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CHAPTER FIFTEEN

WYNTER

“ R ules,” says Silas, sitting behind his oversized desk with a drink in his hand.

He nods to the seat opposite, and I lower into it.

I was summoned from the bath, and my hair is still wet, soaking the shirt Pearl gave me to wear.

“When outside my home, you will conduct yourself in a respectful manner.” I nod.

“If you cause any trouble, you will regret it.” I nod again. “Your father thinks you’re rebellious.”

“I’ve learned my lesson,” I mutter.

“You will attend events with me and speak only when spoken to. And you will not converse with your family.”

“But my sister?—”

“I do not like repeating myself, Wynter. I set the rules, and you follow them. It’s simple. If you step out of line?—”

“I’ll regret it,” I reply, and his jaw clenches just like my father’s does when I do something or say something that annoys him.

“You will show respect at all times, especially to Ava.”

“Actually, I have a question about that.”

His fist tightens, and he takes a drink before nodding once. “Go ahead.”

“The bedroom situation,” I begin. “It’s a little odd.”

“I don’t see why.”

“Won’t she mind me being there? I don’t want to upset her, so maybe I should sleep in the spare room.”

“The decision is made. Find Aurelia and give her a list of foods you like or dislike. My wife is overweight, and you will not become like her.” I choke back the words I want to say because his wife is curvy but definitely not overweight.

“You’ve lost the extra you were carrying,” he adds thoughtfully. “Being in the caves did some good.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes as I push to stand and head for the exit.

I find Aurelia in the kitchen preparing dinner. “Can I help?” I ask.

She smirks. “That would not go down well.”

“He’s busy, so he won’t know,” I say, grabbing a spoon and stirring the thick gravy. She smiles gratefully and slices beef from the joint.

“Do you eat with the family?” I ask, and she nods. “I was sometimes allowed to,” I tell her, “but mostly I had to watch everyone else eat.”

“As long as you don’t upset him, he’ll treat you fairly.”

“Did he coach you to say that?”

“You learn quickly,” she replies.

“I’m supposed to tell you what foods I like, but I like most things.”

“If you’d like extra, I can add it to our allowance.”

“Ah, well, he specifically said I should not get fat like his wife so . . .” I trail off when I see Ava in the doorway. “I’m sorry,” I mutter quickly, placing the spoon down next to the hob. “I didn’t know you were there.”

“Clearly.” Her expression is like stone, emotionless and cold, similar to my mother’s.

“I don’t like you in my daughter’s clothes,” she adds. “We’ll go into the village to find you something else.”

I glance down at the shirt and jeans. It’s the most comfortable outfit I’ve ever been given, and for once, I don’t feel like I stand out from the others. “I have some things at my father’s house,” I say. “I could go and get them?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she spits. “He can’t stand you. It’s why we’ve been burdened with you.” She turns her back and strides away. “Come.”

I glance at Aurelia, who gives a weak smile, and then I follow.

Ava walks fast as we head for the village, and I struggle to catch up.

I assume it’s from years of trying to walk at Silas’s pace.

But with everything I’ve been through in the last few hours, my body aches and my legs are weak.

She glances back a few times, eyeing me with irritation.

I’m relieved when we finally reach the clothes shop.

It’s one of three and a place I’ve never been inside because my father always chose our clothes.

Besides, I’d spent most of my time wearing an apron while I scrubbed floors and cooked.

Inside, Ava breezes around, grabbing things and throwing them at the shop assistant who gratefully places them over her arm while eagerly following us around.

It’s a small shop, and there’s not a lot of choice, but Ava seems to find a couple things.

She pulls back a curtain and turns to me expectedly.

I stare blankly, and she groans in annoyance.

“In there,” she barks. “You need to try them on.”

I go into the small cubicle, and to my horror, Ava keeps the curtain back. “Undress,” she orders impatiently.

I unfasten the shirt and slowly remove it, aware I have no underwear on because the only set I own felt dirty and the knickers were bloody. I push down the jeans and gasp at the blood stains in them. “Oh,” I whisper, feeling my face burn with embarrassment.

