I chew on my nails nervously, before I get to the next part, because while I grew up with this, I know it’s not normal. I’m aware enough to know most of society won’t find it acceptable.
“My father runs a cult. Everybody works and gives all their money to him. He has multiple wives, including me. Most of the men have multiple wives, and many of them are children. The man I killed tonight is my cousin, and he married my ten-year-old sister.”
All three men stare at me in disbelief, like my words can’t possibly be true. I don’t blame them for thinking that, because to any normal human, it would be unbelievable.
“You're married,” Carter asks, appearing physically ill, before he adds, “to your father?”
I shake my head, feeling repulsed by myself, as if I had any say in it.
“Not legally. But yes. When I was twelve, I was forced to marry my father. They call him the Prophet.”
Killian drags his hand down his face, as his dark eyes narrow in on me.
“The Prophet? As in one who delivers messages from God?”
I nod in agreement. “The one and the same, but it’s all a means to hurt and control people. Women and children specifically.”
Carter reaches for my hand, but quickly retracts it like you might if you touched a hot stove.
“That’s why you’ve killed people? Because they hurt you?”
I shake my head because he’s got it all wrong.
“Do I want to make my father pay for the things he has done to me? Yes, if I can ever find where they are hiding him, but it’s not really about me. It’s about the others—the children—and the ones yet to be born. If I don’t stop this, who will?”
“What about your mother?” Knox asks, and it makes me sick to admit she’s part of this. My mother was very willing to hand me over to my father. Not only willing, but fucking joyful about it.
“She thinks he’s the Prophet and believes every lie that comes out of his mouth. My mother considers me lucky that God wanted me to be his wife. As far as she is concerned, it’s a gift. An honor.”
CHAPTER NINE
KNOX
Fuck. I glance at my brothers and we are all thinking the same fucking thing. This is sick. Killian rubs his temples in irritation. He wanted to toss her out, but after hearing her story, even he knows we have to help her. The way Carter is looking at her, I think he’d go with her anyway. It wasn’t a threat. I don’t understand his fascination with her, but I can see it very fucking clearly on his face. We are getting involved. Sure, we are criminals. We do a lot of bad shit, but we have to help her. If we don’t, what kind of men does that make us? Children are being raped. That has to be what she meant. I’m sure if they’re forced to marry, sex is also part of the equation.
Snapping me out of my thoughts, Carter says, “You’ll stay with us. We will find this so-called Prophet and help you end him and the cult.”
A tear rolls down her beautiful cheek, and I resist the urge to catch it with my tongue.
“Why would you do that?” She asks in a quiet voice.
Much to my surprise, it’s Killian who responds.
“We aren’t good men, Killer. There’s never a day that passes that we don’t do illegal shit, but none of us are okay with raping children. That’s what we are talking about, right?”
Before she has a chance to answer, Carter says, “Did your father rape you?”
Her expression is filled with shame, and it pisses me off. The look on her face is enough to answer his question.
“If you’re asking if I said no, I didn’t.”
I watch as my brother balls his hands into fists. The natural hunter instinct is itching to be set free as he growls.
“That’s not what I asked. Children cannot consent, so if he had sex with you, it was fucking rape.”
She shuts her eyes tight and lowers her head.
“Wicked is the one who does not obey the Prophet. The wicked shall be punished.”
