Damaged & Deadly: A World of Chaos Standalone Read online

  Damaged & Deadly

  A World of Chaos Standalone

  Samantha Bee

  Contents

  Playlist

  Foreword

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Other Books By Samantha Bee

  Come Stalk Me

  Copyright © 2021 Samantha Bee

  All rights reserved.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Cover Design By: Outlined With Love Designs

  Published By: Samantha Bee via Amazon

  Created with Vellum

  This one is for you, Gabs.

  You’ve been on this journey with me from day one. I don’t think I ever would have published without you. It’s been a crazy year that has flown by but look at all we’ve done. I’m proud of you, you bad bitch.

  Also for caffeine.

  This book would not have been completed without you. You keep me from being a stresso, depresso bean.

  Playlist

  Damaged & Deadly

  Foreword

  I don’t normally write forewords to you all like this, but I feel as if this book needs it. My normal author note at the end is still there. But I do want everyone going into this book to know a couple of things. One, I have not clarified the type of relationship this book is going to be. I’ve done that for a very specific reason, one I think you will understand as you read. Jade is going through this journey of discovering who she is and what she likes, and I want readers to experience that with her.

  Number two, Damaged & Deadly is a standalone. Not because Jade’s story is over, because this part of the plot is over. Her and all the other characters will still be seen in future books. They don’t just stop growing and evolving because part of their story is over. You will see that reflected in this world. What does that mean for this book? Well, it means the end isn’t an HEA. You may still have unanswered questions, you may want more from other characters. That’s okay, because you will be getting more. Her story isn’t and HEA because it isn’t over. It’s not a cliffhanger. You won’t be left wondering what happens next? If someone is gonna live or die. But you’re probably still going to want more from these characters. I hope you want more from these characters because I have a lot planned. So be patient with me. I hope the ride will be worth it. It has been for me.

  Damaged & Deadly is a standalone in the saga A World of Chaos. It can be read on its own, but I do recommend reading the books in the order they were published in. The first two books in Steel Roses, Shattered Chaos and Deadly Chaos do take place before Damaged & Deadly. While you can read it on its own, you won’t get the full experience. There are some spoilers for the first two books in Steel Roses within this standalone.

  It is intended for mature audiences and contains themes of violence and revenge, high steam, and foul language. If the word “fuck” offends you, go ahead and just close this book, yeah?

  In A World of Chaos. There will be character and plot crossover but each can be read on their own. The saga will include a variety of RH, MF, and other types of relationships.

  Trigger Warnings: This book contains content that may be triggering for some, including but not limited to violence, assault, sexual abuse, mentions of the abuse of children and/or minors, and suicidal thoughts.

  This book is labeled as dark romance for a reason, please take this into consideration before reading.

  Prologue

  Seven Months Ago

  I’m close to giving up.

  It’s been four years since they stole me from my old life. Picked me off a busy street and no one even seemed to notice, let alone care.

  I was thrust into a world of misery that I never could have prepared myself for. Went through torture that didn’t just hurt my body but wore down my soul. Turned me from a person into a possession.

  I learned a lot about humanity when I stopped being seen as human. My first owner taught me just how sick and depraved people could truly be. He was the first glimpse of evil I ever saw. He relished in showing me the news stories and just how little coverage there was on my disappearance. He taught me just how disposable I was.

  No one cared that I was gone.

  Who was left to care? I was just another foster kid that disappeared into the night without a trace. I had friends in the way that we didn’t hate each other’s company. Friends to sometimes get high with. No one was going to burn down the world to find me. No one probably even missed me. He kept me for two years before he reinforced his lesson about how easy I was to throw away. He paid a lot of money just to own me, only to sell me again when I got too old for him.

  Is this the life I was destined to live? A never ending cycle of being bought and thrown away until someone finally just kills me? It almost seems like a relief at that point.

  Why have I been fighting so hard to stay alive? To stay me?

  It’s been four years. Four years of being degraded to something worth only the pleasure my pain grants these men with too much money and not enough humanity. My first owner liked the power he held over little girls. My second owner though, he liked to give hope just so it would hurt more when he destroyed it. He worked hard to make me think I was special, to make me think just maybe my life was about to get easier. Not easy, but maybe filled with just a little less pain. Only to shatter the illusion by using me as a reward for his men.

