Chapter 1 My Mother Is Getting Married I had never understood how people got excited, or happy, or sad. I never understood how they laughed so hard until their eyes watered, or how they cried just as hard and their eyes got all swollen.

I don't think I have ever felt those emotions before, even as a child.

I think… whatever makes people feel things like joy, or excitement, or even sadness, maybe that was never built in me. Like a missing set of cells. Or maybe it just burned out before I ever got to use it.

The only emotions I ever felt, that were familiar, like old friends, were hate, rage, fear, and lust—the latter had developed when I hit puberty, and the other three… well, for as long as I could remember.

And right now what I was feeling was rage. Pure rage that made me tremble.

“What?” I asked my mother, my fists clenched so tight, my nails dug into my palm, piercing skin. “You’re getting married?”

“Uh-huh,” she answered, grinning from ear to ear as she watched the diamond ring on her finger—her engagement ring. The diamond hit the sun and reflected, glowing. “Oh! Look at that!”

“It's barely been a month,” I reminded her, my voice shaking. “His body has just been buried and you're getting married again?”

My parents’ relationship has never been sweet, never been like all those other people I had seen who loved each other. They fought and argued all the time and I always ended up being dragged into it. It always ended with me covered in bruises.

I hated them both. I used to fear them, but one day I just woke up and decided, “Never again.” That I was never going to be afraid of them, I would only hate them, and forever feel rage towards them.

So I really didn't give a fuck that she was getting married barely a month after her husband died. What I did give a fuck about was she could at least pretended to mourn him. People would be watching, and they were going to talk.

My mother just shrugged, turning away from the window, and looking at me the way she always did—like I was stupid and wasn't worth her time.

“I thought since you grew tall and curvy, you’d grow out of your stupidity,” she snarled, “but I thought wrong. When life gives you an opportunity, Rosette, dear, you grab it with both hands. Damn the consequences to hell.” She brushed past me, heading towards the door. “I'm selling the house. We’re moving to his house as soon as the vows are said.”

**

I didn't go to the wedding. Mom blew my phone up with calls but I didn't pick a single one. I didn't go back to the house and stayed at a friend’s place, going to my part-time job from there. But my friend's generosity could only extend so long, and I couldn't stay there any longer.

So a week after the wedding, I finally picked up Mom’s call.

“Stupid girl,” were the first words she spat, her voice harsh. “Do you know the lies I had to make up? We were supposed to put up a lovely family front. We were supposed to show my new husband and his family a united front!”

“I'm sure you came up with a convincing lie,” I said, my voice flat. “Send the address. I’ll come there straight when I close from work.”

“You and that–”

The phone beeped as I ended the call, tossing it into my bag and going back to work.

I didn't want to go. I didn't want to make my mother feel like she won, or she still had some control over me, but I had no choice. I couldn't get an apartment because I was saving to go to college.

So I would go, but I wasn't going to play her stupid united family. I was just going to swallow everything she threw at me. It was just until this year's end, and then I was moving. I would finally be going to college.

**

As soon as I saw the address Mom sent, I knew this wasn't some regular businessman she got married to. When I got to the mansion, that was only confirmed.

It was huge, like a damn castle, with towering walls and big gates. As soon as I got out of the taxi, someone was there to take my bags and led me inside.

“Welcome, Miss Rosette,” a man dressed in a suit, with thick glasses resting on his nose, greeted me while my bags were being taken away. “I'm Gabriel, the butler, and I shall be the one you come to if you need anything.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said with a slight nod.

I was led inside the mansion, through a long hall, until I entered a room where Mother was, and then I was left alone with her. She was immediately on her feet when she saw me, marching toward me with her hands resting on her hips and her face red with anger.

“I will not have you ruin this for me, Rose,” she hissed into my face. “You will behave. You will act like the perfect child, smile when you should, and talk nicely.”

“If I decide not to?” I asked just to taunt her. “What will you do, Mom? Hit me? Not feed me for a week? Or maybe your favorite punishment method—locking me in a dark cabinet with no food or water?” Her face grew redder as I spoke, her breathing harsh. “You can't do any of those things any longer. You hold no control over me anymore, and I will behave as I want. Smile when I want, talk nicely, or be rude if I decide to. We both know we wouldn't be able to present a lovely front when we hold so much hate for each other, so much venom. It’s only a matter of time before your new husband finds out you're all pretense. What will you do, then? Jump to the next person that looks your way?”

