Page 16 of Burning Truths

Clearing my throat I look at Hank and nod.

“I’d like to be taken to my gift today.” Straightening my spine, I allow my gaze to connect with his.

Two heartbeats later his mouth falls open, but then snaps back closed.

“I’ll take you to him, but you need to see the others first.”

More? There can’t be. How long has he been following them?

Walking past and turning to face me his ass meets the edges of the bed when he flips the phone screen to face me and a photo is left face up. This one is different from the first. With shaky hands I take the device.

“When was this?” I ask myself more than Hank.

On the screen is a photo taken outside the diner I’ve eaten at several times. Smiling faces shine through the glass window. A booth full of people sit and smile with food, drinks, and laughs. Dark hair and dark eyes sit closest to the window with a small little thing next to him. A short girl with beautiful rosy cheeks and caramel hair, but it’s the blue hair across from her that pulls me away from them. Oakley Savage sits across from him with West at the end of the table in a chair that’s been pulled up to the table. My next breath catches in my throat at the face I see next to his. Faded purple hair and a wide smile captured on camera.

“They’ve moved on.” Hank says.

I squeeze the phone to hide the way my hands shake. It’s almost impossible to blink away the tears that want to fall, but I manage. Barely.

Large hands wrap around the back of my thighs to tug me forward until I’m pressed between his legs.

“I’d find you at the edge of the world. The Stone family threw you away, Princessa. You’re nothing to them. A means to an end. A bargaining chip. A sold pound of flesh. Here’s your proof.” He speaks of the betrayal as if he’s describing the weather to the blind. With astonishing beauty.

My muscles scream for me to lash out, scream, throw things. My nerve endings are on fire with the stillness that I force myself to hold. The field of lilies are gray, the tips of petals burning, changing to black. Shifting my safe haven into midnight hell. Thumbs dig into the soft flesh under the crease of my ass. Almost bruising, but then they move, shift, rubbing the bite of pain they caused. Ebbs and flows of biting pain mixed with soothing touches.

I can’t stomach to see anymore. I won’t.

“My beautiful Princessa, who do you think sold you to me?” One single brow raises in question, “Who allows moves to be made in Del Mar without question or punishment?” He coos.

My eyes trace every inch of his, looking for the lie. A lie that I fear won’t be found. His words coat my skin in acid, the taste of hatred filling my mouth, spilling out until all I want is to rip my pound of flesh.

Is this true Ryker? Have you all played me this entire time?

“Now, let’s take my beautiful girl to her gift. Maybe then you’ll have something to rid yourself of this pent up rage.”

My throat bobs with his acknowledgement of my repressed anger. How easy he can read the lines of my face.

“Of course.” I grin.

Stepping back to allow him space to stand, the blue walls seem more dull now. The bed in the center of the room growing larger with what I know is coming. With each gift comes a price and I’m sure this one is great. Caging my face with his warm hands, he tips my head back and for once his eyes seem soft, kind, and understanding. Leaning down, his lips gently press against mine for only a moment, my eyes never closing, my lips never returning the touch, yet my soul felt everything. Hank is slowly reshaping everything I once knew and the lilies are turning into poison ivy that climbs my legs and wraps around me like a shield.

Rubbing his thumb across the bottom of my lip he says, “Let’s go see if we can release some of the pain you’ve carried for far too long. Don’t worry, Princessa. For those who betrayed you also betrayed me. Together we’ll cut them down at the knees. Vengeance will be ours.”

“Vengeance will be ours.” I repeat. My tone is hard.

Leading me from the room that has become my home, I’m thankful for the comfort it’s provided me in these last few weeks. The dim hallway houses several doors, none of which we go through. Instead we walk out into an open space with little sunlight. Two small windows to the left are open with the curtains pulled back. The room itself is empty other than two couches, a T.V, and the two windows. Hank must feel my feet hesitate at the sight of the outside world, but he allows me to lead us to the windows anyway.

He’s starting to trust us.

I can’t hold back the soft laugh when my fingers clutch each side of the wall. The sun breaks through the clouds just as I step up to the window and my head falls back. The feel of it on my skin is almost orgasmic. Heat. Warmth. It takes my breath away in a way I never thought something so simple would.

To be free.

“Thank you.” I murmur on an exhale. “Thank you for giving this to me.” Looking back over my shoulder, I give him a real smile. One that stretches the thin skin over my cheekbones in a way that’s almost painful, but welcome nonetheless.

“Your gift is this way.” He motions with his free hand.

I bask in the sunlight for another second before following him around a corner, through another hallway, and stop behind him at another door. The expanse of this massive building seems to continue to get bigger. My mind wanders, how many rooms, how big, the location. All these questions bombard my thoughts the longer we stand stagnate. Spinning quickly, he looks down at me with curious eyes.

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