Entropy: A Dark Romance (Blood Diamond Disciples Book 1) Read online

  Entropy

  Blood Diamond Disciples

  Book 1

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2021 by Riley Ashby

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address:

  [email protected]

  Cover design by James, GoOnWrite.com

  Editing by Editing4Indies

  Definition from Merriam-Webster

  This book contains themes that may not be appropriate for all readers, including dubcon, attempted sexual assault, violence, and graphic sexual situations.

  www.rileyashby.com

  entropy

  1: the degradation of the matter and energy in the universe to an ultimate state of inert uniformity

  2: a process of degradation or running down or a trend to disorder

  The weight of a dozen pairs of eyes rested on me in this room, each one as heavy as a pile of bricks. I didn’t belong here, even after three years. Everyone knew that, and they never let me forget it. But I needed the favor of only one man.

  And for once, I had it.

  Vincent Maldovano leaned forward in his chair, the light above him casting long shadows beneath his eyes. Even in the unflattering light, he was handsome and fit at forty years old. Being in charge of a crime family didn’t require good looks or a healthy physique, but Vin’s mood was always better when he’d had a hard workout. Hopefully, he’d had one today. I kept my gaze on his, never letting myself glance at the scar on his cheek, not even for a millisecond. He laced his fingers together. “Tell me you can do this.”

  “It’s not going to be a problem.” I fought and failed to keep the scowl off my face. After three fucking years of running every menial errand for these assholes and riding along on jobs without even a gun to protect myself, I hadn’t complained once. I’d done everything required of me and then some. Still, they treated me like some wet behind the ears rookie who had no clue what he was doing. I’d been second, third, and tenth guessed at this point. But I had to play along, or they’d snatch this opportunity away from me faster than they made money disappear from their victims. And this was one opportunity I would not allow to slip through my fingers. “We’ve been over the plan. If anything goes wrong, it’s not going to be on my end.” I shot a pointed look at Colby, standing behind Vin’s left shoulder. He spit on the ground while holding my gaze.

  Jonah grunted, drawing me back. “It had better not.” He stood on Vin’s right.

  I chose not to respond. Learning to keep my mouth shut when no response was required had been the biggest learning curve of this entire process. I’d come into the Blood Diamond Disciples prepared to keep my spine as stiff as steel and never bow to anybody. That earned me a split lip and a broken hand within my first twelve hours. I had Jonah to thank for keeping my injuries limited to no more than that. He was about my age, but he’d been in the business his entire life. Vin didn’t have a son, but Jonah might as well be one. Vin didn’t do anything without Jonah by his side, and Jonah had pulled me in close enough to him I could make some headway with Vin. I had him to thank for where I was now. But he wouldn’t have my back if I fucked up, that was for sure.

  My mentor now stood at Vin’s side. He was trying to hide his amusement, but I didn’t miss the small uptick of his mouth beneath his dark facial hair. He’d paid his dues while I was still toeing the line as a model citizen, and his wisdom had probably saved me from my fair share of beatings—when I bothered to listen to him. Everything I’d been working on for years had led to this, and I couldn’t afford any missteps. I needed to focus on him, not Colby. Piece of shit.

  Vin didn’t look assuaged. “I don’t care what you do to her to get what we need, but you can’t fuck her.” He jabbed a finger to emphasize the last point. “If I find out you violated that order, I’ll bury you myself.”

  “I know the limits.” My jaw clenched at the effort it took not to growl at him. He’d been beating me over the head with that particular statute.

  “The kid has a good head on his shoulders. He’s not going to fuck this up.” Jonah clapped Vin on the back as he fished his car keys out of his pocket and started toward the door. “We’ll meet you here when you have her. Call us if there are any issues.”

  Vin stood, nodding at me gravely as he zipped his jacket, then gave me one last warning glance over his shoulder as he followed Jonah out the door. One by one, the remaining brothers followed him out, smearing mud and snowmelt all over the clean floors. Colby took extra care to drag his feet. It didn’t matter. Let them disrespect the house; I’d clean it once they were gone. I was in too good a mood to let a little dirt upset me.

  I had a couple of hours to relax before I had to head into the city, but as I finished the floors, I decided to leave early. I knew the target like the back of my hand, but nothing was wrong with a little extra surveillance, right?

  After a final check on all the locks and ensuring the dogs were secure, I walked outside. Even in the heated garage, the cold was palpable, and I pulled my jacket tighter around my shoulders. Good thing I wouldn’t be leaving my house very much in the next few weeks. I was sick and tired of this weather. There was a reason I never came up here. Dad would roll over in his grave if he knew what I was using his precious mountain house for now. We used to come up here and spend the entire season skiing or snowboarding. If the snow got too thick, we didn’t worry because the house was stocked with enough food to keep us happy for days, and the generator would power the house for a month even if the lines went down and the sun never came out to charge the solar panels. I was sure that would come in handy again soon because this wasn’t going to be a short process.