She was red all down to her neck now, her breathing a harsh pant. “You ungrateful–”

I already anticipated it before she even raised her hand, but I still let the slap land. The sound rang in the big room, echoing back to me, but I didn't even feel it.

I pointed at my cheek, at the spot I was sure it was already bruised. “United, my fucking ass.”

She took a step closer to me, but halted when a new voice spoke.

“Is everything alright?”

Chapter 2 Sucked The Light From Your Womb From the look in Mother’s eyes, I already knew who had just entered the room, and when her features suddenly transformed and turned soft, there was no doubt as to who had entered the room.

“Oh, welcome, honey!” she gushed, a big, fake smile on her face as she walked past me and went to stand beside her husband. “I didn't know you would be home too soon.”

I turned slowly to face them, and my eyes widened slightly when I saw the man standing in front of me. He was tall, maybe six feet four, broad and handsome with silver hair mixing with his black.

I will admit, Mom struck gold with this.

“Hello, sir,” I said, not bothering to make my face pleasant or even convey any emotions in my voice. I just stared at him blankly, ignoring my mother’s warning stare.

“You’re Rosette,” he noted, a statement, not a question, but I nodded regardless. His eyes dropped to my cheek, but he said nothing about the bruise there and just raised his eyes back to mine. “You weren't at the wedding.”

“I had more important things to do.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Things that are more important than your mother’s wedding?”

“Yes, sir.”

It must have been my imagination, or the lights playing tricks on my eyes, but his lips twisted slightly, like he wanted to smile but thought against it.

He shook my mother’s hand off him like she was bothering him and walked towards me, his strides long and sure. He… had an aura around him. It was more than just dominance; it was pure power. And his eyes… there was something so unnerving about them, and it wasn't the way he was staring at me like he could see right through me.

“I'm sure you know who I am,” he said as he stood a foot away from me.

I shook my head. “Apologies, sir, but I don't.”

This time, he did smile. Just a small lift of his upper lip, but a smile nonetheless.

“You’re odd, Rosette,” he mused with amusement lacing his voice. Then he held out his gloved hand to me. “Silas Varkas.”

I placed my hand on his, and he shook it firmly like he was meeting with a businessman. “Rosette Voss.”

“The butler will give you one of the best rooms in the mansion. Feel at home. Feel relaxed, and if you need me, I'm just a call away. We’re now family, Rosette.”

I raised an eyebrow slowly. “Are we, though, Mr. Varkas?”

His eyes flashed. It wasn't my imagination, this time, or the lights playing tricks, his eyes flashed gold, there and gone the next. He turned to look at my mother from his shoulder, his smile back in place. “You didn't tell me your daughter was this smart, my dear.”

Mom laughed, the sound high-pitched and fake. “Oh, she is. She’s very smart.”

He looked back at me, pulling his hand away. “I’ll see you later, Rosette. It was a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure my boys will love you.”

I watched his back as he walked towards my mother, leaned down, and placed a kiss on her forehead before he left the room. Mother turned to me with a smile on her face, her mouth opening, but I beat her to it.

“Who is he?”

Her smile widened. “He’s rich, Rosette. Filthy rich.”

“That wasn't the question I asked. Who the fuck is he?”

“Watch your language,” she hissed, the smile dropping from her face.

“Don't bullshit me about my language right now,” I snarled, baring my teeth at her. “Do you even know anything about him? What he does? The type of person he is? Or you just saw him and his big car and you were drooling all over him?”

She marched to me, her heels clicking against the marble floor, a shaky finger pointed at me. “I am your mother, Rosette, and I will not tolerate you talking to me with that tone and such language. I am your mother and you will–”

“Then act like it!” I snapped, my chest heaving, the familiar, hot feeling of rage wrapping its fist around my throat and making it hard to breathe. “When have you ever been a mother to me? Huh?! When, Vera?! ‘I am your mother. I am your mother,’ but you have never for once shown me motherly love. You have never held me or laughed with me the way other mothers do with their children. All I ever got from you is hate and rage, and yet you still call yourself my mother!”

The rage was like a second heart in my chest, beating with intense force, making me shake.

My mother stared at me with her eyes wide and her lips parted. She took a slow step towards me, her legs shaking, but she still managed to stand straight.

“Do you want to know something, Rosette?” she asked, her voice a barely audible whisper. “I used to be wild and free. I used to be very beautiful, but then your father, that… bastard came into my life and cut off my wings. And then you were born and you took my light. After the both of you came into my life, my days were filled with darkness and hardship.”

