“Now—I will attach them, permanently,” the officiant said as she stepped forward with a metal tool.
The men held up their wrists, and she clamped the glowing end of the tool around the bracelet clasps. There was a hissing sound as the metal heated and the clasp disappeared.
Wonderful, permanent jewelry you can’t remove. What’s next? A collar and leash?
I felt sick.
The men clapped each other on the back and embraced.
Kharon pulled out a larger velvet box.
An oval blue diamond, blindingly large, sat on a thin gold band, and a long dainty chain of matching blue diamonds hung off it.
I blanched at how ostentatious it was.
Augustus grabbed my left wrist firmly like he could sense my hesitation, and his calluses scraped across my skin as he held my hand up for Kharon.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I tried to wrench my hand out of his grip.
His fingers flexed, and I couldn’t move an inch.
As we grappled, Kharon slipped on the extravagant diamond, which covered the entire lower part of my finger.
Everyone who saw my hand would know what it represented.
Their eyes flashed with primal satisfaction as Augustus positioned the long, thin chain across the top of my hand, pushing my sleeve back so he could clasp the attached bracelet.
He stilled.
Augustus’s fingers spasmed, and Kharon inhaled sharply through clenched teeth.
Since the healed skin was still sensitive, I hadn’t been able to cover my wrists with hair ties like usual.
Old white scars crisscrossed with new red marks. The skin was ravaged.
No one moved.
“These are old—what the actualfuck?” Augustus growled, clenching his jaw tightly. “How did you get these?”
“It’s nothing,” I whispered as I tried to tug my arm away, but this time, Kharon held my hand still. His scowl was dangerous.
Augustus took a deep steadying breath as he clasped the bracelet. “We’ll talk about this later.” His eyes burned with violence.
“No,” I said through gritted teeth, “we won’t be talking about anything.”
The whites of Augustus’s eyes filled with blood.
I bared my teeth.
Before things could escalate (things being homicide), the officiant stepped forward and melted the clasp.
When she was done, I yanked my hand back to my side protectively.
Augustus stared at my arm, like he could see through my sleeve and was trying to memorize my scars.
The blue diamond was heavy on my finger, and the chain prickled against my oversensitive flesh.
It’s permanent. I really can’t take it off.
