Chapter 1
Alisa
I was in a dark room, the concrete floors cold on my bare feet. Tugging on the handcuffs holding my wrists to the chair, I looked at Jason pleadingly. Pain exploded in my right cheek as Emilia, Jason’s sister backhanded me.
“Where the fuck is she?”
Her voice was dark and full of anger. Tears filled my eyes as I wished I could take back what I did. I didn’t love Jaxson, and this marriage contract would have been better if it was null and void.
So why did I tell my daddy about her?
Because she was getting close to Jason. A dark voice whispered.
The cold, dark voice wasn’t foreign to me. It was another part of me, one I kept buried.
Looking at the Carters, I realized it must be a trait you’re born with, being family to the coldest of the cold. People willing to kill like it was a part of the everyday normal. It must be a hereditary thing. Or was it something you grew with?
“I don’t know.”
I looked at Jason again begging him with my eyes. Please make it stop. Save me like you saved her.
“I don’t believe you.”
Jaxson’s dark voice was void of any kind of mercy. A shiver raced along my spine. Would he kill me to get out of this contract?
“I really don’t know.”
Another hit to the face, this time to my left cheek and my lip pulsed as it split from the pressure. Blood dribbled down my chin. Something deep in my chest pinched when I realized the man I loved wasn’t going to save me.
“You told your father. Why?”
Looking to Jason again, I kept my eyes trained on his as I spilled the words, like water pouring from a faucet.
“I was angry. I wanted what you had.”
“I know you don’t care for me, Alisa.”
Forcing my eyes on Jaxson, I snarled.
“It was never about you! Don’t you get that?”
His eyes turned to slits.
“Where the fuck is Sarah?”
“I told you already. I don’t know.”
Jaxson’s fingers bit into my chin as he squeezed it.
“I’ll kill you, Alisa.”
“I’m already dead inside.”
I whispered the words, but Jaxson heard me. He knew what I meant. Jason was the one thing I would never be able to have. He was the star in the sky that I wished upon, but I knew I would never be able to reach.
“If I could take back what I did, I would.”
He was staring at me, searching deeper. I could see it. He knew how I felt for his brother. He could also see all the things that I wished to keep locked behind a door. I closed my eyes as Jaxson straightened, giving a nod to Emilia.
“Please don’t make me hurt you more.”
Emilia’s voice was tinged with sadness, but I could see the determination in her eyes. I shook my head, telling her I didn’t know anything.
“Gun please.”
“Emilia darlin we need her alive.”
“I’m sorry for this. I really am. But I finally have a family, and I don’t think you understand how important that is.”
“Sweetheart…”
“Don’t tell me no, Jaxson.”
“No, I can’t let you do this.”
“You can’t make me not do it either.”
“Beau take the gun from her before she kills the woman Jason loves.”
“Why didn’t you stop me! You should have told me she meant something to you.” Emilia screamed at him.
“This needed to happen.”
Jason sounded calm.
“You still should have told me.” Emilia shouted again.
Emilia turned back to me.
“I’m really sorry about all of this. Don’t hold my dumb brother responsible.”
She sounded sad when I didn’t say anything. She continued, “If I could take it all back, I would.”
Again, I stayed silent.
“We can be friends, right?”
I wasn’t so sure about that and as I opened my mouth to say just that, her fist connected with my chest and the air expelled from my lungs in a rush. I wanted to look at Jason again, but I hurt from him avoiding my eye, it was more painful than anything they could ever do to me.
She kept hitting me, and I kept telling them I knew nothing. I honestly didn’t. Another hit to the head had it swinging to the side and blood filling my mouth. Spitting it onto the floor, I let my memories surface.
The building was empty, but I could hear her screams. My father was angry with my mother. He said this was a special place for those who needed to be taught a lesson. I was forced to sit in a chair.
The room was cold, and I could hear more pain filled screams and begging coming from the only room in the building. I knew what he was doing. Deep inside I knew he was killing her.
I knew if I weren’t a good girl I would find myself here, but not in this chair. I would be in his favorite room. The place he took the people foolish enough to piss him off.
A sob ripped from my throat.
“There may be a place he would have taken her.”
I told them what I remembered of its location. I watched as Emilia and Jaxson left the room. Jason stood there looking at my feet. I expected him to say something, anything really.
But his silence through this whole ordeal already spoke volumes. He didn’t love me the way I loved him. He slowly released my wrists from the cuffs. The red lines where the handcuffs rubbed my skin stung.
Before I could stand, he swung me up into his arms. And for a moment I closed my eyes and let the fairytale of a better time and place wash over me. I wanted to be one of those princesses who got her prince.
I was never going to have a prince. The prince I wanted just let them beat me for information, confirming just how little he cared for me. Those few warm fuzzy feelings I had a moment ago dissipated quickly.
His long stride had us in front of his bedroom door, and before I could protest, I was in it and on his bed. I struggled to sit up, but his hand pressed me to the bed. Raising my hand, I tried to slap his face, but he caught it easily.
Then I was cuffed to his bed. I was, once again, handcuffed to a piece of furniture by a Carter. I wanted to scream at him, but he went quickly out the door and closed it behind him. As the lock engaged, I let the tears fall.