She's not just a plaything, I realized again, my stomach tightening into knots as I remembered my sweet princess. This just fucking proves it. To her, to me, to everyone who's got their fucking doubts about us. Let them fucking talk now.
"I'll take the deal," I said firmly. "But I want proof that Violet's unharmed."
"Money first, Windsor," the robotic voice interrupted. "Money first, and then you'll get what you want."
And with that, the line went dead.
Eight
Violet
I didn’t give in to the darkness, no matter how much it tried to shred what was left of my sanity. The image of Connor--defeated, dripping with sweat from whipping me, and frustrated over my refusal to scream kept me grounded every time I let myself think about it.
If that wasn’t enough, I had the memories of Devlin to pull me back from the brink of despair.
What Connor did to me solidified the hazy, melted thoughts that had been on the edge of my reality. Devlin might have been the devil, but he would have never sold me to someone like Connor. Devlin would have never let someone treat me like that--he had his own brand of cruelty, but it was driven by desire. Connor enjoyed whipping me, but it was a twisted disdain instead of an aphrodisiac. He wasn’t even hard when he finished.
Connor wanted me to be his plaything, and he wanted me to willingly submit, even if he had to hurt me to get that. He must have thought it would have been easier. The frustration was practically dangling from his tongue like a treat he begged me to bite. In a strange, misguided way, he was the one submitting to me. Every time I denied him, his desperation grew.
That was power through suffering.
But I didn’t want it.
I just wanted my freedom. I didn’t know where I would go when I finally escaped Cabot Vineyard, but my mission hadn’t changed. My father was in prison for something he didn’t do. If Connor didn’t put him there, and Georgia was lying about Devlin, then the person who did was still out there. I had to save myself so I could save the only person in the world I might actually be able to trust.
I wanted to trust Devlin. There was just a lot of confusion after everything I heard and the lies I was fed. I needed to see him again and look in his eyes--I needed to know the truth. To unravel that, I had to find a way to unravel my wrists from my confines again--no matter how much it hurt--no matter how much flesh it cost--the price was mine to pay.
“Come on, Violet… You escaped from this once…” I muttered out loud to myself as I squirmed against the ropes.
The ropes were tighter than they were the first time. Connor made sure of it. The knots didn’t have any give. All I managed to do was hurt myself even more, to the point that I soaked the blindfold with my tears. I wondered how long it would be before I couldn’t cry anymore--before I had another taste of water--before I actually got food.
I can’t think about that. Freedom… That’s all I should be focused on.
I struggled against the ropes until all of the fight was gone from my body and exhaustion forced me to sleep. I don’t know how long I was out, but a noise startled me back to consciousness. The door was open. Someone was in the room with me--they were walking--but their footsteps weren’t as heavy as Connor’s. There was a click--almost like a heeled shoe on the wooden floor.
“Is…” I let out a gasp as I sucked in oxygen. “Is someone there.”
“Yes.” A woman’s voice echoed in the room and I felt nails along the bottom of my blindfold. “Damn, that boy tied it tight didn’t he? I guess he’s worn enough of them.”
The blindfold was ripped away and the light blinded me just like it did when I first saw the sun after days of being suspended from the ropes. I blinked a couple of times until the image of a rather gorgeous woman came into focus. I didn’t recognize her--she looked to be in her mid-forties and she was shorter than me but she had a stern expression on her face that made her look rather imposing.
“Who…” I tried to salivate my lips because they started to crack. “Who are you?”
“You don’t recognize me?” She tilted her head and seemed rather intrigued--then she started to inspect my body. “It’s a shame you had to be whipped--that’s going to cost me a lot of money. I did give him permission to do it if you disobeyed him though--good girls have to be obedient, even if they aren’t owned by the one who tells them what to do.”
“What?” I shook my head in confusion. “Who are you? Do you know Connor?”
