Page 36 of Brute's Mate

“It’s getting late, and you need your rest.” I lift Jenny in my arms and carry her out of the alcove. I head straight for her quarters, then deposit her at the door. “I will see you in the morning, little female. Goodnight.” I press a quick, soft kiss to her lips, then start heading down the corridor.

Brute has a secret, she thinks.A very dark one. And somehow, this secret is holding him back from claiming me. I should be relieved. Maybe he’ll stop demanding I meet him in the alcove every night. Maybe he’ll finally leave me alone.

“I won’t leave you alone, Jenny,” I say, pausing my steps, “and you will meet me in the alcove tomorrow at ten. If you’re not there, I will hunt you down.”

She gives me a defiant look, then disappears into her quarters.

Chapter20

JENNY

The next fewdays are odd. Perhaps it’s the dark secret I know Brute is keeping, or maybe it’s the impending mass execution. But there’s a heaviness to my soul that I can’t seem to shake.

It takes all my strength just to crawl out of bed in the mornings. I want to hide under my covers and pretend the universe doesn’t exist. But I don’t want to worry my mother, so I force myself to continue as usual. I share meals with Mom in the mess hall and we teach class together each day. Though I’m technically her coteacher, the truth is, I’m more of an assistant. I was never interested in Earth history as much as Ellie was, but I try my best, and the children seem to like me.

Brute expects me to meet him in the alcove every night at ten, and every night I contemplate disobeying him. I’m so tempted to hide from him somewhere on the ship that he won’t think to look.

But the prospect of him hunting me down is daunting indeed.

I imagine he would be frantic to find me. And once he finally got his hands on me? Yeah, I would probably live to regret it.

A tingle races across my bottom. He hasn’t spanked me in a few days—I haven’t given him a reason—but there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll turn me over his knee and punish me if he believes I’ve disobeyed him.

It’s late afternoon, and I’m seated on the sofa near the viewscreen, a history book in my lap. Mom is taking a nap, and I wonder if maybe she’s feeling the heaviness on the ship too. She rarely takes naps.

A dull beep sounds, and I glance at the video comm, but the screen remains blank. I jump to my feet and hurry to the only other source of the noise. The info screen. I pray it’s just regular news about water rations or maybe another lower deck is finally habitable again thanks to the Darrvason engineers.

My stomach bottoms out when I see the announcement.

It’s about The Saviors in the brig.

Attention citizens of the Jansonna:

The public execution of sixty violent rebels will commence tomorrow at 8AM.

The rebels will receive justice in groups of five, with a group being exterminated in the depressurization chamber every hour.

All recreational activities and classes are canceled tomorrow so the good law-abiding citizens of the worldship can bear witness to the executions, which will be displayed on all info screens.

Be well and be kind to one another.

Suddenly dizzy, I sit down and take a few deep breaths, and I eventually lower my head between my knees. I think about Brute’s comments about justice and his need for vengeance. About how he plans to stand near the depressurization chamber and watch as each rebel is executed.

He wants to look into the rebels’ eyes just before they perish.

How utterly barbaric.

I wish I could speak with Ellie. I wish the freaking video comms would work. Does she know about the executions? Maybe she doesn’t. Maybe I shouldn’t tell her. What happened with Nathan was surely enough horror for her to endure. I still can’t believe that fucker took her as a hostage and threatened her life.

Goddammit. Why do I feel sympathy for The Saviors? Why am I so devastated by the news that the remaining members—the males, anyway—will be killed tomorrow?

Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m barreling down the corridor toward Leona’s Speakeasy. It’s located at the end of a rarely used hallway on Deck Twenty-Two, and while I doubt anyone is around, I step up to the door and perform the secret knock. My heart races and anxiety twists in my stomach.

I stand at the door for a minute, and no one answers. I knock again and still no one answers. Fuck. Why did I come here? Leona’s father is dead, and she’s in the brig. She’ll be handed over to the Darrvasons soon.

Angelo. Where the fuck is he?

I haven’t seen him in the mess hall in over a week, and I’m starting to get worried. Though I’ve never visited him in his quarters before, I know where he lives. Deck Twenty. His grandparents were Founders too, and his mother used to be on the command team, though she was ousted a few years ago so Captain Warren could replace her with one of his ass-kissing friends.

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