Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 58521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 293(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 293(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
“Good morning, Walker. It seems you had a very good time last night,” my father said.
I watched the other Elders and how they nodded or even smirked. “I did. Thank you.”
“We’ve come to inform you that your next Trial is about to occur in an hour,” one of the Elders said.
The news surprised me for multiple reasons. “Is Cindy back? And it’s not even noon yet…” I’ve yet to see a Trial happen in the morning, much less at seven in the morning. How were they even awake, much less hassling me right now? This was not good.
“Cindy will not be returning,” the Elder said. “We have found a replacement for you.”
My eyes darted to my father for some clarity, but his expression remained a blank canvas. “Where’s Cindy?”
“Cindy has been taken care of, and that’s all you need to know,” another Elder said with a firmness that told me the conversation was not up for discussion any longer.
My father looked me over from head to toe, taking in my disheveled appearance, and said, “Freshen up, change into a fresh tuxedo, and meet us in the ballroom at the top of the hour.”
With that final statement, all the Elders turned and headed back in the direction of the Oleander. Knowing all eyes were most likely still on me to some degree, and clearly the manor was now up and alert, I scanned the area for Jasmine one more time, hoping she saw the Elders speaking with me and could see there was no way for me to get her clothing to her.
I was pretty sure she was spitting nails pissed, but there wasn’t anything I could do if I wanted to protect her identity. I did wish I could say goodbye again, and I really wanted to kiss her one last time. I also wanted to somehow mark my territory and not allow her to go on another brunch with anyone. The thought of her sitting across from another man today made me more uncomfortable than the thought of completing a new Trial with a completely different belle today.
When I got back to the room to change, I noticed that all of Cindy’s clothing and belongings had been removed. It was as if the woman was never here. I instantly felt guilty for so many things. I didn’t take the time to ask her any personal questions. I had no idea if she had family, lived near Darlington, or what her future goals and dreams were. I didn’t even know her last name.
I always knew the Order took advantage of women down on their luck in hopes of getting a huge payday that could change their lives, and I disliked how they used these women in so many ways. But was I really any better than any members of the Order? I didn’t even look at this woman as a human being. She was just a means to an end for me, and for that… well, I was fucked up and seriously needed to reevaluate my moral compass.
Thinking back to my and Jasmine’s conversation at the lake, I remembered how she accused me of doing the dance of the South just like her and just like everyone else. She was right, and I hated that fact. And yet, as I quickly took a shower and stepped into another designer tuxedo, I realized tradition, lineage, and even ritual was so programmed inside of me that I had no idea how to even break free.
It was like a disease. I was plagued to forever be this man. The virus of becoming my father had no cure.
When I came downstairs, I went straight to the billiards room in hopes of finding Montgomery, Rafe, Beau, and Emmett. I knew that if they had a choice in the matter, they preferred to hang out in that room away from the Elders for as long as they could. I couldn’t say I blamed them. With them all being in relationships, I was pretty sure they had to walk a delicate line of still being a member of the Order and not wanting to end up sleeping on the couch.
I was pleased to see them all inside, also in their tuxedos. “Is it just me, or is this odd that we’re having a Trial first thing in the morning?” I asked.
“It’s like the Elders forget we actually have businesses to run,” Beau grumbled.
“I’m sick of being at their beck and call,” Rafe added.
“What? It’s not normal to be woken up at six a.m. and told to get into a tuxedo on a Sunday morning?” Emmett teased. “A morning of debauchery rather than attending church… Very Southern church boy of us all.”
“At least we now know Cindy is okay after whatever that medical incident was,” Montgomery said.
“Cindy isn’t the belle any longer,” I informed. “Apparently it won’t be her in this Trial today. So we still don’t know what happened to her.”