Devil's Sinner

Devil’s Sinner
Contents
About the book
1. Devlin
2. Violet
3. Devlin
4. Violet
5. Devlin
6. Violet
7. Devlin
8. Violet
9. Devlin
10. Violet
11. Devlin
12. Violet
13. Devlin
14. Violet
15. Devlin
Also by Kelli Callahan
Also by Isabella Starling
About Kelli Callahan

About Isabella Starling
Donation of $10 for downloads during next 31 days
About the book

Bestselling authors Kelli Callahan and Isabella Starling present a forbidden dark
romance series following the twisted, luxurious lives of the elite.
My princess has been stolen.
Taken away from me, ripped from my arms by a man she was supposed to trust.
I won’t leave a stone unturned in my search for Violet Cabot. I’ll use every
connection I have. Every cent I’ve made. I’ll kill if I have to. I’m getting her back.
But the road to getting Violet back is paved with secrets… I’m about to uncover the
real reason why we can’t be together.
And it might just be the thing that breaks us, forever.
Devil’s Sinner is the third book following Devlin Windsor and Violet Cabot.
Their story begins in Devil’s Captive and continues in Devil's Plaything.
Devlin
Two days without her,and my mind was fucked.
I could not think of anything other than her. Violet Cabot, my princess, stolen from
right under my nose. I couldn't believe she was gone. I swore I'd get her back, and I'd
put Jasper on the job, too, trying to make sure my princess was returned home safe
and sound.
That night was a bad one. I'd downed Negroni after Negroni, a drink I usually saved
for tough times when I didn't know how to deal with shit. The numbing taste of
alcohol had made my thoughts frantic and frayed my patience. I was waiting for
Jasper, strong fingers tapping against the solid wood of my desk, eyes trained on the
door. Come on, man. Give me some fucking good news for once.
I watched the entrance to the room for what seemed like an eternity until finally, there
was a knock, and I gruffly ordered the intruder to come in.
Jasper appeared in the doorframe, and from his body language alone I knew whatever
he had to tell me wasn't going to be good news. I grit my teeth together, motioning for
him to come inside the room. He hesitated before softly closing the door behind him.
"What is it?" I barked, barely able to hold back my anger, even though Jasper wasn't
to blame for it. "What did you find out?"
"I'm afraid there's nothing, Sir. We've turned every stone, asked everyone what they
knew. But she's gone, and there's no trace left of her." Jasper shifted his weight from
one foot to another. He'd rarely seen me this angry, and I knew he was worried about
my reaction - and for good reason.
I stood up calmly, buttoning the jacket of my suit. "Leave. Now."
"But Sir, let's..."
"No," I gritted out. "Get the fuck out right now."
He looked like he was about to say something else, but my eyes must have said it all.
Jasper gave me a curt nod before leaving the room, and I took a deep breath before
sweeping off everything on my desk with a swift motion of my right hand. Calmly, I
regarded the mess on the floor. Important papers soaked in whiskey. Glass shards
cutting into my carpet. None of it mattered, and I struggled to care about any of it.
Finally, I was starting to realize Violet was like a light in my life, and without her, I
couldn't find a purpose. She was the reason I kept going all those years. Owning her,
keeping her - those were my goals, and having her as my possession made me more
fulfilled than anything else before her. And now, I was fucking lost. Roaming the
house by myself, racking my brains with where she was... It was a fucking nightmare
come to life.
I felt rage running through my veins, and for once, I wanted to give in. I'd spent a
lifetime holding back my anger, swallowing the bitter truth, but now I was fucking
done.
Walking over to the wall, I grabbed the bookshelf. It rattled, the accounting books
starting to fall out and fanning out on the floor. I slammed it against the floor. The
sound was deafening, the books falling all over the fucking place. I wanted to fucking
kill someone, but until I found out who had taken Violet, I'd have to make do with
destroying objects.
But once I found the bastard that did this... they were going to fucking pay for it.
In blood.
***
When I arrived home the day Violet disappeared, Belle was waiting in the front hall,
deathly pale and shaking with fear.
"Who was that in the driveway?" I demanded, locking my eyes with the maid. "We
were not expecting guests, were we?"
"I-I d-don't know, Sir," she cried out, already panicking. "But Violet, she's... she
threw up. Please, come with me. Let me show you what happened."
Worry tore at me as I followed the maid through the house, up the stairs and into
Violet's room. There was nothing there, save for the whisper of her perfume in the air.
"Where is she?" I turned to face Belle. "Where is Violet?"
"I d-don't know," she managed.
"What do you mean you don't know? Aren't you in charge of her when I'm away?
What the fuck do I pay you for, Belle?"
"I just looked a-away for a second." She palms her apron, worried eyes afraid to look
back into mine and instead flitting across the room. "She just disappeared."
