Sovereign (17 page)

As far as punishments went, this was one I could bear. The lack of air conditioning could be a problem, but it wasn’t full on summer yet and the barn stayed relatively cool. Teddy treated it like a tree house more than anything else, as if we’d run away from home and were hiding out until the grown-ups found us.

The afternoon storms made the straw smell sweet, and the chickens pecking around below kept things interesting. The roosters crowing at daybreak, though, I could have done without.

“I don’t snore,” Teddy said.

“Ask Laura. I’m sure she can independently verify.”

He grinned. “She may have mentioned it in passing. I’m sure she thinks it’s cute.”

“She’s mentioned it. She says the only way to stop it is to poke you in the ribs until you sputter and wake up a little.” I smirked at him. “Not that I’ve done that at least once every night or anything.”

“Jerks.” His smiled faded. “Come on. Let’s get it over with. I hope it only lasts for an hour or so, but who knows?”

“Remember what we talked about.” I clambered down the ladder, my heels hooking on each rung. “It’s not going to be fun for me, but you have to play along like it’s cool with you. No matter what they do to me, just act natural.”

He took my hand and helped me off the last step. “I’ll do my best.”

“Do better than even that. Put on a show. That’s all I’m doing.” My show would consist of feigning obedience and pretending my insides hadn’t been shattered by Sin. I’d broken so many times in the past few months—I feared my pieces had become too small to put back together.

We piled onto his ATV and sped up the winding drive to the house. Cars were lined up out front near the oaks, their polished metal glinting.

I took a deep breath as we entered the back door. He squeezed my hand and walked down the hall toward the dining room while I went into the kitchen. Several hired workers bustled about, their attire the same as mine. Laura directed all of them, the kitchen running smoothly under her guidance.

“Stella!” She stopped mid-order and gave me a hug.

“What can I do to help?”

“Nothing. But Mr. Sinclair has already asked for you. Best if you go on in.” She shook her head at a man who was ladling soup. “Hey, not yet. That won’t be ready to go out until after the salad course. It’ll be cold by then. Put it back.”

I threw my shoulders back and pushed through the doors leading to the dining room. The guests chattered amongst themselves as I entered. Every seat at the table was filled. Four servers, two on each side, stood against the walls, staring straight ahead.

“Stella!” Cal sat at the head of the table, a wide grin firmly in place. Sophia sat at his right already glaring at me.

Sin sat directly across from her, his eyes boring into me, disgust writ large in the tilt of his head and the slight wrinkle of his nose. My fingers went cold, and I could hear my blood pumping over the sounds of talk and clinking glasses.

“About time.” Sophia tossed her raven hair over her shoulder and held out her empty drink. A diamond the size of a marble graced her ring finger, and she tapped the band on the glass.

It wasn’t an ordinary ring.

My body chilled. I closed my eyes, letting the pain rip through me as my heart struggled to beat. This was an engagement party, not a welcome home lunch.

Sin’s betrayal was complete. Sophia wasn’t simply a ruse to solidify his position. He’d chosen her to be his wife.

“Stella, Sophia needs a refill.” Sin’s voice struck me like a shard of ice. “Get to it.”

I glanced from her to Sin before taking the glass to the sideboard and refilling it. My hand shook as I poured her tea. I needed to hold it together. I would mourn later, once I was hidden from Sin’s cruel stare.

Taking a deep breath, I set the pitcher back down. I spied Teddy sitting halfway down the table, watching me as an attractive young woman spoke in his ear.

After placing the glass on the table next to Sophia, I backed away.

“You seem to have trained her well.” Cal smiled.

“She doesn’t listen worth a damn, and takes direction even worse, but when put in a situation befitting her station, she reverts to true form.” Sin sipped his coffee. I had the brief mental image of taking his cup and dousing him with the steaming liquid.

The kitchen door swung open, and servers poured out with salad plates, waking me from my fantasy. Once the servers placed the dishes, they disappeared back into the kitchen.

“Stella, where is Sophia’s salad?” Sin’s voice was hollow, cold.

“I-I—” I rushed into the kitchen. “Laura? Sophia’s salad?”

“There.” She pointed to a plate on the island.

