Total pages in book: 266
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
The man without a mask comes to stand in front of him and crosses his arms over his chest. “You will learn, Son, that the Lords always come first. Over any woman. No matter who she is, you will do as you’re told. Even if I have to beat it into you.” With that, the guy turns and slams the door shut, and the video stops.
I realize I’m biting my nails and drop the cell to my lap. What the fuck was that? He called him Son? Was that his dad? Was Haidyn being punished for knocking Ashtyn out to brand her?
I have so many questions, but it makes sense as to why I keep being told that Haidyn killed their fathers. But was it to save Ashtyn from them, or was it to save himself?
HAIDYN
I step out of Ashtyn’s room and softly close the door behind me. Saint is pacing the hallway but stops and looks up at me.
His eyes go to their bedroom door and then back to mine. “How is she?”
“Upset.”
He runs a hand through his hair and gives me his back. “Fuucckkk,” he whisper-shouts.
“She doesn’t want to know,” I tell him.
Whirling around, he narrows his eyes on mine. “Devin and Gavin—”
“You asked me to talk to her.” I interrupt him. “I did. That’s what she told me.”
He nods his head a few times as if convincing himself.
“Will it make a difference to you if one isn’t yours?” I ask.
“Fuck no,” he growls. Stepping closer to me, he lowers his voice. “Just like it wouldn’t have mattered to me that her first child wasn’t mine.” His green eyes search mine, and I can feel the heat radiating off him. He wants to hit me, possibly shoot me. I understand he’s going through a lot right now. And I can’t argue that I don’t deserve it. Taking in a deep breath, he adds, “But I didn’t get that choice then, did I?”
He expects me to apologize for this shit show I’ve put us in, but I’m not going to. I did what I thought was best at the time. Things didn’t go as planned, then when he woke up, we were already in “training.” By the time we finished that, six months had passed, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him. Or maybe I just wanted to think she was better off.
“Go be with your wife, Saint.” I step around him and head toward the elevator.
He grabs my upper arm, stopping me. “You’re leaving again?” His words make it seem like he cares, but his tone says otherwise.
I turn to face him. “I have somewhere to be,” I say vaguely.
I can’t bring Charlotte here. Not with me. They’ll ask too many questions, and I’m having too much fun with my newest toy not to play with her. It wouldn’t be like it was—her showing up for one of our sessions and ending with her running out of the room after I gave her a visual of how I was going to fuck her. Pulling my arm free, I step into the elevator before the door shuts.
“She misses you, ya know,” he speaks softly.
“Anything from Benny?” I ask, ignoring what he said. I don’t have the energy for that conversation right now. I haven’t spoken to Kash, so I haven’t been updated on anything, and I’ve had shit luck trying to figure out who the guy in the picture is with him.
He shakes his head. “The guy is begging for me to cut his goddamn head off.”
I snort. “If you need help, let me know.” That’s what I need. Torture and kill some sorry bastard. Who better than Benny?
The door starts to shut when he speaks, “This is your home, Haidyn. You’re always welcome here.”
FORTY-SIX
CHARLOTTE
For the past hour and a half, I’ve just been lying here on my side, staring out of his floor-to-ceiling windows and waiting for the sun to rise. My mind is running a hundred miles an hour.
I’m so confused.
The conversation I had with my friends at lunch, then the conversations I had at my mom’s…the videos from the Lords. What does it all mean? Where do I fit into this world if the man I’m supposed to marry is no longer an option?
Will they hand me over to someone new? If so, when?
Marrying a Lord isn’t something a Lady has control over. You are called to serve, and you serve, so they could tell me to walk down the aisle at any time. But I won’t get that order until I finish this assignment. But again, what is the endgame?
Do the Lords want me to find my future husband at Carnage and then report back…whether he’s a prisoner or he’s dead?
I’m literally giving myself a headache with all the possibilities.
Sitting up, I stretch my sore body and see the room is dark, letting me know it’s still early. This has been the longest night of my life. I watched my cell forever, waiting for another video, but it never came. I have to know what happened to Haidyn.