"Call Jasper." My voice was calm and collected, though it was the opposite of what I
felt. "Tell him to bring five others, to help me search for her. And alert the staff. Tell
them to fucking tear the house apart if they have to. I want you to check every
goddamn nook and cranny until you find her, Belle. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Sir." Her panic seemed to have subsided, replaced with steely determination not
to disappoint me again. "I'm on it."
I watched her leave, taking a deep breath to steady myself before I took off.
I spent the next few hours with my staff searching for Violet. We didn't find her.
As minutes passed and turned into hours, my rage and worry grew until they
overwhelmed me. Violet was well and truly gone. My men, the maids, Jasper, and
even I had left no stone unturned in our efforts to find her. But Violet had vanished,
not leaving a single trace behind.
I called Belle to my study again, and she fidgeted with her apron sitting on the
armchair in front of my desk while I paced the room.
"There's nothing else you remember?" I demanded. "She didn't say she wanted to go
somewhere?"
"No, Sir," she shook her head firmly. "Nothing like that. Oh, but..." She flushed,
looking away. "Oh, it's nothing."
"What is it?" I glared at her, and she fearfully looked away. I knelt down next to her,
taking her hands in mine. "Belle, you have to tell me everything you know. I need to
find her. Do you understand how important this is to me? She could be in danger."
"Danger?" she repeated, nipping at her bottom lip with her teeth. "Well, Miss Violet
did have a visitor today..."
"Who?" Despite trying to reign in my feelings, I barked the question out loud. "Who
was the visitor, Belle?"
"Your secretary, Sir. Sally-Mae."
It took me twenty-minutes to arrive to my father's office, and fifteen seconds to pin

Sally-Mae against the wall and threaten her.
"My dear boy!" My father raised his arms, chuckling in an effort to calm me down.
"What on earth is this about?"
"Why don't you ask your precious little plaything," I hissed, grabbing Sally-Mae by
the shoulders. I wasn't rough, but it still made her whimper in fear. "Tell me why you
were visiting Violet. Now."
"I-I..." She's struggling to speak, choking on her own words, and I don't give a shit. If
she had anything to do with Violet's disappearance she's as good as fucking done in
this city. I'll make sure she's unemployable. Undateable. I'll make sure her life is
fucking over.
"Answer me!" I demanded, making her cry out in fear.
"Devlin!" My father had turned on his strict fatherly voice, and he approached me,
laying a firm hand on my shoulder. Big fucking mistake, old man. "You need to calm
down, son."
"I don't need to do anything," I told him. "My property is missing. Either you both
answer my questions or I'm calling the fucking cops."
"You know that won't do you any good," my father smirked. He's fucking right. Half
the police force in the city worked for my father. There's no way they were going to
get him in trouble. Not when his money was paying their bills. "Now, calmly tell us
what happened. Sally-Mae, you can go."
"You're not going anywhere," I snarled at her as she tried to sneak past me, and she
stood frozen to the spot, bottom lip wobbling. "Not until you tell me why you were at
my house earlier."
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk to my employees that way," my father said calmly.
"Your employees?" I let out a bitter laugh. "Got a new name for your little sluts,
huh?"
"You're quick to judge," he bit back. "Aren't you doing the same thing?"
"Just... shut the fuck up." I massaged my temples, glaring from one of them to the
other. "Where's Violet?"
"I don't know where your newest plaything is," father sighed. "But you were always
so careless with your toys, Devlin... I do wonder if she wandered off herself. Probably
lack of attention."
"Watch your mouth," I told him.
"No, son," he said firmly. "I suggest you watch yours. Now, I'd recommend leaving
my office right. The. Fuck. Now. Before I call security."
I glared at him, hating him with every fibre of my being. I saw him press the panic
button under his desk earlier, and I knew guards were on their way. But I still had
enough time to take a step forward, jamming my pointer finger into his chest.
"If I find out you had anything to do with this, so help me God, I will fucking destroy
you," I told him in a low growl.
"I'd like to see you try." My father clicked his fingers and the room filled with guards.
"Please escort my son off the premises, gentlemen."
I shrugged off one of the thugs who grabbed my shoulder, snarling an insult at the
bastard. "Get the fuck off me, you fool."
"It's best not to fight this," father said calmly. "Just go and they won't rough you up."
"You've messed up royally this time, father," I told him coolly.
"Oh, you're threatening me now?" He chuckled, rubbing his cufflinks. "Finally grown
a pair of balls, have you?"
"The moment I tie you to her disappearance, you're done. So just sit on your ass and
count the minutes you have left, old man. Vengeance is fucking coming." One of the
guards made a grab for me again, but I slapped his hand away. "Don't you dare
fucking touch me. And if any of you got your filthy fucking hands on my girl, consider
yourselves dead."
***
The memory left my mind,and I was no longer in my father's office. Instead, I was
kneeling on the ground with the carnage of my anger surrounding me.
The accounting books were all over the floor. Two bookshelves, overturned. Spilled
booze seeped into my rug while I sat on the hardwood floor with my head in my
hands. I realized somebody was knocking on the door a couple seconds later, making
me wonder how long the visitor had been at it. I'd been lost in my own mind for too
damn long.
