Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 103712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
“Oh, my God.” Her heart plummeted as her stomach turned. How could anyone be so brutally cruel?
“Sometimes, Stone still needs to feel the bite of pain to function. They almost broke him.”
That must have been what she walked in on the other day. And, of course, Ash would value aftercare above all else, especially when his brothers were the reason for his survival. “I had no idea.”
“No one, outside of this family, truly knows what happened. They just know that our loyalty runs deep. My brothers will do anything to protect those they love.”
“Like you.”
“Yes. And you.”
Marigold’s gaze snapped to hers. “They don’t… I mean, I’m… We’re not…”
“You understand they’ve never, in all their lives, allowed another female to live here.”
“But I found things. Clothers. Products.”
“Overnight shipping knows no limit. Stone’s an impulsive midnight shopper who suffers insomnia.”
“You’re saying they bought all of that stuff for me?”
She nodded. “They’re very generous.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
Katya reached for her hand. “Them opening up, letting you in… It’s special, Marigold. Please don’t hurt them.”
“I have no intention to.”
“Even when your brother gets here? It’s not easy to turn your back on family.”
“He turned his back on me, first.”
Katya’s full lips pressed tight. “Are you afraid?”
“Terrified,” Marigold admitted. “But not of Jordan. Not anymore. I’m afraid of what seeing him will do to you.”
“They won’t force me to see him. But if I choose to… I’m stronger now—and smarter.” She straightened in her chair, lifting her dress to expose the knife tucked into a thigh holster strapped to her leg.
Marigold could see echoes of her brothers in the set of her jaw as much as her quiet confidence. “Will you use it?”
“If I have to. He’ll never put his hands on me again.” She covered her legs. “Last time, I was a naïve little girl. He killed that little girl and left me to bury her.”
“Your brothers will see that vengeance is served.”
“And then some. I know they would burn the world down for me.” Katya’s smile was soft with affection.
Marigold shook her head, still reeling from all she’d learned. “Thank you for sharing all of this with me. It helps.”
“Does it?”
She nodded. “At first, I thought they couldn’t possibly understand what it feels like to have their choices stolen. To be reduced to a victim. Helpless. Trapped.”
“Now, you know differently.”
“I do. I also know that they would never keep me here against my will.”
“No, they wouldn’t. They also wouldn’t punish you if you wanted to leave. But I hope you stay.”
“I plan to. I just want to get past this next part and focus on a brighter future.”
“Me too.”
“Tonight, we take our power back,” Marigold said fiercely.
“Will you watch and tell me—”
Heavy footsteps echoed in the corridor, cutting off Katya’s question. Both women turned as Stone appeared in the doorway. His pale eyes immediately sought Katya, scanning her with the protective intensity of a guardian angel.
“How are you feeling, little bird?” His voice, so cold when he spoke to others, went warm as honey when addressing his sister.
“I’m fine. Marigold and I have been getting acquainted.”
Stone’s winter-green gaze shifted to her and then back to his sister. “I hope you’ve been making her feel welcome.”
“She has.” Marigold said, before Katya could answer. He’d been avoiding her since she found him strung up in the dungeon with Ash.
Katya stood gracefully, moving to her brother’s side. Even standing, she barely reached his shoulder, but there was nothing fragile about her confidence. “I like her, Stone. She understands.”
“Good.” Stone’s arm came around his sister with careful gentleness, as if she were made of glass. “Because we need to discuss tonight.”
“When we have that discussion,” Marigold said, “will you finally look at me?”
The room chilled as his sharp gaze cut to her. “Excuse me?”
“I think I’ll take a walk,” Katya said, untangling herself from her brother’s heavily muscled arm. “It was nice chatting with you, Marigold.”
“You too,” she said, without taking her eyes off Stone.
When the glass door closed, Stone snarled, “What the hell was that comment?”
She shrugged. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“I’ve been busy, tracking your piece if shit, brother.”
“Whatever you say.” She moved to stand, but he shoved her back into the chair, bearing down on the arms and caging her in.
“Are you calling me a pussy.”
“No.”
“Then what? You think you saw something the other day that you understand? Trust me, you don’t.”
She tried to picture a weaker version of him, terrified and chained, beaten down by men forced to kill. Her hand slowly lifted as she cupped the side of his jaw where a long scar hid beneath his dark stubble, and she softly whispered, “Katya told me what happened to you.”
His entire body stiffened. “That was a long time ago.”
“But you still carry it with you, don’t you?”
His nostrils flared. “It builds. Ash lets it out.”