Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
“W-what’s gonna h-happen to m-me?” I hated that I couldn’t control myself but everything was hitting me all at once now that my escape had been successful and the immediate danger had passed.
Rose’s expression was startled. “Nothing bad. I promise. Is there someone you need me to call for you? You’re not a prisoner, Nyla. No one’s going to hurt you. There’re more old ladies here ready to help you besides me. I was just the one in the compound when the guys found you. If you don’t believe me, you need to talk to Serelda and Winter. They’ve both been through some pretty bad times before they came here. It was a long time ago and they lived in another MC that protected them after their trauma, but if they feel safe here, there’s nothing for you to fear.”
“The men… Will they give me back to those two guys? Or take me back to the man who gave me to them?”
“They said it was your father. Is that not accurate?” Rose’s questions were asked gently as she finished helping me dress.
“No. I don’t have a family.” It was the truth. I’d been on my own since thirteen. My mom died when I was born, and my dad had been strung out most of the time. I’d been passed around from place to place by people who’d hurt me over and over. Men. Women. Whoever had been willing to pay. Until Milo had taken me in. It had been better, but he was still selling me. The difference was I’d been given to older, wealthy, powerful men who treated me as less than they were, but had no interest in really hurting me. Just fucking me. Or watching me fuck someone else. “It’s my experience that people don’t help you unless they want something in return. I’m not fucking anyone here. I’m done with that no matter what happens. I’d rather die than let myself be sold again. I hated every second of it!” The more I said out loud, the more anxious I became. I meant what I said, but I was also terrified I couldn’t stick to my guns.
“No one expects you to, honey.” She met my gaze with her own. The woman was lovely and gentle, but I could see there was a core of steel running through her. I could tell by the hard look in her eyes she meant what she said. “Sex should be something beautiful and fun. Not something you only do in payment for something, unless you enjoy that sort of thing. It’s certainly not something someone should take from you.”
“I’ll fight anyone who tries.” I needed her to understand me. To know that they might be able to force me, but I’d wouldn’t go down willingly. “They all might be bigger and stronger than me, but I’ll never give up.”
“Anyone here tries to force you, you come to me. Or any of the old ladies. We will shut that shit down and kill a motherfucker trying to hurt you like that. If you believe nothing else, believe that.”
“They’re all stronger than you, too.” I felt helpless, but for the first time in my life, I thought I felt a spark of hope that she might be telling the truth. She could be deceiving me. Lord knew I’d been lied to before, but it didn’t feel like deception. “How could you help me? I’m sure you have your own battles to fight.”
“Our men are good men. All the men of Iron Tzars are. There’s a few they’ve weeded out over the last few months, but even the men they removed weren’t evil. Not to women and children.” She tilted her head to the side before speaking again, like she was trying to figure out the best way to phrase her next words. “We live by our own code here, Nyla. I’m not saying everyone is a law-abiding citizen, but there are lines we don’t cross. We protect our territory and the people in it.”
I nodded my head when I didn’t really understand at all, but honestly, I wasn’t certain I wanted to understand what she meant. I just wanted to feel safe. To not be afraid someone was going to jump me if I dozed off. I’d lived like that all my life. Sleep wasn’t something I’d ever welcomed.
“Come on. The others should be here now. We’ll make sure you have everything you need before we leave you to rest.”
Again, I nodded and followed her out of the bathroom like I was in a daze. The second I emerged I took stock of my surroundings. There were more men and women in the small suite now, all talking in quiet murmurs. They didn’t stop when I entered the room, rather, Eagle held out an arm to me like he fully expected me to go to him. The funny thing was, before I realized what I was doing, I had moved to his side. Eagle wrapped that arm around my shoulders before leaning in to speak softly into my ear.