Page 66 of He Will Come for Me

“What is it for?”

“I’m hosting an auction tomorrow night.”

“What?” My voice reverberates off the walls as I step away from him.

“I picked this dress out for you.” He walks to the box and opens it, but I don’t look. I laugh at him.

“You have lost your mind. I’m not going to an auction. I will stay in our room and no one will know I’m here.”

He crosses his arms over his chest and arches an eyebrow at me. “It’s not a request. You will go.”

My mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water. “I won’t. You can’t make me.” I want it to sound like a demand, but it comes out more as a plea.

His gaze softens.“You have to go, Kenz.”

“Don’t…” My voice cracks, so I turn away and walk into the bathroom. I will not cry. I will not. What will he make me do? Will I be put on display? I don’t know what happens to those who have already been bought. Will we be expected to have sex in front of everyone again?

Bringing the palm of my hands to my eyes, I try my best to focus on my breathing. I will not cry. I suck in a shaky breath, trying to calm my nerves.

Fingers trail down my arm. I jerk away, turning around, and back into the counter. Phoenix stands over me. His eyes are soft and I hate it. He’s looking at me the way I want him to look at me. How I’ve been longing for him to look at me since we got married.

“You belong to me. You will go.” There’s no room for argument.

“I hate you.”

He chuckles darkly and leans in so his lips graze my earlobe. “I’m going to show you how amazing hate sex can be.”

“Will we have to do that in front of people again?”

He sighs and steps away from me.“Yes.”

I push away from the counter, walk out of the bathroom, walk down the stairs, and step out onto the back porch. I can’t do this. The door slides open behind me, so I walk off the porch and into the yard. There’s a large oak tree in the middle of the yard with a wooden swing.

Sitting on it, I kick off the ground and swing. Maybe it will break and free me of this misery. My heart is in pieces as I fly higher and higher. When I was little, we had a swing in the backyard that was similar to this and my father would push me on it. Will my father try to save me? Is he trying? It’s been three months since the auction and I don’t know if he’s tried to get me back or not.

Will he come for me? Or has he given up? Does he know Phoenix and I are married? Allowing the swing to slow down and come to a stop, I lean my cheek against the rope. Phoenix steps in front of me. I wish he had done that when I was swinging. I could have done some real damage. He made me hope and now he’s crushed it.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

He steps forward and grabs the rope leaning over me.“Believe it or not, I’m trying my best to protect you.”

I scoff.“Don’t lie to me.”

He shakes the swing. I tighten my hold on the ropes, but I don’t say anything. “I’m not lying to you, Kenz.”

“Then don’t let people watch us. If we have to, that’s one thing, but why do they have to watch?”

He lets go of the swing and walks a few feet away before turning to face me again. “It’s part of the initiation.” I have no idea what that means.

“What initiation? Why can’t we change it? It’s being hosted at your house.”

“I’m initiating to become part of the council. If you’re just a member of The Society, you only have to do it in front of peoplepublicly one time, but to be part of the council they watch one time as well.”

I stare at him. We haven’t had sex in a month. And the next time we’re going to have sex will be in front of these people. I don’t know what to say. He’s proved over and over I’m his to bend. The worst part is I don’t entirely hate it. He steps in front of me again and lifts my chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Trust me. I’ll make them pay.”

The dress fits perfectly. As much as I hate to admit it, it’s absolutely gorgeous. I wasn’t sure how the silver would look with my hair, but it’s like the dress was made just for me. It has a deep set V, showing cleavage in a tasteful way. There’s a split that ends halfway up my thighs and the lace of the dress teases my skin under it. I wish Phoenix wasn’t so good at picking out clothes for me.

Walking out of the bathroom to a waiting Clara and Phoenix, I stand awkwardly with my hands at my side so they can look at me. I feel like a show dog or one of those little girls where the mom is living vicariously through her and makes her do all those stupid pageants.

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