Chapter 1 Chapter 1

It had been ten years since I made my way back to Idaho. My parents separated when I was five, and my mom tried so hard to stay around so I was close to my father growing up– but it didn't work. After five years of being too close to my father, my mom upped and moved us clear across the states to Savannah, Georgia. My mother, having been a southern belle all her life, loved the sweetness of Georgia, and everything it had to offer. In fact, the only reason she was with my father was because they had met in college, and before graduation she got pregnant with me. That was why he married her– or kept her around at least. Mom doesn't talk about it often, and even though I get the occasional birthday gift or deposit of money in my account; I don't hear from him. He always kept me at arms length which broke my heart at first, but eventually I grew to accept. After some time he got married to my step-mother who had four strapping godsons, and a hatred for me I would never understand. The one time my father came to see me was at my high school graduation, and he brought her. We will just say that she was a stepford wife in the making, and if looks could kill– I'd be dead. "Ivy! If you don't come on you're going to miss your plane!" My mother hollered from downstairs, causing me to sigh. I had finished my first two years of college at the local community college until I was able to get the prerequisites done for the university I wanted. However, out of the five that I applied for, my least favorite was the only one to accept me. And that one just happened to be located in Idaho– where my father was. I knew the university had been the best for a degree in Agriculture but I didn't want to be close to my dad. Part of me was still hurt that he had chosen my step-mother and her godsons over me. I am his daughter– his blood. Yet, it didn't seem to be enough. Grabbing my suitcases, I pulled them towards the door as I slung my backpack over my shoulder, giving my room one last look around. It was bitter sweet leaving, but if I was ever going to accomplish my dreams I had to take some risks. Heading down stairs, my eyes landed upon my mother, who stood by the doorway smiling at me. I knew that there was a lot I could say to help change my mind about going, but this was important to her. My mother would never admit to me she was sick, but after much snooping I had found the truth– stage two cervical cancer. Treatments were supposed to start soon, and as much as I wanted to confront her and tell her that I knew and I was staying, I knew she wouldn't be pleased. I didn't want to stress her out more than she already was. She wanted me to follow my dreams– and that meant without me worrying about her. "It's going to be okay, Ivy." My mother said as she drove towards the airport, "I spoke to your father and he is going to meet you as soon as you get off the plane.""That's good I guess." I replied, staring out the window, unsure of whether or not I really wanted him to be there. To be honest, I would be surprised if he showed up. Many times he offered for me to fly out there to see him. Even told me about the magnitude of personal drivers the company had that could take me anywhere I wanted to go. As if that was going to persuade someone like me. "It isn't going to be that bad, Ivy. I don't know why you feel so negative over the situation. You barely know your father and his family. It will be good for you to go. Trust me." My mother was adamant on me going, and I wasn't quite sure why. "My birthday is in a few months, and I won't be able to spend it with you.""Is that really what you are worried about?" My mother asked as she turned to look at me when she parked the car. No, it wasn't all I worried about. I worried about her being alone through all of what was going on with her. I worried about something terrible happening, and me not being here for her. But most of all I worried about losing my mother, and never getting to say goodbye. I couldn't help but sigh, "I don't know. I just have a feeling I am making the wrong choice.""Well, you're not." My mother's tone took me a little by surprise. "You have to do this." There was no point in arguing with her. She was right to an extent. I do need to stop fighting myself on going to see my father. Spending time with him wouldn't be a bad thing. At least then I could have a reason to hate him if he messed up. My father was mysterious. He came from nothing, and ended up one of the wealthiest people in the country, owning big corporations on the west coast of the states that not many knew how he obtained. Other than that small fact though, I knew nothing about the man. As I walked into the airport with my mom, I couldn't help but have a sense of dread wash over me. Something about all of this just didn't feel right, and the more I looked at my mom I didn't want to go. Tears sprang to my eyes as I thought of leaving her. "I am going to miss you." I told her softly, causing her to start crying as well. "Aww, baby." She mumbled wrapping her arms around me. "I am going to miss you as well, but you know what… this is an adventure you will love. I just know it." Saying goodbye was harder than I thought it was going to be. As I moved down the terminal and climbed onto the plane, I let my tears fall, and a sense of numbness washed over me. I couldn't show my weakness, because if I let it out, then I was more than likely going to run off the plane and refuse to go. Settling into my seat, I couldn't help but think how much my life had changed. I was no longer going to have the security of my mother's home and the safety of the town I had grown up in. Instead, I was going to be in a home that I was never welcome in and in a town that was the farthest thing from home I could get. I was trading warm weather and sunshine for cold breezes and snow. Groaning to myself I watched as a bubbly blonde-haired girl strolled to my section, looking at the seat numbers. "Oh this is me!" She said excitedly, causing me to groan