+++++

Chapter Three

Rain.

Constant rain.

That was one of the things I hadn't missed about London.

I was curled up in what appeared to be my new room. It was dull, bland, and cold; yet I didn't mind it. In fact, it seemed almost fitting for me.

The rain was splashing against the window I was sitting next to, and every now and then, a flash of lightning would illuminate the quickly darkening sky and thunder would echo, momentarily silencing the sound of the rain.

I wasn't sure how long I had been in this room, or even how much longer I would stay. After I had woken up, I decided to unpack, and I was left with absolutely nothing to do, and I was positive that I didn't want to go downstairs.

I was covered in bruises already, after only being in the Kings hands for just over a day.

"Evie?" My ears perked up at the sound of her voice. A sudden rush of happiness washed over move, only to be replaced by horror.

"Kate?" I asked, running over to my door and opening it instantly.

There she was, standing in front of me with red-rimmed eyes and a small, shaky smile on her face.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I muttering, pressing my hand to my forehead as I moved to the side, allowing her to walk into my room. I noticed Mason and Callum standing at the end of the hallway, and with an icy glare sent their way, I slammed my door shut and locked it for good measure.

Seconds after turning around, Kate nearly tackled me into the door as she wrapped her skinny arms around me and squeezed as hard as she could.

"It all makes sense now," she whispered quietly.

That was the thing about Kate Preston. She knew how to put two and two together, and never needed anything to be repeated twice. She could take one look at this fucked up, twisted situation, and know exactly what was going on and not need to question it.

When she finally pulled away, her eyes were glossy again; yet she seemed determined to not let her tears fall.

"Kate," I said, my voice stern. "You can't be here. Why are you here?"

Her brows furrowed in confusion before realization settled in. "The boys said something about needing leverage over you and they knew that you were protective over me, I guess it just seemed like a good idea to take me."

I shook my head at her words, and angrily ran my hands through my hair as I processed her words.

"How could they do this to you?" I asked aloud, tugging on the roots of my hair. "You were just an innocent person who got tangled in this shit and it's all my fault."

"Evie don't-"

"I get that they wanted me, but did they really have to ruin another person's life?" My voice has risen to a yell as I glared at the door. "Kate you cannot be here. These people are bad people, why can't you understand that?"

I felt my eyes bugging out from my head as I tried as hard as I could to stress how dangerous this situation was.

"Calm down." Kate ordered, ignoring my words and forcing me to look at her. "This is not your fault so stop blaming yourself, god damn it. If you actually thought I would let these guys drag you off all by yourself, then you're a fucking idiot. I do not care if they're dangerous or not, you have grown on my like a goddamn parasite after those ten months, and I wouldn't give up our friendship for anything. You got that?"

My jaw snapped shut at her words, and my eyes widened considerably. Kate Preston rarely cursed, and hearing her do so made me stare at her in shock.

"Let's sit down." I told her after a few moments, moving to the small bench I had been perched on before.

As we sat down, I watched her closely. My eyes studied her pale porcelain skin, checking any visible bruises.

"You look like shit." She remarked, her brown eyes trailing over the staining colors that marked my skin.

I couldn't help but let out a small laugh at her blunt words, feeling myself relax as I did so. "I wish I could say the same for you."

She threw me a small smirk before rolling up her t-shirt a bit, showing me the large black and blue bruise that was on her stomach.

"It's not as bad as it looks," she said quickly, noticing how angry I became at the sight of it. "Sebastian gave me medicine and I can barely feel it anymore."

My spine with rigid at the mention of his name, and I felt bile rise in my throat.

"You love him, don't you?" Kate already knew the answer to her question, but she asked it as though it was more for me to answer for myself.

I shook my head sadly, letting a bitter laugh fall from my lips.

"I did at one point." I admitted. "I don't think I do anymore. I mean, how could I? He's hurt me a countless amount of times, and I'm just supposed to run back into his arms? I mean, it's not even like he's welcoming me back right now. I think he wants me dead, if anything."

Kate listened silently, nodding her head here and there as I spoke. "Was he the reason you left, or was it because you didn't want to be in a gang anymore?"

