Another morning spent with Miriam almost has me wishing for the tortures of the training room. Instead, I learn all about Evan Roberts—his likes and dislikes, how he prefers his steak, who his parents are, what his siblings do, and how to be the best sex slave to him I can be.

Once she’s done with me, I head to the dining room and take care to sit away from the other Maidens. No one else needs to suffer because of me. I’m halfway through what Abigail calls a “salad”—just lettuce with carrots and no dressing—when Grace walks in and points at me.

Damn. I can’t seem to catch a break. I rise and follow her into the hallway.

“Go dress in your room. The senator has returned early and is here to claim you.”

I must have misheard. That’s the only explanation. “That’s not right.”

“Go.” She crosses her arms over her stomach, a feline smile on her lips. “He’ll want to fuck you as soon as he gets his hands on you, I’m sure. There’ll be so much blood.” She claps like she just heard a juicy secret.

My stomach drops as reality caves in around me. “It’s only Saturday. He’s not supposed to be here till—”

“Go change.” She bites out the words and shoves me toward the dormitories.

Hot tears well in my eyes as I walk down the corridor. It’s over. My search for Georgia, my time with Adam. All over, and nothing to stop it.

“Hurry up.” Grace stands at the dormitory entrance. “I can’t wait to be rid of you.”

Tears overflow and run down my cheeks as I sag against my door. No one can save me from this—not Adam and not me. I’m trapped. I have no doubt Evan has some horrible things planned for me the second he gets me alone.

Everything Adam planned for Tuesday—even if he goes through with it, it’ll be too late for me. A wail rockets up from my lungs, and I press my forehead against the door.

“While this is entertaining, you’re wasting my time.” Grace slams her baton into the door next to my head. “Go.”

I turn and scream at her. “Can you just be a human for two fucking seconds?”

She jabs the baton into my stomach, and I double over.

“Take that as a little parting gift from me to you, you albino piece of trash,” she hisses next to my ear, then shoves me against the door. “Go, before I hit you again.”

I straighten up, the pain in my gut radiating through my abdomen. Coughing, I turn the knob and hobble away from her, closing the door behind me.

My eyes widen as Adam strides from the bathroom with a wooden chair in his hand and flips the lock over.

“What’s wrong?” He furrows his brow. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I…” I straighten, the pain lessening as my confusion increases. “What are you doing?”

He wedges the chair under the door handle. “On the bed. Fast.”

“What’s going on? Grace said—” My throat closes up, a sob threatening, but I force the words out. “She said the senator is here for me.”

“I’ve thought all night—all fucking night—of some way out of this. I only found one. This is my only choice.” His steely determination tells me it’s a bad choice, the outcomes unimaginable.

I have to stop this. All of it. My mind screams that there has to be some other way, but my heart sinks deeper into despair. “Adam.”

“Take the dress off.” He strips his shirt over his head.

“Adam.” I press my hand to his warm chest. “What are you doing?”

“Saving you.” He unfastens his belt and his jeans. “Hurry.”

Everything becomes clear. He wants to make it official, to claim me and spoil me for any other man. That’s how this fucked up world works—my only worth between my thighs—and he’s playing the only card he has left. Ruining me to save me.

The thing is, he already ruined me for anyone else the moment he chose me at the bonfire.

“If you do this, what will happen to you?” I pull my dress over my head and toss it to the floor.

He shucks his jeans, his cock hard and ready. “I don’t care. I just need them to see it, to know I’ve taken it.”

“It was always yours.” I kiss him, and he lifts me up and carries me to the bed. His mouth is rough, the urgency making him even more aggressive. I melt for him even now—even when what we’re about to do may be a death sentence for both of us.

He prowls between my legs and takes a handful of my hair. “This is going to hurt.”

“Wait.” I shake my head. “What will they do to you? You have to tell me.”

“I don’t know.” He kisses me again, hard and full of so much emotion that I’m overwhelmed and cling to him.

I force my mouth away from his. “I don’t want to do this if it means they’ll kill you. Will they?”

“I’d rather die than let you go to him.” He presses his forehead to mine. “He bragged about what he intends for you. I heard every word the last time he was here. I won’t let you go through that.”

“Why won’t you answer me? Will they kill you?” I struggle in his hold. “This can’t be the only choice. There must be some other way.”

“There isn’t, little lamb. Do you trust me?” He kisses me again, his tongue asserting ownership.

When he lets up, I breathe out a yes. “But I don’t want you to—”

“I’m sorry.” He slaps a hand over my mouth and thrusts hard, seating himself deep inside me without warning.

His palm catches my cry, and he thrusts hard again. Searing heat cuts through me, and I know he’s drawn blood. Rough and hard, he makes me his. No one could miss what’s going on, could mistake what we’re doing for anything other than what it is—a brutal claiming.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers again and releases his hold on my mouth.

I kiss him through my tears and wrap my arms around his neck. He slows his harsh pace, loving me instead of fucking me. I relax, the pain fading as he moves in and out, hypnotic like the ocean. My hips surge up to his rhythm, meeting him stroke for stroke.

Even now, he can twist me until I’m drawn tight, my body needing a release that only he can give. He picks up his pace as someone starts beating on the door.

Grace yells his name.

“Ignore that. Look at me. Only me.” He slides his hand between us and strokes my clit.

I hold eye contact, our communion deeper than it ever has been. Two souls entwined around each other as we leap over the edge.

More voices add to Grace’s, men this time, and someone starts pounding against the door so hard the light overhead flickers.

“Only me, Delilah.” He kisses me again. “Only me.”

“Emily.” I stroke a hand down his cheek as my body begins to let go. “Call me Emily.”