“Jesus,” she hisses, turning to the shop assistant. “Find her some underwear. Something plain.”

She returns seconds later with some knickers and a few bras.

I take a set and slip it on quickly. Ava hands me a long dress, and I slip it over my head and turn to the mirror.

It hangs loosely, and with no belt in the centre, it gives me no shape at all.

The fact it’s covered in pink flowers only makes me hate it more.

“I don’t think this is for me,” I say, turning to face her.

She grins. “It’s perfect. Next,” she says as she thrusts another in the same design but with a different pattern.

“Erm, maybe we could get a smaller size?” I suggest.

“These dresses are coming from my allowance,” she snaps, “and you’ll be grateful for them.”

I give a stiff nod and try on the second. It’s almost as hideous as the first, but Ava looks delighted.

I start to remove it, and she laughs. “What are you doing?”

“Getting my clothes back on.”

“They’re not yours. They’re Pearl’s. These are now yours, so keep it on.” I drop the hem and take one last look in the mirror before following her to the counter, where the shop assistant bags the first dress and Pearl’s clothes.

We go to the next shop, and I gasp at the beautiful dresses.

It’s the sort of place my mother must have come to get her gowns for my father’s events.

“We attend the ceremonies,” says Ava, “and you need to look your best.” She picks a short black dress with a low-cut neck.

It’ll show more skin than I’m comfortable with, but I remain quiet as she also picks a loose-fitted dress that will come to my knees but hang off me like the others she picked.

We move to the underwear section, and she picks plain white cotton. She then gets two nightdresses that will come to my ankles and practically cover me from head to foot. It suits me just fine—the last thing I want is her husband seeing me in anything that’ll give him the wrong idea.

When we get back to the house, dinner is ready, and I’m led into the dining room where everyone is already seated. Silas sits at the head of the table with Ava to his left, and he points to the empty chair on his right for me.

My stomach growls as Aurelia serves each of us with roast beef, and then we help ourselves to vegetables from the bowls in the centre. I’m pleased when she joins us, realising that at least Silas isn’t as cruel as my father.

We eat in silence, and once dinner is finished, Silas tells Ava to go to bed.

She does so without question. Pearl and Katherine leave the table, and Aurelia begins to clear the plates.

I stand to help, but Silas takes my hand in his and smiles.

“Let’s go into the library,” he says, and a nervous lump forms in my throat.

I trail behind as he leads me to another room, and Adam and Reginald follow.

They close the double doors, and Silas pulls me close to him. “Finally, we’re alone.”

I glance at his sons and mutter, “Well, not exactly.”

His arm wraps around my waist, holding me to him while his spare hand runs through my hair. “Pretend they’re not here.”

“That’s hard to do,” I almost whisper.

His hand moves down my arm and to my dress. He begins to gather it, pulling it up, and my heart slams harder. “Actually,” I say, forcing a smile as I press a hand to his chest, “I’m bleeding.”

He drops the dress, narrowing his eyes. “Are you trying to put me off?”

I shake my head. “No, it’s just that after earlier with the warrior—” He slaps me so hard, my ears ring. I clasp my face, fighting the tears that spring to my eyes.

“You were told not to mention that again.”

He shoves me away, and Adam catches me, smirking as his arms wrap around my waist. “We should check,” he tells Silas, who waves a dismissive hand but nods.

“I’m telling the truth,” I argue as Reginald lifts my dress. I try to push him away, but Adam grabs my hands, holding them at my sides. I begin to hyperventilate as the earlier incident seeps through my mind, stealing my breath and forcing me to relive it.

Reginald taps my cheek a few times, and I blink, inhaling sharply. “Stay with us,” he snaps.

He tugs my cotton knickers down and stares at the blood. “Does it matter if she is?” he asks, looking back at his father. Silas huffs and joins him, looking into my underwear with contempt.

“Go to bed,” he snaps, and Adam releases me.

I’m so relieved, I almost fall to my knees as tears trickle down my cheeks and I rush from the room.

