“You know how I like it…” Winter moaned. “Make Mommy come.”
Mommy? Oh my god.
I tried to look away, but every time I diverted my gaze, Winter dug her nails into my thigh until I looked back--I had no idea how she could even tell if I was watching with her eyes closed, but she just seemed to know. Connor locked his eyes on me as he tongue flicked against Winter’s clit. I didn’t even want to know what he was thinking. He was going to hurt me--he was going to use me for his pleasure--I was doomed to it unless I found a way to escape.
My eyes stayed on Connor and Winter, but my mind traveled elsewhere. I thought of Devlin, and what he was going through since I vanished. He had to be losing his mind if he was putting up so much money to get me back. Maybe he loved me--the devil, wrapped around my finger instead of bending me around his. I needed his arms. They were the ones that were safe, but I was too foolish to realize it.
“Move your tongue faster, stop looking at your treat.” Winter opened her eyes and slapped the side of Connor’s head. “You can play with her later--don’t forget what I’m giving up so you can have this Cabot whore.”
“Sorry, Mistress.” Connor paused for a moment as he spoke and then immediately returned to licking Winter’s wretched cunt.
My body had endured plenty of torment, but my mental torment continued as Winter made Connor pleasure her. The revolt inside my stomach bounced along with the car. Cabot Vineyard faded away and the long road that separated it from civilization was smooth enough for me to hear Winter’s moans over the sound of the tires.
What does a bitch like this even get off to? I’m sure Connor’s tongue isn’t what she’s thinking about when her eyes are closed…
“That’s right, you’re about to make Mommy come like the good boy you are.” Winter exhaled sharply and her moans got louder.
I closed my eyes to drown out the sight of Winter’s climax, even though I couldn’t stop the sound of it. Her moans disgusted me. I finally opened my eyes when the last gasp disappeared in the air. She was slumped against the seat and Connor was putting her panties back on--his eyes were still locked on me.
I’ll die if he ever lays a hand--or tongue on me.
I looked around and tried to memorize my terrain when I saw Sloane Manor on the horizon. If I got a chance to escape, I needed to know what I was dealing with. What I saw didn’t inspire me with much hope. Sloane Manor was isolated from the rest of the houses we passed and there was a high iron fence around the perimeter. It didn’t look like something I could climb. She had guys standing at the front gate and they approached the car to verify if was her before opening them.
I guess you need lots of security when you’re this fucking evil.
The car was parked and a woman walked outside with a blanket. I thought it was for me, but Winter was the one she wrapped it around. Winter motioned for the woman to bring me, and I was led naked through Sloane Manor--once again, everyone there acted like it wasn’t that surprising to have a beaten and battered woman led past them. I obviously wasn’t the first.
“Connor, why don’t you be a good boy and go make sure the contract is ready. I’m going to have a talk with your new toy.” Winter motioned to him.
“Yes, Mistress.” He nodded and scurried off in the opposite direction.
The woman led me upstairs to a bedroom and left as soon as Winter entered. A large door slammed shut and it was just the two of us--I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
“Let’s have a talk. Why don’t you sit on Mommy’s knee so we can chat.” Winter walked to a very large chair and sat down.
“Excuse me…” I blinked in confusion.
“Don’t make this difficult, Violet.” She patted her knee. “I’ll even let you have this blanket once we’re done.”
“Fine.” I sighed and walked over--feeling quite foolish as I sat on the smaller woman’s knee.
“Tonight, after you sign the contract, you will accompany us to the playroom.” She put one hand on my leg and the other one on my head while she spoke--like she was trying to cradle me. “I really want to know what my son is willing to pay so much money for…”
“I thought you hated the Cabots.” I tensed up in her arms, but didn’t try to pull away because I wanted to see just how much she would reveal. “Now you want to--play with one?”
“Trust me, darling. I have enough hatred in my heart for your whole family, but you won’t be my problem anymore after you sign Connor’s contract--you’ll be nice and pacified, just like your sister.” A light chuckle echoed in Winter’s throat.