I let out a sigh before I turned to stare out the window which rain had continued to drum upon.

"This is not a fairytale story," I warned her.

Kate gave me one of her childish grins that was full of sympathy and understanding.

"It wouldn't be real if it was."

+++++

Fake a smile; throw in a smirk, maybe someone will buy into your fake confidence.

I stared at myself in the mirror, my eyes drifting to the prominent dark fingerprints that marked my upper arms where Sebastian had roughly grabbed me. Surprisingly enough, the bruises on my arms didn't bother me.

It was my swollen cheek that made me remember all the reasons why I left.

After I had finally told Kate my entire story, Mason had returned to take her back to her room, only after he told me that we would be going out tonight.

I didn't bother fighting him on that, knowing fully well that my protests would only tempt Sebastian to come upstairs and yell at me for not wanting to go and tell me that I didn't have a choice.

That is, if he even thought I was worth the energy spent in doing so.

I was so sick of not having any choices anymore.

I stared at the fitting jeans and black tank top I had chosen, and found myself frowning at the pathetic outfit I had picked out.

But I guess it didn't matter anymore, seeing as how I was no longer the baiter for the Kings. I didn't need to expose my skin anymore in order to catch some sick man's attention. I wouldn't have to play the drunken damsel in distress, or the slutty girl who desperately needed a man to make her life complete.

I should have been okay with not flashing my skin. It wasn't like I was trying to catch anyone's attention anymore. It wasn't that I needed to be near naked to feel complete, I suppose it was the idea that no one was watching over me that made me feel saddened.

I finished covering the visible bruises with layers of foundation, smiling at the idea that I had looked this way, just over a day ago.

But the Kings and their members were toxic. They were the fatal poison that took your last breath, smiling as they did so.

"Are you ready?" I turned to face Callum, whose head had popped into my room as he dully stared me over. I noticed the slight confusion on his face while he looked at my outfit.

"What?" I asked, almost concerned by his stare.

His eyes met mine for a moment, before he shook his head and opened my door fully.

"Nothing," he answered gruffly, "Just wasn't expecting something so conservative."

While I did agree with him, I could only shrug in response as I grabbed my large white cotton sweater and quickly slipped it on, ignoring the way Callum stared at me in disbelief.

Other than the foundation used to cover my bruises, I had decided to ditch my usual raccoon eyed look paired with bold lipstick.

I looked as if I were about to go to the grocery store, not a club.

"Lead the way," I told him, following him out into the unfamiliar hallway that I was now standing in.

"Sebastian, Nate, Will, and Danny are already there," Callum stated, his eyes peeking a glance at me every now and then.

I nodded simply, feeling a bit of courage flow through me as I asked my next question.

"Is Emily there?"

Callum froze next to me, his brows furrowing as his eyes studied my expression, searching to see if there was any hidden meaning in my words.

"You know Emily," I said after he hadn't answered me. "The girl who replaced me."

Callum's eyes lit up with understanding as he stared at me.

"You heard us last night."

It was a statement rather than a question, as my tone had already told him all that he needed to know.

I gave a sarcastic nod, and began walking to what seemed to be the stairs. Callum hurriedly caught up and started walking by my side, his eyes practically trained to the side of my head.

"What?" I snapped, even though we were only halfway down the stairs. "Why do you keep staring at me?"

Callum only smirked and shrugged as he stared down at me, obviously amused that he was getting on my nerves.

"Even after all this time, it's still way too fun to get on your nerves." He remarked, grinning at me.

He sudden, genuine action made me pause and hesitate, my eyes blinking rapidly as I took in the smile. It seemed so out of place on someone who looked so dark and dangerous. I felt the corners of my mouth lift as I took note of the way his eyes lit up.

Then I let a scowl replace my smile.

"And even after all this time, you're still an asshole."

Callum's grin only widened before he gently grabbed my wrist and led me down the rest of the stairs.

"Kate went with the rest of the guys," Mason's voice caught my attention as we entered what seemed to be the living room. I stared blankly at Mason, who simply glared at me from the couch he was sitting on.

"You look disgusting," Mason sneered, his harsh words hitting home as he looked at me with revulsion.

