“I’ve been waiting to find out if O’Rourke knocked you up or not. Seems like he didn’t. He’s made it clear when I’ve met with him that he doesn’t want you back. He said your usefulness has come to an end.” Papa sneers, eyeing me. “Let’s hope the next guy who fucks you is more satisfied with the goods.”
My pulse thunders in my ears. “What do you mean? I’m still married.”
“Marriage is a piece of paper. Since you fucked up and have become my responsibility again, I’ve been thinking about what to do with you. Can’t marry you off again. Not legally. So I’m going to sell you. Tonight.”
I gape at him. “You can’t?—”
He backhands me so hard that my lip splits open again, and I can already feel a bruise forming on my tender cheek.
“Stoptelling me what I can and can’t do. I can do anything I fucking want. Tonight, I want to sell you. You will make yourself pretty. That’s final.”
“I won’t.” I blink back the tears in my eyes. “I’m married. I don’t belong to you anymore.”
“Wrong. You’re under my roof, which means you’re mine to do with as I see fit. And you’re no man’s wife, you’re nothing but a used whore.” He glances at Mama. “Make her presentable or you’ll regret it.”
Mama nods and I stare at her in disbelief. I mean, she’s always followed Papa’s orders, but this… She can’t go along with this plan. She’s mymother.
Father approaches me, and I’m too shocked at first to react to his proximity.
Then I’m too late.
He takes my arm. A biting sting is the only warning I get before he empties a syringe into my shoulder. I struggle in vain. The mystery cocktail hits my system two seconds later.
The world tilts. My stomach heaves. I stumble.
“I figured you were going to be a problem. That should calm you the fuck down.” Papa’s words sound distant, liquified.
This is a bad dream. It has to be.
Through hazy vision, I watch Papa leave. Mama sits me down, then obediently starts drying my hair and styling it.
She does my makeup. All the while she murmurs meaningless, senseless words.
Please, God, wake me from this nightmare.
CHAPTER 17
Cian
“You’re pathetic.” Her voice taunts me. “One sweet word, one gentle touch, and you fell right into my hands. Did you really think I could loveyouover him? Your brother is everything. You’re nothing. He should have consumed you in the womb.”
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“Because I want to, Cian. You’re so big and strong. Having you at my mercy, having this kind of power over you, is delicious. Addicting. It gets me hot. I can’t wait to fuck your brother in front of you. But we can’t have you getting too excited watching us, I don’t want you to enjoy it, so…” She grabs my testicles, squeezing and twisting.
I scream in pain.
“Stop!” I jolt upright at my desk, alone, in the dark. I swat the phantom hand away from my crotch. My breath comes in ragged pants. Sweat trickles into my eyes.
The nightmares have returned with a vengeance these past few weeks, ruining my sleep at night. Which is why I’m dozing off at my desk.
The last thing I remember was working on some accounts in the afternoon, now dusk has fallen over the world.
Groggily, I make my way into the bathroom for a quick shower. Since that awful night that I learned Elena—Ravenna’s—secret, I’ve been sleeping on the couch in my home office, only venturing into the bedroom for a fresh set of clothes. Her amber scent still lingers in the room.
This time I skip the clothing and go straight for a shower to chase away my demons, at least temporarily.
Hot, pelting water helps bury my past in the recesses of my mind, which leaves my thoughts open to Ravenna’s text messages from this afternoon.
