FRAGMENTED Read online

  After setting the bags on the bed, he turns to me, a hard flicker appearing in his eyes. “If you’re going to be living under this roof, there are to be no secrets. I want your real name, and I know it’s not Becky.”

  The earlier wariness I’d felt around him returns, but I also know that he has every right to ask who I really am. “Elena,” I confess.

  His eyebrow lifts, visibly waiting for my surname.

  Naturally, I hesitate.

  He gives me a severe look. “I saw the reaction you had to the possibility of a background check. You can either be honest with me now, or let me find out on my own,” he warns.

  “Torres,” I respond grudgingly, internally praying that he won’t do a background check anyway.

  He waits, clearly expecting me to explain my earlier reaction.

  I’m not sure whether to trust him or not. Then again, the man has five separate personalities living inside him. He has his own problems to deal with. “I’m not a legal citizen of the United States,” I reveal.

  Knight must’ve already guessed as much because his expression never changes. “Alright. I don’t have an issue with that, so we’re good. Anything else I should know about?”

  I shake my head.

  “You steal from us, and there will be consequences, Elena.”

  “I’m not a thief!” I exclaim, completely offended by the insinuation.

  “Good. The job won’t be easy,” he warns.

  I shift awkwardly on my feet. “Because of...um…”

  He looks momentarily amused. “Because of the five of us? Yes.” His expression sobers. “We don’t share co-consciousness, so when the others appear, they won’t know you. Griffin and Cameron will be around to help with introductions. I’ll also need you to sign a non-disclosure agreement before you officially begin. Griffin is drawing it up and will bring it by later.”

  That’s not surprising, and I nod. Judging by the estate, Nathan Lancaster is quite wealthy. I’m assuming Nathan is one of the personalities, probably the actual owner of the body. Which means Knight is one of the personalities that developed. It’s weird knowing that.

  “What can you tell me about them?” I ask, careful to keep my tone light. It would be wise to have as much information as possible before I meet the others.

  Knight’s expression becomes unreadable. “If you have questions, ask Griffin or Cameron. I don’t interact with them, so all I know is hearsay. Do you drive?” he asks, switching the topic.

  I shake my head.

  “Griffin or Cameron can take you wherever you need to go. I’ll set up an account for groceries and whatnot. It’ll be monitored, and we will expect to see receipts from all purchases,” he informs.

  I nod.

  “The master bedroom and studio are off limits unless you’re invited. I’ll show you where all the cleaning supplies are.” He moves towards the doorway and steps out into the hall.

  I hurriedly follow, my head spinning.

  After a quick tour of the estate, Knight tells me he’s heading out for the evening and to make myself at home.

  Left to my own devices, I find myself all alone in the guest room that is now my new home. My eyes roam the bed where all my purchases lay discarded, and then my gaze shifts to the glass wall that overlooks Los Angeles. I walk over and stand before it, feeling lost.

  I’m immensely overwhelmed, and I’m not sure what to do next. This is all happening so fast, and I’m almost expecting to wake up and find that this was all a dream.

  For a while, I just stand there as the sun shines in through the glass. The sunlight is warm on my skin, and it’s a sensation I haven’t enjoyed in a very long time. My lips flatten as I think of the old house that I’d been living in with several other women. This place is a palace compared to the rundown, dirty place I’d been accustomed to.

  I won’t miss that house or the people living in it. The other women hadn’t been my friends, and they’d only been out for themselves. The few times I’d managed to have extra cash on hand, it was stolen from me while I slept. It’s been a very long time since I’ve closed my eyes at night and felt some sense of safety. Maybe, in the days to come, I’ll feel safe here.

  I’m not sure how long I stand there, but eventually, I figure I’d better familiarize myself with the kitchen. The estate is peacefully quiet, something that I know I’m going to enjoy immensely. The club music was always so loud that it’d given me headaches most nights.

  I’m looking around the kitchen when the blond man from last night enters the room. I face him almost nervously. “You must be Cameron,” I say, offering a smile.