“My Emily.” He strokes me faster, and I fall, my body clenching around him as I call out his name. He thrusts deep and grunts, masculine and perfect as his cock kicks inside me, coating me with him. My orgasm rolls over and over, and he kisses me again.

“I love you, Emily,” he whispers against my lips. “Please remember that I love you, no matter what happens.”

He doesn’t give me a chance to say it back, just takes my lips in a searing kiss, and keeps kissing me until the door splinters and the Protectors rush in.

We only break contact when they yank him off me and drag him away. I scream and try to reach for him, but a Protector throws me on the bed and backhands me. The pain shocks me, and I get my last glimpse of Adam through watery eyes.

“Don’t move, slut.” The Protector glowers at me with cruel eyes as the rest of them follow Adam into the main hall.

He doesn’t yell, even when I hear impacts of skin on skin. They’re hurting him, maybe killing him.

“Stop!” I try to dart past the Protector again, but he grabs me by the hair and shoves me face first onto the bed.

“I may as well have a go since you’re already ruined.” His hot breath burns my neck and I struggle, fighting against his hold on my hair.

“Get off me!”

A pained groan sounds from the hall, and I know in my bones that it’s Adam.

“Stay still, whore.” The Protector shoves me down harder and tries to push my knees apart.

“That’s enough!” Chastity’s voice breaks through the noise.

“Bitch, you don’t tell me when it’s enough.” The Protector lets me go and grabs Chastity, slamming her against the wall. “Or do you want the same treatment as this whore over here?”

“Zion!” The Prophet’s voice booms through the room, and Zion releases Chastity.

“Sir?”

“Bring the girl to the house.” He points at me.

“Yes, sir.”

“Do not touch her, understand? There may still be some value in her.” He grimaces at me, then turns to the beating in the hall. “Take him to the Rectory.”

“Yes, sir.”

Chastity darts away from the wall and picks up my dress, then helps me get it on. Zion eyes us, but waits outside the room.

“What’s going to happen?” My voice is small and shaky, and I try to get a glimpse of what’s going on in the hall. There’s too many bodies blocking my view.

Chastity’s fingers tremble as she tucks my hair behind my ears. “I don’t know.”

“Will he kill Adam?” I can’t stop the sob that bursts out on his name.

“Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it.” She kisses my forehead. “We’re on the verge of something. I can feel it.”

“What do you mean?”

“You have friends, Delilah. Remember that.” She turns me and guides me into the hall toward Zion. “She’s ready.”

I cover my mouth when I see the blood on the floor, and the marks showing where they dragged him away.

“Come on.” Zion grabs my elbow and hauls me to the rear door.

Another Protector already holds it open for us, and Zion walks me through and shoves me into the passenger seat of a golf cart. The sun is bright overhead, but no warmth reaches me. I peer through the trees for any sign of Adam, but he’s gone, taken to the same pit where I suffered. Zion speeds up the hill and through the compound to the main house. The Prophet is already walking in as we drive up.

“Out.” He walks around and pulls me with him into the house and up the steps.

He jerks his chin at the Prophet’s bodyguard. “Where do you want her?”

He points to the same sitting room with the piano. “There.”

Shouting echoes through the two-story foyer as Zion shoves me into the sitting room and slams the door. I collapse on the nearest couch and let my tears flow. There’s no end to them. I berate myself, wondering if I could have stopped Adam, if I could have found some other way. But nothing comes to mind, no matter how hard I try. Maybe I should have just accepted my fate and gone with the senator.

I sob into the arm of the sofa. You’re weak, Emily. So fucking weak. You let him sacrifice himself for you. And now they’re going to kill him. I wish I could tell the voice to shut up, but I’m too afraid it’s all true.

The door bursts open, and I push back into the arm of the sofa.

Evan rushes toward me, his face red.

“No!” I try to get up, but he slams me back down and holds me by my throat.

“Whore!” he shouts in my face and lifts my dress with his other hand.

I scratch him as he presses his hand between my thighs then yanks it back and stands.

His fingers come away pink and wet. He sniffs them, then scowls and pulls out a handkerchief, wiping his hand clean, then tossing the fabric on the floor. “You would have been the wife of a senator. Everything you ever wanted, I would have given you.” He spits at my feet. “Now you’re just a piece of trash.”

The Prophet rushes in behind him. “Now, Evan. I think you’ve got the wrong idea. My son forced her. She would never have agreed to—”

“I don’t give a shit how he did it,” he barks. “He fucked her right out from under me. Took her virginity when I was signing the goddamn check.”

The Prophet adopts an equitable tone. “Oh, come now, Evan. That doesn’t mean you can’t have her.”

“She came for him.” He spits again, his saliva slapping against the shiny wood floor next to my feet. “I don’t buy damaged goods.”

“Of course you do.” The Prophet moves closer, his shrewd eyes assessing Evan. “You just don’t pay full price.” He hovers even nearer. “Look at her, Evan. Just look. Where will you ever find another one like her? You won’t. She’s still ready for whatever you want, ready to be bred. Nothing will come of this one violation; she’s on the injections. For your purposes, she’s still very much intact.”

Evan’s color is fading back to normal, but rage still burns in his eyes. “I’m not making any decisions today. I’m leaving.”

“Evan, please—”

He strides past the Prophet. “I’ve been insulted enough for one day. I need to cool off.”

The Prophet follows him into the foyer, their voices fading. “Might I send over some ladies from the Chapel to ease you?”

More footsteps approach, and I shrink back against the couch and pull my knees to my chest.

Noah stops in the doorway, his face cast in shadow as he watches me. He sighs, the sound almost as heavy as my guilt. “I hope you were worth it.”