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 one who gave the orders comes up beside me and grabs a pair of handcuffs off the cart that I hadn’t noticed before. He tosses them to one of the guys standing behind me. “Cuff her.”
Before I can say anything, someone slams a foot into my back. Pressing my face to the bloody floor, he smashes my bent legs underneath me, making it harder to breathe. My arms are grabbed behind my back where they cuff them. Then my shirt is ripped and quickly removed from my body. Even though I’m sweating, I shiver at the thought of being so defenseless in front of all these men.
I bite my inner cheek when my hair is fisted, and I’m yanked to sit up in nothing but my bra and bloody jeans as the Lords from below watch. I have a quick thought that at least the baptism pool is empty because I’d rather die by a bullet than drown.
The one calling the shots comes to stand in front of me, and I glare up at him, refusing to let the tears that sting my eyes fall. I will not look weak in front of them.
“You took a brand. Now you’ve earned one.”
The blood rushes in my ears at his words, knowing exactly what’s coming. Was that a test? The fact that I hurt her instead of taking the brand myself? If so, I failed.
I close my eyes and try to calm my breathing so I don’t pass the fuck out when I hear a blowtorch turn on behind me, heating the branding iron.
This is what you wanted, Annabelle. To be one of them. To be accepted into their fucking cult.
Not every woman in our world gets this opportunity. We’re only good for spreading our fucking legs and reproducing. I get to be more than that.
I was raised to understand that the Lords will give you whatever you want. You just have to be willing to give yourself for it.
So be it.
SIX
HAIDYN
“Haidyn?”
I look up from my desk at the blonde standing in our office—Saint, Kashton, and I have been running this place for almost four years now. After our fathers passed, it was handed over to us. Well, I guess handed isn’t the correct word. We had to undergo "training" to do what we were born to have. The Lords felt we weren’t ready to take over this prison. It was a way to punish us. See just how far they could push us. The Lords are notorious for trying to break you.
Her brown eyes tell me everything I need to know. She’s been standing there for quite some time, and she’s irritated that I chose to ignore her.
She glances at her watch. “We were supposed to start thirty minutes ago.”
“I’m busy.”
She looks over at Kashton as he sits at his desk across from mine, and he shrugs. What does she expect him to do? He’s not my fucking keeper.
“Haidyn—”
“I told you last time you were here and the time before that. You’re fired, Lana.” I stand from my desk, and she takes a step back, her hand going to her chest as if I’m going to pounce on her. Fuck her or kill her—I’m not sure which one would scare her more.
“The Lords—”
“Tell the Lords that I said they can fuck themselves,” I say with a smile.
She gasps, and Kashton rolls his eyes. Lana would never hurt a fly. The woman is in her early fifties and hates her life as a Lady. She’s done something to piss the Lords off, and they’ve put her here for me to fuck with her. Sucks to be her.
The diamond on her left hand tells me she’s married to a Lord at the bottom of the totem pole—not a very powerful one but a Lord, nonetheless. So here she is doing her part for the society, and I’m making it difficult. I truly don’t give a fuck.
“I’m here to do my job.” She speaks softly as if I’m going to yell at her.
I’m not in the mood for that shit today. I just want to be left alone. Meeting her stare, I add, “You have five seconds to get the fuck out of my sight.”
She doesn’t need to be told twice. She spins around, exits the office, and slams the door behind her.
Kashton shakes his head, chuckling. “You know they’ll send someone else.”
I tune him out like usual. Life didn’t go how it was supposed to. Things went to hell years ago. It only took one woman to fuck everything up. Well, it wasn’t her fault. It was mine. But you know what they say—every story worth telling starts with a girl.
Ashtyn Lane Price was the one who changed our paths.
I have secrets that I vowed to take to my grave. I never thought I’d deceive my brothers, but it was my only option. Plus, Saint kept a big one from us that I’m sure Kashton doesn’t know about.