I glanced down at my simple outfit, shifting uncomfortably under his hateful stare.

Don't let him do this to you, I told myself. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about yourself.

I watched as Callum moved to stand nearby Mason both their eyes now on me as they waited expectantly.

"What Callum?" I asked, my tone cold. "You no longer want to be friends with me again?"

I glanced between him and Mason, my eyes falling back on Callum.

"Now that you're with your friend, you're back to hating me?" I asked, my voice rising a bit. "All because you guys think I'm the reason all your lives have gone to hell? Is that it?"

My heart took off as adrenaline began to pump through my veins.

This was it. This was my chance.

"I never wanted for you guys to get caught." I blurted out as my vision began to become hazy. "I never wanted to betray you guys even though you had already backstabbed me. Why? Because I fucking cared about you guys and this entire gang."

I took a deep breath of air in hopes to clear my head.

"I was being tortured by Sampson and his sidekick for hours on end every day that I was away. I was miserable and I was so fucking sure that I was going to die."

I shook my head, watching as both of their hard expressions faltered as they took in my words.

"But I kept quiet, I didn't say a thing to them. Why? Because on top of seeing you guys as my family, I was so sure that you were going to find me. I was waiting for the day that Sebastian would break through the doors with you guys by his side. But that never happened."

A bitter laugh left my lips as tears burned the backs of my eyes.

"Instead, I got a case of files, all explaining how I was just a toy in your game to gain more power."

I forced myself to look away, finding myself struggling to breathe as my breaths became shortened and quicker. I could feel myself on the verge of having an anxiety attack, but I was determined to get everything off my chest first.

"I was so hurt and mad at you guys, that all I wanted was to get revenge and see you all get what you deserved."

A choked sob mixed with a laugh left my lips.

"But I decided to give you guys a chance to get out of the hell that I supposedly placed you in."

I managed to control myself and look at both of the boys steadily.

"That is more than I can say for the both of you. You guys didn't give me a chance to get out of my own personal hell- "

"You and the Kings created it."

+++++

After my outburst, I had rushed upstairs to my room, where I had locked myself into my bathroom and sobbed my eyes out.

I didn't cry because I was weak and hurt, but because I hadn't realized how hard it was going to be, to finally say the words that had been weighing down on me every single day during those ten months.

It felt as if the burden had been taken off my shoulders, and I was able to breathe without feeling as if I was being suffocated and drowned.

Mason and Callum had repeatedly tried to convince me to open the door, and while I couldn't see them, the guilt and regret was heavy in their tones. There was even a point where Mason himself tried to coax me out of the bathroom, begging me to come out so that he could apologize to me.

I just didn't think I was ready for that yet.

I had long since stopped crying, and it had been quite a while since either of the boys had tried to get me to come out. I hadn't bothered to turn on the light in the bathroom, as I wasn't in the mood to see how worn out and broken I looked.

A man by the name of Groucho Marx once said, "Blessed are the cracked, for they shall let in the light."

Unfortunately for me, I was surrounded by darkness.

Even in this darkness, with my vulnerability worn out for all to see, I hadn't felt this strong in months. I wasn't going to hide anything anymore. I wasn't going to bite my tongue whenever one of the boys got mad at me.

I just got back, and I wasn't planning on being taken advantage of.

I was sick of having everyone take advantage of me.

I wrapped my sweater around my freezing body and curled up on the tiled floor as I closed my eyes and rested my head on the tops of my knees. I sighed and shifted a bit, running my hand through my hair before forcing myself to stand.

As much as I wanted to stay in this bathroom for the rest of my life, I knew I had to get up and go downstairs before either Mason or Callum got truly mad with me.

There was always the chance that they had left while I was locked away in the bathroom, and judging from the silence that had settled across the house, my guess didn't seem that far from reality.

Moving my hand against the wooden surface of the door, I blindly reached around for the door handle, a mission that proved to be nearly impossible as I continued to struggle even after a couple minutes.

Finally, I was able to swing open the door, only to be blinded by the bright light that flooded in from my room.

I took a few steps out, shielding my sensitive eyes as I did so.

