disturbing, I could almost feel my meat being cut from my bones in small increments over time.
“I don’t know. Master Yahn, perhaps?”
“That old bastard? Why?”
“He’s not that old,” I braved.
Mr. Whitlock moved more from my side to come stand before me. “He’s damn near sixty.”
“He’s probably safe,” I whispered.
“He is not,” Bram said, leaning in only inches from my face. “He’s had one slave throughout his twenty years here. Have you ever seen her?”
My head shook. “No.”
“Nor will you. She’s mummified, lying on his bed. Beaten to death after one of his episodes. He sleeps with her every night. Kisses her good morning, and sings to her when he thinks no one is watching.”
Horror had my stare rising to his.
“You are safe with no one you’ll be sold to. No one, slave. So I ask you again, which master would you choose?”
“Mr. Harper was interested.” I swallowed hard, knowing he was the last person I should bring attention too. I wanted him the most, but Bram shouldn’t know that. “Should I fear him?”
“You fear everyone. Have you not learned that? We all have secrets. His may be the darkest of them all.”
“Really? How do you think?”
“ Slave ,” he growled. “You asked too many damn questions.”
“Then … I choose you.”
Silence.
“You said there was a price for helping me. Pay it. Make me yours if you’re going to take me whenever you want anyway. There’s no use selling me if that’s your plan.”
“I will not make you my slave.”
“You said I brought grief. If you sell me and then come to me, my Master will find out. Imagine the chaos that’s going to cause. He’ll kill me. If that’s what you want, take that scalpel from under my pillow and end this now. I don’t wish to die at the hands of a mad man murderous with jealous rage.”
Bram’s finger slid along my cheek, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. The act was opposite of the reactions he displayed at my proposition.
“To die from jealous rage.” He laughed under his breath. “I’m afraid either way you may not have a choice.”
Chapter 8
Bram
Make her my slave …
Did she even know what she was asking? She feared the men within these walls, but she had no idea that for her, I was the worst of them all. Love didn’t tame monsters like me. The stupid fucking emotion only intensified it. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t become like everyone else here. To give in was a sentence I would never recover from. I’d like it too much to even try. And then there were my suspicions. Fuck, if they weren’t growing by the hour. No. She wasn’t safe with me.
“If I don’t have a choice with what happens, what does it matter? If you don’t want me as your slave, but still want me, put me somewhere only you have access. Or do us both a favor. Don’t come to me at all .”
My hand was striking her face before she had the chance to continue. The words, the act of striking her … my blood was fucking boiling. Worse, the lust was unbearable. “You forget who you’re talking to. I’ll come to you whenever I damn well please. Maybe,” I said, grabbing her throat, “maybe I’ll take you right now. Does your new little friend want to watch while I make you scream?”
“P-please.”
The plea came out strained as I applied pressure.
“Please, what?”
“Please, Master.”
I let go, forcing her to the floor. I should go. Leave before I did fuck her. Dammit if I could make my feet work. My mind was racing, already calculating ways to ruin everything I had tried so hard to avoid.
“What will you do with me?”
I looked down, taking in her worry. She wasn’t trying to stand or move away. She knew her place and the reason I put her there. It only made me want her even more.
“Master, please. I beg you to tell me.”
“You talk too much, but you know that. Stand. You’re to follow me. If you say one more word …”
My order left her scrambling to her
“I don’t know. Master Yahn, perhaps?”
“That old bastard? Why?”
“He’s not that old,” I braved.
Mr. Whitlock moved more from my side to come stand before me. “He’s damn near sixty.”
“He’s probably safe,” I whispered.
“He is not,” Bram said, leaning in only inches from my face. “He’s had one slave throughout his twenty years here. Have you ever seen her?”
My head shook. “No.”
“Nor will you. She’s mummified, lying on his bed. Beaten to death after one of his episodes. He sleeps with her every night. Kisses her good morning, and sings to her when he thinks no one is watching.”
Horror had my stare rising to his.
“You are safe with no one you’ll be sold to. No one, slave. So I ask you again, which master would you choose?”
“Mr. Harper was interested.” I swallowed hard, knowing he was the last person I should bring attention too. I wanted him the most, but Bram shouldn’t know that. “Should I fear him?”
“You fear everyone. Have you not learned that? We all have secrets. His may be the darkest of them all.”
“Really? How do you think?”
“ Slave ,” he growled. “You asked too many damn questions.”
“Then … I choose you.”
Silence.
“You said there was a price for helping me. Pay it. Make me yours if you’re going to take me whenever you want anyway. There’s no use selling me if that’s your plan.”
“I will not make you my slave.”
“You said I brought grief. If you sell me and then come to me, my Master will find out. Imagine the chaos that’s going to cause. He’ll kill me. If that’s what you want, take that scalpel from under my pillow and end this now. I don’t wish to die at the hands of a mad man murderous with jealous rage.”
Bram’s finger slid along my cheek, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. The act was opposite of the reactions he displayed at my proposition.
“To die from jealous rage.” He laughed under his breath. “I’m afraid either way you may not have a choice.”
Chapter 8
Bram
Make her my slave …
Did she even know what she was asking? She feared the men within these walls, but she had no idea that for her, I was the worst of them all. Love didn’t tame monsters like me. The stupid fucking emotion only intensified it. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t become like everyone else here. To give in was a sentence I would never recover from. I’d like it too much to even try. And then there were my suspicions. Fuck, if they weren’t growing by the hour. No. She wasn’t safe with me.
“If I don’t have a choice with what happens, what does it matter? If you don’t want me as your slave, but still want me, put me somewhere only you have access. Or do us both a favor. Don’t come to me at all .”
My hand was striking her face before she had the chance to continue. The words, the act of striking her … my blood was fucking boiling. Worse, the lust was unbearable. “You forget who you’re talking to. I’ll come to you whenever I damn well please. Maybe,” I said, grabbing her throat, “maybe I’ll take you right now. Does your new little friend want to watch while I make you scream?”
“P-please.”
The plea came out strained as I applied pressure.
“Please, what?”
“Please, Master.”
I let go, forcing her to the floor. I should go. Leave before I did fuck her. Dammit if I could make my feet work. My mind was racing, already calculating ways to ruin everything I had tried so hard to avoid.
“What will you do with me?”
I looked down, taking in her worry. She wasn’t trying to stand or move away. She knew her place and the reason I put her there. It only made me want her even more.
“Master, please. I beg you to tell me.”
“You talk too much, but you know that. Stand. You’re to follow me. If you say one more word …”
My order left her scrambling to her
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