inwardly. Great, I don't even get to sit by myself. As she settled in, I raised my brow, watching her manuver all of her items into her small space. Her long blonde hair swept into a high ponytail, and her makeup perfectly on point. She must have been the barbie doll type... a contrast from my dark hair, and occasional glasses. "Hi there!" She said her heavy southern accent flowing from her lips as a small twinkle marked the corner of her eye. "Looks like we get to fly together. Where ya headed?" As she stared at me, I contemplated my choices. One, I could be rude and completely ignore her or two, I could find chatting with her better to preoccupy my mind and pass the time. Oh the choices… "I am headed to Idaho... school." My choice wasn't that hard after all. She looked at me and her eyes widened. "Oh my God! Me too!" The happy expression on her face made my eyes widen. This girl is also way too excited this early in the morning. "That's cool. What are you going to school for?" I was curious about her response because there wasn't much you attended the University of Idaho for. "Oh, agricultural studies. I want to help the planet and all... not really narrowed down to a specific area yet." Her response was interesting and I knew how she felt. I couldn't pinpoint my specific area either. "That's cool. I am doing the same.""Oh wow!" She squealed, "Maybe we will end up being roommates too." She chuckled and I sighed softly, thinking how I would rather that then staying at my fathers home. "Unfortunately, I wish that were the case… but, I am staying at my dad's house. No point in dorms when I can live with him for free, ya know." She nodded her head, smiling at me, and I couldn't help but feel at ease around her. She was a nice contrast to the bundle of nerves and irritation I had been before. "Well, regardless it's going to be a wonderful year. By the way, my name is Kate." Holding her hand out to me, I hesitated before taking it. "Ivy." I replied flatly before the corner of my lip turned up into a small smile. I had expected to come to this school and not make any friends at all, and yet here I was, making friends with a girl I would never have considered being friends with before we even left the tarmac. I was more laid back, and closed off. An introvert if you will, and that was the complete opposite of Kate. She was the kind of girl I would have had issues with through high school. The cheerleader type that cared about how she looked and the social status that surrounded her. Although, in this case, looks were deceiving. She wasn't that kind of person at all and for that I was grateful. Time passed by quickly as we sat talking and eventually the plane made its descent to the ground, stopping at Fountains airport. It was near the school, but my fathers home was still 45 minutes away from there. At least it would give me time to catch up with my dad and get through all of the uncomfortable silence before meeting the rest of the demons from hell. "So who's picking you up again?" Kate asked as we waited for our luggage to arrive. My eyes searched for my father but not seeing him anywhere. "My dad supposedly... he must not be here yet." I mumbled before a sigh escaped me. "Oh my God..." Kate groaned letting a small sigh escape her, "don't look now but there are two totally sexy men standing over there to your right." My brows furrowed in confusion as I followed her line of sight towards the men she was talking about. They seemed to be arguing with each other, but one of them had a sign with my name on it in their hand and as I read it I realized who they were. "Are you fucking kidding me..." I grumbled, causing Kate to look at me in question. "What's wrong?""Those two are part of the four brothers. Guess my dad didn't have time to come get me after all." If the day couldn't get worse... it just did.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

"Where is my dad?" I asked firmly as I approached them both, dragging my suitcases behind me. Their dark eyes looking down on me took me by surprise, and I couldn't help but notice how well they looked from the photos I remembered. They had definitely been working out. "Ivy?" The taller one with tattoos on his left arm that appeared below his sleeve questioned. His black hair messy on his head as if he had just gotten out of the shower and couldn't be asked to do anything with himself. "Yeah. That's me." I retorted, pulling myself from the gaze I was in. "My dad?" The man rolled his eyes, ignoring me, and quickly grabbed my suitcase, dragging it behind him towards the doors. "Sorry, Ivy..." The other said with an apologetic smile. Damian doesn't say much to many people. I'm James." "Ivy!" Kate squealed from behind me as she came walking over. "I told you I knew the bag was somewhere. Glad I caught you before I got my cab. I just wanted to say thank you for keeping me company on the plane." "Oh. It's fine. I enjoyed it." The idea she was taking a cab didn't sit well with me. She was a nice girl, and had treated me fairly while venturing here. "Don't take a cab. We can drop you off at campus. Isn't that right, James?" The look I gave him as I said his name had him speechless. It took him a moment to grasp what was going on and then he smiled. "Oh yeah, of course. The campus is only, like, 10 minutes away. It's no problem at all." "Awww, well thank you so much, sugar!" Kate squealed as she threw her arms around me, causing me to stiffen uncomfortably in the hug. Pulling back, she looked at me slightly confused, "not a hugger?" "Not really." I replied with a chuckle, "but it's okay. Don't worry about it." My eyes shot to James and a smirk played upon his mouth as if he found my reaction amusing. "Here I will take those from you, and we will get on our way." James replied to Kate as he his eyes gazed over my body one last time. Following James outside the last thing I expected was for Damian to throw a fit about us dropping Kate off. But after my firm placement on the manner, he gritted his teeth and