“I know a lot of people.” Her fingernail pressed into one of the spots where I got my hardest lash from Connor’s switch. “Yep, that’s definitely going to cost me. My son will be very disappointed that his prized possession has been damaged.”
“Son?” A startling realization shot through me. “Winter? Winter Windsor?”
“Ah, yes.” She sighed. “You do know me. I was a Windsor about four husbands and twenty-five lovers ago. I go by my maiden name now--the one that has always belonged to me.”
“Winter, please! Please let me go!” I pulled on the ropes.
“Insolent child, Connor was right!” Her words snapped off her lips and she walked around to grab my jaw. “You have no fucking respect for anyone. My son fucked you, so you could at least have the decency to call me Ms. Sloane.”
“I… I didn’t know.” I grimaced as she tightened her grip on my jaw.
“You don’t know a lot of things, do you child?” She shook her head.
I tried to put the pieces together in my head. Winter knew Connor. She knew I was being held prisoner. Devlin’s own mother? She was involved in it--somehow. I knew she didn’t have any love for my family--no Windsor, or former Windsor in her case, had liked the Cabots since the war started. Devlin was the first one to cross enemy lines. Still, it was a long way between not liking my family and imprisoning me.
“I can’t believe he would pay so much money for you.” Winter let go of my chin and walked around me--digging her nails into the marks left by Connor’s switch. “Windsors and their Cabot whores--a tale as old as the bitterness between our families.”
I wanted to say something--to ask what she meant--but there was a noise outside. Another car. She didn’t seem alarmed by the arrival, so I assumed no rescuer was going to burst into the shed. My expectation was met when the figure of Connor appeared at the doorway.
“You shouldn’t be here!” He walked with a quickness in his step and I could tell he was addressing Winter.
“I will do whatever the hell I want, and you will not address me with that tone.” Winter’s snap towards Connor had more viciousness than the one that addressed me.
“I’m sorry, Mistress.” Connor stopped dead in his tracks, and then he--dropped down to his knees like a scolded dog that had been put in his place. “Please forgive me.”
“You’ll apologize the right way later.” She walked over to him and nudged his hand with the heel of her shoe. “Get on your feet.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor immediately stood but he kept his head bowed and his shoulders slumped forward.
“You whipped her…” Winter pulled her hand back and suddenly delivered a slap to Connor’s face--he didn’t flinch--or even move.
“She disobeyed me, Mistress. You gave me permission to punish her…” Connor’s tone was so low I barely heard him.
“Did you fuck her?” Winter grabbed Connor’s jaw the same way that she did mine.
“No, Mistress.” He whimpered. “She didn’t sign the contract.”
“Good boy.” She let go of his jaw and patted his face. “Maybe you’ll get a nice reward later tonight.”
“Thank you, Mistress.” Connor nodded.
I couldn’t even fathom what I was witnessing. Connor--the cruelty--the malice. He was like a puppy in front of Winter, a woman smaller than me. He was docile and totally submissive. He called her Mistress. What kind of twisted shit was my sister’s husband into? He was so vulgar and brutal with me, yet he had no backbone when he was in her presence? She commanded
him like a mother would a child.
“This little Cabot whore...” Winter turned back towards me. “Devlin has offered one hundred million dollars to get her back.”
“What?” I blinked in surprise.
Devlin wasn’t even trying to sell me for that much. What is going on here?
“Mistress, but…” Connor seemed to get some rigidness in his tone for the first time since his arrival. “You promised she would be mine if I helped you…”
“Things have changed!” She snapped her head towards him and all of the rigidness melted.
“Yes, Mistress…” He looked absolutely defeated.
“Devlin will have to sell part of his company to come up with that kind of money, which means he’s going to lose everything he’s worked for.” A sick looking smile formed on Winter’s lips. “All for a piece of Cabot pussy--so fucking pathetic.”
“Whatever you wish, Mistress.” The defeat seemed to fully settle on Connor’s brow and his lips trembled. “I live to serve you.”
