Golden [Bedtime stories 1] by Joyee Flynn Page B

my bag?” I whimpered, trying to see the ground where I’d fallen.
“I have it,” Boone said quietly, holding it up for me to see.
“It’s mine.” I held out my good hand for it, praying he’d give it back and not realize the fortune that was inside of it.
“What’s in there that’s so important, Golden?” Boris asked as he turned me in his arms so I was facing him.
“My only possible salvation from you or the whorehouse if you send me there,” I whispered as I closed my eyes. “Can I please just have my bag? It’s the only way I can buy myself back when you sell me and I can be free of all of this.”
“We’re not selling you,” Boris growled as he took off my jacket.
“Why not?” I yelled, having made a quick decision. “At least that way I could pay the madam more than what she paid for me and be free.”
“There’s no gold in this bag besides this,” Boone said curiously, holding up the pouch of coins Mitchell had given me.
“You opened my bag?” I whispered, hurt because I never thought Boone would be the one to betray me. “How could you?”
“How could you run, Golden?” he threw right back.
“Yes, because being locked in a room until I told you something I couldn’t was a much better option,” I answered sarcastically. I think the pain in my shoulder overrode my sense of self-preservation. “Boris was redecorating with his fist and once again he scared the shit out of me. I can’t live constantly worried I’m going to incur his rage. It wasn’t even half a day between outbursts. My emotions are all over the place, I’m constantly crying, haven’t eaten for days because of the stress.”
“You do seem a little thinner,” Boris agreed. I turned to him and narrowed my eyes at him, letting the disgust for him show on my face.
“What do you care? There’s enough of me to still hold on to so you can fuck your slave, right?” He winced at my words, turning his gaze away from mine. “There’s bones to break if you decide to use me as a punching bag. My mouth still works for your pleasure and—”
“Stop,” he whispered, shaking his head. “Please just stop. I’m sorry.”
“I’m done with your apologies. You say you’re sorry, do something nice, but then each time your anger gets worse to the point that I was scared enough of you to run.”
“Holy shit,” Boone exclaimed and I groaned. “He has a fortune in this bag.”
“Great, just fucking great,” I growled as Boris set me on my feet. He knelt down next to Boone and pulled out one of my jackets that William had sewed gems in to make it look as if there was costume jewelry.
“These are real gems?” Boris asked in a whisper as he glanced at me. Suddenly my feet were interesting and I looked at those instead. “Is this all of it?”
“It’s mine,” I whimpered, holding my arm to my chest. “Most of those were gifts or my mother’s. You said I could have my own belongings when I got here. Servants and slaves can have their own possessions. Just because you found them doesn’t make them yours.”
“We don’t want them,” Boone said in disgust as he threw one of my coats on the bag. “We just want to know what’s going on, Golden. How could you not tell us you carried a fortune sewn into your clothes?”
“Right, because I’ve known you long enough to be able to trust you.”
“Don’t you get it?” he shouted as he got to his feet and threw his hands in the air. “I love you, Golden. I want to mate you and make you my partner. I never wanted you to be my slave or—” He stopped and gasped, looking a little green around the gills.“What’s happening to me?”
“What happened to Bash I’m guessing,” I mumbled as I plopped down on the ground. My whole body hurt and this was not how I ever wanted someone to say they loved me. And even worse, if the curse was being lifted… He really meant it.
And I had run from him. This could really be bad.
Boone cried out and sank to his knees as his face