Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
How did I screw up so damned badly?
And how the hell do I fix it?
21
ZARIAH
"Where are you taking me?" I ask as Steven pulls me along a gravelly dirt path towards a large building.
Three men are following me this time, of course, guns pointed on me. One thing that I have noticed is that nobody has hurt me. They're not treating me well, of course, but they're not abusing me, and it seems they're not abusing the other women, either. I'm thankful for that, mostly because I honestly don't think I could handle it if they were to hurt those poor girls, and I wasn't able to do anything to stop them.
"You'll see."
We reach the building, and Steven opens the door, stepping inside. I find we're in a massive hall. Upfront is a small stage; in the middle is a long table full of food and people. Those people being men, mostly. Only two or three women sit amongst them, and they're very quiet, not speaking or interacting. My stomach flips when I realize they're women who have been sold, and I'm currently standing in a room with people who are buyers.
Is this it?
Is he going to sell me?
Has my time run out already?
Panic grips me, and I struggle, pulling back, my heart racing.
"Calm down, Zariah. We've still got until tomorrow night before you're sold. You're just here to interact, meet potential buyers. They want to see what they're spending their money on. Come, take a seat, let them look at you."
Steven pulls me to the head of the table and sits me on a seat right next to his. Across the table, I see a girl. She's only young, sixteen or seventeen if I were to guess. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. When she looks at me, with her dark hair and brown eyes, my heart skips a beat. I gasp, and everything in my world feels like it's spinning as I take in her oh, so familiar face.
She looks like Samson.
Pain crashes into my chest as the realization of why Samson betrayed his club becomes real.
He's got a daughter.
There's no way that young girl doesn't belong to him. She has to.
She could be a sister, but I'd doubt that. She's too young.
"Oh, I see you've noticed my angel," Steven says, grinning over at the girl who is now studying me. "Just like her daddy, isn't she?"
I make a pained sound and grip my chest, wanting to go over to that girl and take her into my arms, protecting her. She's beautiful, and she's scared. I can see it in her eyes. The way she looks at me then glances at Steven. She doesn't speak, no doubt because she's not allowed to.
Poor thing.
"You've got Samson's daughter?" I breathe. "All this time, I wondered what you had against him. Now I know. How could you?"
Steven laughs. "How could I? Easy, of course. He's my brother, and he's part of a club that decided to stick their noses where they didn't belong. What did you think I was going to do, Zariah? Let him take me down? I don't think so."
"What's her name?" I ask, and then in a louder voice, I say to the girl. "What's your name, honey?"
Steven slams me across the back of the head so hard I gasp and then cry out in pain. "You do not speak to her. You do not address her. You do not fucking breathe in her direction. Do you understand?"
Tears burn under my eyelids, and when I look back at the girl, she's staring at me with a look of pain on her face. She mouths 'Lilian' and then looks away.
Lilian.
Beautiful girl.
I make a vow to myself at that moment that we'll get her back. That Samson will be with his daughter again. As a parent, I know exactly how it feels to want to do anything to protect your child. I'd betray everyone that came in my path for Jayden if it meant he was safe. I didn't understand before why Samson did what he did, but I do now.
"Oh look, someone I'm sure you've been missing," Steven says.
I glance to my left and see none other than Dax walking towards me, a massive smile on his face. It's a cocky smile, a smile that I'd love to wipe off. He's a god damned monster of the purest form, and he knows it.
"Hello, Zariah," he murmurs, low and husky. "Wonderful to see you again. Tell me, how's Waverly?"
I jerk in my chair and spit, "Go fuck yourself!"
"Feisty, this one," Steven laughs, and a few men at the table laugh, too.
"Glad to hear you're doing well," Dax laughs. "I'm sure you'll find a wonderful home with one of these lovely gentlemen."
I glance at the men, all staring at me, and my skin prickles. "In your fucking dreams."