"What?" I demanded, and the door opened. Once again, Jasper was standing there, but
this time, his posture was straighter. He did not comment on the state of the room, just
allowed his eyes to wander the mess I'd made before going back to me. "Fuck, tell me
you have good news."
"I might." It was barely anything, yet it still sparked hope that I'd find Violet.
"Tell me." I picked myself up, smoothing my blazer and awaiting Jasper's news.
"She made a call before she left," Jasper went on. "I checked her phone records."
"Who did she call?"
"Her sister."
"Her sister?" I repeated, and instantly, the puzzle pieces clicked into place.
Fuck. That bastard Connor stole her from me.I refused to sell my most prized
possession to him, and this is how the old jackass decided to enact his revenge.
My hands formed fists at my sides and I had to stop myself from snarling out
loud. I'm going to fucking kill Connor for this, and nobody can fucking stop me. I'd
like to see the person who tries.
Connor Peterson is a dead man fucking walking.
Violet
I thoughtDevlin introduced me to pain.
I was wrong.
Connor hit me so hard he knocked me out. Time passed. I had no idea how long. It
felt like days. I woke up with a blindfold over my eyes and suspended by what I
assumed were ropes based on the way they burned my wrists. When I came to terms
with the agony, I realized I was completely naked--exposed in every way.
Pain. Mental and physical pain.
My mind broke down in Devlin’s cage. I accepted the bottom of that despair, because
I believed it was as low as I could possibly go.
I was wrong. True despair was absolute darkness with no way to know what was
going to happen to me. The only thing I knew for sure was that Connor hadn’t taken
what he truly wanted--not yet. I assumed he would, and waiting for that damnation
was worse than the pain I was forced to endure.
Connor lured me into a trap. Did my sister know what he planned to do? Was she
complacent in his plan? Did she help him? I didn’t want to believe she would betray
me like that, but she didn’t believe me when I told her the truth about what he tried to
do to me when I was sixteen. She took his side and pushed me away. Was I a fool to
believe that she was my savior?
Was I wrong about Devlin? I ran because of what Georgia told me about him. Did I
believe a lie? Everything she said sounded so real. I overheard Devlin talking to
someone about a deal to sell me to the highest bidder. That’s exactly what Georgia
said he was trying to do. How would she know if it wasn’t true? What about my
father? Did Devlin really set him up?
All I can do is ask myself questions I can’t answer and assume the worst, because the
worst may be yet to come…
***
It wasimpossible for my body to rest, but the darkness consumed my mind until I
passed out several times. I didn’t know if it was minutes--hours--days. I just knew
that my body ached more every time my eyes tried to open against the blindfold and I
regained what resembled consciousness.
Something was different. There was a breeze and I hadn’t felt that since I woke up
suspended from the ropes. The musty smell that had festered in my nostrils since I
took my first conscious breath had a hint of freshness in it. There was a shimmer of
light around the edge of my blindfold.
“Is…” My throat was so dry that it was almost impossible to speak, but I forced the
raspy words out. “Is someone there?”
“Yes, dear Violet.” It was Connor’s voice, and it made every hair stand on end. “I’m
here.”
I pulled on my ropes. I had done that so many times that my wrists had scabs where
they had bled. It was no use. I didn’t have that much strength when I had all of it.
“Please…” I hated to beg him. I had no choice. “Please let me go.”
“Is that what you want?” I could hear him take a step closer, and then he put a hand
on my hip. “Do you want me to cut these ropes off your wrists?”
“Y-yes…” I try to nod, but my neck and shoulders are so sore my head barely moves.
“Will you fall on your knees and open that sweet mouth for me?” He leaned closer.
“And keep it open until I give you permission to close it?”
My sundered thoughts tried to say yes, because it would mean my torment had come
to an end, but it was so revolting that I couldn’t.
“No…” My lips practically betrayed me when they denied his request.
“Then you must not want to be free…” Connor removed his hand from my hip and
took a step back. “You must not want water, food--clothes. Just think how nice a
warm blanket would feel right now. All you would have to do is give me a warm
place to put my cock.”
“Never!” I snapped my words against my teeth, and it felt like that simple action saps
most of the strength that was left inside me.
“Then you’ll stay here.” He ground out with disdain in his voice. “You’ve only been
here two days. How will you feel after four? Five? A week?”
“Your plan…” I attempted to spit, but there was no saliva in my mouth. “Your plan
is to leave me here until I die?”
“If it comes to that.” His footsteps echoed and I could tell he was walking towards the
door. “Giving your body to me is how you’ll show gratitude--your suffering will end
when you sign your name on another contract--one that voids the one you made with
Devlin. One that makes you mine.”
“How would I even do that?” I asked.
“Call it a breach. He promised to get your father out of prison. He’s not going to
fulfil his end of the bargain--but I will.” The door creaked as he pulled on it.