In my blind stupor, I stumbled over my own two feet, and found myself falling quickly. I let out a groan of pain as I sprawled out over the floor, my hair covering my face as I flipped over onto my back.

"And here I was, just on my way to see if you were okay."

A gasp left my lips as I quickly scrambled to my feet, moving so quickly that whiplash shot through my neck. My wild eyes met his dark ones, and I felt my cheeks tinting pink as I noticed the amusement that danced through his eyes as he took in my unruly state.

My mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, and I silently scolded myself for being so shocked and unresponsive at the moment.

The blue, nearly black button down shirt fit him perfectly, as did the dark pair of jeans he had decided to pair it with. He had clearly gone out of his way to clean up for tonight, and judging from how well he looked, something in my gut told me that he had done all this for someone.

And I can tell you right now, that it wasn't for me.

"Mason called me," Sebastian admitted, taking a step forward. "He sounded quite worried about you, as did Callum."

I swallowed thickly before regaining my composure and shaking my head.

"I'm fine."

Sebastian stopped moving towards me, his eyes trained on my own as he stared deeply. It was almost as if he was searching for something. As if I was hiding something from him.

"Are you sure?" He asked, doubt obvious in his tone.

I clenched my jaw momentarily, before responding. "I am sure. So can we cut the bullshit where you pretend to care, so that we can just get to the club."

My tone was rough and harsh, but I couldn't have cared less.

This time around, Sebastian's bi-polar antics were not going to pass by unnoticed. I wasn't going to let him treat me one way, then decide to act another when we were all alone.

This wasn't going to be a behind closed doors relationship. I wouldn't allow him to be so horrible to me in front of everyone else, and then show me the side that I had once seen

"Hold on," Sebastian ordered as I tried to move past him. I felt his hand wrap around my wrist when I refused to come to a stop, his simple action being effective enough.

"You said you didn't miss me." I said clearly and steadily. "That's fine, that's great, but don't you dare try to come in here and pretend as if you actually care about me. Don't do that to me, Sebastian."

I noticed the way the muscle in his jaw ticked as his eyes continued to study me.

"So you're the angry one now?" He questioned, leaning his face closer to mine.

I scowled at him. "I've been angry for a long time, King."

"But now you're mad at me, for what?" He mocked. "Oh that's right! Because for a moment there, it seemed as though I cared about you, and god forbid that happens."

I growled and yanked my wrist from his loose grip. "In the mere time that you've gotten me back, you've hit me, said whatever you could to hurt me, and not to mention, you took me away from the one place I could actually consider a home."

Sebastian barked out a humorless laugh, making me cringe back as he glared at me. "London is your home, Evelyn. Don't you dare ever forget that."

"I hate you." I shot back at him, lacing my words with the utmost amount of venom and anger as I matched the glare he was giving me. "All you've ever tried to do was hurt me and mess with my head. You crave power, and you don't care about the lives you damage in order for your own selfish gain."

Sebastian shook his head at me words, his dark eyes piercing mine.

"When I realized that you were gone, do you know what I wanted to do?" He asked, staring at me as if my eyes would answer him. "I wanted to find you, and torture you until you loved me again."

My stomach churned at his words, and I instinctively took a step away from him.

"But then I thought, no, that wouldn't work with Evie. That would only drive her further and further away." He said, laughing blandly as if he was reliving this moment. "I kept thinking you'd come back, that maybe you hadn't actually left for good."

I held up my hand, stopping him from continuing.

"Why did you think I would come back? Sebastian, you know what you did and there's nothing you can say or do that will change it."

He stared at me blankly before running his hand through his hair.

"I don't know, Evie," he said softly, "I just didn't realize I had lost you."

I knew what I said next would be a cheap shot, but in the midst of the tension and flowing adrenaline, I decided to go for it.

"What makes you think you ever had me to begin with?"

My tone was bitter, venomous, and harsh. I was hoping to evoke some sort of emotion in him. I was hoping to see his eyes light up with the fires that had long since burned out.

"You can't say that." Sebastian growled, advancing towards me until he was standing directly in front of me. "Don't look at me and pretend that what we had didn't mean something for the both of us."

