Page 1 of The Billionaire's Bride
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you do anything to me; just don’t touch him."
"Is that so?" My captor’s footsteps approach, and I flinch. I want to turn my face away. Want to squeeze my eyes shut and pretend whatever he is going to do is not happening to me. I am not here, not in this room with no windows.
How long have I been here? Days…weeks maybe? I’ve lost count of time, my entire existence narrowed to what I can feel, touch, sense…since I’d been blindfolded after I’d been taken.
My kidnappers had shoved me in a room. I had resisted and they had hit me on the head. When I’d come to, I’d heard the shuffle of other bodies, heard the breathing of the others, enough to realize that I wasn’t alone. They had kept us bound, gagged, blindfolded in the same room. Then Baron had managed to reach me and free my restraints. We’d attempted to free the other boys, but didn’t get far before the kidnappers had returned. One look and they could read our intentions. They’d dragged me and Baron out, separating us from the rest. They’d locked us up together, blindfolded but not gagged.
I’m scared, so scared. So is Baron, though he tries not to show it. We’ve made a pact, that if we get out of here alive… We’ll never allow anyone else to control us ever again.
Every time the kidnappers come back, they beat us. They’ll leave, but never for long. They keep coming back for more. They feed us just enough to keep us alive. My entire world has narrowed to the next thud of boots on my back, my shoulders, on my chest. Beaten and left nearly unconscious.
The next time one of them returns, he tears off our blindfolds. Asshole is wearing a mask so we can't make out his features. I have the impression of a tall man, broad shouldered and with gray eyes. He tells me what I have to do. I refuse and he beats me again, this time until I black out. When I awaken, my kidnapper is ready. He tells me if I don’t give him what he wants…he’ll beat Baron.
I hesitate and he plows his fist into Baron’s head, into his side. I hear the sound of ribs cracking and feel the anger thrum at my temples. "Don’t," I beg him. "Don’t do it."
"Are you ready to give me what I want?"
I hesitate again. This time he rams his fist into Baron’s stomach. I hear Baron gasp in pain and somehow, that is so much worse than being beaten up myself. Somehow, hearing him hurting is much more horrible than anything this man could do to me.
"I’ll do it," I force myself to form the words. "I’ll do whatever you want."
He grabs my collar and tugs me up to my feet. My knees knock together, my shoulder throbs, my stomach knots, and I hate the weakness that boils up my throat. I swallow it down, will myself to stand straight. To push my chin up, thrust my chest out.I am not afraid, I am not.He turns me around, shoves me against the door, reaches for my pants and tugs them down.
It hurts, it hurts.I glance sideways take in the signet ring he wears on his pinky finger; the design on its surface is a bow and arrow. I glance up meet Baron’s frozen eyes. His gaze widens, but he holds my gaze as the bastard buggers me.
"I won't make it."
"You don’t have a choice." Baron bares his teeth. "The only way is forward."
Then pain slices through my head.
"No." My eyelids snap open. "No." My voice echoes in my ears. I take in the white ceiling, the walls, the smell of antiseptic and that sense of suspended reality that clings to a place which can never be a voluntary destination for anyone. Clearly, I am in a hospital. I try to rise up, but my body protests. My chest hurts. Pain slices through my side and I groan.
"Edward." A face appears in my line of sight. "You’re awake?"
I stare up into her green eyes, emerald light, welling with emotions. A tear slides down her cheek. I reach for her and my shoulder protests. I grimace.
"You were shot." She glances down at my chest.
I follow her gaze and spot my left arm in a sling. I am wearing a hospital gown that gapes in the front to reveal a bandage around my chest.
"I’m alive," I mutter. That has to count for something, right?
"You were very lucky. The bullet grazed your side; a few inches more and—" Her bottom lip quivers and tears fill her eyes.
"Hey," I grip her arm and tug. She sits down on the side of the bed. "I didn’t make it this far to die."
"Where did you go, Edward?" She swallows. "Why did you leave me?"
I blow out a breath. "I had to, Eve. I just had to find a way to get my head screwed on right. I needed time to sort through all of my feelings."
“And did you?" She tugs on her hand and I release it. "Did you manage to clear your head?"
"No." I twist my lips, "No, I couldn’t stop thinking of you. Every moment I spent away from you was a mistake."
"Oh." She wrings her fingers together. "I… I don’t know what to say."
