Page 7 of Worth

Vengeance is a dish best served cold, they say. My revenge has been on ice for years now. Heaven help those who have wronged me—I will be an avenging angel of their destruction.

I keep a strict regime for exercise, but I can’t go too crazy with it. Damien noticed immediately when my body started becoming too muscular— too hard. Luckily for me, he had decided it was because I wasn’t getting enough food. Not because I was burning through every ounce of fat on me as I pictured drilling my fist into his face again and again.

I dialed it back and ate the extra food, keeping my body just soft enough to fool anyone looking. But if anyone were to scrutinize me closer, they would see the definition hiding underneath my skin.

I’m midway through a series of yoga poses I learned right before I was sold, when I hear the lock turning. My head snaps up in surprise as I fall to my side from my crow position, landing with a grunt. I shove myself upright and lean against the bed a split second before I hear a giggle and the door swings open, revealing Lauren and a guy I’ve never seen before.

Lauren hasnevercome into my room. Ever. Why would she be coming in now? I hold a relaxed posture as I eye both intruders, but inside I’m feeling so much fucking pressure I’m about to scream like a teakettle.

“See? Isn’t she pathetic?” Lauren laughs.

The man says nothing. He studies me. I study him.

Nothing about his appearance screams danger—or it shouldn’t, at least. But I’ve known enough evil shitheads in my life that the hair stands up on my neck the second our eyes meet. His wind-swept brown hair, crystal blue eyes, and deeply tanned flesh have him seeming like an innocent surfer dude.

He’s not.

I can almost see the blood on his hands; taste the fear he has collected in the air.

Lauren saunters over to me. “Daddy has her well trained. Doesn’t he?” she asks me. When I don’t respond, nor give her any attention, I can feel the agitation rolling off her. “Well?”

The man steps forward, crouching in front of me with elbows braced on his knees. “Not well trained enough,” he says darkly, the tone of his voice indicating that he would be happy to remedy that problem.

I train my gaze on his face. My clenched jaw is the only sign of reaction I give to the way he’s dissecting me with his eyes. My instincts are screaming for me to run or punch this fucker in the face orsomething, but I can’t. I have nowhere to go, and I have a feeling that hitting this man will result in something worse than even my imagination can concoct.

I feel positively sane and innocent next to this guy.

Lauren’s phone bleeps, and it takes everything in me not to jump at the noise. “Shit,” she huffs. “Daddy is looking for us, Jack. If he finds us in here, he’ll be mad.”

Jack glances at her. “I’ve seen enough, anyway. She’ll be easy to break.”

His dismissive tone has the monster in me rearing its head, snarling and snapping. I have been forged in pain and blood. I do not break. I do not bend. I just absorb more pain, more blood, and wait for the right time to detonate like a bomb.

I lower my eyes like a good little Skin. Because when I detonate, I want all the world to stop spinning in surprise.

Today is not that day.

The next morning, I study the newspaper Damien is holding as I sit next to him on the porch. A picture of the president giving a press conference graces the front page, the headline indicating it is about Skin revolts. I scan the article, but then turn away. Nobody has made a difference in the fifty-plus years that Skin Trading has been legal—what do they think a bunch of protests and social media campaigns will do?

“Daddy!”

I grit my teeth at her voice, studying the pattern of the wood under me as I steel myself for whatever Lauren is going to throw my way this morning. “I want to take Elizabeth on a walk.”

Damien folds his newspaper and sets it on his lap. I can’t see his expression, but I can hear the scowl in his voice. “Last week you brought her back damaged.”

“Jack will be with me,” Lauren says, chuckling. “He will make sure I don’t do anything to your precious Skin.”

My heart picks up speed in my chest. I don’t want to be alone with Lauren, but Ireallydon’t want to be alone with LaurenandJack.

There’s a pause and my stomach sinks when I see Damien hold out my leash. “Not too far,” he warns.

Lauren jerks me to my feet, the skirt on my blue gingham dress bouncing around my thighs as it falls. “Of course, Daddy. Jack and I will take good care of her.”

Ice trickles down my spine.

I’ve never asked Damien for a thing. Not ever. But I do now.

I look at him, fear holding my tongue, pleading with my eyes to not let them take me, but he’s already got his newspaper unfolded again. I can’t even see his face.

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