agreed. "Get in the fucking car." His reply irritated me but Kate and I didn't wait for him to ask us again. As soon as we were loaded up, the car began to move towards the campus where we would both be taking classes for the next four years. The trees and brush passed by on the sides of the road, flying as if they had nothing in the world that could stop them. One thing I had been excited about coming to Idaho was all of the nature that would surround me. I had the urge to get lost within it, and explore things people never considered seeing. Growing up, mom and I were considered free spirits, and tended to beat to the sound of our own drum. And just because she wasn't with me right now didn't mean I was going to stop. My particular ancestry would be heartbroken if I stopped doing what I was doing just because I moved across the country. Eventually, turning off the main highway, we moved towards a more symmetrical designed street that held loads of vegetation and historical buildings. "This is amazing--" Kate whispered looking out the window. "Welcome to the University of Idaho." James chuckled, causing Damian to scoff in annoyance. As soon as we pulled up towards an area that looked like apartments, Damian came to a quick stop, slamming on his breaks, jolting me forward. "Ouch." I replied in irritation as he turned and looked at me. "Pay attention next time then." Damian snapped before jumping out of the vehicle, and making his way towards the back where James was helping Kate pull out her luggage. Groaning in irritation, I hopped out and walked towards Kate, "Do you have it from here?" "Oh definitely. Thank you again for the ride." She called out as she waved, "I will see you Monday." "Sounds great, I will see you at orientation." I called out before Damian yelled to James to hurry up and get in the damn vehicle. I had not even been here that long, and Damian was already proving to be the biggest asshole I had ever met. That would be my luck though. "Do you have to be so rude?" I asked as we pulled back out onto the highway, headed towards my dad's home. I wasn't going to allow him to act like this towards me or anyone I associated with. It wasn't needed nor welcome. I watched as he looked at me from the rearview mirror, his eyes darkening as he glared. Most girls probably would have looked away and shrunk back from him but me... I would never. Raising my eyebrow in question, I lifted my hand and gave him the middle finger, causing him to smirk. "You have a lot of fire in you for someone who doesn't know anything about this place." A scoff escaped me as I rolled my eyes, "they are all the same in the end. One pathetic excuse of a home after another." James laughed, shaking his head, "I like her attitude." "No one fucking asked you." Damian growled, catching me by surprise. His eyes went to mine again as if realizing what he did. "Don't get comfortable here." "I wouldn't dream of it. I'm simply passing through." I replied, rolling my eyes. James seemed welcoming, but Damian definitely wasn't. It made me curious to know what the other two were like. Were they going to be just as warm and welcoming as the welcome committee that met me at the airport or perhaps would they try to devour me like, little red riding hood? With tension in the air, and awkward silence, the vehicle finally pulled into a driveway guarded by tall large black iron gates. Through there, it wound through miles and miles of trees until a clearing approached in the distance, and I realized that the property was more than I had expected. Multiple houses sat scattered over miles of landscape while the one Damian was heading for was tall and elegant against the bright blue sky. "This is the house?" James looked over from the passenger seat and smiled at me, "yeah, haven't you seen it?" "No." I sighed, "my father was never forthcoming and he never cared for me anyways." James' brows furrowed in confusion at my statement, "huh?" As Damian parked the car, he didn't bother to wait for me or help for that matter. He simply climbed out, slamming the door and ran inside to get as far from me as he could. At least James stayed outside with me, maybe one of them would actually want to get a long with me. Slowly opening the door, I closed it and moved towards the back where James was pulling out my luggage. " Thank you." "For what?" His confusion over why I was saying thank you confused me, before I watched him close the back and walk off. "You're not going to help me?" I called out to him, watching as he turned to me with a smile. "Your dad said to get you here alive and to the house. He never said once I got here I had to continue helping you. I'm sure you'll figure it out." So much for being nice. He was just as much of an asshole as Damian was. Groaning, I pulled the handles on my two large suitcases and threw the backpack across my back. It wasn't going to be easy getting them inside, considering how heavy they were, but I would find a way to manage, I suppose. As I stepped through the front door, I came face to face with my step mother. Her brown eyes narrowed at me and a fake smile plastered on her face. "Ivy. I was wondering what was taking you so long. We don't waste time in this house. We are all adults here now, and need to remember punctuality is important." "Sure thing, Alice." I said flatly, watching as she glared at me harder. "It's Allison." Her gritted tone switched from pleasant to angry faster than a hellcat could shift gears. "Right. Where am I staying?" I asked as I looked around the massive two story home, curious to think how I would get my bags upstairs. "Oh you're not in the main house, Ivy. We made the cottage at the back of the property ready for you. We figured you would like your own space." Allison seemed more than pleased with the notion of keeping me as far from her and my father as possible. "Sounds perfect… care to point the way?" The fact that her words didn't affect me seemed to irritate her, but instead of arguing with me, she simply turned and I followed. As we reached the back door, she opened it and pointed to a small brown and white cottage at the far end of the massive property. It sat delicately next to the woodline, and something about it almost seemed magical. Ignoring Allison, I let my feet guide me towards the home. My bags no longer felt heavy, and the irritation from my welcome committee quickly left me. I wasn't sure what about this place seemed like home, but I was pleased to know that I was going to be able to live my own life here. Close to nature and far from drama-- or so I hoped.