Page 77 of Cherry Auction

What thefuckdid he do to her to make her scream like that?

What has she pushed down inherlake? She can’t remember right now. But that doesn’t mean she never will.

Cause don’t I remember? Everything always came up out of the lake eventually. There was a drought this one year, and the water dried up. It got to be so there was more shit than there was lake. All the rusted cars and busted up bikes andfreezers and mountains of trash people’d tried to bury there got exposed to the bright light of day again. Another year, a body floated up to shore.

Everything always comes up out of the lake, one way or another.

The pain’s got to come out somehow. Right now it’s just screaming nightmares. But whatever else is down there… one day there’ll be a drought. One day she’ll remember and god help us both.

The pain in her eyes still wet with tears feels like a whip. No, it slams harder than a whip ever could. Like a knife, it slices deep. Because it’sherpain.

Oh god, the weight of it is really just hitting me now. He had her for herwhole life.

I force myself to keep looking into her eyes. He took my body and yeah, me mind too, it felt like most days, but it was still only four months. I know I’m a broken man, but if it had gone on much longer, I woulda fractured in ways I couldn’t have come back from. If I ever even have.

I don’t look away from her eyes, glimpsing all she doesn’t even know she knows yet. The way he was, with his specific proclivities— I don’t think he would’ve touched his own daughter. It would’ve been her mind he’d enjoy twisting the most… but God only knows with that sick smear of a shite.

She needs me to get my shit together. She needs me to stay in control. I failed her before but I won’t now.

I hold her face in my hands. “Stay here, love. I’ll be right back.”

She shakes her head. “Don’t leave me alone. I need you, Domhn. I feel like I’m shattering into pieces without you. I can’t keep myself together unless you’re here.”

“It’s alrigh’, love. I know. I’ll be back in half a minute. Just stay right here. Don’t twitch a muscle. Can ya do t’at for me?”

She looks terrified but nods.

I let go of her and hurry off the bed, sprinting to my office. I grab what I’m looking for and come back before she can even miss me.

I find her staring desolately at the wall, and her face only comes back to life when she sees me again. She immediately reaches for me, and I sit down beside her again, holding the object behind my back.

“On your knees,” I say sternly.

Her eyes widen in surprise and interest, and I also note the way they snap back to focus. She’s fully here with me, the haze of terror gone. She climbs off the bed and drops to her knees on the soft carpet at my feet, face down.

I breathe out in relief. I was right. This is what we both need.

“You might not be ready to wear my ring, but I’ve been waiting to give you this for a long, long time. This is no command. Only accept it if you want to.”

Reverently, I get on one knee and hold the supple leathercollar with the large, dangling diamond in front of where her face is bowed.

“Be mine.”

THIRTY-ONE

BROOKE

I first lookup at the collar with the sparkling jewel, gasping loudly.

But what shocks me even more is Domhnall, who’s climbed down on one knee in front of me on the carpet. Making himself my equal. And positioning himself as if this is a proposal.

It’s not the collar he locked me up in the dungeon with before. This one is beautiful and soft, and it looks meant for someone he treasures. I don’t miss the large diamond, either. My mouth goes dry.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.

“Yes, but it’s more than just decorative. It symbolizesthat you—” He swallows hard, Adam’s apple bobbing, “—that you belong to me. If you put it on, you’ll bemine.” The last word is all but a growl that sends tingles straight to my sex.

Why does this feel even more meaningful and permanent than the marriage proposal earlier today? Either way, he seems determined to put a ring on me.

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