Page 90 of Unbound

“This room honors your wife’s contribution to Kruna. What do you think, Mrs. Ferrano?”

“Thank you, Sir,” Angel said softly.

He peeled the rest of the tape off, revealing in script,

David Macleod, esteemed member. 1990-1993.

Macleod Room

Angel stared blankly at the plaque. I stared blankly at it. I had to hide my thoughts, my reaction. I gave Delgado a quizzical look.

He gave me a smirk. Everyone looked at Angel. She looked at me and gave me a smile.

“Shall we?” Delgado opened the door and we all filed in.

Angel was completely composed. I saw Shaw and Lucas exchange looks. Satisfied looks.

We sat.

“Gentlemen?” I inquired.

Someone came over with a tray of drinks. The room was nice. This wasn’t like the Townsend Room. It was less like a library and more like a western saloon theme. Bronze horse statues. Stuffed deer, bears, birds around the room. There was a long bar and the wait staff were dressed in western themed clothing. Girls came in, dressed like 1800s prostitutes.

If they did this to see if they’d get a reaction from her, they were fucking cruel. Name the room after her, list the duration of her captivity, and make the room remind her of her true home.

Not just that, tell her that her father was a member. I didn’t know if that was bullshit or not but suspected it was and if it was bullshit, it was a good play.

Most people wouldn’t hold it together through that. If she didn’t hold it together, she’d have failed a test she shouldn’t know about, a test to give them an idea of whether or not she’d remembered her training and the threats that would’ve been laid out about keeping her mouth shut and staying obedient.

Two more days of this shit and then I could not wait until these motherfuckers were taken out.

“How did you feel about the plaque, Felicia?” Delgado asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” Angel replied. “That’s not my life. My life is with my husband.”

I looked at him. “Need you to explain this shit.”

“Her previous identity. We sometimes find that presenting our former assets with this information can be telling, can help us determine whether or not their master should have any concerns about them hanging onto their old life.”

“So, you’re telling me that you weren’t already sure that she was committed to this life and you sold her to me?”

“Uh, no.” Bart Shaw leaned forward. “We can assure you. No asset is transferred unless we are sure.”

“Then this little game was pointless?”

“It almost always is,” Gan Chen said, sitting down with us. “But it doesn’t harm anything to check.”

“I disagree,” I said, sipping my drink. “If we’re planning to transfer more assets in the future, this test could leave a buyer thinking we were unsure.”

“I see your point,” Joseph Lucas sat down. “It’s a practice that should be discontinued.”

“How are you, baby?” I asked Angel.

“I’m good, Dare.”

“That didn’t upset you?” I asked, caressing her cheek.

“No,” she shrugged. “I’m here with you. That’s all that matters to me now.”

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