Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 168587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 843(@200wpm)___ 674(@250wpm)___ 562(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 168587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 843(@200wpm)___ 674(@250wpm)___ 562(@300wpm)
I flinch at his words. The fact he’s talking about me having sex with men makes me want to vomit. Even if I know Tyson won’t do that. He’s too possessive. His point is that he owns me. He proved that when he shot his employee for just touching me. “Yes, Father,” I say to please him, knowing the only person who will fuck me is my husband. I never thought I’d be thankful for that. Because what my father just said proves he’d force me to whore myself out if need be.
“This is for you.” He removes a cell phone from the inside of his suit jacket.
I take it from him with my shaking hands.
“Hide it but have it on you at all times. Do not let Tyson find it.”
What? Tyson is so hands-on; I’d never be able to hide it on my body. “How am I supposed to—”
“Figure it out!” he shouts, interrupting me. Taking a deep breath, he lowers his voice. “You will receive your initiations through this phone.”
“Initiations? I thought there was only one?”
“You’ll have as many as they send you,” he snaps. “And they will be completed, do you understand? Tyson wants you to fail. To be even more of a disgrace.” His eyes drop to my black Vans and move up my fishnet tights to my booty shorts and leotard with a look of disgust. “Our family name would have been better off if you had been the one to die.”
His words hurt me more than the slap to my face ever could because I’ve thought of them more times than I can count over the past few years. As a Lady, you are raised to serve. We were meant to bring our family pride by making the next generation of Lords and Ladies.
Only Tyson and I are aware that I’ll never reproduce. Again, I’m thankful that my husband is too ashamed to knock me up. Even if my father doesn’t want me to birth a Crawford, not having a child is a worse kind of failure in the Lords’ eyes. Because to them, I can have a daughter that could one day marry up. It’s a vicious cycle that I can’t put on an innocent child. The women are to be used and the men rule.
“I’ll be checking in frequently,” he informs me as if I thought he wouldn’t.
“Yes … Father.” I manage to get out without sounding like I’m about to cry.
“In the meantime, when I’m not around, just know Bethany will be watching.”
She’ll be his bitch. I wonder what he has on her to make her willing to be my babysitter. Or maybe she just hates me that much that she went to him and offered her services. “I understand,” I whisper.
He knocks his knuckles on the door three times and then it opens, letting him out. I take a second to collect my thoughts and get my breathing under control, unsure of what to do with the phone he gave me. I decide to run to the locker room and hide it in there for now before I make my way back to the side of the bar and grab my tray. I ignore Bethany, but I can feel her stare on me. I’m outnumbered. If I betray Tyson, there’s no telling what he’ll do to me. But if I betray my father? He’ll have me killed. I’ve seen him do it for less. No one stands in a Minson’s way. Not even blood.
I’ve got to pick a side and hope it’s the right one.
TWENTY
LAIKYN
It’s almost two in the morning and Blackout is slammed, which surprises me. I really didn’t expect it to get this busy tonight. It looks like last night. Don’t these people have to work tomorrow? Or go to class? It is a party town. Barrington University is a college for kids from all around the world. It costs families millions for their kids to go to college here. It’s full of the elite and the one percent.
I’ve already watched two guys puke in trash cans. One guy had to carry his girlfriend out over his shoulder because she was passed out drunk. I had one table full of guys offer me a line of cocaine. It was right there on the table.
Blackout is known for drugs. If you want to get fucked up, this is where you come. I honestly don’t know how Tyson keeps this place running. The cops have to give him a hard time. Maybe he pays them off, or perhaps they just don’t care because a Lord runs this place.
“Lake?” Bethany yells at me, and I hold in a sigh.
“Yeah?” I ask, approaching her at the server station on the side of the bar.
“Tyson needs to see me upstairs; can you watch my section for me?”