  Unlike Griffin, he’s dressed casually in jeans and tee. His hazel eyes harden as soon as he spies me standing next to the refrigerator. “This isn’t going to work.”

  My heart sinks, but I force myself to remain positive. Knight hired me, and I don’t think Cameron or Griffin can fire me. “There’s only one way to find out,” I feel the need to point out.

  He rakes a wary hand through his short hair, his face set in hard lines. “You should walk away from this. You’re a complication they don’t need.”

  This job is the only thing standing between myself and the life I’m desperate to leave behind. It would be wise to get along with Cameron and Griffin. “Can you tell me about them?” I ask lightly, ignoring his comment.

  Cameron just gazes at me, his expression unfriendly.

  “Is Knight who I’ll be…uh, dealing with the most?” I press, hoping for some useful information.

  Pity becomes apparent in his gaze. “No, Nathan is the steady host. Knight comes out when Nathan is feeling overwhelmed or stressed. He’s not going to want you here,” he says quite frankly.

  “So then Nathan is the real identity or…?”

  He gives me a look, making it clear that I’ve put my foot in my mouth. “They all consider themselves real. If you’re going to work here, you’d better do a shit ton of research, or you’re really going to piss them off.”

  He has a point. “Can you at least give me a rundown of what to expect?” I ask patiently.

  He shakes his head, irritation radiating off him in waves. “Don’t you think you should have asked all this before accepting the job?”

  I look at him steadily, refusing to buckle under his unfriendliness. “Knight told me to ask you or Griffin.”

  That brings a scowl to his face. “Of course, he did, because Knight brings home lost little souls and expects us all to deal with the fallout,” Cameron mutters.

  “Excuse me?” I ask, insulted to be lumped in with the ‘lost little souls’ bit.

  Cameron moves closer, his eyes trapping mine with his. “Knight has a hero complex. You’re not the first person he’s brought back thinking that he can help them.”

  “What happened to them?”

  “One got caught stealing, the other ran for the hills the second he learned about the DID. Knight doesn’t think like we do. When he sees something or someone that he thinks needs saving, he does it without fully thinking through the consequences. That’s why we have Blue. Knight almost hit him with his motorcycle and brought the dog home because he was obviously a stray.”

  Knight doesn’t sound all that bad, and I struggle to hide a smile.

  Cameron catches sight of it, and his eyes narrow. “You might smile now, but wait until Nathan fires you, or you have a run-in with Brick.”

  I quickly sober. “Any one of them can fire me?”

  Cameron looks annoyed. “Knight follows through with his threats, so they’ll want to but likely won’t. Nathan will definitely try.”

  I’m relieved to hear that, sort of. My job is safe for the most part. “So there’s Nathan, Knight, and Brick? What is Brick like?”

  “He’ll hate you on sight, and he’s as friendly as his name.”

  That doesn’t sound promising. “And the other two?” I ask, wanting as much information as I can get as long as I’ve got Cameron talking.

  “Corbin’s th
e one who handles business, he won’t care you’re here as long as you stay out of his way.” He hesitates. “Oliver, he’s a bit of a free spirit. He’s also only seventeen.”

  Now I’m confused. Seventeen?

  Cameron rubs his brow when he notes my expression. “This shit gets old,” he says under his breath. “Oliver, the alter, is seventeen,” he explains. “That’s what you call them, alters. Not all of them are twenty-seven, the age of the physical body.”

  “How is that possible?” I immediately ask.

  “For Christ’s sake, do some research, and then we can revisit this conversation,” he retorts.

  I’ve put up with enough of his attitude, but I need to be careful not to offend him. “If I had a computer, I would,” I say levelly. Not everyone has money to spare that can go into electronics.

  He closes his eyes, visibly gathering patience. “I’ll bring you a laptop shortly,” he says almost kindly.

  “Thank you. I would appreciate that,” I say sincerely.

