The Brothers Drakos ~ Book 1

12 - Invitations

Billee stood in the middle of the Emergency Room waiting on the ambulances to arrive. It had already been a crazy morning and the word that a four-car pile-up was bringing in multiple injured wasn't exactly how she hoped the rest of her day was going to go. It was a grueling few hours but it looked like they had at least stabilized everyone. Billee was ready for a break when she was paged to the front check in desk.

It was quite a walk from where she was at the nurses station but figured it must be important. What she really wanted to see was Rayne to show up with a pitcher of margaritas and a ‘get out of work’ free card. Much to her dismay there was no bestie or margaritas.

“Kelly, you paged me?”

Kelly nodded and reached down to the floor resurfacing with a large package. It was an extremely expensive apparel box made of the finest materials and hand covered in lace with a single red ribbon tied around it. It was the size of a twenty-four-inch television and about 6 inches deep. The sweet scent of lavender arose from the box as Billee picked it up. It had some weight to in but not too much.

“Kelly, mark me as on break.” With that Billee headed off to a private patient room that was not in use to see what this possibly could be.

Setting the exquisite package on the patient table Billee slowly untied the ribbon. The anticipation was killing her but the fear of what would be in such a box addressed to her was present as well. Lifting the box lid she saw a very neatly folded article of clothing with a note and four-inch fake diamond, paperweight resting on the very top. She picked up the paperweight diamond and looked it over thoroughly. Nothing special but very pretty and shown a spectrum of colors in the light. Setting it down beside the box she picked up the handwritten note on expensive parchment paper. She read it aloud.

“Miss Billee Creswell, You are cordially requested to attend our annual masquerade ball this Sunday @ 8:30 p.m. We hope you will like the dress selected for you inside. You can go to Mirage Shoes in the Galleria to select you shoes on Saturday. They are paid for as well. This is a MUST WEAR mask at all time, Masquerade Ball. There are NO exceptions. Please also find under the dress your material to cut in the design you chose for the mask. We look forward to seeing you and Rayne. Please be sure she attends with you. You cannot enter without the diamond. Warmest Regards, Darius & Dimitri Drakos.”

Billee was shaking. She wasn’t sure it was because this designer dress had been hand-selected and paid for or because the eagerness to attend something so extravagant with the outstanding possibility of being entertaining and mysterious, all rolled into one. Locking the door to the room she quickly stripped out of her scrubs and slid on the dress. It was the most gorgeous thing she had ever laid on her skin. The elegant chiffon material fit each curve and nuance like a glove. It was a Champagne Nude toned dress with sparkling rhinestone diamonds filtered evenly throughout. No matter how she moved it shimmered and glistened. The front was a descending “V” that came to point just above her belly button. She would definitely need pasty bra cups for this dress! The sleeves were merely just flowing bits of fabric that were there just to create the desired look of the garment. They weren’t longer than a cap sleeve and very full and flowing on her shoulders. There sole purpose was to simply connect the front to the back. The back of the dress was completely bare and cut in forward towards her rib cage severely on the sides and it rounded out just above the top of her ass. It fit snuggly in the waist down to the mid-thigh then slowly fell A-lined to the floor with a small back train semi-circle.

She quickly took the dress off and placed it back in the box as to not mess it up further. The mask material she saw matched the dress completely in color and style. She couldn’t breathe, this was too much. Just as she placed the note, diamond and lid on the box there was a knock at the door.

“Billee, Doctor Zinglen needs to see you immediately.”

She picked up the box and headed out the door towards the nurses station. She slipped it under her desk spot and went in search of the Doctor. Keeping her phone close at hand she couldn’t wait to text Rayne and see what her box entailed.

~~

Rayne was always happy to be going to work on a Friday morning but this one in particular deemed pleasantly excitable. She got to watch Joshua clean out his office, never to return. While it meant a little more work for Rayne until they found his replacement, she was all too happy to oblige.  Entering work early at exactly seven o’clock, Rayne found no one in the office. She hadn’t truly expected him to be on time but to have the whole place silent was entirely weird. She checked the other offices and no one was in them. No shipping manager and co-workers, no repair men for the weekly reports and lists of work at the port, nothing. Rayne quickly texted Steve the shipping and invoicing Manager. He replied near immediately with: ‘We were all told the office was closed this morning and not to come in.’

That Snake! Rayne thought. Had he really told everyone not to come in so he could clean out his office in peace without the leering eyes?

Quickly dialing Steve she heard him answer in a large sigh. “He is full of s**t, isn’t he? I knew something was up.”