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Pulling my suitcase into the cottage, I looked around at the set up my step-mother had ready for me. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. In fact, the rustic cozy feel of the home had me feeling like I walked into something out of a fairytale book. Small fairy lights and greenery swept the walls, accenting the white drapery that lined the windows and cascaded down upon the floor. The cottage had a small living room with a kitchenette, and a bedroom with a bathroom off to the side. With everything here, I wouldn't need to go up to the main house for much. "Hmm… not bad." I mumbled to myself as I drug the bags into my bedroom, and laid it on the bed. Growing up and moving around quite a bit, my mother always told me to unpack in the bedroom first. That way at the end of the day, the bedroom was done and I was able to relax. As I slowly began to unpack, my phone began to chime with notifications causing me to groan. I had only just arrived at this place, and already I was being blown up. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I saw my fathers text messages and sighed. 'Come inside. I would like to talk to you.' Of course he wants to see me now. Yet, he couldn't come to the airport to pick me up. Sliding back on my flats, I made my trek back up to the main house, and entered through the back door. I had no idea where I was supposed to meet him in the big house, but Allison made sure to greet me in the kitchen to ensure I got to where I needed to be. "There you are. Took you long enough." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Hurry up." I could already tell with the way she was acting that she wasn't going to make staying here easy. Thankfully, I wasn't the same girl I was when I was younger. I didn't let people push me around anymore, and if she thought she could act however she wanted towards me, she would find herself mistaken. Following behind her, she moved through the house with haste until she came to a large white wooden door. "Remember, always knock before you enter." She remarked clearly, staring at me with a raised brow as if I was a child who didn't have manners. "Yeah, got it." Rolling my eyes, I knocked on the door, and waited for a response. My father quickly replied to come in, and I made sure to give Allison a smirk of approval before I opened the door. If she kept it up, I was going to make it my personal objective to do everything I could to piss her off. I may have been an introvert who loved books and nature, but I could be the devil if I needed to be. My mom can vouch for that as well– I used to have a wicked streak. Stepping inside his office, he stood from the dark brown desk in it's center that he had been sitting behind, a smile lighting up his face as he saw me. "Ivy, goodness you have grown.""It's been two years since I saw you last." I replied with a smile as he came towards me with his arms open for a hug. The moment being more awkward than I would have liked it, but I hugged him regardless to show I was trying. "Yes, it has." He sighed, "I hope that you have found the accommodations to be more than adequate. Allison and I felt that you would like your own space now that you're older. That way you won't be disturbed by the chaos that seems to float around the main house." A chuckle left my lips as I nodded, "yeah, I love the cottage it's very—""You." He replied finishing my sentence. "Yes, it's very me." I smiled and watched as he gestured for me to take a seat in the chair across from his desk. "You didn't come meet me at the airport?" My father sighed and nodded his head, "yes, and I am sorry about that. I am working a deal with a foreign dignitary right now, and I wasn't able to break away. It was important for the deal to go right.""It's okay. The guys were—" I thought a moment about how to describe them, and watched how my fathers face turned concerned with my hesitation, "they were welcoming." A smile crossed his face as soon as I said what I did, "Well, that's good. Three of them attend the university as well." Surprise filled me thinking that they were actually attending college, "really?""Yes," my father laughed, "James, Talon, and Hale all attend the college." It confused me for a moment that only three of them would attend the college, but the oldest one, Damian, didn't. Perhaps his bad boy persona gave him a reason to think he was too good to go to college and get a degree. "Damian doesn't though?" I was curious for the clarification. If I was going to survive here, I had to know my enemies, and it was clear the guys weren't going to get along with me very well. "No, Damian actually already finished last year. He works with me in the company, and is helping me to run it. He is a lot smarter than he chooses to admit." I wasn't sure how he was running a business considering it didn't have the most pleasant of attitudes, but then again, looks can be deceiving. Perhaps, it was just me that he didn't want to get along with. "Well, I am glad you have the help." Trying to stay positive with an already awkward conversation was growing harder than I would have liked it to. A moment of silence fell between us as my father watched my every move. "I have something for you." He finally replied, his smile growing wide. "Come with me." My father stood to his feet, and moved from behind the desk. My eyes following him until I realized he was waiting for me. "Oh–" Quickly, standing