“Are you even listening to yourself?” I asked, my voice cracking. “How is any of that my fault? Sure you can blame Dad, cause he knew what he was doing, but me? You brought me into this world! You made that choice! And the first emotion you showed was hate. You didn't even give me a chance, you made no attempt to love me. You said I took your light away, but I never even had any light to begin with. Your rage and hate sucked up that light from your womb.”

I took a step towards her, and she just stood still, watching me with her face blank. I think she was who I got my blankness from, because right now we looked so similar, like I was staring into a mirror.

Maybe we were more alike than I thought.

“I want you to suffer, Mom. Really suffer. Because you should never have given birth to me if this was all I was going to get.”

I stormed past her, my entire body aching. For the past twenty-two years of my miserable life, I had never said those words out loud. They had tightened around my throat, but I never gave in to the temptation to say it. But it seems the straw finally broke the camel’s back.

I didn't know where I was going because this mansion was new and like a maze to me, but I just kept walking. I needed water to quench this fire that was raging in me.

I was so lost in my head and my rage that I didn't see where I was going. As I rounded a corner, oblivious to my surroundings, I collided with something hard.

“Shit,” I cursed, rubbing my forehead.

Something shifted in front of me, and before I could look up, a cool voice drawled, “Well, what do we have here?”

Chapter 3 You're Not My Brother I looked up to see dark blue eyes staring at me, a head full of black hair tilted, and full lips smirking at me. “Are you lost, love?”

He was… beautiful. With long lashes that seemed to kiss his high cheekbones whenever he blinked. And there was something unnatural about his eyes, but it only added to his charm—his boyish charm that somehow managed to scream danger. And like Mr. Varkas, there was an air of power and mystery around him.

“No,” I managed, my voice sounding croaky. “Actually, I am. I need help finding the butler.”

A perfectly trimmed eyebrow raised in question. “Gabriel? What do you need him for?”

I fought the urge to groan and shake him. Even though he looked impossibly perfect, that still wasn't enough to douse my anger. I still needed water and I needed to be alone.

“Can we skip the questions? I just need Gabriel because I need him to show me to my room.”

He watched me, his eyes fixed on me. “Ah,” he suddenly exclaimed as if something just occurred to him. “Rosette. Vera’s daughter and the new addition to the family. Nice to finally meet you, baby sis.”

“Excuse me?” I asked, my anger plain in my voice. “Who the hell are you to be calling me your sister?”

He straightened, squaring his shoulders and at that moment I realized how tall he was. I wasn't a short person by any means, but right now I felt small.

“Axel Varkas,” he introduced, bowing slightly.

I stared at him, a frown between my brows. “Varkas…” I looked him over. From his blue eyes to his soft looks. The only thing he had in common with that man earlier was the aura.

“I'm Silas’s youngest son,” he clarified upon seeing the question on my face.

I simply nodded. “Can you point me to where I can find Gabriel?”

Axel crossed his arms, leaning his hip on the wall. “Not even a ‘nice to meet you, big bro?’”

“You’re not. My. Brother,” I snarled, and was just about to walk past him when he grabbed my hand, faster than I could even blink, pinning me to the wall and pressing his body against me.

“You’re being rude,” he muttered, leaning down and pressing his nose to my neck. He inhaled deeply and then he shivered, groaning deep in his throat. “God, your scent…”

I struggled against him, disgusted and—despite myself—turned on. His body was hard. Hot. Hotter than what should’ve been humanly possible. And, unmistakably, a very specific part of him was getting hard.

“Let go, Axel,” I grumbled, struggling to break free despite the wetness I could feel between my legs.

He pulled away from my neck and looked at me. I gasped, my eyes going wide and lips parting when I saw his eyes. There was… glowing. Not bright, but glowing faintly—just enough to be undeniably human.

“Say that again.”

“Let… go,” I managed, my voice small.

He shook his head, and his hair covered his eyes. Before I could even think, my hand was reaching out to push his hair away, once again exposing his eyes.

“Not that, Rosette,” he said, his voice rough. “My name… say it.”

The words slipped out of my mouth on their own accord. “Axel…”

He groaned, digging his nose in my neck again and inhaling deeply. The more he inhaled, the harder he got until his fully erect dick was pressed on my stomach.

“Rosette,” he rasped, grinding against me. “Your scent is driving me insane.”

One of his hands slipped into my pants and that was what snapped me back to my senses. I placed my hand on his chest and pushed. Caught by surprise, he staggered back, his eyes clouded and still glowing—even more than before.