“Don’t I always take care of you, boy?” Winter’s tone softened. “Who has been there for you since the beginning?”
“You--you have, Mistress.” Connor’s tremble spread to his arms and even to his legs.
“And you would do anything for me, wouldn’t you?” Her tone got so soft she was practically purring.
“Yes, Mistress…” He continued to tremble but he nodded.
“I gave you one Cabot whore, didn’t I?” She tilted her head slightly.
“You did, Mistress.” He nodded again.
My sister? Winter… No, my father only let them date because Connor’s father was one of his biggest investors…
“But she wasn’t good enough, was she?” Winter put her hand on Connor’s face and lightly stroked his lips until he kissed it. “You wanted the pure, untouched little Violet, didn’t you?”
“I did, Mistress.” Connor sucked air into his lungs.
“She’s already been taken, boy. Devlin fucked her before you had a chance--because you were too weak to take what you wanted when she was still pure.” Winter pulled her hand away.
“I can’t, Mistress--I couldn’t.” Connor swallowed hard and I saw the edge of his eyes get wet.
He’s about to start crying? Jesus Christ. What in actual hell is going on here?
“No, because you can only take what you’ve been given--what belongs to you.” Winter walked back to me. “And you’ve never given yourself to him, have you whore?”
I didn’t respond. I stared in the eyes of the woman who was obviously responsible for so much in my life. Was I staring into the eyes of the woman who put my father in prison? Was it Winter all along? I had no idea why, but things were getting clearer--and leaving me with more questions I was afraid to ask than answers.
“Answer her!” Connor’s back stiffened and he walked towards me with anger in his eyes--like he was offended that I held my tongue.
“Now, now.” Winter put her hand on Connor’s chest and he halted. “She can choose to answer or not. If she doesn’t start talking we’ll have to whip her again--and that will cost me even more money.”
It would be senseless to stand my ground here--the more she talks, the more I might learn about everything that has happened to me.
“No, Ms. Sloane…” I tried to keep my voice steady and calm. “I haven’t given myself to him.”
“But he wants you--you see that, don’t you?” Winter reached down and grabbed Connor’s belt. “Close your eyes, boy.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor nodded and obeyed.
“He’s such a good boy.” Winter smiled and started unfastening his belt. “Just watch how hard he gets when he imagines that you belong to him. Think about it, boy. Show her how much you want to own those soft, delicate curves.”
“Y-yes Mistress.” Connor shuddered as Winter unfastened his pants. “I do want her--really bad.”
“It doesn’t even matter if Devlin has touched her, does it?” Winter pulled Connor’s cock out and started stroking it.
“No, Mistress…” He shook his head and moaned.
“Do you see, Violet?” Winter winked at me. “See how nice and hard he would be for you. If you give yourself to him, he will make every moment of your life such sweet suffering.”
“Oh god…” Connor tensed up and immediately started to ejaculate on Winter’s hand.
“He’s a little useless to me, as you can probably tell.” She pulled her hand away and held it up. Connor opened his eyes and began to lick his cum off. “I need a man that can last more than a few seconds when I give them what they want.”
“You’re both disgusting!” I tugged on the ropes and nearly threw up as I watched him clean her hand.
“Don’t talk to her like that!” Connor immediately switched from docile to snarling.
“I can handle the whore. Get on your knees, boy.” Winter slapped him. “Clean the rest of your mess off the floor while I have a chat with the whore.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor dropped to his knees and pressed his tongue to the dirty, dusty floor where his seed had spilled.
If I had anything in my stomach to throw up, I would not be able to keep it down--this is revolting.
“Violet, Violet, Violet--whore--Cabot.” Winter shook her head. “The pussy that sank an empire--two empires--The Cabots and the Windsors it seems.”
“I’m not responsible and you know it.” I narrowed my eyes, but kept my tone steady--I really didn’t want to incur the wrath of a psychopathic bitch, especially after what I witnessed between the two of them.
