“We don’t have time for this. We need to see the other two girls, and then, we have the sale. Disarm her and hold her down.”
“Is that the only way you can get a woman?” I make a swing for the Duke, but one of the guards rips the lamp from my hand. The others grab for me, and I’m dragged, kicking and screaming, toward the bed. I don’t want this. I want to disappear back into my dream, preferably without Nicholas Cavendish in it. Actually, no, I could happily be dreaming of him and his father getting castrated. Instead, I’m thrown face down on the bed. The guards each pin one of my legs and arms down. I thrash my head around, trying to shift enough to sink my teeth into flesh, but a massive hand pushes it down so I can no longer move. I flick my eyes up to see that it belongs to the Duke. He's sadistic in his triumph over me. I feel my hips lifted and my gown pulled around my waist, bared to the eight men in the room. My ass in the air like a wild animal ready for the taking. Nicholas comes to the head of the bed. I watch his every move. He's like a stalking lion, surveying his prey. He plays with the cufflinks that peep out from his suit jacket. They are gold in color and emblazoned with the symbol, which will forever scar my skin. In this position, I have no dignity, and he's enjoying it.
“Don’t fight — relax, and it won’t hurt so much.” He orders. I spit at him in a fury, and he wipes it away with a smirk. His eyes never leave mine as two fingers are inserted into my body. I experience severe pain because I’m dry and not prepared — the doctor is tearing me apart. I screw my face up, but I can’t take my eyes off Nicholas'. I want him to die, painfully, slowly, and maybe, with two fingers stuck up his ass. No, make that a whole fist.
The doctor gropes around inside me, and I can’t help but feel violated.
“She’s a virgin,” he announces and withdraws his fingers. I breathe a sigh of relief. Nicholas looks pleased.
“I could’ve told you that without the need for all of this.” I try to struggle, but they still hold me down.
“Give her the injection.” The Duke’s voice comes from behind me. There's silence for a few moments except for the movement of the doctor, and then, I feel a sharp jab in my bottom. Everyone holding me lets me go, and I scramble as far away, to the other side of the room, as possible.
“What did you do to me?”
“A contraception injection. No babies before marriage allowed here. It wouldn’t be proper,” the Duke answers me.
“Proper? After what you just did, you're talking to me about what’s proper and what isn’t.”
The Duke ignores me.
“Is there anything you can give her to calm her down a bit? Her constant moaning has given me a migraine and become far too tedious.” He glares at me, but I stick my tongue out and look for another weapon. If any of them come near me, then they’re going to lose their heads.
“Leave her, Your Grace,” Nicholas interrupts. “I think that when she sees what happens next, she'll behave.” He turns on his heels with no further explanation and leaves. The Duke looks at me and cackles, making my blood freeze, and my body slump to the floor in defeat.