Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 130048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
They were nothing more than property.
Chattel.
A belonging with an expiration date.
My breathing turned shallow.
My blood fizzled with horror.
He’s going to use me like that man used Peter.
He’s going to hurt me.
Others are going to rape me—
Something snapped inside, opening the floodgates of terror.
Air stopped.
Fear drowned.
And for the first time in my life…I had a panic attack.
I-I can’t breathe.
I can’t do this—
Help.
Someone. Anyone. Please!
I spiralled deeper and deeper into the clutches of despair.
Lack of air.
Of hope.
Of freedom.
All of it.
Gone.
I wasn’t proud of it.
I couldn’t stop it.
I dropped to my knees and gave in.
Silent sobs wracked my body.
My ribcage heaved.
My heart broke.
Tears poured through my fingers as I cupped my face and convulsed over my naked thighs.
This can’t be real…
I just want to go home.
Krish...
Another heart-stopping sob had me rocking in silence.
Not a peep. Not a wail.
Just a soundless breaking as I sent all my energy toward my adoptive brother. Sent him frantic apologies on fragmented pulses of light. Sent him pleas to find me even though I had no idea where I was.
Krish…help.
I’m begging you—
Heavy, harsh hands landed on my shoulders.
“No.” I buried myself deeper over my legs. “Don’t. Don’t touch me.” My fingers clawed at my face, wet and dripping.
“Stop. You have to stop.” Henri’s strength overpowered me with barely any effort, yanking me upright and capturing my cuffed wrists. With unfightable power, he yanked my hands away from my eyes and froze.
The moment his grey-churning gaze met mine, he flinched. A guttural groan echoed in his chest. “Merde.”
Dropping to his knees, he dragged me onto his lap. My feet on one side, my shoulder digging into his chest, my hair strewn over his arm.
I daren’t look up.
My lungs gasped with their incurable panic attack, making me lightheaded.
“Breathe.” Henri rocked me, pressing his lips to the top of my head. “You’re safe. You’re okay.”
Lies.
All lies.
I cried harder.
“You’ve got to stop. Fuck, you’ve got to stop.” Pulling away a little, he nudged his finger against my chin, forcing me to look up.
My bones rattled as I fought to breathe. Salty sadness poured out of my stinging eyes, dripping off my chin and trickling down my throat.
The storm in his soul turned violent as his gaze locked onto my wet face. “I’m begging you, Ily. Stop fucking crying.”
A flash of black. A twist of his lips. And then, his mouth was on my cheek, his tongue lapping at my grief. A gasp of pure hunger escaped him as he snapped beneath whatever curse he harboured.
He licked me like a monster.
Tasted me like a beast.
I stiffened as he ran the tip of his tongue from the curve of my jaw to the corner of my eyelashes.
He claimed me.
Drank me.
And once he’d devoured every tear on that side, he turned my head to lap the other.
He trembled beneath me.
His entire body hard as a mountain but quaking as if any second he’d erupt with brimstone and sulphur.
I didn’t move.
I couldn’t.
The shock of him licking me overrode my panic attack.
Prey instinct screamed to stay absolutely still.
My heart stuttered and hiccupped—far, far too aware of how precarious my life was. How one wrong move could snap the monster currently worshipping me with his strangely devoted violence.
I hated that his tongue was gentle.
I hated that his touch was kind.
And it scrambled my heart because the way he held me ached with tenderness, all while the reason he licked me reeked with depravity.
His head dipped, his tongue following the track of previous tears that’d rolled down my neck.
I flinched as he licked my collarbone.
I snapped.
With both hands, I shoved his chest and tumbled off his lap. “Let go of me!”
My suddenness gave me the advantage. I scrambled away from him as fast as I could, my knees burning on the William Morris carpet, my cheeks blazing that he could see every piece of me.
Tripping to my feet, I bared my teeth and backed away. “Don’t you ever do that again.” My voice mimicked the wafer-thin pages of a desecrated Bible. The translucent parchment that held ten commandments that everyone in this castle ignored.
Wiping his mouth, Henri climbed to his feet.
He swayed before bracing himself and balling his hands. His short dark hair gleamed from the skylight. His slightly hollow cheeks cast shadows along his stern jaw.
For a moment, it looked as if he’d stalk out of the library and leave, but then he gritted his teeth and prowled toward me.
His eyes locked on mine beneath furrowed brows.
I stumbled back.
But he just kept coming.
Kept closing the distance between us until I crashed against a shelf holding a thousand books, and his hands slammed on either side of my head, caging me in.
His nostrils flared as he towered over me.
My heart drummed against my ribs, petrified, angry, full of hate and heat.
He didn’t speak.
He pursed his lips, shook his head, and looked as if he held an entire conversation in his mind before bowing over me and nudging his nose to mine.