Page 39 of The Sheik's Vow

But his attention quickly returned to the woman who had tormented him for so long. How dare she escape from him! Kaia Treon had been a thorn in his side for far too long.

Walking to the doorway, he yanked it open, staring at Kaia, allowing his eyes to take in her petite frame. Oh, he was going to enjoy this! Kaia’s breasts had blossomed over the past few years. She still had that stubborn chin and the upturned nose. He was going to enjoy breaking that nose!

“Come in, my dear. It’s been a long time since you’ve attended church amongst your family.”

Kaia remained standing in the doorway. “I think you should come outside, Ethan,” she countered.

Ethan had already turned, heading towards his cane collection, so he could decide which instrument he would use first. But at her softly spoken statement, he turned around, laughing softly at hercontinued defiance. He was confident that she wouldn’t run away. His little messengers, wounded and pathetic, had accomplished their mission.

Pity, he thought. He’d been enjoying an afternoon of reinforcing his authority over his parishioners.

“You’ll come inside, or I’ll have Diane bent over the table to receive your lessons.” He didn’t bother to turn around and watch her enter his lair. He knew she would. The bitch was too soft after all.

When he heard the door open, Ethan’s chest swelled with joy. “You’ve been a very naughty girl, Kaia.”

Kaia kept her back to the door as she watched him. “You’ve been abusing the women and children of this community, Ethan. What did you use on Betsy? She could barely stand up straight.”

Ethan pulled a new cane from the wooden bin, smoothing his fingers over the wood. “Betsy had stopped believing,” he explained softly. “She’d started to have highly unwelcome ideas.” He lifted a brow. “Have you been in contact with her? Is that why some of the women started asking questions? Demanding more money and food?”

Kaia’s chin went up a smidge. Damn, he was going to enjoy eliminating that stubbornness.

“The women need to know their place,” he explained, returning the cane in his hand to the bin and selecting another to examine. “I don’t beat anyone. Idisciplinethe women and children so they grow up to be good and obedient members of the community. I want everyone to be hale and hearty in heaven. We will always be together.”

Kaia snorted. “That’s not as enticing as you might think, Ethan. When you beat someone, the way you have been, they are more willing to risk not going to heaven, if it means that they can escape you.”

The wooden cane struck the table with a loud, startling crack. “The women and children understand that my discipline will givethem happiness in heaven!”

“And the money, Ethan? What did you do with the money that the farming families earn from their crops?”

Ethan stared at her for a long moment, then he smiled gently, shaking his head. “You’re never going to understand.”

“Probably not. But if you’re going to beat me with that cane, I think I deserve to know the truth. What do you do with the money after the annual harvest?”

Chapter 26

Kaia watched the horrible man as he shrugged, fondling the cane like it was his dick. He wasn’t a member of any church. He was a sadist who enjoyed hurting people. He was a monster!

But she had to remain calm. She was here for a reason. And she didn’t have much time.

“The money is safe.”

“If I asked for the money that my parents earned, the money you should have given them all those years ago after you stole their harvest, would you admit you still have it?’

The cane sliced through the air again, the wood shattering when it hit the table beside him. “The money is mine! I am in control here! Everything that is produced goes into my accounts for safekeeping.”

“So, you’ve stolen the money from everyone. And what about my land? Tara and I should have inherited our parents’ farmland and house. Who is farming that land now, Ethan? Who is living in our house?”

“You don’t own anything! I own all of it!” he raged.

Kaia knew that she had only a few more moments before this whole thing went sideways. “Every year, you take the corn, thewheat, the cows, and the hogs, bring it all to the markets and pocket the money. Admit it.” She gestured to the blood-covered table. He hadn’t even bothered to wash it off the table before he’d called for another victim. “You steal everyone’s produce, sell it off, and keep the money for yourself.”

“I have everything safely stored away,” he replied, calmly. “The money is protected. I don’t give everyone the money from the sales because they aren’t ready to have that much money.”

“You steal from them,” she hissed. “You had no intention of giving the money to anyone but yourself.”

Ethan didn’t catch her slip. Kaia had accidently used the past tense during that last accusation, but the man was too warped to hear anything but his own justifications for his perversions.

“I control the financial and spiritual resources of our community,” he replied. The cane sliced down onto the table once more, but this one didn’t break. “Are you going to take your punishment like a good girl? Or do I call Diane down here to take it for you?”

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