Page 48 of Power
His apologetic expression is genuine, and he does his best to douse me while avoiding my head, sending an icy torrent down my naked back.
“See you at lunch tomorrow, yeah?”
“You fucker,” I growl, but honestly, I’m not that upset with him. At least he didn’t laugh at me like Trish. It doesn’t surprise me that she is part of this. Bitch.
The water slides into my ass crack, dripping down and tickling me a bit. I shake my head; my neat bun from this morning is a complete disaster now. Tendrils of hair hang down, sopping wet and stuck to my head and face.
Three more goblets, and we’re done.
I breathe out a sigh of relief and look at Owen with a shaky smile. I did it.
His constricted look sends my heart into a beating panic of bloody muscle. “What now?” I ask, my voice filled with dread.
He rises as Archer and Finn come back into view. I give Archer a scathing glare, which he pays no attention to.
“Rise,” he barks.
“Fuck you,” I spit.
His blue eyes light up with my defiance, but he scowls at me anyway. “I said, rise,Alice.”
With as much of a death stare as I can muster, I grab the chains in my hands, the icy metal digging into my bloody slashed palm as I use them to haul myself to my feet. I shake my shoulders out and face him, letting him know by my expression that he willnevertouch me again after this.
His expression softens and fills with a dread akin to my own. “Turn around,” he says quietly but quite clearly.
“Why?”
“Turn around,” he grits out.
I turn as much as I can, restricted by the manacles chaining me to the floor.
“Hold her,” Archer murmurs.
Finn and Owen grip my upper arms tightly, and I squirm. “Hey,” I snap. “Let go. You’re hurting me.”
All they do is tighten their grip and avoid my livid gaze, their blank stares on Archer. I feel his warm hand on my freezing shoulder and try to shake it off, even though it feels amazing.
“Hold still,” Owen mutters. “He’ll be quick.”
“Quick with what?” I ask, looking over my shoulder.
Finn reaches out with his other hand to turn my head back to face front, his grip strong on my chin. I try to get away, but I’m pinned in place.
“Hold still,” Owen murmurs again.
I gasp in shock when a white-hot pain slices through my left shoulder and then my right. The coppery tang of blood hits my nose, and I moan.
“Oww, you fucker. What are you doing?” I struggle to get away, but it’s futile.
I feel the same pain as my flesh is carved just above my hips on either side, and then Archer’s heavy hand releases me, and he steps back.
Finn and Owen let me go. I feel my blood rolling down my back and start to cry again. “What have you done to me?”
“Made you ours,” Finn says, moving behind me. His hot tongue flicks over the cuts Archer made into my skin, lapping up my blood.
I shudder in revulsion and try to pull away.
Owen releases me while Archer unlocks the manacles from the iron rings and then hastily removes the cuffs and collar. He grasps my arms gently, his eyes filling with sorrow, pleading with me to forgive him. He rubs my wrists, raw from being chafed against wet leather for the last several hours, or however long it was. Seemed like longer. Finn moves away from me so Owen can drape his jacket over my shoulders. I wince as the fabric rubs over the wounds on my back.