I snagged it and hurried back into the dining room, placing it in front of her. Before I could back away, she grabbed my hair and yanked, the burn at my scalp forcing a yelp from my lungs.

“Make me wait again and I’ll have you whipped.” She pulled me closer so only I could hear. “I’m nowhere close to repaying you for what you did at the trial.” She let me go, and I backed away until I bumped into the wall.

Sin made no move, though his eyes narrowed as he stared at Sophia.

They began to eat, the conversation picking back up. I glanced down the table and gave Teddy a reassuring nod. His face was pinched, but he picked at his salad and tried to continue the conversation with the pretty girls at each elbow. Looking farther, I recognized some faces from the trials, and one in particular caught my eye—the blond man from the tent outside the fort. His gaze was glued to Sophia again. Who was he? I continued along the row. My eyes stopped when they met Dylan’s. He sat next to Red, both of them staring me down. Loathing slithered through my stomach, and I forced myself to look away.

Cal stood, and the table went silent. “I’m afraid I’ve invited you here under false pretenses.” He gave a grin.

Some of the guests shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

“Don’t worry, the actual reason is to celebrate the engagement of two people who are very dear to my heart. I confess I was a bit surprised at how quickly love bloomed between these two, but if you’ve seen them together, you just know it’s right. No point in stalling. I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that Stella and Sinclair will be wed next spring.”

A smattering of polite applause sounded and then died out.

He raised his glass along with everyone else at the table. “To my beloved Sophia and my soon to be son-in-law Sinclair.”

“Sophia and Sinclair.” They echoed in unison before drinking to the couple of the hour.

I hid my hurt as best I could, standing still and keeping my eyes up like the men along the sides of the room. I wouldn’t let them see me suffer.

After the salad course, the servers brought out a shrimp appetizer. I retrieved Sophia’s from the kitchen and set it before her.

“There’s something on this plate.” She pointed to a stray grain of rice along the lip of the plate.

“It’s rice.”

“I didn’t ask what it was. Take it back.” She picked it up and shoved it against my stomach, some of the broth staining my oversized shirt.

I bit my cheek and took the dish back to the kitchen. Laura whipped up another one and made sure to wipe the rim of the plate before sending it out. “Chin up. You’re doing fine.”

“Thanks.” I took it and set it in front of Sophia again. She found no fault with the food, but turned her sights on me. “You look disgusting. Go change. Now.” She waved me away with a flick of her wrist.

Pushing back through to the kitchen, I found a rack with white shirts for the staff. I chose one in my size and darted into the powder room off the main hall. As I stripped off the stained shirt, the door opened.

“I’m in here.” I tried to push against it, but the intruder shoved harder. I shrank back when Dylan appeared and closed the door behind him, clicking the lock like I should have done.

I held my hands out in front of me as my bare back hit the wall. “Don’t.”

He slapped my hands away, a cruel smirk on his face, and grabbed me by the throat. “You do well as a servant.”

“Stop. I have to go.” My voice came out as a hushed croak. Fear controlled my thoughts, and all I wanted was to run.

He worked his fingers between my bra and my skin and yanked, the material stinging across my back as it pulled away. Palming a breast, he squeezed my throat and lifted until my feet dangled from the floor.

“Stop,” I squeaked and tried to scratch him, but I couldn’t get a grip on him.

“Fuck, I’ve been waiting for this. And here you are, right place, right time.” He hiked my skirt up and slipped his fingers in my panties. I jerked as he pushed lower, seeking my entrance. “Not even wet for me? That’s okay. Your blood will work just as well.”

He dropped me and I gasped for breath. He bent me over, my hands on the toilet as he pushed my skirt up.

“No!” When I tried to stand up, he punched me in the back. I cried out and fell forward, hitting my head on the back of the toilet. He took the opportunity to rip my panties off. I tried to turn and fight, but I wasn’t used to close quarters, and he was too big.

“Shut up.” He clapped a hand over my mouth. “Get loud again and I’ll knock you out. Either way, this pussy is mine. Maybe your ass, too, you filthy slut.”

His belt buckle rattled and my gorge rose.

“Stella?” Teddy knocked.

