Page 28 of Kristoff

Her body is shaking by the time the third man starts toying with her. Angry welts cross her back and ass, traces of blood mingle with the semen coating her skin. Spit is falling from her open mouth and tears run from her cheek and mix with the mess on the floor below her. She vomited. The asshole didn’t even stop fucking her face while she did. That man will die slower than the rest.

“She’s a good fuck, the men tell me,” my father says when I remain stoic, not taking my eyes off the screen. I don’t deserve to hide from this act.

“Where is she now?” I ask when the last man finally tucks his cock, covered with her blood, back into his jeans.

“I had no more use for her, so I had her brought up to your room.” My father downs his drink and places the glass down on a table.

I keep my eyes on the screen. The men leave her, and all that’s left is her sobs. They removed the ring from her mouth, but she’s not saying anything. She spits blood, and it covers her thighs as well.

The assholes have torn her.

“Did the meeting go well?” He changes topics, but I’m not done with this one yet.

“You let those men touch my girl?” I ask in a low growl.

His expression darkens. “You mean my girl. She’s mine, Kristoff. You forget yourself.”

“What are you playing at?” I demand.

“You’ve become too attached to this one,” he responds. “You will finish her training, and she will be delivered to Maksim next week.”

My mind flips to his course of topic. “Maksim? You said you weren’t decided about accepting his offer. He’s an asshole, and what need does he have of another girl?” He’s been playing me all night, like a fine-tuned instrument - plucking my strings and getting the exact sound he wanted.

“What he always wants with a girl. He’s offered too much money to waste time with the auction. He wants her, he gets her.” He chews on the end of his cigar. “After your meeting this evening, I would think you’d understand she needs to be dealt with.”

I’m staring at the screen. He’s freeze-framed it for me.

Glancing at him, I recognize the smug grin for what it is. He thinks he’s won.

I remember the same look as he stood over my mother’s lifeless body. His hands covered in blood, the knife gripped in his right hand. I wasn’t able to stop him then. I couldn’t do anything at such a young age. But I’m not a child anymore.

“She’ll be ready.” Let him think he’s still in control. My lesson was learned, that’s what he wants. He thinks I’ve gotten to close to Magdalena, that I won’t do my job because I don’t treat her like he would.

Fuck. He’s right on that point. I won’t treat her like a useless whore. And there’s no fucking way my girl is going to spend one second in the presence of that asshole Maksim.

“Good. If you are unable to complete the job, I’m sure we can help again.” He walks away from me. He’s had the last word, gave the last jab, and now he’s dismissing me.

I don’t say another word or look at the screen again. It’s already burned into my mind. Never to leave.

I failed her.

I promised her no more forcing. I promised if she did what she was told, she wouldn’t be punished.

“Get Dr. Morrow to my apartment now,” I bark the order at the first servant girl I find. She nods, the fear showing in her eyes before she scatters off. I don’t have time to play nice.

I bolt up the stairs and head to my apartment, making a mental checklist of everything that needs to happen next.

14

There’sa soft humming around me. Voices, too. I ignore them both. The pain in my back has become more manageable, and I roll onto it, clinging to the blankets.

“The fuckers didn’t even have a girl clean her up,” I hear a growling voice say, but I just turn away from it. I don't want any more touching.

“We have to take the blanket off, dear.” A soft voice penetrates through the fog, but I’m not fooled. I won’t trust it, but I obey. There’s no point in not. They’ll just take it, and I’ll be hurt again.

I don’t want to be hurt anymore.

I kick off the blanket and spread my legs, sure they’ve come back for more. This is my life. A never-ending string of men who will fuck me at will and hurt me if I try to stop them.

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