“Your existence is a fucking curse.” Winter moved closer to me. “But, I’m going to give you a chance to be a whore for the right reasons instead of the wrong ones. Maybe you have enough of your father in you to make a single good decision in your life.”
“What are you talking about?” I tensed up.
“We have two options here.” Winter held up both hands. “You could let Devlin sacrifice everything he’s worked for to get you back--that’s the selfish option. The option a true Cabot whore would take.”
“And the other one?” I felt a lump rising up in my throat but I tried to swallow it.
“The honorable option.” Winter raised that hand higher. “Sign Connor’s contract, let him spread your legs and, let’s face it--probably come on you instead of in you, as often as he wants.”
“I’ll never sign another contract.” I shook my head defiantly.
“It won’t be that bad with Connor.” Winter glanced at him. “Yes, he’ll probably whip you regularly, but Devlin’s going to do that too--it’s basically the same thing.”
“No, it isn’t.” My stomach tried to hurl again as I thought about being touched by Connor.
“If I was able to pretend to be a naughty little girl every night so Dominic Windsor could punish me until he decided which hole to fuck, I’m sure you can get used to letting Connor come on your tongue before you can even suck his dick.” She shrugged. “We do what we have to.”
“I’m not doing that!” I shook my head with more ferocity.
“So that is your choice?” She tilted her head. “You’re going to be Devlin’s whore--on the smoldering remains of everything he used to own before he sacrificed it all for you?”
I hesitated instead of responding. What she said finally began to sink in. Devlin was willing to sell off his company--the one thing that freed him from his father--to get me back. There was no way he had any intention of actually selling me if he was willing to do that. He really did care about me--the lies were from Georgia, via Connor--and those obviously came from Winter. If she was behind everything that happened, I needed to stall.
“Can I have time to think about this?” I looked down.
“No!” She grabbed my jaw and lifted my head until I was staring into her eyes. “Your answer--now. Otherwise I will tell Connor to go find us a switch that will break your skin instead of breaking on it.”
My time had run
out. Stalling wasn’t an option. I couldn’t take another whipping. I would be left with the same options when it was over. Making a choice would remove the ropes. That was precious time to recover. Time to plan my escape again. I knew what I had to do.
“Fine.” I nodded. “I’ll sign it--I’ll sign Connor’s contract.”
“Interesting.” Winter tilted her head. “Maybe I underestimated you…”
“She’s mine!” Connor hopped to his feet.
“On your knees!” Winter snapped at him and for the first time since she arrived, I saw reluctance in his eyes.
“Yes, Mistress…” The words seemed to grind between his teeth.
I hope I didn’t just make the worst decision of my life, but I can’t let Devlin lose everything--I have to find a way to get out of this myself--and find out as much as I can about Winter’s involvement in the process.
Nine
Devlin
"I don't give a shit what you have to do. Just get it done." I glared at Jasper from across the room, tapping my fingers impatiently against the rich wood of my desk. "Is that understood?"
"Yes, Sir." His tone was clipped, and he was obviously not in agreement with me. But I didn't give a shit. "I'll liquidate enough stock in your company to cover the hundred million, Sir. Are you sure that's what you want?"
"Oh, I'm certain." I stared him down, willing him to object, but he was wise enough to keep his mouth shut.
Jasper turned on his feet, ready to leave the room, and as he was about to leave, he turned around to look at me over his shoulder.
"For the record, Sir..." He hesitated, then finally spat out his true thoughts on the matter. "I think you're making a terrible mistake."
"For the record, Jasper," I growled in response. "I don't give a shit what you think."
He sighed before giving me a curt nod and shutting the door on his way out. I was left alone with my thoughts.
I disagreed with Jasper, obviously. I doubted he knew how important Violet was to me, had always been to me. He couldn't possibly understand that I had to get her back... no matter what the cost was.
Devil’s Sinner: Fallen Dynasty Book 3 Page 5