  He’d sit back and watch as they abused me, each one worse than the last. He sat there and lapped up my pain. Only to start the process all over again. Make me think I had a chance to avoid the torment. If I just worked a little harder, pleased him more, pleasured him the way he wanted. Maybe, just maybe, I could save myself. It took about a year before I stopped responding the way he wanted me to. I no longer cared about being saved. Had no more hope for him to tear away. He sold me.

  Apparently even damaged, I come with a high price tag. Maybe it's the natural blue black hair that flows past my butt that men seem to love to fist and yank me around with, or the big bright blue eyes that seem to shine with innocence even now. I don't know what it is about me that appeals to the scum of the world. If I could get rid of it, I would. Not that it matters now. There is no way out for me anyways. Only death.

  Mayb
e death would be the better choice. The only choice I really have left.

  My future holds no options for me. Ciar wants to own me. He doesn’t just want my body or my pain. He wants my mind, body, and soul, before he eventually takes my life. He just wants my love and loyalty first. Someone should really tell him I have no heart left to love with. That was beaten out of me a long time ago. Even if I did though, locking me in a cell probably isn’t the right way to steal it.

  Not that he’s the one who put me here. Just the one who keeps me here.

  Ciar is a lot of things, controlling, manipulative, evil. Cunning? Not so much. He doesn’t like to think things through. He’s impulsive, irrational, and demanding. He showed his cards too early and now Daddy Romano knows just how bad he wants me. I’m nothing more than a tasty treat he uses to make his son jump through hoops for him. At least it's kept me from being sold again.

  It’s been a little over a year since I became the bargaining chip between father and son. Romano enjoys dangling me in front of Ciar only to threaten to put me up for auction any time he doesn’t perform well enough. If that’s how all fathers are then I’m glad I never had one.

  If this move after the raid is successful, Ciar might just have earned the right to claim his prize. I shudder from the thought. He has visited me many times in the past year. Unable to stay away. He likes to find all my weak spots and systematically punish me for them, trying to mold me into his perfect woman. I can only imagine what will happen when he is free from his father’s restrictions.

  I had a brief glimpse of hope when we were raided last week, but hope is the most destructive force on the planet. My hope crashed and burned, leaving a wake of death behind it. Not even all of the girls that were meant to be saved made it through the carnage. I stopped letting that hurt me. I can’t get attached to anyone I meet in captivity. We’re all just going to die anyway.

  I broke my rules for that little girl Ciar brought in just before the raid. She was so young, practically a toddler. Even with all my years living in these pits of hell, I’d never seen anyone as young as her. I did my best to protect her from the bloodshed, but I only made the situation worse.

  Ciar instantly noted it and now he has her to punish me. I should have known better. I’m not capable of saving myself let alone any of the other girls stuck in this hell with me.

  I look around the cell they locked us in and see what I could possibly use to just end this torment. I don’t see the point in living anymore. I don’t want to ever be owned again, especially not by Ciar. He’s a sadistic mother fucker but the scariest part of all of it is just how much he’s managed to bend me to his will in the little time he has had.

  Neither of my previous owners could manage to fundamentally change who I am. Ciar, with his games and punishments, has somehow managed to change the way I think. He’s ironing out my perceived weaknesses and I've been letting him. It’s enough to make me want to die, just to spite him.

  A noise coming from the other room draws my attention back to reality. I watch as Christian, one of Ciar’s favored guards, leaves the room to check it out. Javier is left alone to guard the cell and he looks over at us and I see the amusement flashing in his eyes as he meets mine. He knows I have no chance of escaping. I break eye contact as he turns away from the cell once more.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see a woman creeping into the room from where Christian just walked. I turn to watch her, trying to figure out what is happening. She has blood dripping from her hands and a psychotic grin on her face as she sees me noticing her. There’s a huge man walking behind her, blood splattered across his legs.

  Christian must be dead.

  My mouth pops open in surprise and I can’t help the small gasp that escapes my mouth. Her and the man behind her both start frantically shaking their heads, telling me not to speak. The next thing I know the man in the cell with me has his hand wrapped around my mouth.

  I should be scared but there’s not much he could do that hasn’t been done to me before. Plus, he doesn’t seem the type. I’ve gotten pretty good at spotting who craves to hurt me.

  This guy is beat to hell and it probably hurts him more to hold me like this than it does me. He was a part of the raid to free us. The guards didn’t let him off easily when they captured him.