“One by marriage and one by contract.” I sighed. “It sounds like you’re getting everything you want.”
“What’s the plan, sweetheart?” She leaned back. “Did you think you could cuddle with me and ask sweet little questions until I told you everything? I didn’t get this far in life being stupid--the only mistake I ever made was marrying Dominic Windsor--I haven’t made a single one since.”
“I’m just curious. It’s not like I have anyone to tell…” I tried to keep my voice calm as I spoke, despite wanting to throttle the bitch I was sitting with.
“That’s true, but you know everything you need to know. Tonight, you’ll find out just how much I hate little Windsor whores when you get a taste of my hairbrush.” She squeezed me tighter. “You might not have screamed for Connor, but when you’re over my knee, the moment you scream is the moment your torment truly begins.”
“You won’t break me--Ms. Sloane.” I pulled away from her embrace.
“Everyone thinks they can’t be broken until they are.” She pushed me off her knee as I was pulling away and I landed with a thud at her feet. “You’ve been beaten by a man, but you’ve never been punished by a woman. I know there are limits that go beyond being broken--the dark place where hope is lost forever and you will do anything to have a taste of humanity again--that’s where you’re going tonight, Violet, and you may never find your way back.”
I stared at Winter as she stood and walked to the door. I wanted to say something--something that was laced with defiance--something that showed her I hadn’t lost my will to fight--but I didn’t know what to say. Winter actually managed to terrify me because I believed she meant every word she said. She was the living embodiment of cruelty and malice--Connor was a child compared to her.
If she’s behind everything, I’ll suffer--I may not get any closer to the truth tonight, but she will eventually let her guard down--I really do hope I hang onto enough of my humanity to make my torment worth it.
I didn’t want to accept my fate, but I mentally forced myself to do it. I wasn’t going to let Devlin give up his fortune to save me. I knew how hard he worked to get away from Dominic--how important it was for him to be his own man. Deep down, I cared about Devlin a lot more than I should have--the love that had been inside me since I was a little girl never really left.
If everything I go through is for nothing, I hope he does honor his agreement and save my father--if I meant anything to the devil at all.
Eleven
Devlin
Getting to my father's house unnoticed was going to be a problem, so I kept the plan under wraps, making sure only the men involved knew what was happening.
I sat in a black limousine with tinted windows with seven of my men sitting in the back with me. As we pulled up to the front gates of my father's estate, the guard gave us a suspicious glance and I rolled down the window, addressing him directly.
"I'm here to see my father. He'll know what it's about."
"Of course, Sir." The guard tapped the roof of the car and opened the gates for us, and the car slowly made its way onto the property. Well, that was fucking easy. Too easy...
As soon as we were out of the guard's view, I got out of the limo and ignored the men filing out behind me. It took me them minutes to subdue my father's men, and by the time I rang the doorbell, there would be no one left to protect him.
The door opened a
moment later, and my men silenced the guard at the door in a split second. I heard my father calling out from inside the house, wondering who was at the door. I didn't answer, instead allowing my anger to build up deep within me until it reached its shocking crescendo.
By the time Dominic Windsor appeared in the doorframe, I was fucking ready.
"Devlin," he said, glancing at me, then at the men behind me, with their guns at the ready. "What a pleasant..."
He never got to finish that thought.
I slammed my fist into my father's face instantly. He groaned, stumbling back as my men entered the house, making quick work of the few guards left inside. My father was still grumbling on the floor as I grabbed his salt-and-pepper hair and dragged him into the house, throwing him against the wall unceremoniously. There was a loud crack and he gripped his bloody nose.
"You fucking bastard," he cried out. "You broke my nose!"
"Do I look like I give a shit?" I snarled, advancing on him. "You're going to tell me where the hell she is, and you're going to do it right the fuck now."
