He got to his feetand stepped out of his office. The sight just ahead froze him cold.
A couple of thebrothers were laughing their fucking heads off as Allywas shoved to the ground and one of the club whores kicked her in the ribs.Ally cried out.
What the fuck was happening?
He also saw howAlly was dressed—a mini skirt and a bikini top that hid next to nothing. And apair of those ridiculous heels the whores wore. This wasn’twhat he wanted, and whoever did this was going to fucking pay.
Lord had neverlost his shit unless dealing with rats and traitors, butright now, his men and whores had turned him into a liar. He’d told Ally she belongedto him and wouldn’t be harmed, and yet here she was. Their deal included hersafety.
When one of thewomen slammed her foot on Ally’s hand, the scream that tore through the air cutthrough him.
Rage flooded his bodyand he charged to the scene. There was going to be destruction.
****
Pain was all Allycould feel. Never-ending agony. Whoever had stomped on her hand must have brokenit.
Her chest hurt, asdid her face. One of her eyes had already started to close from the swollenflesh.
Just as she wasabout to give up, the abuse ceased, and she heard a horrible sound that made hercringe.
Glancing up, shewas shocked to see Lord standing there. The look on his face was pure evil.
He’d humiliatedher. Nothing she’d felt for him had been reciprocated.
The woman who’dbrought her some clothes had told her she was going to have to earn her keep. Ratsdidn’t get a free ride. The skimpy clothes were bad enough, but as soon as they’dpulled her out of the room, the men had mocked her fat ass and horrible tits.
If this was Lord’sidea of belonging to him, it sucked. This reminded her of being back in high school—onlyworse. She never dressed like this and now she was so utterly humiliated. And neverso alone.
Death would bepreferable about now.
He bent down towardher and she tried to scramble away. When she did, she whimpered as pain explodedfrom her ankle and wrist. She stopped and stayed perfectly still, panting as heglared. How much more could she endure?
“Ally, don’t.”
Tears traced downher cheeks.
“Look around you,”he said.
She frowned. Hewasn’t going anywhere, so she tentatively glanced around her. The men who’dbeen laughing were no longer smiling. In fact, their faces were averted. The womenwho’d gathered around her and started to hurt her, they were on the ground. Oneappeared unconscious. She knew without a doubt Lord had put them there.
Staring at him,she felt sick. “I think I’m going to throw up.” She tried to stop it but thenshe leaned over and threw up the food she’d eaten last night, some of it going onLord’s boot.
She sniffled andpressed her hands to her face, trying to compose herself, but it was impossibleto do so. Nothing could be worse than this.
Pain.
She hated it. Memories,dark, horrible memories swirled within her mind.
Lord’s hand went toher knees and the other went to her back. She wanted to fight him, but she didn’thave the energy. This was the last time she’d trust anyone ever again. Helifted her without effort and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on tohim, hoping he wouldn’t drop her.
“I’ve got you.”
She pressed herface against his shoulder, trying not to lose it. She was so close to losing it.That very morning, she’d been sobbing in the shower. Lord was like an entirelydifferent person. One moment hot, the next cold. She didn’t know what to thinkanymore.
Last night, he’dbeen laughing, joking, making fun of her while she watched that horror film. Shehadn’t had a carefree night like that in ages. Then this morning, she’d gottenwhiplash from the change in him. It wasn’t something new for her, but she justhoped Lord was different. Her father had been a classic example, as her mother hadbeen. The drugs and gambling were a perfect reason for them to be constantly upand down.
She couldn’t standit, and this morning, it made her feel like a child. Ally wanted off the rollercoaster.
Lord didn’t takeher to his bedroom. This time, they entered his office and he gently put herdown on the sofa. It was nice and soft. With her good hand, she tried to pull thebase of the skirt down, but it was way too small. The woman had also said shewasn’t allowed to wear underwear. Could there be anything more humiliating now?Those men had seen her personals.
She’d gone downwith a thump to the floor. She’d never been a violent person. All her life, she’dlearned to take the punches, the nasty words, the pushing, shoving, all of it. Shethought could take it.
Lord stood close andhe removed his shirt, exposing his very scarred, but muscular body. She pulledaway as he tried to put it on her. She wanted to cover her body, to help soothethe pain, but all those cruel words had hurt her more than the punches.
“Baby, I’m tryingto help you.”
“I … it hurts,”she said.
He glared and shetried to get the sofa to completely swallow her up. Lord captured her face andheld her still. “I didn’t order this. I want you to know that.”
She didn’t believehim. He was the leader.
“Ally.”
“My hand hurts. Ithink it’s broken.”
She lifted it upfor him to see. His gaze didn’t waver from hers but she didn’t stop holding herhand up for him to see. She could barely move her fingers, and in the shortspace of time since they’d stomped on it, it was already swelling up.
Lord eventuallylooked at her hand, but she watched him as he looked down her arm. Last night,he’d been more interested in sucking her tits than paying attention to her arms.
“These are scars,”he said with a frown.
The tip of one fingertraced over the old scars.
“You have scars.”
“What causedthese?” he asked.
“A window,” shesaid. “My parents … they’d forgotten about me. They had gone to a party one Friday,leaving me in the car. They’d locked me in, but for two days, no one passed. Itwas like the car was crushing me. I had