“I’ll never sign another contract.” I tried to shake my head again with the same futile
result. “I’ll never be owned by anyone again.”
“We’ll see about that, won’t we Violet?” He laughed and then the door slammed
shut. “I believe, in time, that you will learn to call me Master with a lot more
enthusiasm than Devlin ever heard from those lips.”
You’re wrong.
The hint of light that was on the edge of my blindfold disappeared. I was once again
absolute darkness. For how long? I had no idea. If I had only been two days that felt
like an eternity, two more might feel like an actual death sentence.
I couldn’t give in to Connor, no matter how much he tortured me. He hadn’t taken
what he wanted because his intention was to get me to sign a contract.
I made that mistake once.
Never again.
Even if it kills me.
Devlin
That sonof a bitch Peterson wasn't in his office, so his lavish estate was my next stop.
I stood in front of the door, thanking my lucky stars the bastard didn't have security
gates to prevent me from entering his property. I rang the doorbell, once, twice, with
no answer. Finally, I rang it again, this time not letting go until the door flew open.
A frightened maid stood on the other side. "Y-Yes?"
"Connor Peterson," I got out through gritted teeth. "I need to talk to him, now."
"I'm afraid Mr. P-Peterson isn't at home," she managed to get out. "C-Can I take a
message?"
"No need."
A figure appeared behind the maid in the hallway.
She had Violet's beauty, but she was older than her by some years, though she looked
like she could've been my princess' mother. The years had not been kind to Georgia.
Her long, dark hair was lank and thin, unlike my princess' long flowing locks. Her
eyes were dull, the shine in them dimmed. She was the shadow of the woman I'd seen
at the Cabots parties years ago. Her husband had ruined her, and I'd never forgive
myself if he did the same thing to my property.
"What are you doing here, Devlin?" Georgia Peterson spoke clearly, but with an air of
fear surrounding her. I knew something was off the moment I saw her. People didn't
just lose that sparkle in their eyes for nothing, and Georgia was a shell of her former
self. Now it was on me to figure out why, though I had a feeling my suspicions were
correct. And if I was right, Violet was in danger just as much as her sister was.
"I've come to take back what's mine," I muttered as the maid scurried away, leaving
me alone with Georgia who attempted to close the door in my face. Quickly, I
maneuvered my foot in the space between the door and the frame, glaring at the
woman who was trying to prevent me from getting what was mine. "I'd advise you to
let me in, Georgia."
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Her voice was confident, but I detected a slight tremor to
it. What the hell is she afraid of? "Please, Devlin. It would really be the best for all of
us if you just left."
"Like fuck I will." I rattled the handle. "Either you open this door right the fuck now,
or you'd better step aside, because I'm going to break it down."
She hesitated, giving me enough time to ram my shoulder into the door which busted
open, hanging pathetically off the hinges. Georgia shrieked, stumbling back in an
effort to get away from me. Now, she was terrified, and the sick part of my mind was
pleased when she stuttered, "I'm c-calling the cops!"
"No, you're not." I walked inside her home and caught her just as she raised her cell to
her ear. Before it could ring, I grabbed it from her hand and smashed the phone on the
ground, grinding my heel into it. "I told you, Georgia. I'm not letting you get away
with this. With whoring out your own sister. If you don't help me find her, I'm going
to tear this place to shreds looking for her. You got that?"
"What do you want?" she screamed at me, eyes filled with contempt.
"I want Violet." My voice was calm, though I had to resist every urge I had not to
push her aside and keep searching for my woman. "I know you called her. I know you
made her leave. What the hell did you tell her, Georgia? You must've lied to her."
"All I told her was the truth!" Georgia was screaming, her face reddening as she stared
me down. "That you're the one who put our father in jail."
"You don't know what the hell you're talking about. I had nothing to do with that."
"More lies, Devlin?" She laughed bitterly. "At least Violet's safe now, away from you.
She'll never belong to you again."
"That's where you're wrong." I approached her, and she shrank back in fear, even
though I never laid a finger on her. "I'm getting her back. And if you think she's safe
with your psychotic husband, you're more fucked up than I thought. Now tell me
where she is."
She looked away, squirming beneath my watchful gaze. It was then that I noticed it,
the faint, blueish hint to the skin around her eye, and then more of it, soft blue and
purple circles on her forearm. Georgia saw me looking, and forcibly pulled down the
sleeve of her dress.
"What the hell is going on here?"
Momentarily distracted, I looked away from Georgia to find Peterson standing in the
lobby looking furious. Every instinct I had was screaming at me to rip his head clean
off his shoulders. I took three steps forward, and the bastard scrambled, trying to get
away from me.
"What's happening is that you're fucking dying tonight, Peterson."
"Not so fast," the guy laughed, clicking his fingers. "First of all, Windsor, I'll bill you
for the door. The stained glass on it was Italian. Gothic. Cost a fortune as you might
imagine, though I'm sure you'll gladly replace it to keep this little... outburst of yours
under wraps."
