Page 107 of Degradation

I cry out but he just mutters under his breath about disobedient and ungrateful bitches before shoving me hard enough that I trip and fall.

“Useless fucking bitch.” He says. “Maybe we should cut your legs off next, seeing as you don’t know how to actually use them.”

I don’t have time to react, time to even bury the horror I feel at that threat. If he takes my legs, if he amputates them, then I really will want to die.

But Antonio is coming.

I repeat that as he kicks me in the belly, as he makes me crawl on my hands and knees and mocks me as I bang into one damned piece of furniture after another in my weak, confused state.

Antonio is coming.

I just need to hang on. I just need to survive.

I can beat Gunther, I can beat them all.

Even Devin can shove his supposed love up his arse. Antonio will rescue me, he’ll take me away, and then I know the Grand Master will do something. Will step in. Will make these bastards pay.

The day passes in agony.

My knees scream out in protest against the rock-hard floor. Ada is beside me, acting as my support every time I think I might give in and collapse. I keep telling her to go, to leave, but she refuses.

My mind won’t stop spinning. I can’t stop thinking over and over about whathesaid, what he confessed.

I don’t love him. I know I don’t. He stole my fucking eyes. How the hell can anyone fall in love with a man who does that?

I clench my fists, driving the nails into my palms.

He clearly has a plan, doesn’t he. Does he see me as easy pickings? A chance for him to elevate the Blake family name somehow? Well, he can fuck right off with that.

I have to pray Antonio gets to me first, that he and our Grand Master and whatever the fuck he has planned, it happens before Devin is able to act because I know if Devin takes me, then I don’t stand a chance. He’s too dangerous, he’s too…

I shudder trying to bury my fear. I need to be smart here. Smarter than I have been. I need to play this man, pretend, make him think that I’ll go with him, that I trust him. It’ll be safer that way, after all, I’ve already learnt what happens when I piss him off. I just need to convince him, and then Antonio will be here, Antonio will save me.

“You can do this.” Ada whispers and I know she’s talking about my current situation and not my chances of escape, but that’s how I take it, that’s what I convince myself she’s really hinting at.

That I can do this. That despite the odds, despite how near impossible it feels, I can get free of this place, of my husband, of all of them.

Devin

It’s not as reckless as it feels, despite the odds being against us, I know I can get us away from this place and safely hidden away before anyone has a clue that we’re gone.

Lucky for me, Collins is on the door when I get to her room. He doesn’t ask questions, doesn’t even raise an eyebrow when I tell him I need access. He just steps aside and acts like this is all perfectly normal.

She’s curled up in bed, not that that’s surprising. Afterall, itisthe middle of the night.

She gasps when I wake her up but when she realises it’s me and not her husband, she relaxes. And that tells me everything I need to know.

“What, what are you doing here?” She whispers.

“I’m going to end this.” I say.

She frowns, looking confused, as though she’s still half-asleep.

“I’m going to end this.” I repeat. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

She sinks back against the pillow letting out a low breath and I can tell she’s trying not to panic.

“No one will find us.” I reassure her. “We’ll get away, far away, where the Brethren can’t reach.”