Trembling With the Strings

“Darius, let go!” I begged, trying to pry him off of me.

“Stop squirming!” he hissed, trying to kiss me again.

“No! I have to go find Marcus!”

“Really?” He sounded genuinely baffled. “But we don’t want Marcus to find out that he’s wrong. He thinks that we fucked, so we’re going to fuck. Right now.” I shook my head feverishly, shrieking nonsense as I tried to shove him off. “Just hold still!”

I started bawling as my back smacked into the wall, Darius pinning me there with his entire body. He kissed from my collarbone to my jaw before kissing my lips roughly. All I could think about was Marcus. He thought I had betrayed him and my whole family! While Darius tried to tear off my shirt I ducked out from under him and darted down the hall, desperately calling out Marc and Johnny’s names.

I screamed, loudly, when I tumbled to the floor. Darius had tackled me, and all I could do was wriggle and shriek as I attempted to shove him off and find my brothers.

“I own you, Gracie,” he spat in my face. “And you’ll do as I fucking say. Now get back in that goddamn room!” A wicked smile spread across his evil face as more tears streamed down my face.

“Please! No!” I begged as my lower lip started trembling uncontrollably. “Please!”

He glowered down at me and opened his mouth to tell me off, but he suddenly stopped. He abruptly got off of me and helped me up before pulling me into a warm embrace and kissing me softly. He mumbled, “I love you.”

I stared at him, not believing what I was hearing. But then I heard small footsteps.

“Gracie! Darius!” Marty cried, ambling up to us. Dray had his entire focus on the little boy.

“Hey, Marty,” I murmured, reaching out to ruffle his hair lightly. He giggled, running to join our hug. I picked him up gently, but Darius reached out and snatched him from me. I kept my eyes glued to him.

“I thought I told you to not touch my little brother!”

I turned to Marcus with a sigh, shaking my head. I glanced over to Darius. He didn’t look so happy with my brother. As soon as he put Demetrius down, I jumped into his arms, begging him to just stop everything. I’m sure desperation was written all over my face. But I’d give anything to save my brothers. Anything.

“Gracie, get off of him!” my brother demanded, but I ignored him the best I could.

“Grace, we both know what I want,” Darius whispered in my ear, a hint of anger still in his voice.

I took in a shaky breath as I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, trying not to groan at how ashamed I was.

“Gracie!” Marcus and Johnny both screamed, but I forced myself to not falter.

“You’ll leave him alone if I do this,” I purred in his ear. His eyes practically lit up.

“With pleasure!” Darius dropped me to my feet and pushed me to our bedroom. But I did see him glance back at Marc, a reveling smirk on his face.

How much longer could I hold on to the tiny amount of self-respect I had left?