Wild Elite: A Dark Dynasty Prequel Read online

  Wild Elite

  A Dark Dynasty Prequel

  Stella Hart

  Copyright © 2018 by Stella Hart

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Introduction

  1. Tatum

  2. Tatum

  3. Tatum

  4. Elias

  Sneak Peek

  More Information…

  Introduction

  A FREE peek into the dark, decadent world of a twisted billionaire and his future captive. Find out what America’s most elite men are hiding….

  They’re rich, wild, sexy… and dangerous.

  I’m one of the wealthiest men in the world. Absolutely anything I want can be mine with the snap of a finger. Including her.

  Tatum Marris, my newest obsession.

  She’s young, beautiful, naïve… and hiding many dark secrets. At least she thinks she is. She might have everyone else fooled with her pure, innocent act, but she’ll never fool me.

  I’ve been watching her for a long time, always lurking in the shadows, and I know the real her. I know exactly what she’s done. Every dirty little secret.

  She hates men like me, but that won’t stop me from taking her, because everyone has a price. Even her. So when the time is right, I’m going to steal her away from everything she knows.

  And then I’m going to make her pay….

  1

  Tatum

  ‘There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable.’

  Mark Twain

  December 2nd, 2017

  Eight months, fourteen days, nineteen hours, and twenty-two minutes.

  That was precisely how long it had been since The Incident, as I had quietly come to refer to the events of March this year. Not that I was supposed to refer to it as anything at all—I had been instructed by everyone I knew to move on and forget it as much as possible.

  Unfortunately, The Incident had occurred in a place not too dissimilar to the enormous stone Georgian mansion I was currently standing outside with my best friend Katie, and I wasn’t sure if I could go in without choking.

  I felt fine at Katie’s house earlier when we were getting ready, but as we drove into Greenwich twenty minutes ago, a pit formed in my stomach, and the foreboding feeling only grew stronger as we drew closer to our destination.

  Each house in this area seemed larger than the last, like every extra wing and terrace was added to reflect the owners’ swollen egos. They were all set far back from the road, surrounded by wide swathes of white snow which covered what was undoubtedly perfectly-manicured green grass in the spring and summer. Even the richest people on the planet couldn’t control the winter, as much as they might like to.

  The closer we got to the place we’d been invited to tonight, the more my throat seemed to close up. Now that we were actually here, it took every ounce of willpower I had to make myself breathe.

  “Tatum? You okay?” Katie took her black and silver Venetian mask off and looked back at me, a pucker between her thick brows. Her camel wrap coat hung open loosely, displaying the black satin dress beneath. It clung to her curves in gorgeous lines and her glossy auburn hair hung in artfully-tousled waves, making her look every inch the dazzling socialite she was pretending to be tonight. She truly looked like she belonged here amongst all the glitz and glamor.

  Me? Not so much. No matter how much primping I did, I would always feel out of place around people and houses like this. It was a feeling deep in my bones, a creeping sentient vine that wound its way through every inch of my mind, constantly letting me know one thing and one thing only: You don’t belong.

  I avoided Katie’s inquisitive gaze for as long as I could and stared at the mansion before us, forcing myself to take a deep breath. It was nearly dark outside now, the sun dipping far below the horizon, but all the lights were on, glittering in the gloom and letting every detail stand out.

  Thick ivy had crept up the stone walls of the place over the years, lending it a mysterious, old-world air despite the fact it was only built around a decade ago when dot-com billionaire Chuck Van der Veer bought the expansive spot of land and bulldozed whatever used to be here. I knew all about it because of my dad, who owned a struggling land surveying business here in Connecticut. This particular property had practically been the only thing he talked about for months when I was about eight or nine, as a business rival of his had managed to snatch the Van der Veer contract from under him at the last minute.

  Because of my father’s line of work, I also had a vague idea of how much this sort of real estate cost. Boasting three stories with wide balconies and ornately carved stone details everywhere—along with a prime location on Connecticut’s Gold Coast—I would be genuinely shocked if this house was built for under forty million.

  It was the sort of place where members of America’s elite could thrive on their power and success, living and playing well away from the general rabble of society. Just like in medieval times in Europe, when royalty sequestered themselves from the unwashed masses in their enormous palaces. Anything could happen beyond those seemingly impenetrable walls; all sorts of astonishing, mysterious things, well beyond the wildest dreams of common folk.

  “Tatum?” Katie repeated. There was a brief flash of concern in her eyes.

  “Sorry,” I muttered. “This house just reminds me a bit of… you know….” I let my sentence trail off, and understanding finally dawned on my friend’s sweet face.

  She sighed and touched her hand to my right arm, gently patting me. “The counselor you spoke with said not to think about that party anymore, remember? You have no reason to feel guilty.”

  Didn’t I?

  I swallowed thickly, nervously.

  “….and that’s all it does to you when you think about it,” Katie went on. “You’ve gotta put it out of your mind and put yourself back into the world. It’ll help.”

