A page had been dog-eared, likely the same section in the back of the book that had made Roman laugh earlier.
My heart skipped a beat.
Just four words had been underlined. I threw the book across the room. And then, I had a better idea.
I lifted the wine bottle into the air.
The cellar door creaked open. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
I’d never stared at another human being with such pure vitriol, and Roman drank my anger like a drug. He stood on the steps, gun in hand.
“She’ll be here soon.”
My heart fell, and my raised arm followed.
“You understand what you have to do now, don’t you, brother?”
“Why? Why would you do that to her?” I yelled, gripping the wine bottle so tight, my knuckles ached.
“Did you not listen? I’ll speak slower this time. I will not be doing anything to Nova tonight.Youwill be.”
“I’ll leave the city. I will sign away everything I own. Just leave her alone,” I ground out, my throat raw as my heart raced.
Roman pretended to give my words weight, tilting his head from side to side. Then, he laughed in my face. “I decline. My way is more of a lifetime guarantee, and, honestly, it’s more entertaining for me.” He glanced at the book I’d thrown. “I own her, Wes.”
I gripped the bottle harder, fighting every urge in my body to slam it down on Roman’s skull.
He took a step back. “And, more importantly, I ownyou.”
51
NOVA
Iwas shoved into a warm seat in what I assumed was a car—a seat that had a hand that reached around my torso, holding me in place. Another hand removed my hood.
There was already a cloth gag in my mouth, but that second hand covered my scream too as the doors closed and the car sped off.
“Shh, shh, shh.” Warm breath tickled my ear. A hard erection pressed against my ass. “Now how wet are you, angel?”
My arms flailed, trying in vain to elbow Roman and squirm out of his grasp. Sitting in his lap made me feel disgusting, violated, especially when I was still wearing a short satin slip.
Angry, helpless tears pricked my eyes as I screamed bloody murder into my gag.
“What about now?”
Something cool and metal dragged against my neck. I glanced down.
A sleek black gun was pointed at my chin.
I stopped moving or making sound. Roman slowly removed the cloth from my mouth.
I’d never seen a gun up close before. Hunting rifles back in Tennessee, sure, but not guns expressly designed to shootpeople.
“Good girl,” Roman purred, petting my hair.
My gaze darted to the two men in the front seats. They stared straight ahead, unspeaking. They showed no reaction to what was happening at all, the same as Jayne. I’d been right about her and her so-called spiritualcommunityall along. Maybe there were regular people, like Capricorn, involved in the lower levels of the cult. But the top was full of monsters who poisoned the bunch.
When Roman lowered the gun, I finally caught my breath enough to speak. “Are you going to kill me?” I asked.