“Actually he is fired so I think he doesn’t want people to come in and see him clean out his office. It’s fine I will cover for everyone and let the head office know what happened. Also, let’s have a meeting in the morning to see what I don’t know about that Josh did for you. That way I can be ahead of the game and help out until he has a replacement.”

“Sounds good. And Rayne? Thank you. Belinda is pregnant and I really need my job right now.”

“Don’t you dare worry. We got this.” And she hung up.

Turning back to her desk she was startled. There he stood swaying in a breeze that didn’t exist. His face was contorted and seething with anger.

“You little b***h. You did all you could to have me fired.” Joshua said in a large slur.

“Josh just get your stuff and get out. I didn’t do anything but what I was asked and you stole. I can’t help that. “

He took a few steps towards her and she backed up until she ran into the wall. He was on her in a split second. While he wasn’t that tall, only five ten, he still towered over her five-foot nothing size. His hand was on her mouth and he pressed her into the wall.

“You are going to get what is coming to you. I can promise that.”

Rayne tried to wrangle free but the dead weight of a two hundred pound, decently put together male was not as easy as it looked. Using every available resource Rayne hit and writhed underneath the weight of this drunkard hoping to find some leeway. In frustration of being hit over and over by her fists, Josh released her mouth and pinned both arms above her head.

“Joshua, you don’t want to do this. I promise you. “

“Shut the f**k up. You want to threaten me, sell me out and come in here acting like you are the top dog. I plan on taking you down a couple of pegs sweetheart.” He said moving both her wrists to one hand as he started to undo his belt.

It was in that moment she knew why he had cleared out the office. He had purposefully wanted Rayne to be present so she could pay for his downfall. She couldn’t believe he would do this heinous act but just wanted to get away. With all the force she could, her knee came up and tried to take him out. Half kneeing his hand and his balls he huffed and she was able to wrangle free. Taking a long run for her desk she tried to grab her phone and rush out the door. Recovering quicker than should have happened, Josh grabbed her hair as she reached her phone. She was able to hit the screen and enable voice mode.

“CALL MARCOS” she hollered as her phone was knocked to the floor and his fist came hard on the side of her face.  She could faintly hear the ringing sound her command created. Throwing her to the floor, Josh was straddling her and ripping her shirt off. Distantly there was a voice on her phone. “Hello…Rayne?”

Her mouth was covered and she was unable to answer as she heard someone say, Silly girl butt dialed again. And the line disconnected. Rayne’s head was pounding from the blow and his face told all she needed to know. This was going to end badly and she was going to be violated entirely. Her shirt was ripped and his pants were undone. She squirmed and screamed into his hand waiting for the chance to do anything. Closing her shriek under his hands as harshly as possibly her teeth caught skin and she tasted blood. Joshua wailed in pain and as fast as his hand was removed from her face it came back down and hit her hard once more in nearly the same spot.

Not knowing where the power came from or why she suddenly was able to throw him sideways slightly she used her entire core to get free. His evident drunkenness played a part to be sure. But whatever the reason, she was able to squirm free and start to run for the front door. Just as she was halfway across the room, the front door opened in time to see Joshua rushing after Rayne once more.

“What the hell?” Was all Brayden could get out as he set down the box in his hand and rushed to consume Rayne in a safety embrace.

She had blood rushing down her chin, the left side of her face was already reddish purple and Josh was standing there with his pants falling looking maddened.

“This doesn’t concern you, get the f**k out.” Josh said loudly.

Rayne fell to the floor from the dizziness and Brayden took a few steps forward punching Joshua square in the face. It was with such force; the drunken fool was on the ground out cold.

Rayne saw Joshua hit the floor and didn’t remember much else.

What happened in the next half an hour Rayne was not aware of. Brayden proceeded to drag Josh into the bathroom and block the door, called the police and then called Marcos to tell him what happened. Marcos was there holding Rayne’s hand as the paramedics checked her over and were about to put her on a stretcher.

“Wait...what…What happened?” Rayne came to slowly.

“Calm lovely, you are in good hands. Brayden took care of you and Joshua is in custody.

She looked around the office and noticed the police lights flashing from outside in the background,

“No. I am not going to the hospital.”

“Ma’am we should check you out.”

“No. I am fine. Marc I am not going to the ER.” She looked at him and he nodded. Fighting with her was futile.

The EMTs tried to fight her and she refused to relent. Standing she felt a slight headache and embarrassed she had been disrobed in such a manner.

“I just want to go home and lay in a bathtub Marc.”

“Her vitals are fine and she doesn’t seem to have a concussion. But I would have her checked out soon.” The EMT said annoyed.

Marcos picked up Rayne and carried her to the passenger side of her car. Brayden slipped in the front seat.

“I am going to drive you home. Marc is going to take my car and leave his here for now. Which keys lock the door?”

