Claimed by the Devils

Chapter 22

Aria POV

“Imagine all of us are your boyfriends.”

Rowan’s words kept ringing inside my head. Throughout classes, lunch, and even into late afternoon classes.

Once the bell rang for the end of the day, I escaped their prying attention by following Heather to the library.

It was the only place we could talk in private. At least I hoped so. I took her hand and led her through to the cult section where no one went. I knew this as it was the place I came to when I wanted to be alone.

“What’s going on? What changed from Friday to Saturday? I heard you moved into their dorm,” Heather said.

We sat down and I told her everything. I hated talking about my parents but rather than tell her about the memories I’d been having or the nightmares, I gave her the facts. If I didn’t do what they wanted, they were going to pull her from the school.

“Aria, you shouldn’t do that. I can figure something out.”

I put my hands on hers.

“No. I’m not going to risk it. I know you have a bright future ahead of you and I’m not going to be the person to get in your way. I don’t mind.”

“You’re talking about moving in with four guys.”

“Four gorgeous guys,” I said.

“We both know that’s not what you see.”

Heather sighed.

“What if I quit? Would that help?”

“No. You’re not quitting. I’ve got a role to play, and until graduation, I’ll play it and nothing bad will happen.”

Heather winced.

“What? You don’t like the plan?”

“It’s not about the plan, I’m more concerned about you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re, er, hoping this will be the end of it, I’m guessing?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?” I asked.

“Aria, your parents are making you live with four guys. They are using your best friend to get you to conform. You don’t think this is going to extend past All Saints?”

“You tell me. You know everything about the selection and all that. Tell me.”

She pursed her lips.

“This isn’t good, is it?” I asked.

“No one has any idea what happens after the selection process. I can’t even find records of one existing.”

I shook my head.

“No, this has to be a high school thing. It’s the whole drama. They love it.”

One look at Heather, and I knew deep in my heart, I was fooling myself. I sat down, collapsing against the wall.

“Do you know the weirdest thing of all?” I asked.

“What?”

“I don’t have a single clue as to what my parents wanted me to agree to.”

I turned my head to look at Heather.

“So far, I live in my own room and I’ve been able to ignore them. They come and sit with me for dinner. They order a lot of takeout. I don’t know what any of it means.”

“The rumor is you serve them, Aria. You’re…”

“Their toy?” I asked.

“I guess. I don’t know. Have you thought of asking them?”

I shook my head.

“No. That would be too easy. Rowan told me when you went to the bathroom to think of it as having four boyfriends.”

“So I guess that’s the crux of the thing then?” Heather asked.

“You’re their girlfriend, which means s*x is part of the deal.”

“I’ve never even kissed a guy,” I said.

“Never?”

“No. Never. Have you?”

She nodded.

“Yeah, I’ve kissed a couple of guys.”

I was surprised.

“Have you had s*x?”

“Yes.”

“How have we never talked about this before?” I asked.

“We don’t talk about those things. We have a connection of minds, Aria. s*x is just a basic, human, physical need.”

I couldn’t believe she’d been kissed and had s*x.

“What was it like?”

“It was … fine. Nothing I’ve repeated since with a guy.”

“Ah, okay. I heard a girl’s first time is always awful.”

We were silent for a few seconds. Heather moved first, turning toward me.

“If you want, can I show you? I could kiss you.”

“Kiss me?”

“Yeah, that way you can know if you want to be kissed or not.”

“Can we do that?” I asked.

“Aria, you’re not this dumb. We can do whatever we like.”

She slowly reached up and cupped my cheek.

Her hands were slightly calloused. On the weekends, she liked to help out with the gardens or the cleaning staff. She stroked my cheek, and I stared into her eyes, feeling a little silly.

“You can tell me to stop,” she said.

“I don’t know if I should kiss you.”

“It’s just a kiss. Nothing more.”

She came in closer.

I didn’t stop her. Her breath fanned across my face and I bit my lip.

The next second, her lips were on mine. At first, I was a little shocked at the fact my best friend had kissed me, but she didn’t pull away. Her lips were soft as they pressed against mine.

I closed my eyes, feeling my body’s reaction instead of worrying it was my best friend I kissed. Heather’s hand moved from my cheek, sinking into my hair. During the last period, I’d let the length down as the band had started to hurt.

