Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
“Just a lot of sex,” Fallon said as she shoveled eggs into her mouth as an excuse to not have to say anything more.
“Yeah, just a bunch of sex,” I parroted.
Mrs. H crossed her arms against her chest and then huffed. “I can see you’re both tired. Probably even reaching your breaking point… maybe you feel you already have.”
Her face softened. “Just know that you aren’t the first ones to feel this way. It’s hard as you get toward the end. I’ve seen it a hundred times. You think you’re used to the trials, but they get harder. Your patience starts wearing thin, each one tests you in new ways, breaking you down more than you ever knew possible. But you both have to stay together as a strong team. You have a bond and connection from your past that will keep you together through this until the very end.”
She walked over to Fallon and ran her palm down her hair. “I know you’re both tired. I see it in your eyes. Just focus on the finish line. You’re both about to get everything you want. Don’t give up.”
Fallon nodded slowly and looked up at her with a weak smile. I too tried to smile my assurance that all was well and we didn’t need this pep talk, but I felt anything but.
I was tired. She was right. I was so fucking tired and wanted to march out of this house every single hour of the day. Yes, we were close to the end, but each minute that passed was like a damn eternity.
Clearly seeing that neither of us were up to conversation, she said, “I’ll leave you two to finish your breakfast, but maybe you should get out for a bit. Go for a walk or something. Get some fresh air.” She left us then, and we were alone with the sound of forks on plates.
I cleared my throat as I wiped my mouth with a napkin. “Do you want to go for a walk today? Maybe go for a swim?” We had been locked inside for several days, and I couldn’t tell you the last time I had actually seen sunlight that wasn’t through a pane of glass.
“Not really,” she said and then took the final swallow of her orange juice. “I’d rather get back to the painting I’m working on.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding in relief. I was hoping she would decline my offer. It had been so weird between us since the spider incident, and well… I wasn’t exactly sure how to rebound and find what we once had. She kept to herself. I kept to myself. It worked, and yet it was so fucking broken.
“Okay. I have some work to do anyway,” I said, though I doubted that she gave much thought or care as to what I did.
Not because she was being mean or anything. She was simply lost in her work, and frankly… I didn’t blame her. I actually was a bit jealous that she had a way to escape this place. She could get lost and I just had to… well… I just had to feel lost.
We spent the rest of the day in silence. She painted and I did as much work that I could for the business from my laptop. It had become our normal. Our routine.
When there was a knock on the door, followed by the butler bringing in a box, I had nearly lost all track of time. But of course—in this place—reality always came knocking.
Fallon sighed loudly. “What lovely Trial do we get to look forward to for tonight?”
I opened the box and the minute I did, I threw it across the room. “No fucking way. No. Enough is enough.”
“What is it?” she asked as she walked up to the box that now laid on the ground. “Collars?” She lifted a red one and a white one out of the box and looked at me with confusion in her eyes as she placed them on top of the dresser. “This is what has you upset?”
“Red means you’re shared with others by my choice, and white means shared by all. And there’s a note that says ‘Now’. They beckon and we’re just expected to have you go and fuck whoever wants you.” Usually there was a black collar that meant you could keep your belle to yourself. Where was the fucking black collar?
“Okay… and…”
Her nonchalance about what I just said baffled me. “And? Really? No fucking way am I going to allow you to be shared with all those men in the room. You might not care, but I do!”
Her eyes got cold. “The way I see it is that no matter what, I’m getting fucked by someone tonight. So what does it matter by who?”