“Y-you dog,” I spat, my chest heaving, face burning.

The absolute bastard had the nerve to smile. “Close, but I'm way worse.”

I turned away from him, dizzy and breathless, and just walked away from him. I didn't know where I was going, but I just wanted to be far from him.

What the fuck was that? I had never lost control of myself before? I have always been in control of my emotions. The only person who has ever managed to make me snap was my mom. But even that was a rare occurrence.

Just as I headed towards the stairs, someone else came into view and I paused. He was standing at the start of the stairs, dressed in a three-piece luxury suit, and his hair styled to perfection.

I didn't need an expert to tell me this was another Varkas. Everything about him screamed it, but it was also in his blue eyes. Those eyes that had an unnatural look.

And those eyes were fixed on something behind me. I looked behind me to see Axel in a staring contest with his brother. The look from earlier was gone and his face was now filled with cockiness.

I looked away from him when I felt eyes on me and looked back at the stairs. The newcomer’s eyes were now fixed on me. I fought not to fidget under that stare.

Unlike his brother, this man had no trace of boyish charm. Everything about him said he was the type to smash me beneath his polished designer shoes without blinking.

“Miss Jansen,” he called, the first person to address me by my surname in this household. “I'm Kross Varkas. And since Gabriel is occupied, I’ll show you to your room.”

He turned and climbed up the stairs, not looking back to check if I was following. I looked behind me, but Axel was no longer standing there.

I followed Kross up the stairs and into a long hallway, walking behind him, and not once did he look back. Didn't even slow his stride. Just walked straight ahead and finally he stopped when he reached the end, opening the door.

I finally caught up to him and stepped inside the room where he still held the door open.

“This will be your room for now,” he informed me, his voice cool like he was discussing business.

I turned to him, an eyebrow raised. “For now?”

He nodded and said nothing to explain what he meant. “I’ll leave you to it, then.” He moved to shut the door but then paused, looking back at me. “Always keep your door locked.”

The door clicked softly as he closed it, and I stood still for a long time, staring at where he stood.

“Creeps,” I muttered, finally moving and heading to the bathroom.

Barely a day here, and I could tell these people weren't normal. I already wanted out.

Chapter 4 Hard To Hold On To My Sanity I couldn't sleep. After all that happened today, it was hard to. Today had been the first time in years that I felt exhausted emotionally. Because a lot of things had happened today—some I couldn't even process or understand. Like that Axel guy.

I tried not to think about any of them, but I kept tossing and turning all night. So at midnight, I got up from bed, wrapped a robe around my naked self without bothering with any underwear—yes, I sleep naked, so what?—and left the room barefoot.

The mansion was new, and so it was like a maze, and I had no idea where I was going. I just wandered aimlessly, trying to clear my heavy head.

The mansion was silent—eerily silent—and the only sound that could be heard was my barefoot slapping against the marble floor.

But then another sound joined, a grunt, low and deep. I stood still, listening, and when I heard nothing I was about to keep walking. But the sound came again, a bit louder this time.

Was someone in pain? Were they injured? My legs were already moving, heading towards the sound. I stopped outside a room, and since the door was slightly open, I peeped through.

It was dark inside, the moonlight that was shining through the window the only light, and somehow I still managed to see him clearly.

Axel. Naked, his bare, lean muscled body glistening with sweat, sitting in a chair with his legs spread and his hard cock in his hand, his closed fist moving up and down, hard and fast.

It was dark, it wasn't easy to see but I still managed to see every single detail so clearly as if they were being displayed on a wide screen. The way his body shone with sweat, the way his stomach tensed and flexed, how his bicep bulged as he stroked his cock. And his face… the ecstasy and pleasure that was plain on his face was so… beautiful to watch.

My body grew heated as I watched him satisfy himself—and not the usual heat of rage, but the intoxicating heat of pleasure.

Axel groaned, the sound raw and deep, and I could tell he was close.

“Ah, fuck,” he groaned, his hand moving faster. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. Rosette… I’m so close.”

I went tense all over, freezing, my eyes widening.

“Rosette,” he moaned my name again, and if I wanted to deny it that I had heard wrong earlier, there was no denying it now.

I heard perfectly well. He was masturbating to the thought of me. I was supposed to feel disgusted, but instead of that, I only felt intense lust, so sudden it left me breathless.

A wetness formed between my legs, and since I was naked under the robe, it slipped down my robe. I should stop watching, I should walk away and give him privacy, but my legs were rooted to the spot. I wanted to watch him finish.