His hand raised up and he gently angled my chin up so that my eyes were forced to meet his.

"Jesus Evie," he whispered, "You turned my life upside down."

I hesitated from responding, my eyes flickering over his face and every feature it held as I processed his words.

"Why couldn't you have said this when you first found me?" I questioned, confusion clouding my mind. "Why are you doing this to me now, Sebastian? Why are you trying to pretend like we have some heartfelt connection?"

I could tell he was growing frustrated with me, but there was nothing in his eyes and that was what was breaking me.

"What do you want from me?" He asked, throwing his hands up in the air, a physical representation of how angered he had become.

I had a choice to make right now. I could shut down and shield myself off from Sebastian and the words that I so badly wanted to let flow, or I could just get it all off my chest.

"I'm sick of the way you hit me." I said, my heart racing as the words left my mouth. "I'm hurt because of the way you manipulated me, and the way you've made me feel so vulnerable and helpless. But most of all, I hate the way you look at me now. Your eyes are empty, and while your words make me think otherwise, I just don't know what to feel anymore."

"For the love of god Evie!" Sebastian yelled, making me stumble back and become instantly alarmed and fearful.

"It's so hard for me to express myself, and you are so fucking demanding all the goddamn time and I just don't know what I have to do to make you happy! I thought I did at one point, but then I lost you for ten fucking months, and right when I got you back, all you can do is bitch and moan about my eyes."

I stared at him numbly, feeling as if every word had shoved a knife straight into my already damaged heart.

"Is that how you really feel?"

Sebastian looked taken aback by my soft tone, and the pained expression I hadn't bothered hiding.

"What happened to you?" He asked loudly at me, "Why don't you fight back Evie? What happened to your fight?

His booming voice was giving me a headache, and I found myself gritting my teeth as I glared at him.

"I want you to treat me like you care about me. I want you to stop using your strength to dominate me. I want you to fucking care. I want to know what all we had before hasn't gone to hell, but it is obvious that it already has."

I blinked rapidly, ensuring that no tears would escape from my burning eyes.

"Are we going to go or not?" I snapped. "I wouldn't want to keep Emily waiting."

+++++

Choking silence mixed with confusion and tension was all that filled the car as Sebastian drove us to the club.

I felt taut and uncomfortable as we drove through the streets, some familiar, others not so much. While the Kings had moved houses after the police raided their last one, this was still London, and I still knew the majority of the city like the back of my hand.

I felt my stomach clench as we pulled up next to an ostentatious building, flashing lights streaming out of the already tinted windows. It was nearly ten o'clock by the time we had arrived; yet judging from the way the Kings used to party, I was well aware that the night was still young.

Old Evie would have loved this, while I on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to go back to my new room in a house that wasn't my home, and tuck myself away where I could ensure that nothing bad would ever happen to me.

"Are you going to get out of the car?" Sebastian asked quietly, his eyes not meeting mine as he continued to stare straight through the windshield.

I glanced at him momentarily before exiting the car, refusing to wait for him to walk into the club.

"Hold up right there," The bouncer said, stopping me from entering. "I think you must be lost, mam."

I bristled at the use of 'mam' as well as the once over he had given me. Crossing my arms tightly over my chest, I narrowed my eyes at him and moved so that I was right in his face.

"Get the fuck out of my way." I snarled, venom laced with every word I spat out at him.

The bouncer flinched and took a step back as I shoved by him and threw the doors of the club. The deafening music and the blinding strobe lights briefly blinded me, as I was harshly reminded about the life I had left behind when I had gone to New York.

Places like this used to be where I spent every night. I was used to the sweaty bodies grinding against my own; yet now, I couldn't want to be further away.

I felt a presence behind myself, and a large hand was placed on my lower back. Goosebumps erupted over my skin as he lower his lips to my ear, catching the attention of nearby people.

"Everyone's waiting for us in the VIP room."

My eyes rolled instinctively and I forced a smile on my face as I shot him a nasty glare.

"Of course they are."