Rayne showed him and told him how to set the alarm. In about five minutes it was all wrapped up and they were headed to her apartment. She watched Brayden driving and looking back at her to check every minute or so.

“Thank you. I don’t know why you showed up but thank you. I really think he was going to beat me to hell and rape me.” She shivered.

“I am just glad I decided to deliver your package myself or …Well let’s not think about the or part… You know, when They find out about this, Joshua is as good as…dead.”

She looked at Brayden plainly. His tone was serious and so was the look on his face.

“I am not even really with them Brayden. Seriously why would they care so? I mean sure the attraction is there and I know it could be more but we are just in the beginning stages, so I don’t know why…”

“Because my dear, I truly believe the both fell for you in the deepest ways they could and don’t even know it. I am family and have been around them all my life. I promise you Dimitri has never acting this way and well, to be honest, Darius told me he is totally gone when it comes to you. So, no matter what you think or can handle or want, the impact you had on my cousins is intense and real to them.”

She just sat there softly touching her face where she had been hit. Coming from where she did and not having family this was the hardest part for Rayne. To believe that people, Brayden, Dimitri, Darius, Marcos and even Billee could love her so much they would take out someone else to protect her was nearly unfathomable. She was a motherless, daughter of a criminal who had to steal to survive and really had no family to speak of. That is where you are wrong dumbass. They are your family. It is time to accept your fate and move forward with what is being presented. Love them both. Talking to herself was always helpful, she snickered.

“Don’t say anything to them for now, please. I have to recover a little please.”

Brayden nodded as they pulled into the apartment. Brayden and Marcos made her some tea and soup while she took a hot shower. She sobbed uncontrollably for nearly ten minutes in the shower. What had happened was not anything a woman or any person should ever go through but to know that he would have gone through with it. She couldn’t stop bawling. Finally composing herself she set up on the couch comfortably. The guys sat with her for an hour or so until she was full and no longer crying.

“So let’s lighten the mood. I have something for you. It was my delivery.”

Handing Rayne the box she sat up and untied the deep purple ribbon. Inside was a diamond paperweight, a handwritten note and what looked to be an exquisite dress and other items. She looked from one to the other of them, wide-eyed. Reading the note she smiled profusely.

“Our dearest Rayne, You are cordially requested to attend our annual masquerade ball this Sunday @ 8:30 p.m. Please find your attire within the box and we ask that you and Billee go to Mirage Shoes in the Galleria to select you shoes on Saturday. They are expecting you. The material at the bottom of the box is for you to make your own mask. Masks are non-negotiable. We look forward to seeing you and hope you feel the same. Please ensure you bring your diamond; you cannot enter without it. All of us both, Darius & Dimitri Drakos.”

Handing the note and diamond to Marcos she pulled out the dress. It wasn’t as expected. What she pulled out was a deep plum purple body suit. It was harshly open in the front forming a revealing V that would leave just enough to the imagination but also show more skin and boob than she was used too. It had long sleeve and the bottom was cut like shorter boy shorts.  Standing she held up the body suit and looked at them both. Brayden nodded and smiled. “That is going to look amazing on you.”

She set the purple, long sleeved body suit down noticing the back was nearly nonexistent as well. Pulling out a rhinestone belted full skirt the ensemble finally made sense. Stripping off her clothes she slipped into the body suit. Gliding the skirt around her waist and fastening it with the rhinestone attached belt, the slit on the left was from her waist to floor. So as she walked a leg would always be showing and the boy short was just enough to hide the top of her thigh and female bits. It was sexy and elegant all rolled into one. Standing back the fullness of the A-line skirt cinching in at the waist and the extremely fitted body suit that cut low in the front and back with the character of long sleeves made her look almost like an icon.

“Holy s**t Rayne, They are going to pass out when you walk in. You need a strappy clear heel and some simply jewelry and this is going to be done.”

She laughed looking down, “I might need to get the sticky bra things because this needs some lift.”

They all laughed and she teetered where she stood.

“Alright, come on. Let’s get you back into your comfy jammies and rest. Tomorrow is a new day and you can feel much better.”

She nodded and stripped back down then slipped into her pajamas. Curling back up on the couch she started to doze.  Marcos put her dress and items on the bed in her room.

“Can you stay for a bit?” Rayne asked Brayden and Marcos.

“Of course love. We will stay for a bit. And we will call Billee to let her know what happened. We won’t leave until she gets home.“ Marcos said patting her arm lightly.

She curled up and lay her feet out into Brayden’s lap. He was truly someone that she was happy Marc had found and hoped he would stay with for some time. She felt safe, warm and home. Family. This must be what family was supposed to feel like.