As usual, the bright sunlight peaks through the curtains and shines directly on me, causing me to hiss like a vampire and crawl under the covers even more.

As I pry open my eyes, yesterday's events come crashing through my head like a Romance/Action movie.

Getting basically kidnapped, finding out a psycho woman is trying to kill me, being forced to live in a house with practically strangers, Danny's anger issues, almost being choked to death, kissing Chris, sleeping next to him, finding out my brother is in a gang and waking up my first morning in an actual gang mansion.

All in the span of 24 hours? I can already feel a headache starting to form.

I lazily reach over to my nightstand and check my phone, squinting my eyes at the sudden brightness.

8:30am? Well that's certainly way too early for me but I didn't want to be rude and sleep in when this isn't even my house. Maybe they had rules here, like everyone had to be up and ready before 9am incase of an attack!

I'll definitely have to ask Danny about do's and don'ts, I think to myself whilst attempting to drag my lazy butt to the en suite bathroom. I do my business in a very ladylike way before standing in front of the sink and grabbing the my toothbrush.

While I'm brushing my teeth, I look into the mirror like I always do. Except this time, I didn't just see messy brown hair and droopy eyes.

That's when I screamed.

Not a second later, Chris and Danny burst in my bathroom with guns raised and heavy breathing. If I wasn't in a state of shock, I probably would have praised their reflex skills.

"What happened?" Chris was the first to speak. "Claire, are you okay?" Danny questioned worriedly. My mouth was still full of toothpaste so I rinsed before speaking, my eyes still not meeting theirs.

"I'm fine, please just go away." I whispered, taking the towel off the hook to block my neck. Danny stepped a little closer and tugged the towel away gently.

He gasped when his eyes trailed over my neck. Chris took that as his cue to stand next to Danny, and looked at my neck in horror.

My neck had a long red line going across my entire skin, it looked bruised and a scab was already starting to close off the irritated parts of the skin. I tried to play it off like I was okay, but I knew the two could easily see the tears forming in my eyes.

"It's f-fine. It just looks like a dragon gave me a giant hickey. " I tried to ease the tension but it obviously wasn't working. "Claire, princess....." Danny struggled to speak.

I took his hands in mine and shook my head, ignoring the expression Chris was making at our joined hands. "Don't blame yourself, you were just upset. Mistakes happen." I reassured him. "I'm so sorry." the soft whisper broke my heart.

"You fucking bastard! Look at what you've done to her!" Chris barked angrily, sending a menacing glare in Danny's direction. I sighed and spoke up once again, "Chris it's honestly alright, I've forgiven Danny. Can we please just forget about this?"

"How can you-"

"Chris, give us a moment alone." Danny interrupted. "Like hell I'm gonna leave her alone with you!" The latter snapped. "That was not a suggestion brother, please leave." Danny said calmly.

Chris muttered a "fuck you" under his breath before storming out, leaving the Gangleader and I all alone.

Danny's POV

I've been called many things throughout my life. A monster, a menace to society, a heartless human being, but today is the first time I believed those words. I've never hated myself more than I do right at this moment, staring at the bruise on Claire's neck.

The thoughts of putting my hands on her made me sick.

I wish she was angry, I wish she realized what I did was unforgivable, I wish she hated me. I deserved it more than anything. I'm ruining an innocent girls life and she's just taking it with a smile.

My beautiful princess, I'll do everything in my power to make it up to you and earn your trust again.

I gently lead her into her room and sit on the bed, tapping the spot next to me. My breath was knocked out of me when she sat on my lap instead, basically straddling me as she stared right into my eyes with the most pure gaze.

"I can tell that you're still beating yourself up over what happened, you need to stop." She said softly. My eyes instantly snapped down to her neck and I swallowed guiltily.

"I'm never gonna stop apologizing." I confessed. "Well then I'm never gonna stop telling you that I forgive you." Claire giggled, flicking my forhead. I winced and rubbed my forhead, watching her laugh to herself.

