Page 42 of Cruel Love
“They’re burning now, aren’t they? Your scars,”Eric said, his evil gringrowing wider.“They’re burning now as you try to recall what you can about your childhood.”
Another tear fell.“Yes, Sir.”
“I want to see them,”he said, making my heart plummet to mystomach.“Show me your scars, girl.”
“No,”James growled, ripping his hand from my thigh.
“Oh, come on, James-”Elijah started, but he was interrupted byJames abruptly getting to his feet.
“I said no!”he roared, grabbing my arm and yanking me up.“My wifewill not show you her scars. They’re for my eyes, and my eyes only. Willow, go to our room. Dinner is over.”
He shoved me away from the table making me stumble as he glaredat his father and cousin across the table, the two of them watching him with amused smirks on their faces.
Steadying myself, I bolted from the room, desperate to take my dressoff so the material stopped rubbing against my burning scars.
Chapter 15
James
The door closed softly behind Willow, but I didn’t stop glaring daggersat my father and Elijah. The two of them smirked back at me, proud of their accomplishment of belittling my wife.
Images of the scars on Willow’s back circled in my mind, along withthe memory of her rough skin against the tips of my fingertips whenever I stroked my hand over her back.
As she regaled how the injuries were caused, a memory danced inmy head of her telling me about it before, and I suddenly remembered why I’d thrown the glass against the wall a few nights ago. The same murderous rage that had swept through me that night atlearning she was whipped gripped me in its vices as she answered my father’s question, and the impulse to protect her from his viciousness was stronger than ever.
When he demanded she show him her scars, I couldn’t contain myfury any longer.
“Sit down, James. You’re embarrassing yourself,”my father saidstoically, smoothing a hand down his tie.
“You had no right to treat my wife that way,”I growled, refusing hisorder to sit.
“Your wife,”he chuckled humorlessly.“Who are you trying to kid,James? She’s a whore from Peartree House, she’s probably had more cocks in her than a prostitute out on the streets.”
I slammed my hand down on the table, making the glasses shake.“Do not call her a whore! Willow was unbroken when I claimed her, she’s only had one cock in her, and she’ll onlyeverhave one cock in her for the rest of her life. Mine! And all the time she wears my ring on her finger, you will damn well respect her!”
White hot anger vibrated through my entire body, my hands beginningto tremble with the need to throw my fists into something.
Or someone.
“Elijah, leave. I want to speak to my son alone,”my father ordered.
The smug grin faltered briefly on my cousin’s lips before he stood andgrabbed the bottle of wine and his glass.“Careful, James. It sounds to me like you’re beginning to develop feelings for the girl,”he said over his shoulder, giving me a wink before leaving us alone.
I took a breath, and straightened my jacket, giving myself a momentto calm the raging storm.“Willow means nothing to me,”I said, the words tasting bitter as they left my mouth.“She’s a means to an end, an end you forced on me-”
“You had other options.”
“Yeah, marry someone from within Legion like you’ve wantedfor my entire life,”I sighed, slumping in my seat.
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to limit the amount of peoplewho have knowledge of Legion. Every time a member marries someone outside of the society, there is a risk of our secrets being shared.”
I rolled my eyes. For as long as I could remember, my father hadbeen petitioning for a new rule, one where Legion members only marry other members within the society.
He’d put it to the board on a number of occasions, but each time hismotion was denied. For any new rule that was passed, three of the four board members had to agree. Like me, Harrison Stone, Ethan Rivers, and Gabriel Evans, the other three board members, felt that my father’s suggestion was archaic.
“Does she know about Legion?”he asked, tilting his head to one side,a habit I’d picked up from him.
“No. Until this dinner, she didn’t even know about Smarttech. Shewas trained to not ask questions, and I certainly haven’t volunteered any information about myself. I plan on keeping it that way.”