"Who?" my father demanded, staring at me with rage for a moment before laughing out loud. "Is this about that goddamn Cabot girl again?"
I remained quiet and he groaned. I'd had enough. Grabbing him by his shirt collar, I lifted him up, slamming him against the wall. "Tell me where the hell you're keeping her. Or else."
"I don't know," he insisted, and I tossed him on the ground before commanding my men to search the house.
"Find her," I demanded. "Do whatever you have to, just fucking find Violet Cabot."
The men dispersed, leaving me alone with my father.
I wanted to hurt him. And I allowed myself to lose control, kicking the man over and over again while he lay on the floor.
"You're fucking whipped," my father managed to get out, spitting out blood. "You're whipped by this little girl, and the worst part is, you don't even realize it."
The red mist descended. I could have killed him then and there, but there was cool calculation behind my moves as I approached him, lifting him up by his shirt. I dragged him across the room, sending him sprawling over the stairs. The worst part was, the old bastard never tried to defend himself. In my eyes, it made one thing very fucking clear. He was guilty as shit. That's why he didn't fight back.
"Tell me where she is or I'll kill you right here, right now," I told him.
"I don't know," he insisted brokenly. He was a bloody mess by then, but I didn't give a shit.
"Liar!" I accused him. A guard handed me Brynne's diary and I held it up in front of my father's eyes. "You know what this is, old man?"
"A notebook?" He laughed out loud. "That's all you've got?"
"It's a diary, you fucking fool," I snarled. "Brynne Davenport's diary. From before she became a Cabot."
His face turned ashen in a matter of seconds, and I knew I had him.
"Start at the beginning," I demanded. "From getting Cabot arrested."
"It wasn't me who got Cabot arrested," my father insisted.
"Well, you sure as fuck took credit for it." My words come out in a snarl, and I stare my father down.
"It was a power play." He shrugged, shaky hands feeling his jacket as if to see if something was there.
"A power play?"
"You should be familiar with those." Despite everything that was happening, my father's eyes crinkled and he smiled. "Just like you fucking Violet in front of Hugo Cabot's business partners."
I cleared my throat, unsure how he'd found out about that. "I'm not here to argue with you. I'm here to find out what you've done with my property."
"I don't have her." He shrugged nonchalantly, making me kick him again. My father groaned. "The Cabot thing... it was a lie. I didn't put him in jail. It was believable because of our history."
"Oh, and what a history it is," I spat out. "I know all about Brynne Davenport."
He paled at this, and I took a step forward, smirking at him.
"That's right, Dad. I know what you did to Violet's mother. And I'm going to make sure everybody knows if you don't fucking collaborate. Now, I'm only going to ask you one more time. Where. The. Fuck. Are. You. Keeping. Violet?"
"I didn't take her," he insisted from the ground.
"I've had enough of your lies. It's time to start telling the truth."
"I would never hurt Brynne," Dad sputtered from the ground. "Or one of her children. I could never do it. I..."
"You what?" I snarled, positioning my boot in front of his face. My father didn't shrink back. His eyes met mine and his jaw set in place as he went on.
"I loved her too much."
"Loved?" I laughed out loud, the sound bitter and sad. "You're not capable of love, Dad. You didn't even love my mother."
He chuckled and I raised my boot, ready to crush it against his skull.
"Wait," he begged. "Just let me explain."
I lowered my foot to the ground, crossing my arms and waiting for him to go on. "My patience is running out, old man. You better give me some answers, and fucking fast."
"You're right, Devlin." He cleared his throat, sputtering blood on the floor when he coughed. I felt sorry for him, a pang of guilt shooting through my chest. But I knew I couldn't let myself feel that way. Not until I had Violet back.