As Sebastian and I made our way to the stairs that lead to the VIP room, I noted the amount of people who had begun to whisper at the sight of me. Against my liking, Sebastian kept his hand placed firmly on my back as he guided me throughout the bustling club.

"Is that her?" I heard someone whisper, making a cold smirk rise to my lips.

"It is! That's Evelyn Summers."  

Despite the music that echoed around us, the hushed whispers could be heard easily as people parted around us like the red sea.

I managed to break away from Sebastian as I hurried up the stairs, eager to escape the pointed stares and whispers people had directed my way.

Pushing past the curtain, a small, genuine smile rose to my lips as I caught sight of Kate. Her light brown hair shook gracefully as she threw back her head and laughed, making the guy she was flirting with grin and blush.

When my eyes met his, I felt my smile drop and a sneer take its place. Before I could make my way over to Kate and Mason, I felt myself be picked up and twirled around.

"Get off of me!" I nearly screamed as I was set down, my angered eyes meeting Nate's wide brown ones.

I felt my heart skip a beat as Will came into view, and I couldn't help the grin that bloomed over my face.

"There's my little troublemaker," Will joked, ruffling his hand through my hair. A light laugh left my lips as I swatted his hands away, giving him a playful glare while Nate gushed about how much he had missed me.

"If it wasn't for your icy eyes and your cold presence, I honestly wouldn't have realized it was you," Nate admitted, looking for over.

I looked down at my clothes before casually shrugging. "It's not like I've got anyone to impress."

I looked around the room, noticing how comfortable everyone was as they all lounged on the expensive leather couches while they sipped on the poison that was sure to intoxicate them after a few glasses.

My eyes drifted back to Kate, who was smiling shyly at whatever Mason was whispering to her. I felt my hands clench by my sides, and just as I was about to tell Mason to leave her alone, her shining eyes met mine.

"Evie!" She cried out running over to me. "What took you so long?"

I glanced back at Mason, who awkwardly shifted on the couch under my heated glare.

"Nothing." I said, finally. I feigned a smile, and while I knew she hadn't bought it, Kate knew to not push the subject any further.

"Well then how about you sit down, kick back, and relax?" She offered, bumping her hip into mine. Judging from her flushed face and glossy eyes, Kate had already had enough, which had to explain why she was warming up to Mason.

I threw Nate and Will a fleeting smile as Kate dragged me across the room and onto a nearby couch. She instantly ordered herself another drink, while I scanned the room once more. Danny seemed to be having an important discussion with Nate, Will, and Callum, while Sebastian was standing next to Mason, staring out onto the floor where hundreds of people drunkenly danced against each other.

"I forgot to tell you," Kate announced, smacking my arm to catch my attention. "I met that girl you told me about."

I instantly froze up at her words, my eyes searching her own.

"Emily? You met Emily?" I asked, annoyance building as Kate took another sip of whatever the hell she was drinking.

"Yeah," she answered, "That's her name. She's blonde, pretty—well I guess she has to be, but you know what, she was really nice."

A scowl graced my features as I listened to Kate. "Nice?"

Kate merely nodded with a sloppy smile, before frowning and shaking her head at me.

"But you're so much prettier, I swear."

I could help but smile at her drunken attempt to console me.

"Hey," Kate said, sitting up a bit as her eyes drifted across the room. "There, that's her!"

My head snapped to the side so quickly that my vision faltered momentarily. Sure enough, there was a tall blonde girl now talking to Sebastian and the rest of the guys. My lips twisted into a vicious sneer as I studied the girl. She was wearing a short black dress, one that barely covered her bum. Her tall red heels matched her the flashy necklace that lay across her pushed up breasts.

But there was something in her face. She looked nervous, uncomfortable even. She was out of her element and anyone who looked long enough could easily tell that.

I watched as she angrily ran her hands through her hair, motioning vividly while she seemed to be ranting about something.

My stomach lurched when Callum turned to look back at me, followed by the rest of the guys.

"They're staring." Kate whispered to me, making a smirk rise to my lips.

"I know," I whispered back, laughing as I took in her wide-eyed look.

She had never been one who could hold down her alcohol. In fact, Kate Preston was practically the definition of a lightweight.

"Evie."

