Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 101988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
I’m alone and…about to die.
Unless…
Sex was sex.
My body was just a body.
They can’t touch me…not truly.
No matter what happens to my mortal form.
I’m the watcher within.
And…I don’t have to watch.
Raising my head, I prepared to step into battle, just like Peter.
This would probably destroy me.
I would never be the girl I once was.
I would hate every moment.
Die every second.
But…I’d do it because I was brave enough.
Brave enough to fall in love with thirty jewels and be willing to trade my body, my life, my very soul so they could be free.
Reaching down, I caressed Peter’s wet cheek just as another sheet of lightning turned midnight to daylight. The answering thunder throbbed in my teeth as I gave him a quick, quavering smile. “I’m okay. I’m choosing this. You don’t have to fight for me.”
The three Masters chuckled and crossed their arms. No doubt waiting for me to spout my undying affection and pledge us as soulmates.
Peter wasn’t my soulmate, but he was my friend and purpose.
I’d been brought here to save him.
And so…I’ll save him.
As many times as I can.
“Ily…” He clamped his hand over mine. “Don’t.”
“It’s okay. I’m fine. Everything is fine.” Tugging my fingers back, I wriggled my feet deeper into wet earth.
I visualised a cord of grounding light.
A cord that would keep me safe until all of this was over.
Rain seemed to pour faster, heavier, baptising me further into a hell.
Starlight descended on my shoulders, glowing from behind black-blotting clouds.
I might never get free.
I might never see Krish again.
But I would damn well fight for as long as my body allowed me to.
My father’s voice echoed in my head; a moment of sage wisdom.
“All things pass, my daughter. Good and bad. Happy and sad. This too shall pass. And you are brave enough to be patient.”
Backing away from Peter still gasping on the ground, I reached for my bra strap.
All three Masters pinned their greedy gazes on me.
My stomach turned into a slicing barbwire, butchering me from the inside out.
But my voice didn’t shake as I said, “Let Peter go. If you agree not to kill either of us, I won’t tell anyone what happens here tonight. My Master will never have to know. Victor doesn’t have to know. Just…let Peter go, and I won’t fight.”
“Ily, please don’t.” Peter shifted in the muddy grass, his hand reaching for me. “I didn’t ask you to trade yourself—”
“Won’t fight, huh?” Daxton chuckled even as his eyes flared with lust. “But what if we want you to fight?”
“Then…I’ll fight.” I shrugged. “It’s simple. I’ll do whatever you want if you just let Peter go.”
Peter shook his head. “Ily, please—”
“Done.” Daxton, who seemed the ringleader, clapped his hands. “Larry, find a tree and tie Peter to it. We’ll let him go after we’ve had our fun.” His smile was pure filth. “Can’t have her reneging on her offer by releasing him too soon.”
Crowding me, he cupped my cheek and dropped his gaze to my bra. “We’re all gonna fill you up, pretty girl, and only once you’re dripping will we let you both go.”
My heart buried itself as deep as it could into courage. “You promise you won’t kill us?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.”
Oh, you’ll die.
One day.
By my hand if there’s any justice.
I nodded and clamped down on my rapidly rising terror.
God, Il.
Now what have you done?
You stupid, stupid girl.
Propositioning was one thing…but going through with it?
My eyes flickered to the two men behind Daxton.
Three men.
Three.
My vision went hazy.
Sobs suffocated in my throat.
I clung to tattered strength as I met Daxton’s dark eyes again and nodded. “Fine.”
“Take off your underwear. I want to see you.”
“Ily, run!” Peter shouted. He earned a kick to his gut from Larry.
He cried out, groaning in agony.
“Come on, whore.” With a curse, Larry dragged Peter through the squelchy grass back to the orchard bordering the lawn. His silhouette, as he tied Peter’s leash to an apple tree, then lashed it around his throat so he couldn’t unclip it, seemed utterly demonic.
With an arrogant laugh, Larry returned, leaving Peter almost choking, surrounded by blood-red apples.
The storm blurred my friend.
I couldn’t see his eyes.
It’s for the best.
I didn’t want to see him while I submitted to this.
My teeth clacked together as Daxton stepped back and unbuckled his trousers. “I gave you an order, jewel. Strip.”
“Seeing as Dax has decided he’s going first, I call next,” Roger barked, already unzipping and kicking off his drenched jeans.
“Fucking assholes,” Larry spat. “I always get sloppy seconds.”
“Sloppy thirds, actually.” Roger laughed.
“If you don’t strip, I’m going to hit you and not stop until you do,” Daxton breathed, almost inaudible in the storm.
With trembling hands, I obeyed.
Unfastening my bra, I tossed it to the ground, then stepped out of my G-string.
I didn’t mourn them.
They’d offered no protection anyway.
My body is just a body.