She traced her tongue across my full lip, and I gasped. This gave her the perfect access to plunge her tongue within my mouth.

Her grip on my neck tightened. The bruises my dad had given me stung, but I enjoyed the kissing a little more than I expected. I cupped her cheek as she continued to kiss me.

We heard some scuffling in the stacks and we both pulled apart. My lips were slightly swollen.

“How was that?” Heather asked.

“It was a … good kiss.”

We smiled together.

“I’m glad I’ve been able to help.”

She stroked my cheek, and I turned my head toward her, pressing a kiss to her inner wrist.

“I think we better study,” Heather said. Always the perfect student.

We pulled our books out and got to work, going through the necessary projects. Heather was the first to move, going to gather books while I worked through my latest assignments.

My lips still tingled, and I wanted to ask more questions, but I held back, not wanting to break the silence.

The final roundup call at around eight at night let us know we had to leave. We left the library, and I saw Lucian waiting for me.

Heather said her goodbyes and immediately left. I turned to Lucian, who like always, looked as if someone had pissed him off.

“Good night?” I asked.

“You can study at the dorm from now on.”

“You don’t have all the books,” I said.

“Do not argue with me, Aria.”

I tensed up. He was in a bitter mood.

“What have I done to piss you off?” I asked, staying perfectly still.

“I’m tired. It’s cold and wet. Can we just get home?”

“You mean your dorm?”

“To our dorm.”

“No. It’s your dorm. I’m just a selected guest.”

I sneered at the title.

He looked toward the sky.

“For f**k’s sake, this again?”

He turned to me with a glare.

“Why do you have to make everything so difficult?”

“You’re the one with the shitty attitude. I’m the one who was just getting stuff done. I have to study, you know. Not everyone has a dad who can make everything go away with the snap of his fingers.”

He started to laugh.

“Do you really think I can do that? A snap of my fingers and everything magically disappears.”

He shook his head.

“You’re f*****g priceless.”

This time, he took off.

I couldn’t exactly argue with myself, and to be honest, I didn’t even know what set this argument off. He clearly had a bad attitude, and well, I wasn’t going to stand there and take it. He had no right to speak to me that way.

Running to keep up with him, I couldn’t find the words to say, and so I stayed with him. We got to the dorm and he opened the door.

I stormed past him, going toward my room, but Lucian was already there.

“Why do you constantly behave like a child?” he asked, grabbing my arm and spinning me around so I had no choice but to face him.

“Me, behave like a child? You’re the one in a bad mood. What happened, did someone not press your pants properly?”

“Guys, what’s going on?” Sebastian asked.

“Ask him,” I said.

“He came to pick me up at the library and he was in a mood. He doesn’t like me studying with Heather. I can live my own life as well. You do not get to decide what I can and cannot do. You’re not my boss.”

Lucian stepped toward me, but I stood my ground. I refused to back down. He was the asshole here, not me.

“Think again, princess. You’ve got four bosses. Me, Sebastian, Elliot, and Rowan. You bow down to all of us.”

“Yeah, right. In your dreams. I suppose I have to sleep with all of you as well.”

“No sleeping will be happening. Get this through your thick f*****g skull, Aria, you are ours to do what we want. To f**k, to play with, you will submit to us because if you don’t, there are consequences your tiny head cannot even imagine.”

His words were thrown at me in an angry growl, and I stumbled back as if I’d been hit.

Heather had advised me to find out exactly what the selection process entailed, but I had a feeling from the shocked looks on all their faces, including Lucian’s, that he wasn’t supposed to tell me that detail.

My parents had turned me into a w***e.

“Aria,” Lucian said, coming toward me.

I pulled away. He was not touching me. None of them were ever touching me.

Rushing into my room, I closed the door and saw there was no lock.

With my back against it, I slid down, drawing my knees up to my chest.

Something told me they all knew.

My parents certainly did. They knew what this meant, and I had been ordered to comply.

“One day, you’re going to have to make so many decisions for yourself and they’re all going to seem scary. Know how strong you are, Aria. Know which battles to fight.”

Did Drew know?

Was my nanny trying to prepare me for what was to come? How would she even know?

I rested my forehead on my knee and wished for her to be back here.