“No. No.” My mind was like a tornado filled with the sounds and images of what Logan had walked me into. Nightmares couldn’t compare to this. What I thought couldn’t exist in this world ... The realization that people could be so cruel. That this ... slaves ... girls ... It was hidden from the eyes of the world, but it was alive and real.
Logan hauled me up beside him. His voice low as his steal tone whispered in my ear. “Pull it together. I told you not to look. You have to learn to trust me.”
He was a lie. I didn’t trust a single word from his mouth, but I nodded anyway, because I couldn’t think of what else to do as the horror kicked me in the gut. I heaved in breath after breath, my chest wheezing, limbs shaking as I stared at the stone tiles beneath my feet and tried to get the images out of my head. They wouldn’t leave me. The sounds of girls whimpering and screaming, the look of the girl with her cheek pressed to the floor.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying desperately to block out what I’d seen, but it wouldn’t go away. How could Logan be standing there so immune to the horror? Was he even human? No, none of them were.
I heard slow, casual footsteps approach, and Logan’s grip tightened on my arm, and my body went rigid.
“After days in your care, I thought she’d be better prepared for what awaited her.” The voice was the same one as in the house where I was whipped. The scent of sweat and garlic wafted off him.
“Look at me,” he ordered.
Oh God. I didn’t want to, yet I was terrified of what would happen if I didn’t. When I raised my head, I instantly recognized him. The man from Sculpt’s fight with the two bodyguards Jacob and Dave. I could remember him intently watching Logan after he’d won the fight. That night seemed so long ago.
The man’s finger came under my chin, and I balked at his touch.
His fist punched me in the stomach so fast and hard that I stumbled backward and would have fallen if Logan hadn’t been holding my arm. I tried desperately to suck in the air that he’d knocked out of me.
“That was unnecessary, Raul,” Logan said in a calm, contained voice.
“You’ve taught her nothing,” he shouted. “Nothing!”
Logan’s voice remained controlled as he answered, “She was drugged.”
“I gave her to you in good faith, but if she doesn’t conform then I will take her myself, and she’ll be sold.”
“You think I don’t know what’s expected of her? Don’t think for one second I’ve forgotten, Raul. She’ll behave.” Logan pulled me tighter into his side, and I could feel every muscle flexed and rigid. “When is my first fight?”
“Two days.” I heard Raul shift his feet until he was standing directly in front of me. “You remember what I told you, Sculpt?”
I didn’t dare look up, but I felt Logan’s hand on my arm tense. “I’m here to fight, Raul. I won’t lose, so don’t ever question me on it.”
“And I don’t like your attitude. I taught you better.”
“You taught me nothing except to fight. I’m here, and I’ll fight, but I get what I want.”
“Then train her and keep her on a short leash, or Alfonzo will take her and she goes on auction.”
I was humiliated and devastated when I saw Logan shrug. “She’s mine, because I want to f**k her. Once I’m tired of her, you can do whatever you want with her.”
Oh God. No. No.
I was so angry and terrified and grasping at everything that didn’t make sense that I just couldn’t hold onto my sanity any longer. Hearing those words flow easily from the man I’d fallen in love with was like an anchor sitting in my stomach with oil being poured all over the once beautiful rabble of butterflies, darkening the love I once felt for this man.
I hated him. I hated him so much at that moment that I couldn’t stop myself. I reeled back and slapped him hard across the face. Then I spit at him ... turned and spit at Raul. “Bastards. Disgusting, f**king parasites.” My yelling got the attention of the entire room, and even though I knew what I’d done couldn’t be good for me—it felt unbelievably amazing.
Then I was down on the floor with a knee shoved into my back and a hand pressing my face into the stone floor. I cried out as my arms were wrenched behind my back and something rough and stiff was wrapped around my wrists. Then I was hauled to my feet by Jacob.
I glared at Logan. “I hate you. I’ll kill you.” I was hit hard on the side of my head, and I felt blood dripping down my cheek. “You’re a monster.” Logan’s face remained unaffected by my words as his cold stare went right through me.
“You know what to do,” Raul said, his breath seeping into my nostrils.
Jacob nodded.
“No,” Logan said, his voice a deep, dark rumble. “I’ll deal with her.”
“She insulted us and a room full of men. She’ll be treated as any other. You’re lucky I don’t strip her na**d and let every man in here do as he pleases for the insult.”
I struggled against Jacob, but he was big, and to him I was like a pesky little Chihuahua.
“Emily, stop.” Logan’s order plowed through my panic and anger, and I stood still. I didn’t know how I knew this, maybe instinct, or it was the way Logan’s eyes stared at me unflinching, but I knew I had to stop fighting. “You can’t fight here, Emily. Ever.” He chin-lifted to Jacob, and suddenly I was being hauled away.