Page 1 of Merciless Promise
SAGAPONACK, NEW YORK
This was all too much.
My nerves were completely frayed. Desperate for an escape from this place, my eyes flittered from one side of the room to the other, but I could barely see anything through the thick plume of cigarette and marijuana smoke. They were all I smelled, too.
Thankfully, my hearing was still intact, but that seemed to be more of a curse than a blessing. The roar from the drums and bass guitar was so loud that the entire room shook. The thunderous beat of the heavy metal instrumental matched the same riotous thumping of my heart in my chest. It was unlike the music that escaped from every open doorway and window as I tried to find the exit.
I never should’ve been at this party. At that moment, I had no idea what even possessed me to come at all. Call it teenage rebellion, or some warped curiosity. My father had forbidden me from mixing with those he considered enemies. Now that I wasintoxicated, scared, and way out of my element, I could hear his admonishment even now.
A few days ago, I’d turned eighteen and my birthday party had been one of the most lavish events of the year at Summit Crest Preparatory, the boarding school I attended. My father had gifted me with an F3 Jag, and the first place I’d gone in it was this party. Who actually owned the property was a mystery to me, as was mostly everyone here. A couple of girls from school had given me the invite, but even they were nowhere to be found.
My thoughts were interrupted when someone violently pushed me. My eyes narrowed, and I was about to tell whoever it was off until I looked at the girl, and one close to my age, who could barely stand, much less walk.
“Sorrrry,” she slurred to me. “Have a drink, hun.”
I shook my head, ignoring the way my ponytail tickled the hairs on the back of my neck.
“It’s just a shot,” she said, and I quickly glanced around.
Hell, what was one more?
Ignoring the nagging voice in my head telling me to decline it, I reached out and took the small glass from her. I tipped it back, then grimaced as the liquor burned a trail of fire down my throat. Our interaction ended there when she recognized someone she knew and left me alone. I turned, watching her greet two other girls and a guy. The females were all focused on the tipsy blonde, but the boy’s eyes locked in on mine.
Immediately, I froze. I knew of this guy, so the way he was staring at me was not only unnerving, but exciting as well. Princeton Brannington. He was with the Irish mafia and was definitely one of the enemies my father had mentioned. Still, he was handsome in a James Dean kind of way with the hint of danger and excitement in his dark eyes. His hair was the same shade and was longer in the front. Eventually, he smiled at me, revealing even, white teeth.
Involuntarily, I found myself smiling back at him, even as the sides of my face became flushed. He moved away, and I had lost sight of him until I felt his breath on the back of my neck when he came up behind me. “I’ve never seen you at one of these parties, Cinderella. Are you lost?”
I turned swiftly, and my eyes locked in on his. “I...ahh...no. I was actually just about to leave.”
There. I’d said it. Now, I needed to actually follow through.
He reached out to grip my elbows, and I couldn’t ignore the rush of electricity that came from his fingertips, especially once they made contact with me. I shivered even though I was not cold. In fact, I was even more flushed. Princeton leaned in, and even the scent of cigarette smoke and bourbon couldn’t make him any less attractive to me.
“Don’t leave,” he said, then added, “Why don’t we...”
I wasn’t sure if his voice had trailed off or if I just couldn’t hear him, so I made sure to slowly mouth my response. “I can’t hear you.”
“Come with me,” he said, and reading his lips, I should have declined, but I ended up allowing him to lead me farther into the crowded house.
I gave a quick nod, then followed him up the stairs. By the time we reached the top, there were some guests mingling about in the hallway, but none of them paid us any mind. I soon found myself inside a bedroom I assumed did not belong to him. I only knew that because the entire space looked like the inside of a Pepto Bismol bottle. The walls were a light shade of pink, and aside from the white bed in the center and the matching dresser, even the bedding was colored. Only, it was a darker shade than the walls. There were also stuffed animals on the bed, including a snow white teddy bear with pink pads at the bottom of its paws.
I glanced at Princeton and was about to arch my brow over this place, but the way he was now eyeing me had my nerves fraying more. There were intentions in his dilated pupils I hadn’t noticed before, which made me incredibly frightened. I turned away from him and chose to focus on the single piece of art hanging on the wall. It was a white framed picture of two bunny rabbits in a field. It dawned on me then that this room belonged to a very young girl, which was perfect because I now felt a lot like one. I moved to the edge of the bed to sit down. He followed, but gave me a bit of space, which I appreciated.
“You’re a long way from school,” he told me.
“So are you,” I remarked, and he chuckled.
I wasn’t sure why, but the very sound of it had goosebumps rising on my flesh. “That I am. It’s surprising to see you slumming it here with us.”
I smirked, knowing this luxury mansion had to cost over ten million. “I wouldn’t quite call this place a slum.”
“I suppose not. I might’ve misjudged you because you look right at home here.”
I shrugged. “Something like that.”
He bared his teeth again as he smiled. “Well, there’s no need to waste a perfectly good room and stellar booze. Let’s take this off,” he said as he tugged on the black leather jacket I was wearing over my dress.
I pulled back, then brushed his hand away. “I would prefer to keep it on.”