  THREE

  Nathan

  As soon as I wake up, I hop in the shower as I do every morning. The water chases away the sleep and allows me to focus on the day ahead. There just aren’t enough hours in a day—at least not when it comes to my deadline.

  Fuck.

  I drop my chin and allow the water to cascade down my head and into my face. The painting I’d been working on for the last week flashes in my mind, and it stirs nothing inside me. Absolutely fucking nothing. It’s half-finished, and I have no urge to complete it. I’ve lost all motivation and haven’t felt inspired in a long time.

  I mutter a curse under my breath and finish rinsing the soap from my body. Deadlines never work well for me, and the pressure gets to be too much at times—but painting is about all I enjoy these days.

  After turning off the shower, I grab a towel and dry my body. With an early breakfast in mind, I pull on a pair of jeans and a tee, ignoring my wet hair. I need to get back in the studio, because I have a feeling I’m not going to accomplish much today unless I find a new direction to go with the painting.

  As soon as I reach the first floor, I can smell the scent of eggs seeping throughout the halls from the direction of the kitchen. No doubt, Cameron or Griffin. Eggs are about all any of us can actually cook. We order in a lot or go pick up takeout.

  Blue comes skidding down the hall, tail wagging with excitement upon seeing me. I bend down and pet him, allowing him to lick my chin. I’m still annoyed that Knight felt he could bring home a stray dog without checking with anyone, but Blue has grown on me. He has a habit of easing the tension in the house.

  I rise to my feet. “Have you been fed yet?”

  His tail is still wagging, but he doesn’t leap around my feet like he usually does when he hasn’t had his breakfast. As I head for the kitchen, Blue remains by my side, tail still happily wagging.

  When I spy the unfamiliar woman moving around the island counter with her back to me, I go completely still. She’s wiping down the island counter as if she belongs here. I sure as hell didn’t invite her into my home.

  “Who the fuck are you?” I demand.

  She spins around, startled. Her eyes have widened, and she clutches the hand towel to her chest. My eyes take a second to roam over her, taking in her long, dark hair pulled back into a simple ponytail. With her hair drawn away from her face, her features are on full display. She’s quite the looker. A quick perusal finds that she’s small and petite, but packing quite the little body. The simple, white tee that reaches mid-thigh and the black leggings look good on her.

  My entire body goes rigid.

  Knight.

  God damn.

  How much time did I lose this time? It’s been a while since he’s taken over, so I hadn’t bothered checking the date on the digital clock/calendar I keep on the nightstand when I’d awoken earlier.

  The woman—who appears to be in her very early twenties—stares at me with uncertainty. “Um, you must be…” her voice trails off with a hint of a question at the end.

  “Nathan,” I bite out.

  She awkwardly walks over and holds out her hand, her pale greenish gray eyes quite striking now that she’s closer. “I’m Elena,” she introduces, her tone light.

  I catch a hint of an accent, but I can’t quite put my finger on it and don’t care to. Right now, my temper is flaring to life, and I’m having a hard time controlling it. What is she? Knight’s fuck toy?

  “Knight hired me,” she explains. Her fingers are mangling the towel as she twists it in her hands. “I’m the maid, er…housekeeper.” She gives me a sheepish look. “Whatever you prefer.”

  “Does your job description include sex?” I ask tersely. There’s no way Knight hasn’t touched her. His…my dick has been inside her. She’s hot, I’ll give her that, but now I’ll be doing another damned STD test.

  She visibly draws in a deep breath and exhales before meeting my gaze. “No, it doesn’t,” she says levelly.

  I have a hard time believing that. I’m well aware that Knight enjoys women when he’s taken over.

  “Mr. Lancast—”

  “You’re fired,” I cut in before she can finish.

  She straightens her back and tilts her chin, eyes sparking with determination. “Cameron or Griffin can fill you in,” she says steadily.

