Chapter 21

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“I think someone needs to be put back in her place. You get a little dick from the main master and you think you run this place? You think you run us?”

I stayed against the stone shower wall, putting distance between me and the two guards as I countered their steps.

“Oh, it wasn’t little,” I said, bracing myself to run. “Far from it.

Don’t get jealous and get yourselves killed.”

“No one is going to kill us. No cameras, slut. We’ll be out of here before they even know what happened.”

“You’re a fool,” I spat. “He’s going to know. I bet Bram is on his way right this very minute.”

My pulse was exploding inside of me, but I wouldn’t cower to them. I didn’t feel like a slave anymore. And I wouldn’t be one to West Harper. Not in the way slaves here were treated. But was it enough? I may have told Bram I didn’t want him, but I missed my master. I just couldn’t have him.

West was the closest I’d get.

“Get over here.” One of the guards lunged and I barely escaped. A scream tore from my mouth and I tried sprinting to the exit. The other guard was on me before I made it halfway through the room. We hit the tile floor hard and I cried out as the surface burned into my arm and side. Instinct left my arms and legs kicking and clawing as he tried to pin me down with his weight.

The first hit sent lights flashing before me. Sight wavered, but somehow I was swinging.

“Grab her arms! I want this bitch standing when I teach her a lesson.”

“No!”

I was jerked back, but not enough. My foot drew up and I slammed my heel into the guard’s cock as he tried to stand. He rolled to the side, yelling and groaning and I didn’t hesitate to use the guard’s grip and my wet body to slide around toward the other one and begin kicking at him. His connection broke and he went to throw himself toward me when he went rigid. Brown eyes flew open wide and he edged back, bringing up his hands.

Looming just behind me, I turned and caught sight of a Bram I’d only seen once. It was the day he killed those guards in my master’s old apartment. He was beyond furious. He was murderous.

“West, take her out of here. She doesn’t need to see this.”

More guards pounded into the restroom. West yanked a towel down from the hook and pulled me up, wrapping it around me. The men crowded behind Bram and I was pulled from the room so fast that I nearly fell. The moment West had me in the hall, yells echoed all around me. West didn’t seem to care as he ran his hands over my arms.

“Are you hurt? Son of bitch,” he said, deeply.

His fingers grasped my jaw, angling my face, and I could see his predicament as he went to head to the shower room, but came back to me.

“Bram’s going to make them pay for what they did. They’ll be dead for this. No one hurts what’s mine and gets away with it.” His hands cupped both sides of my face as he made me meet his stare. “Do you hear me? No one is going to hurt you again. No one. I don’t care who they are. I’ll kill them. I’ll kill whoever you want.”

My eyes left his, going to Bram’s bloody face and body as he emerged from the opened doorway. Our gaze met and I couldn’t stop the ache in my chest as he looked at my cheek and then moved back to my stare. I wanted to do nothing more than run and throw myself into his arms. Why did he have to pull away and discard me like I was no one to him? I knew he felt something. He’d been a different person in our moments alone.

His jaw tightened and the bloody knife swung at his side. Our contact broke was he looked to West.

“Get her ready for the tour. I’ll make the announcement.”

“Tour?” I knew what he meant, but the tour wasn’t due to come until the night before the auction.

Bram ignored me as he headed in the opposite direction. West turned me and I followed him down the hall into my room. The moment the door closed, he led me to the bed, sitting down next to me.

“What’s happening? Tour, I thought …?”

At my confusion, he moved closer, grasping my hands.

“Bram’s moved up the auction. It’ll be tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes.” He smiled. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore. Soon you’ll be moving into my quarters and you never have to worry about anyone attacking or trying to rape you again. You’ll be safe with me.”

At the caress he made down my finger, I tried to force a smile, but it wouldn’t come. Tomorrow? My mind was spinning as I tried to figure out what was happening. Was Bram so quick to push me on West? Obviously. He’d never cared. It had to all be a lie. The tenderness, the looks, the smiles. I’d somehow convinced myself that he cared, but what did I know? He couldn’t if he had intentions of going through with this. I’d hoped he would come to his senses. That he’d come back and tell me I was going to be his whether I liked it or not. And wasn’t that truly what I wanted—him to force this on us? It was the reason I had kissed West. Why I had told him yes. I was so wrong.

“Let me get your clothes.”

“I’ll be in the blue this time.”