Two thugs appeared behind the bastard, a silent warning of what was going to happen
if I didn't stop pursuing Violet.
"Now, I really think you've outstayed your welcome," Peterson went on coolly. "I
suggest you get the fuck out of my house before I have you thrown out."
I ignored his words, taking a step back. Instantly, the goons stepped forward, one on
each side of Connor. I smirked, saying, "Can't even defend yourself, can you, you
fuck?"
"Do watch your tongue," the sly bastard said with a slimy smile.
"Where is she? Where is Violet?"

"Little Violet Cabot?" His voice dripped with innocence, but I knew just how fake it
was. He was a sick, perverted fuck and I was going to have his balls for this. "I just
gave her a ride to the bus station, like she asked. She was so eager to get away from
you, Windsor. I wonder what the fuck you did to her."
"Liar," I snarled. "Does your wife know you were trying to buy her sister, Peterson?
Does she know what a sick, sick son of a bitch you are?"
The prick didn't answer, instead walking over nonchalantly to his wife and placing his
arm around her waist. Surely, I wasn't the only one who saw her flinch, but neither of
the thugs responded to it, making me wonder how long Peterson had been abusing the
woman right under everyone's eyes.
"Of course she knows," Connor finally replied, his saccharine smile firmly in place
and his persuasive gaze locked with his wife. "She knows everything, like a good wife
should. Don't you, dear?"
"I d-do," Georgia stuttered, and I watched her husband pinch her skin firmly when she
stuttered. "I know what you did to her, too, Devlin."
Before I could object, Connor sighed heavily and went on. "Of course, I tried to do
things the right way and buy the girl... Make it easier for you, Windsor. But you just
had to make it so very difficult, didn't you?"
I didn't answer, just stared at him with barely controlled rage flowing through my
veins. My hands had formed fists at my sides, and I had to force myself to stay calm.
"I didn't make anything difficult," I finally said. "You're the one kidnapping innocent
young women."
"Me?" Peterson laughed out loud, managing to piss me off even more. "I could say the
same for you, Windsor, and I would have a willing witness to support this statement."
"Violet would never say that," I hissed.
"Oh, she would." He shrugged as if he didn't have a care in the world. "But I suppose
you never really knew her, did you, Windsor? I learned more about the girl while
driving her to the bus stop than you did all these years. I can't help but feel sorry for
you, old sport."
"You're going to pay for this. Now." I was done holding back. I allowed the red mist
to take over, descending my fury upon Peterson. I fully anticipated his thugs to stop
me, and was ready to fight them off, but what I didn't see coming was Georgia
throwing herself at me, clawing at my face.
"Let go of him, you bastard!" she screamed at the top of her voice. "First my sister,
now my husband? What is wrong with you, Devlin, you fucking jerk?"
"Calm down," I demanded, grabbing her by the wrists firmly, but gently and glaring at
Peterson. "Control your woman."
He merely smirked, but Georgia wasn't nearly done yet. She kept cursing, going at me
like an enraged cat, trying to scratch my face, all the while spewing her vitriol.
"You tried to make my little sister your own personal whore! You tried to force her
into a compromising position so she had no choice but to obey you!"
"Yeah?" I asked calmly. "And where were you through all of this, big sister?
Did you try to help her?"
"Fuck you," she snarled. "You always hated us! You hated my entire family, you
wanted to see us go down since the beginning! All of this was just some... sick
revenge ploy to get back at us! Just admit it, Devlin! You're so hung up on revenge
you're ready to use an innocent, eighteen-year-old girl just to get vengeance!"
As she spewed insult after insult at me, I finally began to realize just how wrong she
was. I didn't want revenge. Yes, I had my beef with the Cabots, but it wasn't about that
with Violet, maybe never had been. I wanted her as a woman, as a partner, as a
plaything.
And I was going to get her back, even if it was over her sister's dead body.
I let go of her wrists and she began slamming her fists over my body again. I could
barely feel the pain. There was only one thing on my mind.
I wanted Connor's blood. I wanted to hurt him for his lies and betrayal.
Before I could tell Georgia just how wrong she was by putting all the blame on me, a
heavy thud sounded against the back of my head. I saw stars, the world dancing
before my eyes in bright, exploding colors.
"Fuck," I muttered, clutching my head as I stumbled back. Two strong pairs of arms
grabbed me, nearly lifting me off the ground. The guards had attacked me,
unprovoked, when I was least expecting it. "Get your filthy hands off of me, you
fucking goons! Don't you know who I am?"
"You're nobody here," Peterson snarled at me as I was lifted off my feet, carried out of
the house and tossed on the gravel outside. My head was still pounding and I groaned,
attempting to pick myself up unsuccessfully. Peterson followed his thugs outside,
staring at me on the ground with barely held-back glee on his round face. "You're
done here, Windsor. Get the hell off my property."
