Chapter 1 Shark
Content Warning: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book contains explicit sexual content, including frequent and detailed intimate scenes. It also contains lots and lots of naughty cheating, emotional manipulation, violence, and other mature themes. Reader discretion is advised.
Chapter 1
“Shark”
POV Aspen
The rain pours as I walk barefoot out of the Crestwood Psychiatric Institute after eight months.
A limo sits waiting for me, probably with my twin sister ready to pull me back into her web.
Across the street sits a Volkswagen Beetle with a woman my age with mousy hair. Her eyes shift from crystal blue to gold, the color of her wolf’s eyes.
I feel compelled to walk past the limo and across the street with my tiny pink backpack and slip into the passenger seat of the Volkswagen.
“Are you angry with me?” I ask.
“No.”
“Disappointed?”
“No.”
“Annoyed?”
“No.”
“Throw me a bone, Clara. I’m dying here. What are you?”
“They wouldn’t put my calls through,” she says.
“Fuck. I should have known.”
“You overthink.”
“I know.”
“I don’t think you do,” she says.
“I do.”
“Is that a tattoo on your left foot?”
“Yes.”
“So what now?”
“While I was committed and drugged, Ashley made me give up my parental rights to Austin. She’s officially adopted my son, had Vince divorce me, and then married Vince.”
“Wow.”
“She’s a shark.”
“There is no shark or chicken, Aspen. Your family has nothing better to do but torment each other. The oldest son makes the money while the rest of the family throws around money, stabs each other in the back, and calls it a sport.”
“Wesley Sterling contacted me with an offer of a five-year marriage contract.”
“The guy who bullied you all through boarding school? Are you trying to get yourself recommitted?”
“I’m trying to be a shark.”
“You’re not a shark.”
“I can hang with the sharks. Therefore, by proximity, I am considered one.”
“You think marrying your arch nemesis, Wesley Sterling, the alpha of the strongest pack, means he’s suddenly going to treat you better? I don’t get the angle here.”
“Me neither, but no one has contacted me for almost eight months. I already signed the prenup. He was the only one who made contact with me through a staff member.”
“I don’t know what to say, Aspen. I expected a somewhat normal conversation when you got out. Not one that makes me think I should drag you back in there and have you recommitted before you end up there permanently.”
“I’m getting married tomorrow. Can’t you just be happy for me?”
She slams on the brakes and almost drives over the sidewalk.
“Tomorrow? I only have one night to talk you out of it?” She glares at me.
“Prenup says I have to get married within forty-eight hours of being released, or I have to come up with twenty million if I back out.”
“Explain to me why this is a good idea?” Clara says.
“Well, I’m at rock bottom. Can’t get any worse, and I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“And?” Clara’s eyes widen.
“That’s all I got.”
“No other reason?”
“I could tell you, but then you’re going to say it’s going to backfire and blow up in my face.”
“Tell me.”
“My family hates the Sterling family. Hopefully, my sister leaves me alone.”
“You’re marrying the Sterling family’s oldest son. Has it ever occurred to you that the Sterling family hates the Lockhart family equally?”
“Yes, but they’re not my family, so I really don’t care what they think. My family knows all my triggers.”
“What’s in the prenup?”
“I get five million dollars at the end and live comfortably while I’m married. Same house as him, separate space. I have to attend the occasional family dinner and gala. I can have a lover as long as our relationship doesn’t end up in the media.”
“Is Wesley going to mark you?”
“No.”
“Do you still have Vince’s mate mark?”
“No. We had a lovely family visit, and he rejected me.”
“And your wolf?”
“You heard?” I ask.
“It was all over the news. Your wolf broke through and almost killed a staff member.”
“They have a healer on staff, and somehow she unbound my wolf. I shifted instantly and lost control.”
“Is she bound again?”
“No. They just put a special bracelet on my ankle that turned into a tattoo. It keeps her murderous tendencies mostly under control.”
“Does she talk to you?”
“Yes. Her name is Eve, and it was her idea to marry Wesley.”
“How do you know Eve isn’t going to murder Wesley’s whole family?”
“The tattoo stops Eve from doing anything unless I allow her to or we’re in danger, and I think Eve would prefer to knock off my family first.”
“Speaking of your family, their limo is following us.”
“Probably my sister.”
“Fuck, I need a drink. This is a lot to take in, Aspen.” Clara frowns.
“Where do you want to go? I’ll pay,” I offer.
“How are you going to pay?”
“Wesley gave me a credit card.”
We stop at an upscale restaurant.
“Here, take these. It’s good we’re the same size,” Clara says, handing me a pair of shoes.
I walk in, grab the waiter’s ass, and order the most expensive wine.
Clara looks at me, shocked. “Who are you?”
“It’s the new me. I take what I want, when I want. After this, we need to go wedding dress shopping.”
“Drinking right after you get out of the psych ward?” Ashley, my twin sister, says loud enough for everyone to hear. “You really think that’s a good idea, sis?”
“Were you really so bored that you followed me and Clara?” I roll my eyes.
“I thought you might want to see a friendly face when you got out. Maybe see your son? I guess I was wrong.” Ashley stands there with her hands on her hips, glaring at me.
“Right, because stealing my kid and husband and giving me a restraining order to stay away from them wasn’t enough after you had me committed? You thought you’d show up after I got out and rub it in my face.”
“It’s your fault you’re too weak to keep a man satisfied and be a proper mother. You’ll always be a chicken eaten alive in a pool full of sharks. You’re nothing but a coward, a poor excuse…”
“Listen, I’m trying to relax. Why don’t you take your little speech elsewhere and tell someone who cares?” I glare at her.
“You are the rudest…”
“Ashley, I don’t care what you have to say. There’s the door. Don’t let it hit you on the way out,” I growl.
“For your information, I’m picking up takeout for my family. It’s my job to feed them. Not get drunk and…”
“Enjoy my family, Ash.” I turn my head to Clara and ignore Ashley. “That waiter has a nice ass,” I gush.
I hear Ashley storm by.
“Wow! Look at you being a shark.” Clara laughs.
“It was all Eve. She’s like a little headset in my ear that tells me what to say. Having a wolf is awesome.”
“When she’s not trying to kill people.” Clara raises a brow. “Should I be worried?”
“Hey, almost killing one person doesn’t make her a serial killer.”