  I’m getting nowhere with her. I turn and stride out of the kitchen, noting that Blue had taken off the second he’d sensed tension in the air. In the hallway, I bellow, “Someone better clue me the fuck in why there’s a woman in my kitchen!”

  The words no sooner leave my mouth when Griffin hurries around the corner from down the hall. “I didn’t realize you were awake or that you’d switched,” he says as he approaches, his expression one of wariness.

  My head is already throbbing and the day has just begun. I move around him and towards the main room where we can speak without the stranger in the kitchen overhearing the conversation.

  Fuck.

  The whole reason I’d hired Cameron and Griffin was to prevent things like this from happening, but Knight always manages to somehow get the upper hand with them. I sink down onto the nearest sofa and scrub my hands over my face before turning my attention on Griffin. “What day is it?”

  He sits down on the sofa across from the one I’d claimed, his eyes alert as he watches me. “Thursday. Knight took over for three days.”

  I can’t prevent the low growl from leaving my throat. That’s three less days I’ve got before the deadline.

  “He gave us the slip the other night, which is why Elena is here.”

  Elena.

  The woman in my kitchen.

  I rub my temples and try to calm the fury flowing through my veins. The angrier I become, the more likely it is that Knight will return, or worse—Brick.

  “She’s here to clean and cook. Knight told me to tell you that if you fire her, he’s going to do all the shit that’s been forbidden up to this point,” Griffin says carefully.

  “It’s all supposed to be forbidden,” I snap. Damn Knight. He does whatever the hell he wants, including buying motorcycles and the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante sitting in my garage. The only thing I’ve managed to prevent him from doing is piercing or tattooing my body. “Where did he find her?”

  Griffin’s expression gives little away, a sure sign that he’s doing everything he can not to rouse more of my temper. “We’re assuming one of the clubs.”

  So she’s likely a stripper. This is shit that I don’t need right now. My natural inclination is to walk back into the kitchen and fire her, but I believe Knight’s threats. I need to cool my shit or Knight will come out and make things worse.

  “Cam and I haven’t gotten any bad vibes from her yet,” Griffin offers.

  That gives me zero comfort. “Please tell me he didn’t buy her a car.” I wouldn’t put it past the bastard.

  “She doesn’t drive,” Griffin assures.

  Thank God for small favors. “I’l
l be in my studio,” I grind out. Griffin nods and remains silent as I rise to my feet and stiffly leave the room. I’ve completely lost my appetite, and I make my way up to my studio.

  Once the door is closed, and I’m all alone, I let out a long string of profanity as I glare at the painting I’ve been struggling with. I’m so incredibly frustrated that I want to trash the painting, but I refrain from it.

  Instead, I stand in the middle of my studio and inhale deeply, trying to calm myself. It’s not easy, though. This DID is mental torture, and I hate not being in control. Then there’s the company and the fact that my uncle is pressuring me to sell my shares. Toss in the deadline with the gallery…

  Now I’m expected to deal with the woman Knight hired?

  Another curse escapes as I stalk to the sound system in the corner of the room.

  FOUR

  Elena

  I calmly dump the burned eggs into the garbage and then take the pan to the sink. After filling the pan with water and soap, I let it soak for a while.

  As I work around the kitchen, I find myself feeling sympathy for Nathan. Cameron had come through with the laptop yesterday, and I’d been able to research DID.

  I’d learned that most DID is a result from childhood trauma, so I’d researched Nathan Lancaster. Nathan and his twin brother, Andrew, were born into a wealthy family. At the time, Joseph Lancaster, the boys’ father, owned a billion-dollar software empire.

  The articles could only speculate as to why Joseph killed his family in a murder/suicide since there were no clear motives. The conclusion most news outlets came to was that Joseph was suspicious that his wife was having an affair. There was evidence of the violence that had happened that fateful night, and in the end, Julia Lancaster was killed with a single gunshot to the head, and both the twins also suffered gunshot wounds before Joseph took his own life. Nathan’s twin died that night, and Nathan became the sole survivor.