My eyes shot up to meet Sebastian's, and all traces of happiness and amusement instantly washed away from my features. With a groan of annoyance, I stood up and made my way over to the boys, wrapping my sweater tightly around my body.

"You're Evelyn Summers," Emily said, her eyes wide and surprised as she stared at me in awe.

I gave her a blank, unimpressed look.

"What do you want?" I asked, turning to glare at Sebastian.

My smirk deepened as he glared back at me, his jaw clenching as he took a step closer, attempting to use his height to intimidate me.

"Cut the attitude," he hissed. "Why don't you be helpful and just stop being a bitch for once."

We held each other's glares as everyone else shifted uncomfortably.

"You stabbed him in the leg," Emily said breathlessly, her eyes darting between Sebastian and I. "She stabbed you in the leg."

I gritted my teeth and turned to face her. "Yeah, I fucking did. Do you want to be next or do you want me to help you bait in whatever guy you're not getting right now?"

She blushed furiously and blinked rapidly. "H-How did you know?"

I snorted, rolling my eyes at her. "Who is he?"

She quickly walked over to the glass wall that separated us from the rest of the club.

"That's him," she announced, pointing to the man who was sitting by the bar. His hair was dark and shaggy, and he looked closed off and unwilling to talk to anyone for that matter.

"I've tried talking to him, dancing with him, everything," she explained, "he's just not interested."

"Then maybe you should back off." I muttered under my breath, knowing fully well that I wasn't referring to the man at the bar.

"What?" She asked, making me curse quietly.

"Nothing." I responded curtly, giving her a forced smile.

I turned away and walked over the boys, thinking over what I was going to say next. I knew it wasn't exactly the best decision I had ever had, but I knew it was the only option at the time.

"Let me try," I said with a strong voice.

I frowned as the Nate and Will began laughing and were soon joined by Callum and Mason. Danny and Sebastian were the only ones unamused by my statement, and continued to just stare at me.

"You're kidding me," Will said after he finished laughing. "Evs, you're a gorgeous girl but look at what you're wearing."

"I've done this job since I was twelve." I hissed out. "I could bait a guy even if I was wearing a fat suit."

"You seem pretty confident," Sebastian observed, catching my attention.

I only shrugged in response. "Is that really a bad thing?"

His eyes searched mine for a few moments before he nodded his head.

"Okay, Evie, okay. Show me what you've got."

+++++

"You can do this," I whispered to myself. "You can do this."

Only just yesterday, I had admitted that I couldn't bait a guy to save my life. But this sudden burst of confidence was something I couldn't suppress. I hadn't felt this way in months.

I felt alive.

At this moment, I didn't feel the urge to close myself off and hide myself under my blankets forever.

"Vodka cranberry," I ordered as I propped myself onto the bar stool. The bartender simply nodded, and went to work, clearly not recognizing who I was.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the man glance at me, his eyes trailing over my slouched, unappealing form.

"You don't look like a girl who belongs here."

My eyes widened slightly at the sound of his voice, but I instantly slipped my mask over my features. "And where do I look like I belong?"

He trailed his eyes over me more obviously. "You look like you just visited your parents grave."

I felt a small smile form on my lips. "Well you're wrong."

"I am?" He joked, his eyes lighting up a bit.

"I never visit my parent's grave." I answered honestly, handing the bartender a slip of money as I readily took in my drink.

"So what brings you here today?" He asked, turning on his stool so that he could fully face me.

"Just trying to get a little buzz," I told him, my eyes moving down my drink as I told him that.

"We've all been there," he said with a laugh, nodding his head as his eyes fell down to my lips. I felt a light blush rise to my cheeks as a result of his action, and I angled my body more to him.

"The thing is," he spoke, "after a while that buzz you get from the drinks, it all goes away. Soon you'll need drugs to take your mind off of your troubles, and by that point, you just have to indulge in whatever helps you forget."

"And what," I said softly, moving closer to him, "makes you forget?"

He smirked a little before moving so that he was barely an inch away. "Girls like you."

I raised my eyebrow at his words, and he took that as a sign to continue.

"And let me tell you something, they are hard to come by."