  I looked down at my cheap black pumps and wrapped my thick wool coat tighter around myself. Dread and uncertainty were still gnawing at my insides, but deep down, I knew Katie was right. It was a good idea to put myself out and about in the world again, especially as we’d been so kindly invited to this gala despite our decidedly non-elite status in society.

  Katie’s mother had worked for the Van der Veers for years, and during that time, Katie had struck up a friendship with their daughter, a pretty blonde named Willa. Despite coming from astounding wealth and therefore given every opportunity to be a vicious elitist snob, Willa was fairly down to earth and a genuinely nice person. She’d always invited Katie to her parties, and occasionally, other one-percenter’s parties as well. By proxy, that meant I was invited to quite a few of them as well, but I hadn’t been to one in a long time.

  Eight months, fifteen days, nineteen hours, and twenty-three minutes.

  Katie held up a hand. “We can leave. Honestly, if that’s what you—”

  Guilt sliced right through me as she spoke, and I cut her off abruptly. “No, you’re right. It’ll be good for me. Let’s go in.” I forced a brave smile. I couldn’t ruin her night. She’d been looking forward to this party for weeks.

  She beamed. “Awesome!” She hooked her arm in mine and led me toward the enormous front doors. Loud music spilled out into the night as two other guests entered a moment before us.

  My heart beat even faster as we finally stepped inside. The interior of the mansion practically screamed ‘money’. We were in a two st
ory entry hall with a soaring ceiling, intricate crown moldings, and marble mosaic-tiled floors leading to a grand double staircase with curved banisters.

  The walls were lined with priceless artwork, and I had a feeling that I might be indebted to the Van der Veers for life if I so much as accidentally bumped into something. There was no way I could afford even the smallest thing in this house… and yet, somehow, the last time I stepped into a party at a mansion just like this one, I’d well and truly paid for it anyway.

  “Katie! You came!” Willa’s smooth voice sounded from our right. We turned to smile at her as she headed toward us, champagne glass in her left hand. She waved at a dark-haired woman in a maid’s uniform, gesturing for her to take our coats.

  She was wearing a clingy cobalt blue dress with a sweetheart neckline, and a matching mask dangled from her right wrist. She looked gorgeous, as always, and her tastefully-applied makeup, sparkling diamond jewelry, and statuesque body made her look a lot older than her true age of eighteen. She looked more like a twenty-five year old supermodel, not a high school student. As lovely as she was, I’d always been intimidated by her flawlessness and sophisticated nature.

  Her perfectly-arched brows rose slightly as she looked at me. “Tatum, wow... I wasn’t sure you’d come. But I’m so glad you did. It’s been so long!” She leaned down and hugged me, her cloying perfume lingering in the air around us. “Will you be okay?” she added softly.

  I smiled tightly as she drew back. “I hope so.”

  She waved her hand in the general direction of a room beyond the stairs, through a double door with a carved wooden arch above it. The loud music from earlier seemed to be coming from there. “Don’t worry, seriously. Everyone is on your side, and besides, it’s all old news by now. There’s a new scandal every five minutes in this world.”

  Katie poked me. “See? I told you.”

  “Thanks, Willa,” I said, my smile more relaxed now. Katie was right earlier; this party could be good for me, even though I was so nervous right now.

  Willa slipped her mask off her wrist and put it back on. “What do you think?” she asked, flicking her free hand outward in a ‘ta-da!’ motion.

  “It looks amazing,” Katie gushed, putting her own mask back on. I did the same with mine: a black domino mask with lacy details. It made my forehead a bit itchy, but it felt like the right thing to do. After all, it was meant to be a masquerade party. I also liked the idea of being fairly anonymous with the mask on. It was a good way to mingle and get used to being at social events again without feeling as if I’d been dropped directly in the deep end.

  “Your masks are great too. But you don’t have to wear them all night, obviously,” Willa said, leading us to the double doors. “Most people have already taken theirs off. It was a fun idea, though,” she went on, sighing with a regretful air. “Anyway, I heard from your mom that you’re going to France next year?”

  Katie nodded. “I’m taking a gap year in France as soon as senior year is over. The Gagne side of my family is from Metz, so that’s where I’ll be staying.”

  “That’s so exciting! You’ll love France, especially in the summer,” Willa said as we stepped into the main party room. It stretched all the way to the back of the house and featured enormous windows which looked out over a shimmering, moonlit lake.

  Throngs of beautifully-dressed people stood around in suits and gowns which probably cost more than my dad’s car. Some guests were masked and some were bare-faced. Everyone seemed impossibly gorgeous and chic, as if being born into wealth made them naturally more attractive than someone from a lower-middle class background like me. I knew a lot of that perception stemmed from my own insecurities, but still, it was hard to dismiss that sinking sensation of not being good enough.

  I felt far too young and out of place, even though it was Willa’s party, which meant the guests ranged from eighteen—our age—to their mid-twenties. Everyone here just seemed so much more worldly and mature than that, despite their youthfully glowing skin and lithe bodies. I guess all the travel and other opportunities they were afforded from a young age helped with that.

