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)
“As a belle!” She pulled away so she could look at me in disbelief. “They expect me to be a belle. I can’t be a belle! They can’t make me do this. This is like a nightmare. I just keep hoping I’m going to wake up.”
As much as I wanted to be the man who woke her from this awful dream, I knew it was as real as can be. Our demented reality was like a slap in the face, and I wasn’t sure how to fix it.
I released a heavy breath. “We can leave if you want. I support you in whatever you decide to do, and I’m prepared to walk out that door hand-in-hand and face the consequences. But,” I wiped at the wet strands of hair on her forehead and tucked them behind her ears. “There will be consequences. Severe ones.”
“I’ll lose everything,” she added quietly.
“We both will. But I’m prepared to do whatever you want.”
Her heavy-lashed eyes looked up at me and I swear I could get lost in her soul. The brown depths seemed so inviting, so beckoning, so perfect.
“The Order of the Silver Ghost runs through your veins,” she began softly. “It’s who you are, who your family is. I know this. I know enough about the Oleander Manor and what happens behind the walls. I know what Sully did when he left it all behind. And though you say you’ll walk out these doors with me… I know even more now that the pull of the Order isn’t something you can simply say no to.”
She took a deep breath and tightened the blanket around her. “I understand I can’t simply say no. I have to think about the business. I have to think about my mother and what me declaring war on Darlington County would do to her. I have to think about who we are and what we are. I understand heritage, tradition, and dark, hidden secrets.” She shook her head. “No, we can’t just walk out that door. Not until we do as they ask and complete the Trials. You and I both know it.”
“This isn’t going to be easy,” I warned. “Being a belle… they’re going to expect you to do things you would have never considered before. They’re going to make you have sex with me while they watch. They’re going to make you do what you’d consider perverse or sinful. They are going to test you over and over again and try to… break you.” I winced as I said it. “Their goal is to break the belle.”
“Let them try,” she answered, an angry fire in her eyes. “They almost killed me tonight. Nothing could be worse.”
“I’m not sure about that,” I warned. “You know those men down there. You know how ruthless they can be.”
“I do now,” she agreed with a nod. “Which is why I know they won’t just let us walk away with our middle fingers blazing. We have no choice but to complete the Trials.”
13
JASMINE
When I turned over in bed and first came awake, it was with relief. God, what a nightmare I’d just had. I mean, I knew my subconscious could come up with some twisted stuff sometimes, but that was… a whole new level of fucked up.
I blinked my eyes open, ready to take on whatever day of overstuffed guys Mom had to take me around like a show-pony to see today.
Except my elbow brushed against another body and when my eyes opened, I wasn’t in my room.
I shot up in bed. And there I was.
And there he was.
Walker St. Claire. Looking rumpled as he blinked awake beside me. Bare-chested.
Here we were. In the Oleander. I looked around at the polished wooden floors and the pristine wallpaper and the antiques all buffed to shine—
“Oh shit,” I whispered, my heart racing in my ears. “It was real.”
Walker sat up beside me, and his hand came to my back, warm through my T-shirt. “Yes. I’m sorry, but it’s real.”
I bit my lip to keep tears back. Oh shit. I was in such trouble. “What do you think they’ll tell my mom?” I turned to look at Walker. “They said they’d handle it? What does that mean? You don’t think they’ll hurt her?”
He shook his head immediately, but then he frowned and looked towards the wall before his gaze came firmly back to mine. “No. They wouldn’t. They’ll tell her you got an internship or something. They’ll make it sound legit and she trusts them. She won’t question it.”
I nodded, wanting to believe him. But Jesus Christ, they just essentially kidnapped me, so did I really know what they were capable of? These men who I just thought had some secrets, sure, but were still essentially good people?
So naive. But I’d been bred to be, hadn’t I? Keep the girls pretty and stupid while the menfolk do all the business. It was infuriating now that I knew the truth. Not even Sully told me how bad it really was. He just told me he’d failed their stupid Trials and he was glad he and his girlfriend never had to set eyes on the place again. Neither he nor I realizing the consequences…