Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“I’m okay,” I say when I see the panicky look in his chocolate brown eyes. His only fear is losing me, or someone hurting me, and my only fear is the same happening to him.
“Who will be taking the punishment for disobeying me?” My father’s deep unapologetic voice pierces my ears, and in a second, Zane turns from the comforting boyfriend into a vicious guard dog. Turning to face my father, he shields my body with his.
“Hurt her, and I will kill you in the most painful of ways you can imagine.” The rage and anger. It erupts out of Zane like a volcano exploding. The burning hot lava licking at my heels.
“You’re talking a lot of shit for someone that’s alive because I’m allowing him to be.”
“You aren’t allowing shit,” Zane spits.
The tension grows thicker with each word that’s spoken, and I have to try and diffuse the situation before Zane gets hurt or worse killed.
“Please,” I beg, stepping from behind my guard dog, and instead, to the spot beside him. Matteo turns his hardened gaze to me.
“The first thing you’ll learn about us Castro’s is that we don’t beg, not for mercy, and definitely not for forgiveness. Now, tell me, will it be you, my sweet daughter, or will it be your junkyard dog of a boyfriend that takes the punishment.”
“Me!” Zane and I both say in unison. I can feel his eyes shooting daggers into me.
“How cute, you’re trying to protect each other. Funny, neither of you know what you’re protecting the other from.”
“Whatever punishment it is, I’ll take it.” The words rush out of Zane’s mouth, and Matteo lets out a chuckle of amused laughter.
“Here is the deal…we aren’t going to play games all night as my patience for your bullshit is running thin.” One of the guards hands him a long stick, that looks to be made of bamboo. What is he going to do? Quivering with fear, I take a step back. “I’m going to cane one of you. If Dove decides to take the punishment, she will receive one strike. If you decide to take it, you will receive ten. What’s it going to be?”
“I’ll do it,” I say, my voice trembling. “Zane is still healing from the gunshot wounds. Let me do it. Please!”
“You will fucking not!” Zane’s voice booms through the space as he shoves me backward. The anger in his voice triumphs any sound I’ve ever heard. Before I can object or make a move, he’s tugging his shirt off and walking over to Matteo.
“Stand with your hands against the wall,” he orders Zane, whose movements are now robotic, almost as if he’s shut down. It feels like I’m watching this from outside my body. Lifting the cane, he continues, “This is your only warning. If you try and fight me, Dove will incur the same punishment. Do you understand?”
Zane merely nods, his head tipped forward, his chin tucked into his chest. All I see at that moment is William. Protecting me. Saving me.
“No! Please, don’t do this. Please, we won’t do it again, I swear.” The words tumble out of my mouth as I rush toward my father, but before I reach him, an arm circles my waist and pulls me backward.
Without even looking at me, the monster of a man called my father says, “This is your first lesson, sweetheart. Sometimes, mistakes are made, and sometimes, you make a bad choice, and others pay the consequence. Learn from your mistakes.”
Without warning, he brings the cane down on Zane’s back. The sound is heartbreaking, and I fight with all my might against the man holding me back, but it doesn’t do me any good. He just tightens his hold on me. Kicking and screaming, I watch through teary eyes as Zane takes each lash of the cane on his back as if it’s nothing. As if he doesn’t feel the pain at all.
His hands ball into tight fists but remain against the wall. How can he do this to him? How can he beat someone without blinking? At the fourth strike, his skin starts breaking and blood trickles down his back. My throat is raw, and my lungs burn by the time the beating is over.
As soon as the last lash is delivered, the guard releases me. Anger flows freely through my veins, overtaking the sadness that was just there. I want to hurt all of these men, destroy them, make them pay for what they’ve just done.
“I hate you! I hate you so much. You will never be my father. Never,” I scream at Matteo as I rush to Zane, who sags to the floor in defeat. His back a bruised and bloody mess.
“Hate me all you want, Daughter, but you will learn to follow my rules and learn to obey me, or more punishments like tonight will occur.”