Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 92812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“We were born to serve”? What was wrong with Cara?
Fyre shook her head and struggled to get into a seated position. Chest aching, she knew wherever the blaze was, it was now heading in their direction.
“I was going to have the life I wanted. Money. Sex. Power.” A grimace. “Then you had to turn his head.” She jabbed a finger at Fyre. “Your fault. We will not be able to move people to sell into slavery if you and he are on the same team.”
This had to be a dream. Or a nightmare. Surely she wasn’t sitting on the ground in the middle of a crop field, listening to her sister-in-law talking about selling people into slavery.
Her laugh bordered on maniacal. “You think you knew me? I want sex and power. Being on the inside will get me that. I have no desire to run the world like you do. I know my place, but I also know what I provide. Young people to those who can pay.”
Disgust churned Fyre’s gut.
“Yes, I sleep around for money. I let old men fuck me and they pay me well for it. I do things for them their own wives will not. Let me tell you when it is dark, or light, they do not care what the color of my skin is. I am the star, the center of attention.”
“You are a whore,” Fyre muttered from behind the gag.
Cara leaned close and ran a finger along the top of Fyre’s cleavage. “I even sleep with women.” Cara lifted up the chain with Phillip’s ring on it that Fyre currently wore around her neck. A low growl slid from Cara’s lips seconds before she yanked it off her. “You, however, are too much of an issue. I will do what I can to make sure you are going to be found. Well, maybe. I put you in the path of the fire. It should be here soon.”
Another man walked into view and Fyre drew back at the sight of Mr. Olden. She watched the two of them kiss and Cara grabbed his crotch. Revolted, Fyre turned her head.
“Get on your knees,” the man snarled.
Fyre didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to see or hear any of this. Cara listened right away and, from where she sat, Fyre could see a gleam of excitement in her eye.
“Take me out.” Mr. Olden settled his feet a bit wider apart.
Struggling to her knees, Fyre moved slowly as Cara listened to the man Fyre used to work for. A man she had seen sleeping with another married woman.
It took her a moment or two to gather her breath—the thickening smoke made it harder. She tried to slow her heart rate as she got ready to lurch to her feet and run.
She stole another glance at the two there. Cara sucked his cock and Mr. Olden had his head tipped back as he enjoyed it. This was her chance. Pushing up, she wobbled a bit but took off, running toward the flames because the other way would take her by the couple.
“Hey!” It sounded like Mr. Olden’s voice but with her heart thundering in her ears, she couldn’t be sure.
Fyre looked over her shoulder in time to see Mr. Olden put a bullet in Cara’s head as she knelt before him, his cock still in her mouth. A sob escaped. Even though the woman had been evil, she hadn’t deserved that. No one did. Fyre plunged forward, desperate to get away.
The bark of a gun was the last thing she heard as she sank back to the ground, her head on fire.
“Phillip,” she mumbled behind the gag, before her eyes closed.
* * * *
“My lord!”
Phillip looked up to see Keating in a carriage, Davie driving and controlling the horses, who definitely were not fans of the fire.
Readjusting the cloth over his mouth, Phillip hurried to them. “Did you find her?” He didn’t like the concern he saw in the butler’s expression. “Keating, what are you not telling me?”
“We saw Mr. Olden in town. Davie did.”
“And?”
Keating held up the chain with the ring on it. Phillip’s heart stopped.
“I saw it and demanded to know where he got it, but he spat in my face.” Davie shook his head. “I tried, my lord.”
Phillip’s hand shook as he took the ring. Fyre would not have given it to that man, which meant she was in trouble. He had to get to her.
“Keating, as soon as this barrier is ready, get the men out of here. The winds have shifted. The flames will be heading back to the house. Get everyone to safety, to town. Find rooms for them. I will pay for it all.”
“Where are you going, my lord?”
“To find my woman.”
He ran to where his horse was tied up and, instead of putting the saddle back on, he freed him. After that, he grabbed fistfuls of mane and swung up onto his back.