I couldn't move, my eyes glued on this beautiful, unhinged man. I wanted to touch myself, to relieve that building heat in my core. I just wanted–

“Is watching people masturbate how you spend your night?”

I jumped, startled as I turned to see a man standing behind me. He was so close and my face just hit his chest—his bare chest.

I gasped and walked backward, but then I remembered I could hit the door and alert Axel of my presence, but before I could make that mistake, the stranger grabbed my arm and pulled, turning and pressing me against the opposite wall, just facing Axel’s door where he could see us at any moment.

I was getting really tired of being pinned by men. But unlike Axel, this stranger didn't press himself against me, just held my arms above my head and watched me.

It was dark now. There was no window in the hallway so there was no way for the moon to shine here, so I couldn't see his stranger’s face.

“Can you let go?” I asked in a whisper. This was becoming my most-used word.

“You’re Rosette,” the stranger said, his voice soft yet there was a rasp to it, his breath fanning my cheeks.

“I am, now let go.”

“Did you enjoy watching Axel beat his meat with your name on his lips?”

My face grew hot and I was grateful it was dark so he couldn't see my face.

“Stop talking rubbish and move.”

“Are you wet down there, Rosette?” he asked, his voice a low purr.

This was definitely one of the Varkas brothers. Just how many sons does that man have? I was sick of them all.

“Will you–”

“I could feel how turned on you are,” he groaned, cutting me off, and even though I couldn't see his eyes I could feel it burning into me. “I could smell it.”

“You’re a fucking dog,” I grumbled, trying to pull my hand away from the binding that was his hands. “Like your brother.”

“I'm worse, sweetheart,” he muttered, leaning down and sniffing just like his brother did. And like his brother, he groaned, inhaling deeply. “And I’ll let you off, just this once. I don't like being compared to a dog.”

I stopped struggling, and just stood still. There was no need for struggling. With the little experience I had with Axel earlier, I had learned there was no need to struggle; it would only urge him on.

“Please let me go,” I managed, trying to soften my voice.

“Hmm.” He nuzzled his nose on my neck, and I inhaled sharply. “You smell so good, Rosette. Was this why Father brought you here? The scent of your arousal and your natural scent is doing things to me. Things I thought I could no longer feel.”

What did he mean by that? Why did his father bring me here? Before I could even ask or form another thought, he moved, pressing himself to me slowly, as if giving me time to process or pull away. I couldn't tell which.

But I didn't pull away, because I froze from how hard and hot he was. And I was still processing what was happening. I had been pinned by two men who were supposed to be my step-brothers in barely a day in my supposed new home.

So I was having a really, really hard time processing.

“Rosette,” he purred, snapping me out of my thoughts. “You’re far away. I need your attention to be on me.”

I slowly blinked at him even though I couldn't see him. Where else would my attention be? When he was all up in my personal space, doing… things to me.

“There you go.” His hand binding mine tightened, and he moved, placing one thigh in between my legs—directly under the robe—and moved.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Can't wait to know what's next? Tap to continue!

The story unfolds with you as the main character — play now!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The slap stung less than the look in her eyes—pure contempt, like I was trash she couldn’t wait to sweep away. "You ungrateful–" she spat, raising her hand again, but froze when a voice cut through the room.

"Is everything alright?"

I turned slowly. He stood in the doorway—tall, silver-black hair catching the light, eyes sharp enough to slice steel. Mom instantly transformed, smiling like she hadn’t just tried to beat me. "Oh, honey! We were just talking."

He didn’t answer her. His gaze locked onto mine, then dropped to my cheek. That bruise throbbed under his stare, but he said nothing. Just stepped forward, long strides eating the distance between us. "You’re Rosette," he stated. Not a question.

"Yes, sir."

"You weren’t at the wedding."

"Had better things to do."

A flicker—almost amusement. Then his hand came up, gloved fingers brushing my chin. My body tensed, but not from fear. Something deeper reacted. Something primal. "We’re family now," he said, voice low, commanding.

I pulled back. "Are we, though, Mr. Varkas?"

His eyes flashed—gold, blazing, gone in a blink. "You didn’t tell me your daughter was this smart," he told Mom, smiling like a predator who’d found prey worth chasing.

And in that moment, I knew: this wasn’t just a new house. It was a cage. And he wasn’t just my stepfather.

He was something else.

Something dangerous.

And somehow… I was already his.