Page 17 of Bound in Sacrifice

“I do, and I am very sorry for your circumstances. I imagine you’re scared and have a thousand different questions. Let’s get you to your room and we can talk about it, okay?”

I welcome the tears of relief caused by her words. She knows. Maybe that means I won’t be completely alone here. My hopes are quickly dashed by the next thought that crosses my mind. Sheknows. She knows and she is going along with what The Beast has planned for me, rather than helping me escape.

Paige escorts me up a final, steep, stone staircase and through a heavy, old wooden door. The metal brackets that hold it in place squeal as she opens it. My eyes are forced closed by the bright sun that shines directly on my face. She leads me through the doorway and outside, into one of the most beautiful courtyards that I’ve ever seen. There is a vast expanse of vivid, soft green grass leading from the base of Le Château to the edge of the cliff that it sits on.

As we walk further into the courtyard, I spot a rose garden and my breath is stolen away by its beauty. Roses were my mother’s favorite. It’s how I got my name.

Habitually, I move my thumb to my ring finger, so I can run it over the smooth gold band of my mother’s ring like I often do. The happiness I felt when I first stepped foot outside is quickly dashed at the absence of the hard, metal band. I gasp suddenly and look at my right hand.

“What’s wrong?” Paige looks at me with worry.

“My mother’s ring is gone! I had it on when I fell asleep last night! I need to go back; I have to look for it!” I cry out.

Shit! I’ve never had it resized because it cost too much money. Every time I would save for it, I would need to use the money for a house or car repair.

“We can’t right now, we’re on a strict schedule, I’m sorry.”

“What? No! We have to! Please!”

“Oh, don’t fret, we will find it. I promise you, as soon as we get to Le Château, I will send word that it needs to be found.”

“Someone might steal it!”

“The Beast won’t let that happen, trust me. He doesn’t tolerate stealing.”

Her statement hits me like another punch in the gut and she suddenly realizes her poor choice of words.

“Yeah, tell me something I don’t know,” I grimace, looking away from her.

“Rosabelle, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think before I opened my mouth.”

“It’s fine. It’s notyourfault that I’m here.”

“Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

Paige begins walking again and I fall silently in line behind her.

* * *

During the remainderof our journey, Paige explains to me that The Beast lives in Le Château.Of course, he does. He seems to be ostentatious by nature; the club is proof enough of that. I was happy to hear that both her and Luca live there too. I’d like to think that it will be a little easier being here, with her nearby.

“Here we are,” Paige reaches for the doorknob in front of her and opens the door into one of the most beautiful rooms I’ve ever seen.

When I pictured where I would live or sleep during my imprisonment, I never imagined anything like the room that I am standing in right now. I make no exaggeration when I say that it’s larger than my entire house. A pang of longing pierces my heart when thinking of home. I don’t care how beautiful or decadent this place is, it’s not mine.

“It’s so beautiful. I’ve never seen anything as grand as this. To be honest I am curious why that monster wants me, hisprisoner, staying in such a lavish, ridiculously gorgeous room.”

It’s brightly decorated in royal blue and yellow. It’s welcoming and warm. The large four-poster bed is inviting, and I wonder if it feels as soft and grand as it looks. There is a white, tufted bench at the end of the bed, a table and two chairs off to the right, just beneath a large window. I notice a balcony on the other side of the glass. Did he ask her to show this to me, to dangle it in front of me, just for him to take it away, like the cruel beast he is?

“You can’t think of yourself as a prisoner or you will never make it, Rosabelle. It’s time to embrace your new life. It’s going to be a challenge, but I can tell that you’re very brave, andI’ll be here for you.”

Paige truly does seem like a good person. It leads me to wonder if her and Luca are also prisoners of The Beast. Maybe that’s why they haven’t opted to help me escape. They both seem happy. Are they here because they want to be, or have they accepted their fate as I should mine?

“Your en suite is through that door there.” she waves her hand in the direction of the bathroom and I pad across the floor to it.

Once again, I am shocked by the size of the room that I am in.

“I’ll get your bath started and help to prepare you for Master B.”

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