"It's true. I never loved your mother. It was all a pretense - an arranged marriage. It was a planned event to bring together the Sloane family and the Windsors. Your mother, she had money, and I had promise. I needed to do it - for my business, to get an heir. Brynne didn't want me anyway. She married Cabot..." At this, he spat on the floor, his spit mixing with blood. "Brynne Davenport was the only woman I've ever loved. And I hated that bastard Cabot for taking her away from me. But not as much as I hated myself."
"You?" I laughed out loud. "I'm having trouble believing the great Dominic Windsor feels such self-loathing."
"You should believe it," my father said through gritted teeth. "I hurt her. I'll never stop regretting that. It's what's been haunting me my entire life. Knowing what I did to her. Knowing I broke her, ruined her life. I sent her right into Cabot's arms, and for that, I'll never forgive myself."
I contemplated his words, allowing him to pick himself up and slump against the wall, loosening his tie.
"We're a lot alike, son."
"We're nothing alike."
"We are. We both have these... these dark desires running through our veins." I felt a chill go down my spine, and I knew my father had noticed, but he was wise enough not to say anything about it. "It's in our blood, Devlin. And it's hard for us to control these desires. To admit to ourselves we have to reign them in with our partners, with our women. Don't tell me you don't feel it too, my son. I know you felt it with Violet, just like I did with her mother."
Stubbornly, I kept my mouth shut despite his expectant gaze. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of an answer. I wanted him to suffer for what he'd done to Violet's family.
And yet... if he hadn't done that to Brynne, Violet wouldn't be here today. And neither would I.
I shook my head to get the thought out. I couldn't get distracted, not then, when I was so close to uncovering the last few clues that would lead me to my princess.
"Is this the real reason Hugo Cabot hates us?" I asked my father. "Is this why he is so against me being with his daughter?"
Brokenly, my father nodded. "I planned to take him down, for many, many years. Got so close, so many times. I had so many opportunities to destroy the man, just like he'd done to me, and my future with Brynne. But I always held back. I never went through with it. I knew if I did it, I'd be hurting Brynne's children in the process. And I couldn't bring myself to do that to her, to her family. Even though they were Cabot's children, I... I couldn't hurt them. For Brynne's sake."
I found myself nodding along. "What happened then?"
"Cabot found a letter," my father hissed, clutching his side. With shaky fingers, he brought a cigarette out from the po
cket in his blazer. He offered it to me and I shook my head. It had been years since my father had stopped smoking. I watched him light the thing with shaky fingers, taking a long, relieved breath of its poison. He inhaled gratefully, filling his lungs with smoke. Old habits die fucking hard.
"What kind of letter?"
"A letter Brynne wrote to him, but never sent."
I had a feeling where this was going, and I waited for my father to go on.
"What was in the letter?"
"Her confession," my father muttered. "She told him about me. And since then, he's hated me. As if it wasn't enough that Brynne did. Now Cabot was out to get me, and I fucking deserved it, too."
"But why would you stop me from being with Violet?" I demanded. "Why didn't you want us to be together? Why work so tirelessly to keep us apart?"
My father took another long drag of the cigarette. Despite his messy state, with blood trickling from his nose and his suit torn, the bastard was still as handsome as ever. No wonder women found him so irresistible.
"I never wanted you to get close to Violet Cabot," he muttered after a long pause. "I knew... I knew you'd go down the exact same path I did with Brynne."
"What do you mean?"
"You'd fall in love, Devlin," he ground out, rubbing the bridge of his nose and groaning from the pain. I must've broken his nose. Fucking good. "You'd fall in love, like I did, and it would destroy you."
"Nonsense," I muttered, and our eyes met.
"Nonsense?" my father repeated. "Is it really, Devlin? Can you honestly tell me you don't have feelings for the Cabot girl? No feelings. None at all?"
I glared at him, my heart speeding up frantically. I couldn't bring myself to answer him, to tell him the truth. So I stayed stubbornly quiet, and my father didn't prod further.
"I can help you find her," he finally said from the ground. "Let me help you."
Devil’s Sinner: Fallen Dynasty Book 3 Page 7