to my feet, he opened the office door, and led me down a hallway through the kitchen towards another door. As he opened it, I noticed that the door led towards the garage, and I was slightly curious to know why we were going in there. "Now, the drive is a decent one to the University. So I got you something to make sure you were able to have reliable transportation." My eyes widened as he stopped in front of a sleek black sedan. Dark tinted windows and chrome accenting decorated the beautiful vehicle, and made me feel breathless. "You got me a car?" I mumbled trying to wrap my head around what he was saying. I had been upset about not being able to bring my car from Georgia, but my mom refused to allow me to drive across country alone. She had assured me I wouldn't need it when I got here, and I had considered it was because I would have a driver. But man was I wrong! A brand new fuckin car—- mind blown. "Yes, Ivy." He chuckled, pulling the key from his pocket, "I got you a car. You are going to change the world, sweetie. I have more faith in you than you know, and I realize I was never there for you before but now that you are here, that's going to change." My emotions threatened to expose me for being soft as the tears threatened to rim my eyes. I looked at him, and smiled before stepping in and giving him a hug. "Thank you." I wasn't going to automatically believe that my father had changed from the ways he was, but the least I could do was try to give him a chance to show me that he is different. "Your welcome, Ivy." Pulling back, I wiped a stray tear from my eye, and looked at him smiling. "I am looking forward to the next four years here. I hope we will be able to make memories.""I am sure we will. Now, I know you have a lot of settling in to do before Monday's classes so I will let you get to it. We are going to have a family dinner this evening at seven. I would like for you to join." Family dinner… mentally I wanted to slap myself for suggesting making memories because family dinners with the stepford wife and her arrogant godson's weren't my idea of pleasurable memories. "Of course, that sounds wonderful." As much as I wasn't pleased with the idea, I suppose I can't just expect them to be the only ones who put in effort. I have to be willing to do the same as well.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I came to dinner, but part of me realized that I was widely under-dressed for the most part. It wasn't something super fancy, but it wasn't a jeans and t-shirt thing either. I could see the disgust in Allison's eyes as I stepped into the dinning room wearing black leggings, and an oversized band t-shirt. Her lip turned up into a look of disgust before rolling her eyes, and turning away headed for her seat. "You can sit in the last chair there." Allison stated, clearly pointing to a chair at the end of the table. One that happens to be right next to a tall brooding man with rippling muscles and a perfectly styled beard. I couldn't help but feel hesitant as his eyes looked up to mind, and a smirk crossed his lips. "You must be the famous, Ivy." Famous... I wouldn't say that, well at least not yet. "Uh– yeah. That's me." Moving to my seat, I quickly sat down and watched as servants brought out serving dish after serving dish of food. My eyes widening at the amounts before I was distracted by three other massive bodies entering the dining room. Damian, James, and another man I had not met entered in all their godliness and took a seat at the table. How was it that one woman had all four of these sexy sinful men. God, stop gawking at them! I scolded myself inwardly as I shook my head and focused on the glass of water in front of me as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. "Hale, you already met Ivy, I see." Looking towards Damian, I saw the glare on his face. He still wasn't happy with me being here, and I wasn't sure why. The man who spoke to me before turned to Damian and smiled, "yeah I did. Not much of a talker though.""Consider that a good thing." Damian retorted, taking his seat. As another body sat next to mine across from Hale, I noticed that he and Hale looked almost alike. Doing a double take, I made the mental realization that I was sitting next to two absolutely delicious looking twins. I slowly let my hand slid under the table, pinching myself to see if I was going to wake up from another one of my erotic dreams. The pain shooting through me made me realize that I, in fact, was actually awake. "You okay?" The newcomer asked, giving me a perplexed stare. My eyes widened as a smile crossed my face, "yep…yep. I'm good. Nothing wrong here." Hale began to laugh as he shook his head with a smile looking to the man across from him, "Talon, I think she is shocked we look alike.""Well, unfortunately we are twins." The annoyed man stated openly, causing Hale to chuckle. "And I am the normal one.""Don't let him intimidate you. That's Talon. He is a giant teddy bear really." Hale said, clearly rolling his eyes at Talon who shrugged his shoulders and scoffed. "For some reason, I find that hard to believe." I mumbled taking a sip of my drink again as I watched my father finally enter the room, and take a seat at the head of the table. The conversation quickly fell into work, and other political aspects as we dug into the food. With having little interest in those kinds of things, I fell into my own thoughts, and tuned out everything they were talking about. I had no interest in getting to honestly know any of them personally, and therefore had no reason to hold a conversation. "What do you think, Ivy?" The question pulled me out of my internal thoughts, and my eyes looked at them in shock, knowing I was caught not paying attention. "Huh?""She isn't' even paying attention. I don't know why you're asking her opinion." Damian snapped quickly at James, causing my father to give Damian a disapproving look. "She is part of the family, Damian.""Right." Damian said with a sigh of disapproval while glaring at me. "I