  Instead of pushing him off, I roll my eyes. I wasn’t planning on talking. If these newcomers want to risk their lives to take on the rest of Ciar’s men, I’m not going to make it harder for them. I don’t have much faith in them, but I don’t have much faith in anything. If there is any chance to get out of Ciar’s clutches, I’m probably looking at it. I’m not risking being the reason I lose my shot to live. I may be damaged but I’m not stupid.

  I watch the woman as she sneaks behind Javier and viciously kills him. My eyes widen in shock. She made it seem so easy. Stabbed him right in the eye without even batting an eyelash. I think I may feel the organ in my chest that I thought was dead start beating again. Something dangerous starts growing in the pit of my stomach that I swore I wouldn't let myself feel again. But I can’t take my eyes off this woman. I enjoy every moment as I watch her brutality. Each bit feeds the hope growing inside of me.

  She’s fierce, a savage beauty about her that I’ve never seen before. Her long black hair is pulled away from her face, blood splattered over her arms and face. Well, her whole body really. She looks like a monster, a wild beast that thrives in the chaos she’s creating. I blink rapidly, wondering if I’m hallucinating. Have I finally driven myself mad?

  I almost miss the giant with her unlocking the cell we are caged in. The woman saunters over just as the lock clicks open. I sit in shock as I observe their banter with each other, before they turn to question the man in the cell with me. His hands drop away from me as he answers them.

  I’m only half listening to their conversation as I watch the woman. She’s small but she wears her strength so it’s visible with barely a glance. She looks like a beautiful savage ready to rip the world apart if it dared to defy her. I’ve never met anyone like her. Suddenly, life looks like it may not be so bad after all. If I could live like her, no one would be able to own me again.

  Her threatening words push through the haze of my mind left over from the drugs they gave us and pull me into the middle of their conversation. “Anyone involved in the skin business deserves death. No exceptions. You’ll do good to remember that. I show no mercy. So if this is a trap, just know that I will gut every fucker you send my way and then I’ll come back for you. I won’t just slit your throat or crush your windpipe either. I’ll take you home with me and enjoy every second I can of carving you up and breaking every bone in your body until you’re begging for death. You will be my new guinea pig to experiment all the new torture techniques I’ve been wanting to try and just when you think it couldn’t possibly get any worse? I’ll cut your dick off and shove it down your throat until you choke on it. Got it?”

  My mouth parts open in shock at her colorful threat. I think I’m in love with her. Both of the guys are cupping their junk like just the thought of parting with their dicks is physically painful. I ignore them as I stare at her with awe. I push myself up, internally cursing as my legs shake underneath me. “Can you really do that?” If I could do that, I really wouldn’t have to live this life anymore. I could be free.

  She assesses me as she tilts her head to the side before slowly walking over to me. I can see her weighing her words before she gives me a brief nod. I want to tell her that I’m not weak and I can handle the truth, but since I’m barely able to stand on my own two feet right now, she probably wouldn’t buy it.

  I raise my chin in defiance to my struggling and emaciated body. I will build my strength back up. I’m determined to put myself back together in a way that makes it impossible for anyone to ever tear me down again. If I’m going to live, I’m going to live like her. “Will you train me?”

  I see the smile she’s fighting as she agrees and relief floods through
my body.

  I may be damaged now but I can learn to be deadly.

  1

  Present Day

  I collapse on the mat.

  “What the fuck gives, Scar?” I huff out before guzzling half my water bottle. She’s always ruthless when it comes to training, but she is kicking my ass just a little harder today. She doesn’t usually pack so much power behind her punches, enough to hurt, not to leave bruises. Not today though. I already know I am going to be sore as shit tomorrow.

  Even though I’m not looking forward to it, a part of me is happy she isn’t treating me like I can’t hold my own. That match felt a lot more like equals sparring, and not just a training session. She treated me as an equal even though I’m nowhere close to her level. Yet.

  She plops down next to me and releases an aggravated breath. “Sorry, I’m just frustrated.”

  I nod, already knowing this. Scar isn’t the easiest person to get to know or be close too, but we have bonded over the last seven months. Ever since she’s let her guys in more, she’s been more open with everyone else too. She’s also been getting more and more cagey since one of her guys was taken. I don’t think I have ever seen anyone else with such a controlled and calculating rage. She’s a force to be reckoned with and I’m increasingly grateful she’s taken me under her wing.