  I thought what they wanted to do to her might break me. I’d avoided thinking through the details of it. A better man would have backed out the moment he heard what they were planning and called the whole thing off before it could get started. It was cruel, even for the Disciples. But quitting would have sacrificed too much. I couldn’t let what was left of my compassion get in the way of what I’d been working toward for so long. Vin would get what was coming to him, and if a couple of innocent girls got caught in the crossfire … that wasn’t my problem.

  Besides, once I got a look at the target, I knew she was mine. Model status blond hair and blue eyes, an hourglass waist, and an ass that wouldn’t quit. My hands would look good holding her hips while I rode her from behind.

  This operation presented an opportunity for me to claim not only victory over Vin and his den of vipers but also my woman. She belonged to me, even if she didn’t know it yet.

  While waiting for the car to warm—I hated driving with cold hands—I unlocked my phone for one last look at the girl I’d be meeting tonight. She was Daddy’s girl to a T, the classic American princess, who never had time for a boyfriend.

  And soon, I’d have her all to myself.

  My cock twitched in my pants, and I placed one hand over it, willing it to stay calm for the time being. I’d jerked off to this photo so many times over the past few days that it was practically an automatic response at this point. The rule that I couldn’t fuck her was iron-clad, and I’d presented myself to the Disciples as in control of my libido. The truth was, I didn’t know if I’d be able to hold myself back if she gave me an opening. If Vin fou
nd out I crossed the line with her, it would destroy my little secret mission. That couldn’t happen. It was time to focus.

  Once I calmed down, I tapped my fingernail against her image one final time before switching off my phone. There was a long drive ahead of me, but I didn’t need navigation—partly because there could be absolutely no record of my movements, but also because I knew the route by heart. I could do it in my sleep, with the headlights off, if I had to.

  Or, if necessary, with an uncooperative hostage in the back seat.

  I hoped it wasn’t going to come to that.

  My thumbnail was worn down to almost nothing, but that didn’t stop me from chewing on it as I stared at myself in the mirror. My little black dress was little indeed, clinging to my waist and barely covering the curve of my butt. Teetering on my high heels, I hoped I wouldn’t have to bend over at any point in the next several hours, or someone was going to get an eyeful of my panties.

  “Stop stressing, Quinn.” Katie grabbed my wrist to yank my hand from my mouth, patted down a flyaway hair on my head, then doused me in another cloud of hair spray. It was my best friend’s idea to go out tonight, and she was determined to sex up my look far beyond my normal style. “You look stunning. You’re really going to knock ’em dead tonight.”

  I smiled in spite of my nerves. “You really think so? I don’t look ridiculous?” She wouldn’t lie to me, right?

  Katie shook her head, long earrings swinging and hitting her cheeks. “You’re a vision. Now sit down so I can finish your makeup.”

  I obeyed wordlessly, sitting on the edge of my bed so she could finish my smoky eye. I had never been able to perfect the look myself, and I was convinced even Katie’s expert hand still had me looking like a raccoon. Still, I had to trust her because she wasn’t going to let me out of the house otherwise. “What if I drop something? This skirt is so short.”

  Katie sighed. “You bend your knees. Or do what I do—get a guy to pick it up for you.”

  I resisted the urge to roll my eyes while my eyeball was being prodded with the makeup brush. “I can barely balance in these heels standing still. I definitely don’t want to try bending over and getting back up.”

  “Then you get a guy to pick it up for you. Damn, girl, do you not listen?” I tried to shake my head, but she grabbed my chin. “Hold still. I’m almost done.” I closed my eyes and listened to the clock ticking on the wall as she brushed over my eyelids a few more times, then sprayed my face with something cool. Finally, she released me and stepped back, clapping her hands. “I’m a genius. You’re gorgeous. We’re getting laid tonight.”

  I stood and looked in the mirror. I had to admit, she had done a good job. I still felt a little like a nocturnal tree-climbing mammal, but overall, the look was appealing. I smiled at myself in the mirror and flipped my hair over one shoulder, looking at myself from different angles.

  “I don’t think I’ll be going home with anyone.”

  “It’s my mission to find you a man. You’ve been holding yourself back all these years. At the very least, try to make out with someone.”

  Not going to happen. I’d always been told I was pretty, but I didn’t often feel like it. I rarely wore makeup or did anything with my hair beyond brushing it out after a shower. As I was getting ready to go into the professional world, I knew I needed to start caring about my appearance at least a little bit. But men weren’t on my mind at all.

  I grabbed my cell phone off the charger and slung my purse over my shoulder. “All right, bitch, let’s go get drunk!” Katie jumped up and down in excitement and grabbed my hand as we whisked out the door and got into the elevator leading from the private third-floor suite at my parents’ house to the garage on the first floor.

  “This is gonna be your best birthday ever,” she said. She was breathless with anticipation, matching my own excitement. I was turning twenty-one, meaning I could finally drink in bars. Katie had begged me over the years to get a fake ID, but getting into trouble with the police would have tarnished our family company’s image. Now, I could go anywhere I wanted legally, and I intended to exercise that right fully.