“Aurelia,” he bellows, “come here.” I turn back just as she rushes from the kitchen.

We exchange a look, and she gives a sad smile before disappearing into the room.

Adam and Reginald leave, closing the doors.

I turn and rush up the rest of the stairs, not wanting to risk them ignoring their father.

Ava is sitting in bed reading. She sighs heavily when I enter the room and slams the book closed before placing it on the dresser.

I go to the bathroom and change into the awful nightdress she chose and then go back into the room.

She watches me as I go to lift the sheets back on the opposite side of the bed.

“I don’t think so,” she snaps, grabbing a thin pillow and throwing it my way. “Floor.”

I hold the pillow to my chest and stare at the spot beside the bed. “You want me to sleep on the floor?”

She smiles cruelly. “Yes.”

I sigh, dropping the pillow and lying down. I hear her moving, then the cold air begins to blow through the air conditioning, and I roll my eyes. I don’t blame her for hating me as she’s his wife, but seriously, if she thinks I want to be here, she’s delusional.

I drift off to sleep, my eyes heavy from the day’s events.

I wake sometime later because the light flicks on, flooding the room in white.

I blink a few times, covering my eyes until they’ve adjusted.

Silas is standing over me. “Why are you on the floor?” he demands.

I slowly sit and glance over at Ava, who looks away.

“Erm, I wasn’t sure where to sleep,” I whisper.

“Did Ava tell you to sleep here?” I stare at the floor, unable to lie but equally unable to speak the truth.

He reaches down and takes me under the arms, pulling me to my feet.

“You’re freezing,” he snaps, pulling me to him and wrapping his arms around me.

For a second, I forget myself and close my eyes, enjoying his warmth.

“Ava, swap places with Wynter,” he orders.

“Silas, surely you don’t believe her over me?” she asks.

“Wynter might be pregnant,” he bellows. “She cannot sleep on the floor, especially with no blankets.”

She sighs heavily, grabbing a throw and making her way around the bed.

Silas takes it from her. “I don’t think so.

” She slowly drops to the floor, and he gives a satisfied smile, lifting the sheets back and patting the bed for me to slide in.

I do, and he gets undressed, throwing his clothes over the chair.

I try not to look, but his manhood is right there, and when he sees me staring, he smirks and climbs in beside me.

“Where did you get that godawful nightdress?” he asks, pressing the boost button on the air conditioning so it blasts colder.

“Ava chose it,” I mutter.

He laughs. “Of course, she did. Take it off.”

“Erm, I have nothing beneath it.” Apart from knickers, I’m naked, and I don’t want him seeing me again.

“Take it off,” he repeats more firmly.

I do so, and he reaches down beside the bed and grabs a handful of Ava’s hair.

She screams in fright as he drags her to her knees.

“Swap,” he tells her. She stands, and I notice the sexy black silk slip she’s wearing.

It’s not something I’d ever wear, and I certainly don’t want to now, but I’m not sure I should question it when she looks so scared.

She slips it off and hands it to me then pulls on my nightdress.

Once Silas is satisfied, he turns out the light and lies down.

I settle beside him, my heart still racing.

I feel his hands reach for me, shuddering when he pulls me into his arms and throws his leg over mine. The fact he’s completely naked and pressed against me makes me feel sick. The only man I want near me is Wrath.

My mind wanders back to earlier. The humiliation I felt was horrendous, but if it had to happen, at least it was with Wrath. I just hope he isn’t suffering from it.

The fact we could have made a child together warms my heart . I have to get us out of here.

Wrath

Jaycee enters cautiously, glancing around at the mess of the room.

She keeps her hand out in a placating manner, all the while inching closer.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, and I glare at her.

“Tell me what you need, and I’ll try my best to get it.

But you have to stop this. They’re talking about killing you, Wrath.

They’re meeting the forefathers tomorrow to ask for advice. ”

“Wynter,” I mutter.

She frowns. “You want Wynter?” I nod. “All this because you want Wynter?” She laughs, shaking her head. “Jesus, we thought you were having a breakdown. Okay, I’ll see what I can do. But no more funny business.”