"Not before you give her back." The words took all my strength and I sputtered when
one of the muscular guards kicked me in the stomach. They were going to fucking pay
for this, all of them. "I want my Violet back, and I want her back now."
"Get out of my face," Peterson said with disgust. He took a long, patronizing look at
me before spitting in my face. I glared back, wiping off his disgusting saliva. "Good
fucking riddance, Windsor."
With those words, he walked away, leaving me sprawled out on the ground.
"We'll see who gets rid of who," I called out after him, still on the ground. "When I'm
done with you-"
I didn't get to finish my sentence. One of the guards kicked his steel-tipped boot in my
face, and then everything went dark.
Violet
At some point,I stopped feeling the pain. Everything was just numb.
My wrists bled a couple of times when I twisted against the ropes and it felt like the
fibers had been fused with my scabs. I used to be able to tell that my feet were
dragging the floor, but I wasn’t even sure I even had toes anymore. My muscles were
so weak that they couldn’t function anymore.
But I wasn’t broken.
I refused to let Connor break me, no matter how long he left me in this musty room,
even if I stayed there so long I began to rot. My brain had already started--my body
would be next--if it hadn’t started yet.
I wondered what death would actually be like. Would I see the bright light and all of
the people I loved, or would my sins make the flames slowly crawl along my skin
until the fires of hell consumed me? I was pretty sure it was the latter that I deserved.
It was hard to remember the proud, naive, spoiled little girl that used to call herself
Violet Cabot. I didn’t deserve that name anymore. My fall from grace was by design,
and I could very well die before I knew who was responsible. Devlin? The boy I
loved, the man I gave myself to--the devil himself. Or was it Connor? My sister’s
psychopathic husband who simply took what he was denied. Was he the real devil?
My thoughts were unable to process everything. I was getting so weak and weary that
abstract chaos was the only thing left in my head. I began to see shapes and images in
the darkness of my blindfold. Everything that had happened from the moment my
father was arrested until Connor’s fist crashed into my skull played like a movie in
front of me. Nothing made sense. All of the shapes and images faded together until I
was staring at something else--a funeral.
“D-daddy?” I don’t know if I actually said the words, or if it was just an audible
hallucination, but I just knew he was gone.
Suddenly, I was no longer bound by the ropes. I was standing in the room--family
and friends were all around me.
“Help!” I ran to Rhys, my brother, and grabbed his arm.
“Violet!” He turned to me and smiled. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“It’s…” I looked towards the casket. “I have to be here. I loved…”
“Yourself?” Rhys laughed. “Of course you would show up to your own funeral.”
“What?” I took a step back, and every face in the room was staring at me--they
started laughing--loud, maniacal laughter like they were savages savoring my demise.
I pushed my way through the laughing crowd. There were two people standing in
front of the casket. My father--and Devlin. I ran to them and saw tears in their eyes.
They were the only ones that weren’t laughing. The horrific echo behind me sounded
like madness, but they looked to be in actual mourning.
“I really did love her, you know.” Devlin looked at my father.
“I know.” My father nodded. “We all did.”

“She was such a good fuck.” Devlin’s lips spread into a cartoonish grin and my
father’s did the same--then they started laughing like all of the others.
I grabbed my ears to try and silence the madness. The people in the room walked
closer--like they were trying to cocoon me in their devastation. I looked up into the
eyes of my father, but I didn’t see the kind stare of Hugo Cabot. I saw bright red coals
where his eyes should have been. His face began to decay. I screamed, jerked,
thrashed, and then the images began to fade.
I thrashed and screamed until all I saw was darkness. I was never at my funeral. I was
still in the musty room where I had been since I first woke up in Connor’s version of
hell. It was just a hallucination, or a nightmare--I wasn’t even sure which one it was.
A noise snapped me back as close to reality as I could get. The door was opening.
Light appeared at the edge of my blindfold and then heavy footsteps echoed in my
ears. I knew it was Connor. Nobody else had any idea I was there. He was the one
who decided if I lived or died--my path to freedom was clear, but I had already chosen
eternal damnation. My mind had obviously accepted that. It gave me a glimpse that
would soon be all too real.
“I have a present for you, dear Violet.” Connor touched my lips and I felt him
smearing something on them. “Have a taste…”
I hesitated, but I was so hungry--so thirsty--I forced my dry tongue across my cracked
lips and tasted something that was both sweet and metallic. Even in my current state,
I was able to ascertain that it was blood.
“What the hell?” I sputtered to try and force it out of my mouth, but I didn’t have
enough saliva. It lingered on my tongue.
“That’s Devlin’s blood, dear Violet. Since you refuse to sign your name on my
contract, I thought you would like to be closer to the man who still owns you.” A
laugh echoed, almost as sinister as the ones from my nightmare.
“Did you…” I struggled with my words. “Kill him?”
“No.” I heard Connor’s feet shuffling. “Not yet, anyway. We just had a talk.”