asked what it was you thought about adding a gaming center on the property for the kids that lived here." My father asked again, and I found it odd that he would want to do something like that. "How many kids live here?" I questioned, my lack of understanding not making me able to give a proper response. "Well on the land we own, about 42 of various ages." I was shocked that many people would possibly be living on my father's property. I didn't see how that was possible. How much land did they actually own? "See, she knows nothing about the property. There is no point in asking her." Damian grumbled, causing even Hale to look at him as if asking him to shut up. "Actually, I do have an opinion." I snapped. "Do enlighten us then, Ivy." Allison's voice was laced with sarcasm, and I was getting irritated with the way she kept addressing me. She didn't even know me, and yet was acting like a spoiled bitch. Smirking, I took a sip of my water, washing down the bite of food I had taken and straightened myself into my seat. "I have a few questions first. How much land do you own and what is the total number of people total on the land?" My father smiled, "We own about 400 acres of land, and upon that land we have about 150 people total on the property.""Where is all of the education, and other resources located on the property?" A look crossed my father's face, and his smile widened. "They attend in the city, forty minutes away.""Well, there you go. Money shouldn't be spent on something like games, and other mindless things. Try investing in things that will help to educate and change the future. Try getting these children, and their family, into more agricultural activities. Having a library will help to create a better atmosphere for kids, as well as, allowing space for tutoring and other things." Everyone stared at me silently, but my father was the one smiling. "So you want us to put in a library, and waste space with things kids don't use nowadays." Talon stated, catching me off guard, considering he barely spoke over the entire dinner. "No, I want you to focus on things that will further the future of the people who live here. Get the youth into things that will make this area prosper. Taking care of our land is how we survive. Building bright minds and futures make us self sustainable, and not relying on the cities around us to make sure we survive." My words held a lot of weight with my father, and even Allison seemed genuinely impressed. Damian, however, didn't seem happy about what I said. Instead, he stared at me before sliding his chair out and walking away. I stared at the empty doorway before looking back at the others, "did I say something wrong?""No," James replied with a smile, "he has a lot on his mind. It isn't you." For some reason I had a hard time believing that. The look on Allison's face spoke volumes, and as she stood up to follow him, I watched my father look at her and shake his head. I had obviously caused issues, and it wasn't what I was looking to do. "If you will excuse me. I am going to call it a night.""Of course, Ivy. Thank you for coming to dinner." My father replied as I stood and moved away from the table heading towards the back door. "I told you not to let her come." Damian's voice said softly. "You know I didn't have a say in the matter, Damian." Allison replied with a groan. I had come too close to a private conversation, but the fact they were talking about me had me stopping in my tracks to listen. "He is your mate, Allison. You have a lot to say, but you won't." Damian snapped. Mate? The hell does he mean mate? "Damian, that's enough. Stop this right now. You will not speak to me how you are." Damian sighed, "I'm sorry. It's just so hard to focus with her around.""Well, perhaps make her want to leave. I don't agree with the situation with her anyways." Allison was getting on my last nerve. I had never done anything wrong to her, and she always seemed to have it out for me. Pushing off the wall, I headed towards the back door and stopped once I grabbed the handle, looking towards Damian and Allison, both stood there wide-eyed looking at me. "Such a warm welcome." The sarcasm dripped off my tongue as I opened the door, and disappeared into the night back towards the comfort of the cottage at the back of the property. With the chaos of the day, I was ready to make a hot cup of tea and watch a movie. I wasn't going to allow them to force me out easily. I had too much riding on my stay here, and if they wanted to try and play hardball with me then so be it. They better know how to play the game.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

Waking up Saturday morning, I had put a plan in motion on how I was going to approach everything while I was here. Damian and Allison made it clear last night that they didn't want me here. Shit, Allison had made it clear a long time ago that she didn't want anything to do with me. So, instead of allowing them to bully me or get what they want, I was just going to do me. I wasn't going to let them bother me, and minding my own business was the perfect way to do that. I would go into town and get things for my small cottage and stock the fridge. That way, I wouldn't need to go into the house unless it was the garage to get my car. Slipping on a pair of shorts and a tank top, I grabbed my shoes and purse and quickly head out of the cottage towards the garage. I would get the things I needed to survive without them, and then there wouldn't be a reason for them to try and get rid of me. As I snuck in through the back door, I noticed how quite the house was, and was grateful for the lack of people moving around. I didn't want anyone to stop and question me about what I was doing. Moving through the kitchen, I took the route my father had taken me through until I ended up in the garage. My sexy black car sat there by itself waiting to be driven. As I slid behind the driver seat, I ran my fingers across the black leather interior. My father had chosen my car perfectly and