Page 26
Story: Climbing Everest
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.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163