  Being a part of a multi-national family company came with its perks—and its drawbacks. I’d never needed to worry about money for anything. I got my first job at the company the minute I turned fourteen and had earned a salary ever since. Unfortunately, it also meant I had to be extra conscious of my public image. I was a young woman working for a company that prided itself on ethical working conditions and fair wages. There wasn’t room for me to run around getting busted in dive bars or getting caught using drugs at house parties. Even now, being of legal age, I had to be careful. I didn’t want to get caught throwing up in a dumpster or having sex in a public space.

  Not that I was going to be having sex anytime soon.

  As a result of being so cautious of my image, I turned into the classic goody-goody. Never going out with boys my parents didn’t approve of, always home by curfew, and certainly no sneaking boys into my bedroom at night. Since I started taking college classes as a sophomore in high school and dedicated myself to my studies, there were no frat parties where I could experiment with alcohol and hook up with boys looking to add another notch in their bedposts. So I partied in private with the few friends I could trust. Katie was right; I’d been holding myself back, and I planned to stick with that strategy until I had my career well in hand. I didn’t need some frat boy coasting on Daddy’s money sweeping me off my feet and ruining all my plans. But at the very least, I could humor Katie tonight.

  My parents waited for us in the garage alongside the limo we had rented for the occasion. My mother clasped her hands to her mouth when she saw me, and my dad’s neck reddened as he looked away.

  “Oh, sweetie, you look beautiful.” Mom rushed over to wrap me in a hug.

  “Watch the hair!” Katie shouted. “We worked hard on it.”

  Mom ignored her, patting my head maternally. Dad cleared his throat, uncomfortable with even moderate displays of affection, and wrapped me in a one-armed side hug. “You look very nice.”

  I flashed him an innocent smile. “Thanks, Dad.”

  My phone in my purse buzzed with texts from my friends impatient to start the night.

  “Sorry, Mom, we—”

  She raised her hand, cutting me off. “I know, you have a schedule. Have fun tonight, and be safe. Call if you need anything, okay?”

  I kissed her cheek. “Of course, Mom. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

  “Don’t forget your coat!”

  With a final wave over my shoulder, Katie and I clambered into the limo in a rather unladylike way. The rest of my friends, who had all been picked up from their houses earlier, cheered, and I heard a bottle of champagne open. I clapped my hands over my mouth, trying to hide the huge smile on my face. Someone pushed a glass of champagne into my hands, and I downed it immediately.

  “Thank you all so much for being here,” I said as I wiped my upper lip. “I can’t tell you how relaxing it is to get away from my parents and cut loose a little bit.” Katie refilled my glass as I spoke, and I swallowed that one as well as she held the bottle above her head.

  “Now, let’s party!”

  The night was a blur of alcohol and neon lights. My plan to stay relatively sober flew out the window in a matter of minutes. We had dinner accompanied by several drinks, and at least ten people bought me a drink at the first bar we went to. By the time we moved on, I was barely above blackout level and handing off the birthday shots to my friends. Walking down the sidewalk in my high heels was impossible, and I took them off to walk barefoot. I was oblivious to the frozen concrete or the rocks digging into my heels. I was free. Was this what I had been missing out on? Running around the city without anyone following me, protected not by men with guns but by my best friends who had stuck by me through the hardest times of my life. Who had never tried to use me for my familial connections or weasel me out of my money. This was what life was supposed to
be like. What my life could be like, if only…

  I shook the thought away as soon as it occurred to me, nearly sending myself falling to my knees in the process. Katie laughed as our shoulders collided, subsequently almost sending her into the road. I grabbed her arm and yanked her back onto the sidewalk. Jesus, she could have twisted her ankle or got hit by a car…

  I stopped to gather my thoughts before I could spin too far out of control. No, I shouldn’t even entertain the idea of letting tonight’s festivities stretch any further. My family needed me. The business needed me. What a selfish thought, that I could simply walk away from everything my family had built for me. My entire life, my career, my future was laid out for me. Many people couldn’t say the same—they struggled to pay for college or find a good job or provide for their families. I would never have that worry. Throwing it away would be the ultimate slap in the face to my parents.

  “Girl, what are you doing? You’re going to get frostbite!”

  I blinked and came back to the real world. My friends were twenty feet ahead of me, apparently having moved on without noticing I’d stopped. Katie was hanging onto a parking meter, waving me forward with one arm.

  “They’re right. You should put your shoes on.”

  The deep voice behind me made me jump, but before I could turn around, a man crouched next to me and took my shoes out of my hand without asking.

  “Who are—”

  “Place your hand on my shoulder and lift your foot.”

  I obeyed without thinking. He grabbed my ankle with one hand, the smooth leather of his glove warmer than the air around my skin. I wouldn’t have minded being wrapped up in it.

  “You’re quite the gentleman.” I winced at the obvious slur in my voice. This was why I didn’t drink. My foot twitched as he brushed the dirt and rocks away from my skin. A moment later, my foot was back in the shoe, cramped and stretched on the hard sole but at least protected from the concrete.