empty. What the fuck is his deal? No longer feeling tired, I stood to look out my massive window. Judging by the coloring of the sky, dawn will soon break, and I might as well start my day.
I cracked my neck and back and stretched my tired muscles. I need a shower, my phone, and all my goddamn clothes. I don’t want to spend another day wearing Brandon’s sweats, no matter how comfortable they may be.
As I was mentally cursing the men for not letting me just go back to my apartment last night, I see that my closet door is slightly ajar. Curious, I step through the door and flick the lights on.
“Holy shit.” I whisper.
Dozens and dozens of shopping bags cover the closet floor. Brands ranging from Prada and Gucci to Tom Ford and Michael Kors. Shoe boxes line the shelves and a few dresses stay hanging. What the hell is this? Max had said they’d retrieve my items from my apartment, and I know by the two dollars to my name, this was in fact not from my apartment. I investigate further and make my way to my dresser in the bedroom, and the dresser is now filled with the clothes I am more familiar with. I take in my familiar ratty t-shirts and my own sweatpants.
Grabbing one of my favorite t-shirts and a fresh matching panty and bra set, I make my way back into the bathroom. I choose to ignore the bags poking from the closet and focus on starting the shower. While the water is heating, I decide to look through the bathroom drawers. I discovered plenty of soaps, lotions, exfoliant products, as well as body butter that must cost more than a middle-class home.
I blow out a breath when I go through a drawer full of make-up entirely made up of luxury brands. I'd only ever bought drug store items, and they seemed to do their job okay enough. I can’t imagine what a two-hundred-dollar tube of mascara could do for my lashes.
Once the steam is finally bellowing from the shower, I step inside letting the hot water cascade around my body. Once the hot water hits my shoulders and back it instantly relaxes muscles I didn’t even notice were tense. I took the liberty to make this shower an ‘everything-shower’.
I begin to rub the lilac and rosemary body wash across my body. Starting from my shoulders, to my chest, and lower towards my core. Once my fingers brush against my folds, images of the Karma boys flash in my mind. I jolted my hand away so fast, you would have thought my body was on fire. But that's the problem, because my body did feel like it was on fire. Every inch of my body was sizzling at the thought of these men. To be fair, I haven’t found a man that could get me off in years, clearly my pussy was just desperate and needy. She will have to wait until further notice, because sex is just not an option. I can’t lose control and focus around these men, these Greek gods. After a thorough full body shave and rinse, I decide it’s finally time to get out of the shower.
I take my time drying my fiery hair, letting it fall in its naturally loose waves that cascade over my shoulders. I pull on my t-shirt and admire the naturally worn wear and tear on it. It's black but some of the creases have aged into a gray color as well as a few bleach stains that came from a silly cleaning accident sometime last year. My favorite part is the ‘Killer Klowns from Outer Space’ design that has faded from its bright colors into muted tones that show how much this shirt has truly been loved. I slide on some black lace panties followed by some tight athletic shorts, ignoring the sweatpants I grabbed previously.
I give myself a once over in the vanity mirror and decide I’m happy with my natural look today—especially not knowingwhat is in store now that I’m a new partner in the Karma Empire.
I creep my way down stairs and I’m surprised to hear voices already coming from the kitchen. It’s early, like really early. I figured these men would be early risers but notthisearly.
“Good morning.” I mutter. I just crossed the threshold of the dining area, and all four men jumped at the sound of my voice and shot their eyes towards me.
“You’re up early, Harpy.” Max mumbles above his coffee mug.
“As are you all.” I replied.
I stay where I am fiddling with my fingers at the hem of my shorts, not knowing exactly what to do with myself. “You can sit, Princess. Promise we won't bite.” Brondon wiggles his eyebrows at me.
“I do,” says Teddy.
“That’s enough.” Max adds. “Zoe, sit and eat. We have much to discuss today.”
