We washed ourselves quickly and engaged in minimal small talk as we both got dressed for the party.

“It’s a shame your dad couldn’t be here,” Amanda called to me from the bathroom as she fixed her makeup in the mirror.

“Yeah, it is.” I slipped my shoe on and stood to look over myself in the full-length mirror next to my closet, and I saw the reflection of the monster I was raised to be in Taylor’s commune. I hated that part of myself that still lurked below the surface, begging to be let out to play, and I struggled against the demented urges daily.

Amanda came to stand next to me, her hand on my stomach as she smiled at our reflection. “You look handsome.”

I gazed over my dark jeans and black polo shirt. I was in no mood for a suit, and tonight was about making Annie comfortable. Amanda was wearing a black strapless dress that barely covered her ass, and I tried not to let my possessive nature take over. I’ve never been good at sharing my toys.

“Where’s the rest of your dress?” I asked as I ran my finger along her exposed upper thigh.

“I like to keep you jealous so you won’t ever forget how good you have it,” she said with a smirk as she walked to the bedroom door.

I groaned, hating that I had to deal with her little games. “I’m going to grab Annie’s present. I’ll be right down.”

“All right. I’ll go see if she needs help getting ready.” With a smile she left, and I blew out a heavy breath, running my hand over my hair. I turned to face my walk-in closet as I heard Annie and Amanda talking in the hall.

I turned on the light and walked through the racks of clothing to the back where a mahogany dresser was built into the wall. Bending down, I pulled open the bottom drawer, wiggling it free from its track and pulling it all the way out to set it on the floor. The small space below the drawer was where I kept things I didn’t want Grace finding when she cleaned the house. It was all that remained aside from the nightmares and Annie. There were a few old photos, and I smiled as I picked one up of Annie and me. I was always taller than her. Our hands were linked together as she smiled weakly, but her eyes told of heartache, and I wore an angry scowl. The day this picture was taken was seared into my memory.

“It’s not her,” I repeated again to Taylor, who was pacing the floor.

“How do you know if you haven’t tried?” He bent down to my eye level, gripping the arm rests of my chair.

“She’s not a sinner; she’s just a victim of circumstance. She said you forced her to come here.” Trying to hold a rational conversation with an irrational person was frustrating, to say the least. I’d lost my grip on reality years ago, but I still understood the basic concept of right and wrong, even if my actions didn’t reflect that.

“So tempt her.” His eyes were wild behind his thick brown frames and devoid of all reasoning. “She trusts you.”

“I’m not you. I can’t do it.”

The back of his hand came down across my cheek, and in an instant my chair flew back against the wall. Then I was standing, towering over him as he took a step back.

“If you ever touch me again, you will be meeting God a lot sooner than planned.” Any compassion I had felt for this man in all of my years had vanished in that singular act of betrayal. He should be proud. He’d raised me in his image, and I’d grown to exceed the monster he was. All I wanted in that moment was to spill his blood, bathe in it. I rationalized it in my mind—so many others would be saved by sacrificing one.

“Colin…Colin…you need to listen to me. We’ve worked for years.” His eyes fell closed as he shook his head, his hands extended toward me looking for mercy. Where was his mercy for those girls?

“I won’t do it.” I swiped my hand in the air in front of me, finalizing my decision. As I turned my back toward him, his hand fell on my shoulder.

“Then I’ll find someone else.”

I slowly turned around, murderous rage coursing through my body. There was a steely, determined look in his eye, and I knew he wasn’t bluffing. It was only a matter of time before something happened to Annabel, and her blood would be on my hands. I had to buy us some time. There were too many of them. I left his office and hurried across the field, anxious to get back to Annie. I’d left her in my cabin studying Bible verses. Being one of Taylor’s favorites had its perks, and that included privacy.

When I opened the door, I was immediately filled with a sense of calm seeing her lying across my bed reading, oblivious to the deals I was making with the devil himself to keep her safe. Every day we grew a little closer, and slowly she’d begun to trust me, opening up and telling me stories of her life outside the commune. It fascinated me to hear how she was raised by a single mother because her father had left them when she was only a few months old.

The Bible, a book that I had learned to use as a guide to immorality, brought her comfort as she worried about her mother and her own safety. I lay down beside her on my stomach, glancing over her shoulder to see what passage she was reading. She no longer recoiled, but turned her head to smile at me. That was when I did something that to this day I couldn’t explain; I kissed her. It was a chaste kiss on the lips, but it was anything but innocent, at least on my end. I rationalized it as testing how much she trusted me, but the thrill of someone looking me in the eye and not being afraid, for her to smile when I walked in the door—it was addictive.

I set the pictures back in the corner and pulled out a tiny box. I flipped the black velvet lid open and looked down at the old cross necklace my mother had worn until the day she had died. It was a present from my father.

Still, it was the one thing that had a true connection to my past, to a time when I still had some semblance of a conscience. After she passed away, my innocence was lost with her. It was only fitting now that at the age she could officially act on her own, I gave Annie this symbol of our past to remind her of what our freedom had cost us, what freedom truly meant.

I slid the necklace into my pocket and replaced the drawer before turning off the closet light and closing the door behind me. I left my bedroom and made my way downstairs to where Amanda and Annie stood, giggling as they chatted about the impending event.