I didn’t know if Connor was telling me the truth. For all I knew, he could have
actually killed Devlin. If he was capable of kidnapping me and holding me prisoner,
then he was certainly capable of a lot more than I ever realized.
Tasting Devlin’s blood brought some focus and clarity to my thoughts, even if it
sickened me to have it on my lips. I needed answers. I didn’t want to die without
knowing the truth, or at least having something to think about other than the chaos in
my head.
“Did Devlin really have my father arrested?” I choked on my words, but I had to keep
talking. I had to get as much information as he would give me before he left. “Was
he responsible?”
“Honestly, dear Violet?” Connor took a step towards me. “I have no fucking idea.”
“But Georgia said…” It was so hard to speak--it was taking everything I had to make
thoughts form words.
“Georgia was just following the script I wrote for her.” Connor’s words snapped in
the air like a violent symphony. “She’s quite convincing when she’s doing what I tell
her to do--right? It’s too bad it took her so long to learn how to be so fucking
obedient--maybe I would have learned to love her if she didn’t have so much Cabot in
her.”
“You…” There were so many things I wanted to call him, but I couldn’t make my
lips form the words--maybe it was fear.
“But you, dear Violet.” Connor chuckled. “I’m not going to make that mistake with
you. Your name will be on a contract. You won’t even remember what it means to be
a Cabot when those ropes finally come off.”
“I’m not…” I tried to shake my head, but it didn’t happen.
“Not going to sign it?” He grabbed my arm and squeezed hard enough to hurt, but I
was so numb it barely registered. “Is that what you were going to say?”
“Yes…” I attempted to put fire in my response, but it just came out like a weak little
whimper.
“Do you know how much suffering a human body can endure before it allows you to
die, dear Violet?” He squeezed harder--until I finally felt it. “So much suffering--and
just when you think you’re going to die, I’m not going to let you. I’ll hook an IV to
your arm and give you just enough sustenance to hold on…”
Connor’s threat was enough to tear another shred of humanity from my mind--like a
layer being carved away with a rusty knife. I had to keep pressing him. I needed
answers. If I ever did find a way to escape, what he told me could be the key to
getting my father out of prison. Even in the depths of despair, I still remembered why
I fell on my knees to begin with.
“Was it you, Connor?” I forced my lips to keep moving. “Did you set my father up?”
“Me? Connor laughed. “No. Cabot Enterprises won’t survive long enough for your
father to stand trial. Would I shoot off my nose to spite my face?”
Deep down, even in the depth of torment and despair, I had the mental strength to
process what he was saying and understand it was probably true. The only reason my
father let Georgia date in the first place was because he was the son of his biggest
investor at Cabot Enterprises. Connor still held those investments, along with a lot
more, so it would have been senseless for him to bring down my father’s empire. He
would have been jeopardizing his own in the process.
“Last chance today, dear Violet.” Connor’s voice got more intense. “Are you going to
get down on your knees for me? Are you really going to let me leave here without
having your name on a contract?”
“I will not sign it…” I met his intensity with all that I could muster.
“Then I’ll ask again--tomorrow, the day after, or maybe you won’t hear my voice
again for a week. Did you hold on this long for Devlin? Or am I just special?” He
walked to the door with heavy footsteps and slammed it.
I might have been weak, weary, and wounded, but I heard the difference in Connor’s
tone when he finally gave up for the day. He was getting frustrated. I was suffering,
but my suffering wasn’t in vain. I was slowly winning the battle of wills, even if I had
lost the physical one in the backseat of his car. I just had to find a way to hold on
until someone found me--or I figured out how to escape.
The idea of being kept alive by force didn’t sit well with me, but it was a mistake for
Connor to play that hand. It gave me the narrowest glimpse of hope, because if I
wasn’t going to die dangling from those ropes, then I was going to be able to keep
fighting. I could endure the torment if that was what it took. He claimed my sister,
but she was the only Cabot that would ever give herself to him.
Not me.
Not ever.
Devlin might have been a cruel Master, but I got stronger when I fell on my knees for
him. I learned that I could endure things I never imagined and fight harder than I ever
thought possible. I gave in because underneath the layers of Devlin’s malice was the
boy I fell in love with--the one I always wanted. I didn’t have that desire to feel
Connor’s hands on my body. If my survival was guaranteed, I could keep fighting.
Maybe I would still draw my last breath hanging from his ropes, but I wouldn’t do it
willingly.
“Devlin…” I let out a light sigh and pulled my bottom lip between my teeth.
His blood. Blood he sacrificed in pursuit of me. He was searching. He hadn’t given
up. I knew him well enough to know that he would go to the ends of the Earth to find
me. It was the kind of man he was. If his search led him to Connor then he was on the
right track.
“I’m sorry I left you…” I felt what would have been tears if my eyes had the ability
to cry--if my body had those resources to spare.
