Chapter 52
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It took everything I had to hold in my hate for the man before me. Letter opener? No. The new emotions boiling inside me wouldn’t have let him off so easily. I wanted to make him suffer. To make him pay for the pain he’d put me in. Someday, I would. But not yet. Right now, I have bigger things on my mind.
“Lift your arms.”
I obeyed West, leaning forward as I slipped my hands through the thin straps of the white, silk dress. It was plain. But in its simplicity, it was beautiful. The top was moderately high, but the back was completely bare.
It was a trend I was beginning to see with West.
“Stunning. More than stunning.”
His head shook and he stepped back, reaching to the dresser for a black box. The necklace that appeared as he lifted the lid was dripping with diamonds. I couldn’t stop the gasp that left me as my eyes shot up to his.
“Turn.”
And I did. Pain shot through my body and I tensed at the soreness. Every move was a reminder of my rape, and every reminder grounded me even more. It fed my innermost thoughts and desires. I’d always known what I would do if I were put in this situation and I had no plan to back out of it now.
“We may not have an actual wedding, but I will have fond memories of this night. The significance means more to me than you know.” The necklace was put around my neck and I couldn’t stop my hand from reaching up to place against the weight that was suddenly there. When he turned me to face him, he took a step back, smiling. “Perfect.” He turned his head, looking at the door. “What do you think, Eli?” The guard nodded but didn’t smile.
“You’re a lucky man. Damn lucky. Prettiest bride I’ve ever seen, and that’s the truth.”
“Thank you. You’re both too kind.”
West grabbed my hand, leading me to the large mirror.
“We’re not being kind. We’re being honest. Look at you.” He stepped in behind me, reaching around to trail his fingers down my necklace. They made a path over the diamonds, traveling between my cleavage. When he flattened his palm on my stomach and drew my body into his, I breathed through the need to attack. “Do you see,” he said, lowly, next to my ear. “You are what men’s dreams are made of. And now I have you, and no one else ever will.”
“Thank you, Master.”
A knock had Eli heading past us through the glass French doors of our room. He kept his hand by his weapon, looking through the peephole before grabbing the knob to open it.
“It’s time.” West turned me to face him, studying my face as he continued. “Don’t ruin our night. Sign the papers, no matter what you see on there that may anger you. Sign everything.”
“You’re my master. I will sign.”
“Not for long. Soon I will be your husband.” Again he smiled, leading me at a slow pace toward the living area where Eli had escorted a man a woman. The moment I took in the man’s face, my entire body trembled through the fury. I knew him. He was a master at Whitlock. He’d touched and groped all over my body during the auction.
“Judge Vickery. Thank you for coming.”
“Pleasure is mine. So married, huh?”
West drew me in closer, laughing as brought us a step forward.
“Look at her. Do you blame me?”
Slowly, the judge raked his stare down my body. It made me sick. Harder, I breathed, trying to push away the violence that was brewing within. Is this what I had become? Bram once said I’d been hidden from the horrors of Whitlock for too long. I knew he had been telling the truth, but never once did I see myself turning into one of them. And wasn’t I? I craved to spill their blood. To massacre their bodies and end their lives for what they’d done to me.
“I don’t blame you at all.”
He looked over to the woman. She had to have been the lawyer that was mentioned. I didn’t recognize her as a slave, but she wouldn’t be if she were here.
“We’ll do the paperwork, first. Then, I’ll give a short ceremony. If the two of you will come over here.”
The judge took a file from the woman, pulling out a stack of papers. My heart was pounding, but I cared not about what was in there. It didn’t matter in the slightest. Fighting wouldn’t save me. The money I knew West wanted wasn’t going to save me. I’d never be accepted as a Mistress in Whitlock. I’d never stand a chance alone.
“Mr. Harper, you can look over these and see if they’re satisfactory.”
For minutes West scanned over the pages. When he grabbed the pen and started signing, there was the biggest smile on his face. What I wouldn’t have done to sew his mouth shut so he could never smile again.
“Your turn.”
I took the pen, not even looking at the content. Signature after signature, I scribbled the name printed below the line. It wasn’t mine— Everleigh Davenport. But Everleigh Vicolette. My former name.
West’s eyes burned into me and I didn’t miss as he began stroking up and down my back as I leaned forward, scribbling a signature I wished I never held.
“Excellent.” The master’s voice was deep with happiness as I stood.
“If the two of you will hold hands and face each other, we’ll begin.”
I glanced toward Eli as he watched on. Even though my body was twitchy with the need to run. To be sick, right here between West and our light hold on each other; I looked up into his eyes, keeping my true emotions hidden within me.
“Dearly beloved, we gather here today to join West Harper and Everleigh Vicolette in holy matrimony. Although their relationship is brief, their love is strong.”
The words faded out as stared up in a daze. I wouldn’t be a part of this. Of these lies that consisted of things I didn’t want.
“Do you West, take Everleigh, to be your wedded wife? To live together in holy matrimony? Do you promise to love, comfort, and honor her, for better or worse? Richer or poorer? In sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to only her, until death?”
West’s features drew in and he paused, seeming to take in the vows.
“I do.”
“And do you, Everleigh, take West, to be your wedded husband? To live together in holy matrimony? Do you promise to love, comfort, and honor him, for better or worse? Richer or poorer? In sickness and in health,
and forsaking all others, be faithful to only him, until death?”
Never. “I do.”
West smiled, not even waiting for the judge as he wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me in until his lips pressed into mine.
“Ok, then,” the judge laughed. “I now pronounce you man and wife.”
“Wife,” he breathed out, breaking away. “My wife. Thank you,
Judge. I won’t forget this.”
“It was an honor. I’ll leave the two of you now to enjoy your wedding night. I’ll see you soon.”
The men’s eyes met and West was still smiling as he nodded. I knew what silently went back and forth between them. They meant at Whitlock, and I dreaded the thought of seeing the judge again. No, I wouldn’t. I’d avoid any masters as much as I could. I may have been married to West, but I had plans of my own. If he wanted a wife, a compliant and loving slave, I’d give him one. I’d make him believe I was the best thing to happen to him. And in the process, my hold on him would grow. I’d do what I told Bram, and I’d flip the roles as much as I could.
The moment West shut the door behind them, he turned to me, his smile dropping.
“You didn’t like him.”
It wasn’t a question, but a statement as he stared into my depths.
“I recall him being one of the masters who was particularly rough the night of the auction.”
Recognition seemed to sink in and he nodded. “As my wedding present to you, two nights from now, he will be no more. Just let him take care of the paperwork first.” His lips pressed into mine, loving, coaxing as if he’d never held me down and raped me most brutally.
“I won’t forget this,” I breathed out, meeting his lips again as he pulled me into his body.
Despite my need to draw back, I forced myself to kiss him back. To kiss him back. In our moment, I could still hear Bram’s poems humming through my mind. When I got the chance, I’d try to read more. I’d try to see what the high leader felt was so important for me to know.”