Annie was wearing a simple white dress that flowed to just above the knee. It was strapless, but the snowy color made it seem innocent and virginal, the polar opposite of Amanda’s dress.

“Little Orphan Annie, all grown up.” I smiled down at her, wondering how she had somehow managed to make it to adulthood in one piece. I continued to descend the stairs as she shook her head.

“You think you could stop calling me that now?” she replied dryly as she folded her arms over her chest.

“Not a chance, little one. You look beautiful.” I pressed a kiss into her hair, and she rolled her eyes.

“At least not when the guests are here?”

“I make no promises.”

Amanda bumped my arm with hers and laughed. Being an only child, she thought the way I picked on Annie was hilarious. Of course she had no idea that we weren’t related and didn’t even know each other until a few years ago.

I left the girls to gossip as I went and checked on the caterer. The doorbell began to ring shortly after, and guests filed in. My eyes danced over the crowd. Everyone who was anyone was here.

“I’m going to make sure my door is locked,” I said to Amanda, who stood in the doorway. The last thing I wanted was some asshole trying to fuck his girlfriend on my bed. I said hello to everyone as I passed by in the crowded hallway. Luckily, no one had ventured upstairs yet. I pulled my keys from my pocket as I hurried to my room. I glanced around, making sure no one had slipped inside, before twisting my key in the lock I had added to ensure my privacy.

I rushed from my room, plastering on a smile as I casually strolled down to the first floor. Casey and Mara stood just at the bottom and I shot them a wink as I greeted them.

“You guys seen my sister?” I asked as I rounded the banister.

“You’re not even going to talk to me?” Casey laughed flirtatiously as she pushed her long brown hair over her shoulder.

“I’ll be back. I promise.” I put my hand over my heart as I walked backward a few steps down the hall before turning around and shaking my head.

“Hey, man.” Shawn grabbed my hand and pulled me in for our shoulders to bump. “Friday night at my place.”

“I’ll be there as long as you aren’t drinking vodka,” I called over my shoulder as I continued through the growing maze of people.

“That was one time, man.” He shook his head, and I focused my attention on finding Annie.

I stepped into the dining room and through the kitchen before I heard her laugh from the entertainment room. I grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge and twisted off the cap, tossing it into the trash. I took a long pull, nearly emptying the bottle as I walked across the hall and under the staircase. The entertainment room was decorated like it was New Year’s Eve, and it was packed full of people from every corner of town. Annie stood in the center of the room surrounded by her friends, with a boy to her left. She stiffened at his side when she saw me, and her laugh was strained, her smile not reaching her eyes.

I looked him over as I slid between Maggie and Jess, looping my arm over Jess’s shoulders, trying my hardest not to show how pissed off I was. I’d never wanted to give in to my darker side as much as I did at that moment.

“There you are. I looked for you earlier, but you must have been hiding.” Annie’s cheeks were tinged pink, but she wore a smile on her face.

“You must not have tried very hard.” I took another drink from my bottle and held it up to show that it was empty. One of the caterers took it from my hand as she muttered under her breath. “So who is your friend?” I smiled as my eyes locked on his. He was wearing a faded blue Pink Floyd T-shirt and ripped baggy jeans. Clearly he didn’t get the memo about a dress code.

“I’m Jake,” he said as he ran a hand over his shaggy hair. I titled my chin up in acknowledgment but didn’t introduce myself. There was no need. He wouldn’t be staying long. The waitress held out a new bottle of beer.

“Thank you, beautiful.” My tone was clipped as I took the bottle and drank a sip.

“This is my brother, Colin,” Annie chimed in.

“Nice to meet you,” Jake said as I whispered into Jess’s ear that her pink lace bra was a good choice. Being taller than most of the girls around here had its advantages.

“I’m sure it is,” I replied as I caught Annie’s pleading stare. I rolled my eyes and pulled my arm from around Jess. “You want a drink?” I asked in the nicest tone I could manage.

“Sure. Sounds great, man.”

I motioned for him to follow me to the kitchen, and we made our way through the crowd.

“Have I seen you around before? Football game or church?” I was feeling him out.

“No. I’m not much of a sports kind of guy, and I go to Dyer Public.”

“Ah…” When I reached the fridge, I pulled open the door and grabbed a bottle of beer. “I wouldn’t think you needed any alcohol. Is your high wearing off?”

“I’m sorry?” he said as he took the bottle from my hand, confusion on his face. Perhaps he had killed any brain cells that should have alerted him to who the fuck I was.

“You will be if you go near my sister.”

“I’m not sure where this is coming from, but Annie is my friend. She’s eighteen and doesn’t need anyone’s permission.”

I stepped forward, towering over him by several inches. I lowered my voice to keep our conversation private. “She always did have a soft spot for the less fortunate. Empathy was never my thing. You should leave.”

“I’ll leave…when Annie tells me to go.” He glared at me before stepping out of the kitchen and back into the crowd. Mouthy little shit. I wiped my hand over my jaw before slamming the fridge door closed. I had to tread lightly with this little prick because of Annie, but that didn’t mean he could do whatever he wanted. One way or another, he would leave her the fuck alone.