Page 19 of Disobedient Pawn

“We on this again?” Theo grumbled.

“I was telling him about Snowflake,” Myles said. His face was lit up like a fucking Christmas tree. The last thing I needed was one of my guys being distracted by pussy. Fuck it fine, but don’t get too attached was the golden rule.

“Oh yeah, she’s fine. I’d tag team her with you,” Blake offered Myles.

“Shit, stop making me think about fucking her,” he groaned and pointed to his cock that was already standing and confirming my fear of distraction.

“I don’t care if you all tag team her, but business comes first, and no distractions this weekend,” I said, wanting to shoot my father for making me sound like him.

“I’m pretty sure she wants nothing to do with you, Myles,” Liam said. “She told you how many times today to fuck off?”

“She hasn’t seen me bust out my charm yet. She’ll come around.” I liked Myles's confidence. That and his ability to take a punch like no one else were his two most redeeming qualities.

“What’s that smell,” Liam asked, and we all looked at one another, waiting for a stench to hit us. “No, you assholes, I don’t mean someone farted. I mean, I smell a bet coming on.”

“Man, the last time I took you up on one of your stupid bets, I lost five grand,” Blake whined.

“Fine, you set the bet, then you can stop saying I rigged it even though I won fair and square,” Liam said.

I let my head fall back under the spray, allowing the water to drown out the guys talking. I didn’t care about a stupid bet. They were always coming up with one thing or another. Instead, my mind wandered to the conversation my father and I had before he left for some funeral the other day.

“I told you, Nash, this is non-negotiable,” my father said as he sat down behind his desk.

“I’d like to fucking disagree. Why are we still doing this bullshit arranged marriage crap? Have you seen the date on the calendar? I think I can pick a decent chick to marry.” My father rolled his eyes up to me and shook his head. “No, I won’t do it. I’m not marrying some girl I don’t know. For all I know, you could be setting me up with my first cousin to keep it in the family.”

“Not a bad idea, but no, who I have in mind is a much better match to expand our business ties.” Father signed another document and laid it aside. “Besides, you don’t have a choice. You’re a Collier and my only son, making you the next king to wear the crown.”

I shoved the back of the chair I was gripping, and it slammed into my father’s desk. He burst from his seat, his hands turning into fists as his eyes glared at me with the same murderous stare he’d given countless men. Men that lost their lives for less than talking back or refusing to do his bidding. I’d seen his brutality firsthand. I’d felt it and tasted the blood in my mouth.

“I think ya be missin’ da message, son. Ya din’t be havin’ a choice,” Father growled, his accent—that you never normally noticed—coming through strong.

My heart raced as I contemplated what would happen if I pushed. Would he kill me? Would he put me out of my misery? I would rule the kingdom, but I wanted to rule it on my terms, not forced into a box of my father’s making. I glared back, and his grey eyes looked black with only his desk lamp on. It was fitting that he looked like the Devil. I’d wondered many times if he was.

Instead, he straightened up and smoothed down his dress shirt before grabbing the drink off the desk and polishing it off.

“One day, son, you’ll understand what it means to be in charge and what it actually means to sacrifice. That is the nature of life. Stuffing your cock in a woman and getting her pregnant to strengthen our family’s reach is not what I would call a sacrifice. I’m pretty sure you fuck everything but the dog anyway.” He grabbed his files and put them in his drawer, locking it before dropping the key into his pocket. “Just be wise and don’t get any more of them pregnant. Other than who I want you to, of course, or next time I’ll make you pull the trigger.”

It was like he punched me in the gut before he walked out, and the anger seethed through my veins. I loved Mya, and I fucked up. I told my father about her, I told him how I felt, and then I fucking got her pregnant, and she paid the ultimate price. I’d stopped being surprised by the shit my father did, but even I didn’t think he’d kill his own grandchild.

Sadness clogged my throat as I pictured her being dragged from her home. Her wide, terrified eyes stared at the vehicle I was in like she could see me. She was screaming my name and begging me to help her. My father sat across from me, staring at me the entire time. It was his test. What would I do? The gun in his lap sat idle, but at that moment, I knew he’d use it on me if he thought he needed to.

Mya’s parents were already dead inside. The flashes and bangs could easily be heard from where we sat by the curb. I could only watch as my father’s goons did his bidding and tossed her in a black SUV. I hadn’t escaped his anger. I spent two days chained up in his torture chamber, where he liked to do all his hands-on lessons and was beaten repeatedly until I passed out. I ran my finger over the scar on the side of my face. It was a constant reminder of what I’d caused to someone I loved. Now I didn’t give a shit about anyone. That was the last time screams would haunt my dreams.

“Hey, earth to Nash, are you in?” I shut off the water and looked at the four faces of my teammates and didn’t have a clue what the fuck they were talking about. “The bet. Are you in,” Liam asked.

I ran my hands through my hair and walked over to the towel rack with the standard white towels so bleached they felt like I was wiping myself down with sandpaper.

“What’s the bet?

“Myles and Blake are challenging each other to see who can get her to fuck them by Christmas,” Liam said.

“Liam thinks that Blake has a better shot. I’m going to take Myles for the win. Blake doesn’t have what it’s going to take.” Theo smirked at his brother.

“Thanks, asshole. I’m fucking sexier than you could ever get,” Blake said, running his hands down his abs. “I bet you wouldn’t have what it would take either, looking like that.”

I arched my eyebrow at that comment. Theo and Blake were identical twins, making it the dumbest comeback I’d ever heard. I don’t even think he realized he just insulted himself.

We all stared at him, but he just shrugged. “Why are you staring at me,” Blake asked.