thinking about it made me smile. We may not have had the best of relationships, but he was trying and that was what mattered. Turning the car on, I watched the display come to life. I had read of up on the car last night while laying in bed, and I was glad that it was equipped with GPS. It made things easier for me considering I had no idea where I was going. After typing a few things in and saving the routes for later, I put the car in gear and pulled out of the garage and down the road. My phone immediately began to ring, and looking down I didn't recognize the number. Sighing, thinking it could be my father, I answered. "Hello?""Where the fuck are you going?" Damian's voice was laced with anger, and I found amusement in the way he was acting. "Why the hell do you care and how did you get my number?""Don't change the subject, Ivy. Where are you going? You don't just leave without telling someone where you are going… your father is worried." He replied, trying to guilt trip me. "That's funny, because I sent him a text early this morning telling him I was going to the store today to get a few things. So, do you want to try again?" There was silence on the other end of the line as I lied, trying to catch him in what he was saying. I hadn't really texted my dad, but I was curious to know what he was going to say in regards to that. "That's besides the point." I knew he was lying the moment he said it was my dad who was worried. I didn't even know this man, and already he has made me want to pull my hair out since I have been here. "Look, nice try lying, but I will be back when I get back. Don't call me again." Hanging up the phone, I didn't bother to hear anything else he had to say. Never had I considered that these four guys would be more trouble than they were worth. I didn't even want anything to do with them and they were acting like complete assholes. Perhaps, it was a male testosterone thing… who knows. Pulling into town, I found that it was prettier than it had been the day before. I was looking forward starting school on Monday. It would allow me to be invested with my work and not having the free time to allow those guys to bother me. The grocery store was packed, and it didn't surprise me being so close to the campus. I could almost imagine the college students ransacking the ramen noodles, among other things making me wish that I had come earlier. As I stepped out of the car, I heard by name being called, and turned to see Kate walking from the bus stop with a smile on her face. "Oh, hey Kate!""Oh my God. Is that your car?" She exclaimed running her fingers over it and smiling. "Yeah, my dad gave it to me yesterday. Considering that it's like a 40 minute drive to the campus. Are you grabbing some things too?" I asked her, seeing the large rucksack on her back. "Yeah, I have to stock up for at least a week." She chuckled, "It's all that fits in this bag." Kate had been sweet to me the moment that I got on the plane, and thinking about her struggling for the bus to take things back to campus didn't sit well with me. Looping my arm through hers, I smiled. "Don't be crazy. I will take you and your stuff back to the dorms when we are done." Her eyes widened as she stared at me, "are you sure? I don't want to impose.""Of course, I am sure. Besties remember?" I teased her, causing her to laugh. "Very true." She said sarcastically as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. As Kate and us walked inside, we both got our carts and started to shop. I learned that Kate had gotten fortunate enough to have a solo dorm room so she didn't have to share with anyone. Mainly because her mother said that she didn't want her daughter tainted. It still made me laugh with the way Kate explained it. "So," Kate said as we turned down an aisle filled with chips and other snacks. "How are things going with those brothers of yours? You didn't seem happy with them yesterday." I stopped in my tracks, confused by what she was talking about, "brothers?""Uh, yes. The two sexy ripped men who picked you up from the airport." She laughed causing me to realize what she was talking about. "Ohhh!" I laughed, "dude, they aren't my brothers. They are my step-mother's godsons, and there are four of them. Not the best welcoming committee to be honest.""So your not related to them?!" Kates eyes went wide as an excited look crossed her face. "Oh, my God.""I don't know why you are so excited about this." I chuckled as I pressed onwards. "Ivy, you are literally living every girls wet dream. Are you kidding me right now?" My brows furrowed as I tried to understand what she was suggesting. There was no way that I could have a relationship with any of them. Yes, they were incredibly sexy and my mind had often wandered, but at the same time it would be weird. "I don't think so. Plus, they don't like me at all." I reminded her, causing her to sigh. "Well, I think you should give them a chance. Or perhaps just simply have fun. That's what college is about anyways. Having fun, and trying new things. Maybe Two or four things at once…" she mumbled, causing me to turn with my mouth open wide looking at her in shock. "Kate!" I squealed, causing her to laugh. "What?! I am just saying..." We both burst into laughter as we turned the corner and seemed to run into a wall that didn't want to move. Looking up, I was met with Talon and Hale's eyes. A disapproving glance on Talon's face while Hale held a smile. "Hale…Talon…" I stuttered in shock as to what they were doing at the store. "What are you doing here?""Shopping." Hale replied with a grin as Talon rolled his eyes. "Who are these people?" Kate whispered as she leaned into me, excitement registered all over her face. "This is Talon and Hale. The other half of the four…"

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

