Page 26

It had been made clear to me since the day I was old enough to understand that my marriage would be arranged, that he would choose the man I would marry.

But I already have three husbands, even if they’re only husbands of my heart. I am fully committed to them and them only, and I would rather die than give my heart, my life, my body to another.

“Who the fuck knocked you up?” he growls, moving closer to wrap his hand in my hair and force my head back to look up at him as he crowds my space.

If I had worn something other than the sweater, he would have seen the bandages covering my chest. He would have discovered the initials, and no way would he have not put the pieces together.

I won’t tell him who. I would rather take any punishment he can dole out than risk Kato, Brix, or Maddox and I know they would do the same for me.

A vicious, sadistic smile curves up my father’s lips as he looks over my shoulder a moment before returning his attention to me.

“You know what? You can’t be that far along. Maybe I’ll just hand you over to my men. Let them take turns. I should probably call the doctor first, make sure whatever bastard is growing in your belly is dead first.”

“Please,” I whimper as tears well in my eyes. I blink, trying to clear them and my vision, but they spill over my lashes and trail down my cheeks.

He can’t do this. He can’t take my baby. I’m not even that afraid of his men raping me. I know my husbands will love me no matter what, I know they won’t blame me for being assaulted.

But if I don’t fight to save our child…

“Daddy, please,” I say, trying to appeal to his parental love.

I don’t think I’ve called him daddy since I was four. But fuck…I’ll try anything if I can save my child.

The smile falls from his face. “Give me a fucking name and I’ll consider letting you keep the bastard.”

“You’ll kill…him,” I say, barely keeping myself from saying them. He might not immediately catch on, but eventually the puzzle pieces will click into place. All the events where thefour of us – sometimes five if Flora’s family attended – would disappear might clue him in.

“Yes. I will. Some piece of shit defiled my only daughter. Do you realize how little you’ll be worth as a whore? Do you realize how hard it will be to find a proper match now?”

Money. Power. It always comes down to those two things with him.

I open my mouth, unsure of what I plan to say, but he releases my hair so abruptly I stumble.

“Three seconds, Everest. If I don’t have a name in three seconds, I’ll let them play,” he says, nodding at Mikhail, Eriks, and Denis standing at my back.

I have no doubt the level of pain and humiliation those three will put me through.

Surely, though, my father won’t let them actually sexually assault me. I won’t be the least bit surprised if he stands by while they rough me up, leave some bruises on my skin, do their best to scare the name – or names – of the father of my unborn child from my lips.

But I refuse to believe the man who is supposed to love and protect me would allow his employees to…

“Three.”

“Father,” I say, trying to reason with him as I take a step toward the door.

“Two.”

“I can’t tell you the name. I’m…we’re going to get married, and then I won’t be your burden any longer.” I know it’s a long shot, but I hope making it sound as though I’ve done him a favor will make him see things in a different light.

“One.”

It doesn’t work.

I’m yanked away from the door by the back of my sweater, the subtle sounds of the fabric tearing barely covered by my squeak of surprise.

Fists. Open palms. Even boots when I’m on the ground. Over and over, I’m beaten as pain erupts across my nerve endings. It feels as though there isn’t a single inch of my body that hasn’t been abused.

My shirt has been ripped; clumps of hair feel as though they’ve been torn from my head. And then my father speaks, and time feels as though it stands still.