And then we were kissing.

It was slow and sweet, perfectly contrasting the way his hands ran over my sides and through my hair. He was rough and handsy, making me flustered and distracted.

I almost forgot that I was on the job, that is, until screams broke through the music that blared through the speakers that seemed to be set up everywhere.

I broke away from the guy just in time to see two men barreling towards me, guns in hand. I instantly went into fight or flight mode, my eyes darting around the room as I searched for some sort of escape.

The man next to me let out a string of curse words before shoving me out of the way, making me crash onto the hard wooden floor.

Through unfocused eyes, I watched as security grabbed the two men, roughly trying to drag them away from the bar.

That's when the gunshot went off.

Screams and chaos erupted all around me as the man I had previously been kissing collapsed onto the ground, a bullet hole placed right between his eyes. I let out a choked gasp before moving backwards, crawling away from the dead man.

"We need to get out of here."

I felt myself be lifted up, and when my eyes met his, I knew that he meant what he said. I followed Sebastian as he pulled me through the back door, shoving me out into the alleyway.

"Are you hurt?" Sebastian asked as he slammed the door shut.

He didn't give me time to respond, as he got right in my face, his eyes trailing over my shaking form.

Needless to say, I wasn't expecting to see a man killed right in front of me on my first night back.

"I'm fine," I snapped, pushing away from him.

Sebastian's eyes narrowed at my reaction.

"You let him put his hands all over you," he said in a disgusted tone. "You were practically desperate to have him all over you."

A growl rose from the base of my throat as I glared at him. I wanted nothing more than to slap him, and I felt my hands twitch by my sides as I thought over the idea of seeing his head snap to the side as a red handprint bloomed on his cheek.

"Guys!" We both turned to Callum, who was standing at the end of the alleyway.

"Do you want to get out of here, or are you guys ready to have crazy hot make up sex already?"

My jaw dropped at his words and I broke off towards him in a speedy walk. Flipping Callum the bird, I climbed into the nearby car; ignoring the questioning stares everyone else gave me.

"What?" I asked, glaring at everyone.

Danny only chuckled quietly to himself, while Mason turned back to face me.

"I was kind of hoping that your make out session would help ease the sexual frustration you've clearly spent a long time building up."

I heard Nate laugh quietly, and I let my stony expression break so that I could throw Mason one of my signature smirks.

"Go fuck yourself."

+++++

They had hurt me, and that was something I couldn't let myself forget. They weren't the ones who were allowed to be mad. I was the only one who could be angry in this situation.

That's why I was so conflicted.

Nate and Will were treating me normally, as though nothing bad had even happened. Mason and Callum were trying to get back into my good graces, but it was clear that there was still tension within them towards me. Then there was Danny. He was acting as if nothing had changed; despite the way he treated me only yesterday.

It was absolutely amazing, the way these people could screw with your head in the matter of one day.

It was as if they didn't realize how fucked up I was already.

"You're jealous of Emily."

I continued to stare out the window of my room, my hands wrapped around my legs as I held them close to my shaking body. It was as though I was trying to hold myself together.

Like my arms were the one thing keeping me stable.

"Why?"

I ignored his question as my hair dripped freezing water down my back, making me shiver uncontrollably as I attempted to wrap my blanket tighter around my body.

"Seeing you with that guy tonight," he stated, "made me realize something."

He was definitely closer at this point, and I felt my head turn to the side, so that our eyes could meet.

"I lost you once, Evie, and I plan on never letting that happen again." His voice was a low, husky growl. "I don't care what I have to do to make you realize this."

My heart jolted as he leaned down, his eyes boring into my own.

"You are mine, and you always will be."

+++++

I didn't have a choice of whether or not I was going to be taken back to London. I didn't have a choice of whether or not I was going to join Kings again.

But I could choose if I wanted to be strong or not.

My eyes were glued to Sebastian's as he stared deeply at me, looking for some sort of response.

I was no longer Evie King, the girl who had miraculously hoped she had escaped London's most dangerous people.

I am Evelyn Claire Summers, and I'm done being weak.

"You don't own me Sebastian. You never will."

+++++