"Four!" Kate squealed, causing Hale to laugh. "Holy, shit... You mean like one, two, three, four… the number four… Four brothers." Talon groaned, looking at me in disapproval, "why does it matter how many of us there are?""Oh, well because there are these things called a four–" I slapped my hand over her mouth, staring at her in shock as I shook my head no. As much as I tried to muffle what she was about to say when I looked back at Talon and Hale, they wore shocked expressions. "We have to be going… have a great day!" I had never pushed a cart so fast in my life. The embarrassment of the situation making my face red as Kate laughed hysterically from behind me. I wasn't mad at her, on the contrary, I was intrigued by the idea she was proposing. Talon and Hale looked incredible and more than once I wanted to reach out and touch them. Shaking my head, I tried to wipe the thought from my mind. I couldn't allow myself to get caught up in those kinds of ideas. There was no way that was right by any means. They may not have been related to me by blood or marriage, but they still were raised by my step-mother. I made a point to quickly move myself and Kate through the store, trying to avoid running into Talon or Hale again. Every corner I took I found myself looking over my shoulder to make sure they weren't right behind me. "Thank you again for bringing me back here. I had an awesome time this afternoon." I looked to Kate as I popped the trunk slowly helping her grab bags out, "I had fun too.""Hey, let me see your phone. I'll put my number in there so we can keep in contact." The offer was warm. I hadn't had close friends in a long time. The only person I used to hang out with when I lived in Georgia was Mary, and she moved away overseas our senior year when her father got stationed at a base in Germany. "That would be cool. Are you sure you don't want help taking the stuff upstairs?" I asked, her watching her fill her rucksack and grab a bunch of bags. "No, I have it. But I will see you on Monday. Meet me at the small coffee shop in the middle of campus. We can grab coffee before orientation at nine." By the time Kate and I said goodbye, I was feeling more comfortable with how things went with us. Driving home, I parked the car in the garage, and took out the small collapsable wagon I purchased from the trunk. I loaded all of my groceries and a few small appliances I purchased and made my way towards the cabin. As soon as I got close, however, I felt like I was being watched. Spinning around, I watched Damian strolling down the path after me and quickly I turned making haste to get inside my home before he could say anything to me. The last thing I wanted was to hear his mouth again. He was doing nothing but getting on my last nerve. "Ivy!" He yelled at me as I pulled the wagon inside and attempted to close the door. His hand coming up to stop me, he pushed his way inside, his blue eyes staring down at me with anger. "I know you heard me.""Yeah, I did. Now get out." I snapped back trying to get him to leave. "No, you need to learn that you can't just leave and not tell anyone." He retorted as if I was a child who needed permission to leave. "Excuse me? I am an adult, and I will do as I please. Now get out of my house.""Your house? I think you will find that this is all part of my home, and I will come and go as I wish." If I didn't think Damian could be more of an asshole than he was already, I was wrong. "The last time I checked this was my father's home. So get the fuck out now before you do something you will regret." A growl resonated from him and caused me to step back. I could have sworn I saw a glimmer of gold reflect in his eyes for a moment as he stepped closer towards me. "Watch who you speak to like that. I would hate to have to show you who is in charge around here." Something about the way he said what he did sent shivers straight to my core. Damian was incredibly sexy and everything about him drew me in. I wasn't a virgin, but I was not very experienced. The only man I had slept with was at senior prom, and he barely lasted ten minutes before he was sleeping next to me. "Don't promise something you know you can't follow through with." My challenge seemed to spark something in him and quickly he turned and marched out of my small home, slamming the door behind him. I wasn't to sure what his problem was but at the same time, I wasn't looking to find out anymore than I had too. Damian was dangerous and men like him were always bad news. I had four years to spend here, and with everything I had going on, I needed to make sure I didn't ruffle feathers. I didn't want to show signs of weakness and have them thinking they could act however they wanted to with me, but at the same time, I didn't want to cause more problems for myself than need be. With a sigh I tried to not think to much on everything and pulled the wagon towards the kitchen, unloading things into the few cabinets and the fridge. I had to make this place feel as much as home as possible because I didn't want to have to go into the main house if I didn't need too. One thing I found that would help with that was the exterior door to the garage on the side of the house. Which meant no longer did I need to go through the house to get to my car. Damian was making me feel uncomfortable, and I had only been here two days. As I made a cup of coffee, I sat on the small sofa turning on the TV as I pulled out my phone. Kate had texted me, asking how things were going with the brothers again and her idea of how I could have fun with them sunk in my mind. They were incredibly sexy and each of them had their unique mannerisms that made me want to know more. If I was going to have a chance of getting close to any though Hale and James seemed to be a lot more light hearted that Damian and Talon. A chime on my phone caused me to look down thinking that Kate had texted me back. The only problem is that it wasn't her. It was the same number that called me earlier when I left. 'Challenge accepted, little one.' Damian's text sent shivers through my body. I wasn't stupid. I knew exactly who sent that message, and if he thought he was going to play with me and make me leave... Well, he would be wrong.