Page 6 of Thicker Than Blood

The tyres crushed on top of the gravelly stones as they reached the house's front door. The crunching sound stopped abruptly as the car came to a halt. I stared at the door handle, dreading what was ahead of me while the driver got out of the car to retrieve my bag. He opened my door and waited for me.

I stepped out of the car, ignoring my racing heart and tried to force my previous determination, closing my eyes, I pictured Alcina the day I held her for the first time. I was almost twenty atthe time, and having spent time with my pregnant mother, I was so excited to meet my new sibling. To find out that my mum had another girl, a little sister, was momentous.

“Hurry up and get inside,” his voice snapped angrily, tearing me away from my memories and reminding me why I was here.

I opened my eyes to see him standing at the doorway. He wasn’t wearing his suit, only trousers and a pristine white shirt. My eyes narrowed on the glass he held in his hand. The man had a drinking problem, which didn’t bode well for me. My father had been an abusive drunk. I was too young to remember, but I knew that through his actions, was how my mother met Christos.

“Now, Amari!” he said, snarling my name until my feet jolted forward.

“Miss, your bag,” the driver said, holding my black backpack out for me.

I took it from him, slipping it over my shoulder before rushing toward the house. When I was inside I automatically began to look at the grand decor. Everything was pristine, from the polished floors to the furniture, decorative vases, and art.

“Follow me,” Stefanos said, walking at a faster pace.

I dragged my eyes away from his house to look at him. His dark hair was thick but neatly trimmed at his nape. He was much taller than Christos, his shoulders wider than I’d anticipated. When I saw him in the car, he wore his suit jacket, but I didn’t look at his face. I followed him up the dark wooden staircase, not touching the polished bannister because I was too busy trying to catch up with him as he quickly jogged up the stairs.

The house was huge in comparison to our comfortable four bedroom house. We went up a second set of stairs. Why would one person want to live all alone in a mansion?

He stopped and opened a room and I peered inside to see a bedroom. When I glanced at him, he had a crooked smile playing on his lips, but a devious look in his eyes.

“Get in and take your clothes off. Your new life as my pet bitch is on the bed,” he said with his smile spreading across his face.

Pet? Bitch?

I stared at the bed and frowned because it didn’t look like clothing. I yelped when he pushed me inside and closed the door behind him.

“You are here to obey me. If you want me to ensure nothing terrible happens to your family, you will do everything I ask of you. This includes becoming my pet bitch,” he said as I turned to face him. “You will beg, bark, eat and sleep like a dog.”

My hand covered my horrified gasp as I stared at the drunken madman. Was this some joke? A dog? He wanted me to become ahumandog?

“W-What do you mean?” I stuttered the words out, lowering my hand.

When he began to walk forward, I backed away, but he moved toward the bed, and I focused on what was there, my mouth hung open when I realised what I was looking at.

A fucking dog mask, leash and other things that I didn’t recognise—my bag slid off my shoulder and landed on the floor.

“Is that a tail?” I whispered in horror, looking at the long black rubber tail.

Was I supposed to put that thing in my ass? What the actual fuck was happening here? I glanced at the door, fuck the bag, I could do a runner.

“If you leave I will ensure you are all penniless and living in cardboard boxes within the next two days,” he said, picking upthe dog collar and dangling it on the tip of his finger, swinging the silver chain. “Actually, call your mother, tell her you got a job transfer in Greece and you leave next week.”

My breath came in shallow gasps, my chest rising and falling, but as if there were a heavy weight pressing down on it. His dark eyes gleamed with a cold, calculating light. A cruel smirk played on his lips, as he watched me squirm.

“You understand what’s at stake, don't you, Amari?” he said, his voice smooth, almost soothing but it carried an underlying dangerous edge. He tilted his head, his dark hair falling slightly on his forehead, and his gaze never wavered from mine. “Your mother and sister, their safety rests on your decision.”

My throat tightened but I wanted to scream, to lunge at him, claw that smug expression off his face. The thought of my family stopped me. He had the means, the connections and I knew Stefanos wasn't bluffing. He was ruthless enough to follow through with his threats.

“Why are you doing this?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “What did I ever do to you?”

His hand crushed the leather collar in his palm and I noticed the metal spikes on it. The heavy chain jangled as he lifted his hand. His face darkened and his piercing eyes glared at me.

“You? Nothing personally, but your motherstolefrom my family. Christosbetrayedmy family. This?” he said moving closer to me until the collar and chain was before me. “This is just the beginning. And you are going to help me make it hurt. You will suffer.”

I shuffled away from him but tripped over my bag. I braced myself with my arms for the fall but still hit my elbows on the hard wooden floor. His words made no sense. Who would hurt?Me? How was I responsible for our parents' actions? The man was a fucking psychotic asshole.

“I-I’m innocent—” I stammered as I stood up and backed away from him, grateful that the room was large.

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