CHAPTER ONE: Rip me apart
BRIANNA’S POV
I swallowed a subtle gulp and my eyes brimmed as I stood naked in front of the mirror. Bruises and scars adorned me to the extent I found my body unrecognizable. I stifled in a sob and wiped the teardrops that escaped my moist eyes. The sun had just risen and it’ll be bad luck to begin my day with tears of sorrow.
I grabbed my hairbrush from my vanity table and brushed my hair slowly, letting out a slight wince as the bristles untangled my twists. I sat down and applied makeup to conceal my black eye and the bruise on the side of my lips. Hermes always wanted me to look my best for him no matter what.
He threatened to pluck out the eyeballs of any other male who dared look at me with desire, and that was his main reason for keeping me locked up in his castle; to have me all for himself.
There was a tap on the door and I rose in an instant, sliding into my panties and a long gathered gown to hide the remaining marks on my body. I unlatched the door and was met by the red, bulgy eyes of one of the servants. Judging from the dullness of his face, one could tell he was denied a sound sleep last night. Hermes’s sister must have overloaded them with work. She was inconsiderate and never cared about the well-being of others.
“Good morning Brianna,” he said with a slight bow. "The Alpha king sent for you.”
I groaned inwardly on hearing this. The last thing I needed this morning was another round of his insults and beating.
"And where is he? Is he at the dining already?”
“No,” he answered. “He’s still in his chamber getting ready.”
"Very well then, I’ll be there.”
He jerked his head and left. I pushed the door close and rested on it, biting hard on my lower lip. I just prayed he won't land me with a slap or blow that’ll send me to the recovery bed again.
***
Hermes's chamber door squeaked as I pushed it open. His inconsiderate sister was sitting on the edge of his bed with her legs crossed mannerlessly. She rolled her eyes at me the moment I entered. Ever since he brought me to his castle, she seemed to despise me and treated me as badly as him.
I ignored her glare and darted forward.
“Good morning my love,” I said with a slight bow. That word 'love’ felt heavy in my mouth and for a moment, I regretted saying it. This wasn't love if he treated me as a sex slave, it wasn't love if he would beat and insult me in the slightest of chances, not minding who or what was watching.
“A very good morning Brianna,” he replied, and I couldn't help but notice a smile on his face.
My brows lowered in suspicion. I knew for a fact that he always acted calm whenever I had done something wrong, and when I refused to accept it or defend myself, he would flare up like a blazing fire.
“Have a seat,” he screeched the cushioned stool away from the table that lay at the centre of his chamber, motioning for me to sit. "Have a coffee with me if you don't mind.” He said with a smile I sensed was fake and dangerous.
I looked at his sister who kept sneering at me, trying to hide her mischievous giggles. At that moment, I knew something was under the carpet. What could I have done this time?
I walked slowly to the stool, throwing momentarily glances at him as he kept feigning a smile. Before I could sit, my knees involuntarily crouched to the floor.
“Please my lord,” I pleaded. "Whatever you think I did, I didn't do it.”
He scoffed and pressed his lips together in suppressed anger. He hated it whenever I didn't admit my mistakes.
My knees grazed with pain as I dragged myself to him, begging for something I knew I never did.
"I'm sorry, please forgive me.”
He pushed me aside and walked towards the door as I crashed with a loud thud, already on the brink of tears.
"Guards!” He screamed and at once, two stone-faced male betas walked in, dragging a stranger whose head was bent low along.
“Hope you remember your sex mate, you slut,” he said in a venomous tone.
My lips parted in shock. I couldn't believe what I just heard. Why would he think of me as a slut? Who was this man and why was he here? Hermes was the only man I had ever been with.
"My lord,” I called out, trying to recover from the shock. "I don't know what you are talking about. I am not a slut…”
"Not only is she a pathetic slut,” his sister stood from the bed and walked to him, her lips twitching with a wicked smile. "She’s also a pathetic liar. She needs to be punished harder for this.” She showed her bare teeth.
“Please hear me out,” I begged, still on my knees, even though I knew doing so was like pouring water into a basket. "I don’t know this man…”
Before I could finish, he marched to me and landed my right cheek with a slap that sent it burning with pain. "I did you a huge favour by picking you from the gutters and this is how you repay me.”
I cradled my cheek and sobbed as tears effortlessly rolled down from my eyes.
“Where did you say you met her?” He turned to the stranger.
"I usually water the garden and when I do, I notice she’s always staring from her window. It wasn’t until one day that she beckoned to me to come inside secretly from the back. Ever since then, we’ve been sleeping with each other.”
I couldn't believe my ears. It all seemed surreal to me. Being locked up for what seemed like ages, I never knew the castle had a gardener.
“So you’ve been sleeping around with the gardener?” He turned back to me, shaking his head.
My lips tried moving but his glare made the words pile up in my throat.
“And do you have evidence to back up your claim?
“Yes”
The guards freed the stranger's hands. He dipped his fingers into his pocket and dug out one of my favourite panties that I have been searching desperately for.
My pupils dilated in shock and with the little courage I had left, l lunged at him and bit his ear, but it didn't produce the effect I had wanted as the guards restrained me and pinned me down on my knees.
"You liar! Who paid you to do this?”
He cradled his ear and looked away, avoiding my gaze at all costs.
This was all a set-up. Someone broke into my chamber and stole my underwear. Everything he said was a bunch of fabricated lies geared at embarrassing me more. But who could have been behind it?
I looked at Hermes's sister, whose lips were still twitched with that wicked smile. It must be her. She never liked me, or could it be Hermes? It was him probably, he took pleasure in maltreating and embarrassing me.
I was still lost in my thoughts when he walked to me and ripped my gown apart.
"My lord, what are you doing?” I tried to struggle but he was too strong, coupled with the guards that held my arms.
"Since you love being a slut, I was hoping to help you with it.”
His lips curled to a lustful smirk when my breasts came into full view. I screamed and wept so hard that I felt my spirit separate from my body.
He reached for my underwear – the only thing covering my womanhood and tore it in a flash.
There I was, stark naked in front of his sister, the guards, and the stranger. With the little dignity I had left, I tried covering with my hands but he cast a glare at me and I let them down immediately, my head bowed low in shame.
“Leave us,” he said.
“Let me do the honours of punishing her myself,” his sister said scornfully.
I was stupid to think she would have a change of heart and help me out as a fellow woman.
“Everyone leave!” He yelled, his jaw tightening.
She huffed out a breath and left reluctantly, the stranger and guards following as the door clicked shut.