“She’s not in here.” Dylan pressed his hand harder to my mouth. I flailed my hands out and knocked the soap dispenser from the sink. Anything to make noise.

“Stella, are you in there?” Teddy knocked harder.

Dylan inched his hand up so his palm covered my nose and mouth. I tried to pull in air, but his large hand blocked any breathing.

“Go the fuck away, man. I’m trying to take a shit.” Dylan pulled his dick out and rubbed the wet tip down my ass.

I bucked forward, shaking the toilet, but not breaking his grip.

“Teddy, what are you doing? Get back in the dining room.” Sin’s voice wafted through the door as Dylan tried to push his cock down to my entrance again.

My vision faded and I could feel myself going limp.

“No. I think some guy has Stella in there.”

“What?” The question was sharp, but not as loud as the splintering sound of wood as the door burst inward.

Dylan was ripped away from me and I fell against the sink, trying to get air into my burning lungs.

“Stella!” Teddy yanked my skirt down and turned me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me. “Jesus, what did he do to you?”

Thuds and yells erupted from the hallway, and the wall shook, plaster dusting from the ceiling. My throat ached, and I buried my face in Teddy’s shoulder.

“It’s okay. Shh.” He shook his blazer off his shoulders and wrapped it around me, drawing it tight at my front before pulling me to his chest again.

“Don’t you fucking touch her!” Sin’s rage-filled roar shot to every corner of the house as the servers rushed past in the hallway.

“Boys, boys! This is why we can’t have nice things.” Cal’s laugh rang out and was followed by cackles from the dining room.

After the servers were gone, Teddy peeked out the door toward the foyer. He scooped me into his arms and ran for the back stairway. I held onto his neck as he took the steps two at a time.

“What happened?” Renee hovered at the top step.

“Some guy attacked her in the bathroom.” Teddy rushed down the hall and carried me to my room, sitting me on the bed as I clutched his jacket to me.

I couldn’t stop shaking. He sat next to me and pulled me close again, rubbing my back and shushing me as I trembled. Renee knelt in front of me, and tilted my chin up. She gasped when she saw my neck.

“He could have killed her.” Her voice was unforgiving. “Who was it?”

“I don’t know, but he was big.”

“Dylan.” My voice croaked through my teeth.

“Your stepbrother?”

I nodded. Renee and Teddy exchanged a look as raucous cries erupted from downstairs.

“We have a victor!” Cal’s showman voice lofted to our ears. “Congratulations, Sinclair. Well done. Somebody get Dylan cleaned up. He gave a good showing. Now, let’s finish our lunch.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

S
INCLAIR

I
TOOK ANOTHER SWIG
of brandy as Farns did his best to patch up my busted knuckles. I barely felt it.

The party was at an end, and the last guest had left hours ago. I glanced at the stairs. Teddy still hadn’t come out of Stella’s room.

“I heard what that nasty fellow tried to do. I am proud of you, Mr. Sinclair.”

I shook my head. “I’m the last person in this house for you to be proud of. I can promise you that.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You didn’t choose this.” He glanced up at me, his blue eyes faded while the man inside was still sharp. “You are doing well.”

Steps on the stairs had my heart speeding up. But it was only Renee. Stella remained above, hidden from me.

“Did you kill him?” The steel in Renee’s voice sent a chill through me.

My memory flickered alive like a beast needing to be fed. When my mother and I returned from Brazil, Renee met us at the airport. She rushed up and kissed me on the forehead before taking Rebecca in her arms.

“
Did you kill them all
?” She’d whispered. I’d barely heard her, but the timbre was the same as what she’d just asked me.

“No.” I finished my glass and slammed it on the table. “I damn well would have if Red hadn’t pulled me off.”

Renee gripped my chin and pulled my face up to her scrutiny. All pretense of being anything other than my second mother fell away as she perused my black eye and bloody nose. “You’ll heal.”

“How is she?” I knew I shouldn’t care, that I should keep up the charade that I was only angry with Dylan for trying to take what was mine or for tampering with my Acquisition. Instead, the thought of him harming her churned my stomach and fueled my fury. I wanted his blood, all of it, on my hands.