Perfect was one word to describe her.

I reach into the pocket of my sweatpants and pull out a small medicine tube. I unscrewed the cap and put a little on my index finger. "What's that?" Claire asked curiously.

"Last night I asked our private doctor to deliver some antibiotics, antiseptics and this cream to help the scar heal better." I answered, lightly dabbing the red area. "Isn't that a bit much, I'm already talking fine again." She pouted, moving her head to the side to give me more access.

"Don't pout baby, I warned you not to do that." I growled as she immediately gave me a sheepish smile.

"My princess deserves only the best treament, especially when it was my fault." I continued to apply the cream, loving the way her cheeks turned a bright pink colour.

I rub it gently around her neck, making small circles as I go. She stiffened and exhaled a shaky breath, closing her eyes tightly.

My fantasies started running wild and I knew I needed to distract myself before I did something. "Isn't this Chris's hoodie?" I asked, finally noticing the familiar baby blue colour.

"Um yeah, he let me borrow it before I went to bed last night." Claire replied a bit too quickly. It's a shame she didn't realize I was trained to know exactly when people were lying, and this girl on my lap was no doubt lying to my face.

"Princess, you know I actually do care about you right?" I started, pushing down my rage and jealousy. Claire nodded and I took that as my sign to continue. "My brother and I are close, yes we do fight a lot but at the end of the day we're still family. I love him, unfortunately but he's not had a good history with woman."

Claire opened her mouth to interrupt but I put a finger over her lips to silence her. "I know you're probably thinking that I've had worse history and that's true, but Chris hes been in some rather insane relationships too. He's immature, extremely possessive and might I add, hella clingy. I'm just warning you not to get involved with him okay?" I finished off with a click of my tongue.

"I understand that you've known him longer than I have, but if I wanted to get "involved" with him then that's my decision. Not saying I do, just letting you know." She said with a hint of sass in her words.

I smirked, putting a finger under her chin and lifting her head up. "You're not gonna get involved with him because I won't allow it. I don't care if you don't like me but as long as you stay under my roof, you're mine. That means no other man can touch you like this..." I gripped her waist as her eyes widened.

"No other man can make you feel like this..." I gently rock her hips back and forth and she whimpers, burying her head in my chest. "And most importantly, no other man can kiss these pretty lips." My thumb grazes over her bottom lip and I can tell shes struggling not to make a sound.

Her eyes are still closed, my hands guiding her hips slowly against me and the smallest of whines escaping her throat.

This girl is gonna be the death of me.

Suddenly the door bursts open and Claire all but flies off of me, accidentally tumbling onto the floor in the process. My brother walks in and eyes us suspiciously before crossing his arms over his chest.

I bite the inside of my cheek, once again trying to calm myself down and and the same time glaring at the man standing in front of me. This fucking bastard was with my princess all night and had the audacity to tell me she probably didn't wanna see me until morning?

The tension in the room was evident as I watched carefully at how Chris and Claire stared at one another.

"Mr Janking is on the phone, he wants to talk to you about the shipment coming in next week." Chris says with a click of his tongue, making me mentally shoot him in my head.

"Thank you for telling me." I gritted my teeth whilst standing up. I wasn't gonna make a scene, it was clear that Claire was going through a lot right now and was using Chris as some sort of coping mechanism. And of course my idiotic brother would fall for a pretty girl that showed the slightest of interest in him.

So I was going to let it go.

For now.

I sigh and kiss Claire's forehead gently, grabbing her hand and placing her on the bed once again. "I have to go baby, make sure you keep applying the cream okay?" I reminded her with a sad smile.

"I will, I promise." She smiled, making my heart hammer against my chest. "Good, I'll see you later then." I nodded before brushing past an annoyed looking Chris and heading to my office.

He better know who he's dealing with, I definitely don't share so easily.