CONSENT: Book 1 in The Dangerous Games series

Chapter 1

   6 weeks ago  

My name is Katya Povlov and I am 18 years old. Currently unemployed, I still live at home with my parents. Well at least I did... until this morning. I'm actually driving at this very moment over 10 hours away to move in with my older brother. Why you may ask? Well, because my parents told me to get out and I have nowhere else to go. I've stayed out all night, came home shitfaced drunk, had drugs and guys in the house, and just recently been arrested. That's just the tip of the iceberg. They say they can't take it anymore or more to the point they can't take any more of my shit. A part of me can see their point I guess. I'm still pissed about it though.

My father pretty much washed his hands of me altogether. I think that happened sometime around my 17th birthday. That's when they caught me getting high one night. It was stupid, I know, but I honestly didn't expect them home so soon. I was at least respectful enough to do it outside on the patio. However, he didn't seem to think that was a selling point to the overall situation. He simply looked at me, threw up his hands, cursed in Russian, and walked away. Now my mother, on the other hand, is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She just recently started seeing a therapist. She's the one who caught me in bed with a man I picked up one night. I say man and not boy because he was 32 and divorced. Unfortunately his ex-wife is a member of the same book club as my mother. It is a small-ass world indeed. The next day they set me down and told me I had a choice. I could live on the streets or with my brother. It was up to me but I had five days to get out of their house. So here I am in my restored '67 Mustang stuffed with my belongings.

My brother Xavier is 27 years old. He moved out the day he turned 18 and never looked back. He is a part-time student and bartends at night. He shares a house with his two best friends on the outskirts of Orange County California. They have more than enough room and he said they would be ecstatic to have me for as long as I want. He even offered to help me get a job as soon as I get settled.

The house belongs to David Foster. Xavi has known him for around five or six years. They met through a mutual acquaintance. Also attending school part-time he is a bouncer at the same club Xavi works at. He's a good-looking guy, 6'0 with shoulder-length sandy blonde hair and the bluest eyes. Who am I kidding? He is downright hot! I had a crush on him the moment I met him. The only problem is he is way too tame for me. He embarrasses way too easily. I don't think I could ever date a guy that blushes more than me. But he's a nice guy and I like hanging out with him. Oh! Did I mention David's house is sick?!

David is wealthy by birth. I'm not talking about the sort of wealth you get from two parents who are lawyers or high-profile CEOs. Old money wealthy, that's the kind of money I'm talking about. The "house" was a graduation present from his grandmother. You or I might be lucky enough to be given a new car as a graduation gift. This boy was handed the keys to an eight-bedroom mansion, paid for in full. So he honestly doesn't even need to work at all. I think he does though because he enjoys the social factor of it.

My phone begins to ring again. I smiled before I even look at the screen. I already know it's my brother. This will be his sixth call since I started driving. "Heeyyyy big bruh!" I practically yell as I hit accept on my cell phone. "Hi KitKat. Just checking in.... What the hell are you listening to?" I can barely hear him over the blaring radio. Quickly I turned it down. "Don't hate on the music bro, I never said shit about your closet boy band fetish." Immediately my mind flashes back to much younger Xavi who dyed and permed his hair in order to emulate Justin Timberlake. He went through a phase where he had a very strange obsession with NSYNC. I chuckle at the memory as my brother goes quiet. He prefers to pretend that era never happened. Obviously letting that one slide he moves the conversation along.

"How far out are you?" he asks. Smiling, I checked my GPS. My brother acts like a second father sometimes. "Umm, my GPS says about another 40 minutes." I hear mumbling on his end as he tells someone else how much longer. "Who are you talking to?" I couldn't make out the voice. "That's just Ethan; he's cooking and wants to know when to expect you." As if on cue my stomach gives a small growl of anticipation. "Great, I'm starving!" Xavier's deep rumbling laughter echoes through the phone. "Well I'll get off here so you can concentrate on the road. We'll see you soon Kit." I giggle. " Okay Xavi, see you soon." KitKat has been my nickname since I was little. People call me that or just Kit. A few family members also call me Lil'bit from time to time.