  Willa grabbed two glasses of champagne from a nearby tray and handed them to us. “Here you go,” she said before taking a sip of her own. “And what about you, Tatum? What are your plans after senior year?”

  Before I could reply, Katie jumped in. “She got early acceptance to Roden!” she squealed. “With a full scholarship!”

  Willa’s eyebrows rose. “Holy shit. Roden?”

  I nodded, a blush warming my cheeks. Roden University was one of the oldest and most prestigious colleges in the States, and it was also a top member of the Ivy League. It beat out Harvard and Princeton in the rankings almost every year, along with all the other Ivies. Situated in New Marwick, right here on the Gold Coast of Connecticut, it was simultaneously known as the best college in the country and a seething hive of old-money WASP snobbery.

  I wasn’t looking forward to the snobbery—if those rumors were even true—but I was looking forward to the amazing education I would receive. Even after all the hardships I’d faced, especially over the last year or so, I’d put my nose to the grindstone and worked my ass off in school, and now I was finally reaping the benefits.

  “Yes. I’m going there for a campus tour next week,” I said.

  Willa’s eyes were still wide. “That’s so cool! I don’t know anyone who got early acceptance there, and I know a lot of people try. Me included, and I’m a freaking legacy.” She clinked her glass against mine. “Good job! You deserve it.”

  I smiled warmly. “Thank you. I’m sure you’ll get in too.”

  “Thanks! I hope so.” She craned her neck and peered back through the doors we’d just come through. “Shit. My brother’s stupid friends just showed up. I told him I don’t want them here tonight!” she huffed.

  For the first time, she actually seemed like a teenager, and Katie caught my eye and grinned as if to say: See? They really are just like us.

  “Ugh… sorry, you’ll have to excuse me,” Willa went on, rolling her eyes.

  She strode away. Katie looked at me again. “How are you feeling?”

  I nodded slowly and lifted my mask onto my head so I could scratch my face. The lacy details were making the skin around my eyes itch like mad. “Good. It’s such a nice place.”

  “I know, right? I’d chew off my own arm to live somewhere like this.” Katie sighed. “Who knows, maybe I’ll meet some super rich guy tonight, and he’ll fall in love with me and whisk me away.”

  I giggled. “That’d be nice, although I have a feeling guys our age are more interested in trying to whisk us into bed, not marriage and a mansion.”

  “Hey, let me fantasize,” she said, her eyes glimmering with amusement. She suddenly looked over my shoulder. “Speaking of guys trying to get us into bed, I think you’ve caught someone’s eye.”

  I turned around and followed her gaze. She was right. Not far from us, leaning against a wood-paneled wall, was a man in a suit that fit his tall, muscular frame as if he were born wearing one. He was also wearing a black mask, but it didn’t cover much, and I could easily make out his chiseled, devilishly-handsome features and blue-green eyes, one half-hidden behind a spill of tousled light brown hair.

  He was staring right at me.

  As handsome as he was, there was something almost reptilian about his gaze, and I quickly snapped my attention back to Katie. “Do you know who he is?”

  She shook her head. “He looks familiar, but I can’t remember where I know him from. He seems super into you, though.”

  I glanced back over my shoulder. The guy was talking to someone who’d approached him now, but his gaze fell back to me the second I turned to look at him again.

  “I don’t know,” I said, turning back to Katie. “He looks kinda mad.”

  “You think?” Her forehead wrinkled. “Hold on… let’s not make it obvious that we’re staring at him.”

  We waited a fe
w seconds, trying to act natural, and then we shuffled around a bit so we could both look at the guy via our peripheral vision without being obvious. Unfortunately, he could probably tell exactly what we were doing, because his eyes were still locked right on me.

  He lifted his mask off his face and sipped at a glass of amber liquid, upper lip curling slightly as he swallowed the presumably-strong liquor. Now that I could see the entirety of his face, my knees suddenly felt weak. As angry as his watchful gaze was, I couldn’t deny the effect he was having on me. He might very well be the hottest man I’d ever seen in person.

  I gulped as something quickly occurred to me. It was hard to admit to myself, but the wild, furious expression on the stranger’s face was actually one of the sexiest things about him. He was gorgeous no matter what, but that intense, heated stare made shivers race down my spine. Some were laced with excitement and anticipation, but the majority were spiked with fear.

  And strangely, I liked it…

  Something stirred deep within me, a dark, distant craving that made my head spin and my stomach twist with nervous butterflies.

  “You’re right,” Katie murmured, distracting me from my train of thought. “He’s hot as fuck, but he looks really mad at you. You sure you don’t know him?”

  “Never seen him before,” I said, averting my eyes.

  “Weird.”

  My skin tingled. From the edge of my vision, I could see the guy was still watching me, his strong jaw flexing as malice filled his gaze.

  “Maybe you look like an old girlfriend of his who cheated on him? Or something like that,” Katie suggested.

  I nodded. I was certain I’d never met him before, so there had to be some sort of rational explanation along those lines. “Yeah, I guess.”