I was going to be in the Devil’s arms again. His blood was evidence--a testament to
his devotion. Connor wanted to scare me with it, but I wasn’t afraid of him. My
sister lied to me. She spewed Connor’s instructions with no regard for what would
happen if I followed them. I didn’t know if what I overheard when Devlin was on the
phone was real, or another one of his twisted games. Maybe he had no intentions of
actually selling me--Connor wouldn’t have taken me if it was that easy to make a deal.
Survive.
That was my mission.
Long enough for Devlin to find me, or long enough to make my escape.
Maybe they were one in the same...
Devlin
The headachefrom the blow I'd taken from Peterson's guards was still there, but it
didn't hurt nearly as much as my pride.
Peterson may have won a battle, but the war was far from over. I had another ace up
my sleeve, and even though the poor fuck was behind bars, I knew he could be useful
to me.
I sat in the uncomfortable, dingy plastic chair of the prison, waiting for Cabot to
arrive. My eyes wandered over the visitors, the prisoners. This was a shitty place to be
stuck in, and I knew Cabot didn't have it easy. I felt sorry for him.
He was brought in, his wrists in handcuffs, and when he saw me, his top lip peeled
back in disgust.
"I don't want to talk," he muttered as a guard showed him to his seat opposite of me at
the plastic desk. There was only glass separating us.
He looks terrible. His skin is sallow and pale, with bruises blooming along his jawline
and spreading under his prison uniform. My eyes roam over his beaten body up to his
face, seeing how he looks at me. Cabot's gaze is filled with disgust. He detests me.
I motioned for Hugo to pick up the phone, but he shook his head vehemently.
Stubborn old bastard. I picked up the receiver on my end anyway, mouthing the only
word that would make him pick up the receiver on his side of the glass.
Violet.
Cabot only hesitated for a split second before picking up. He kept staring at me, eyes
filled with anger as they met mine. "What do you want, Windsor?"
His voice crackled over the line and for a second, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the
poor fuck. But I had more pressing matters to deal with.
I clutched the phone handle and asked, loud and clear, "What do you know about
Georgia's husband, Connor Peterson?"
Hugo Cabot glared at me through the impenetrable glass. If looks could kill... Luckily
for me, Hugo was powerless here. Just as powerless as I felt going up against his son-
in law.
"Please," I went on. "This is important."
"Important?" he glared at me. "How could my son-in-law be important right now?"
"Violet," I went on. "Violet is-"

"Don't you dare say her name!" Hugo beat his fist against the glass a single time,
earning a yell from the guard and sheepishly sitting back in his chair. His hate-filled
eyes went back to mine, digging deep, as if he wanted to uncover every one of my
secrets. "I know what you've done, you pervert. I know what you've been doing to my
sweet Violet."
I smirked. "Nothing she didn't want."
"You're sick," he spat out. "When I get out of this hellhole - and believe me, I'll be out
soon - I'm leaving the door wide fucking open for you, Windsor. I have no doubt
they'll put me right the fuck back after I'm done with you. After I make you pay for
what you've done to my innocent daughter."
I smirked. Cabot was pushing it, and I couldn't not take the bait. I leaned back without
a care in the world as I said, loud enough for him to hear, "Not so innocent anymore."
"I'm going to make you pay for everything you've put her through," Cabot hissed. And
then it was his turn to smirk at me. "Although, it looks like somebody beat me to it."
I touched my face on reflex. The bruise was still swollen, my jaw tender and swollen
from the kick to the face I'd suffered by one of Peterson's guards. It still fucking hurt -
though the injury wasn't as badly wounded as my pride had been.
"So," Cabot went on, more confident about his seeming victory. "Connor responsible
for that lovely bruise, is he?"
"He is," I replied. There was no point in hiding the truth. Violet's father needed to
learn the truth, and soon.
"Good." The reply was a low grumble, and the old man seemed pleased by my
answer. "Now get to the fucking point, Windsor."
"Right," I got out through gritted teeth. "About your precious son-in-law..."
"What about him?"
"I'm pretty sure he's abusing his wife. And I also think he used her, your older
daughter, to trick Violet into leaving me."
"You're pretty sure?" Cabot smirked at me. "What good is that? You got anyone to
corroborate this idiotic story you've put together in your messed up mind?"
"You're just going to have to trust me on this one." I tapped my fingers against the
plastic handles of the chair, reminding myself I'd have to take a scalding hot shower at
home to get rid of the prison germs. It was a small luxury, but one Violet's father sure
as hell didn't have while he was stuck here.
"Why would I trust a Windsor?" Hugo Cabot shot daggers at me with his eyes. "And
over my son-in-law, of all people?"
"I'm telling you the truth."
"You'll excuse me if I find that a little hard to believe, with our history." The man
glared at me. "After all, your father is the one who put me here."
I furrowed my brows. "You don't know if that's true."
"I've heard he's been bragging about it," Cabot hissed. "Telling everyone and their
goddamn mothers he's the one who put the mighty Hugo Cabot behind bars."
I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose and wincing at the pain from my bruise. "I
heard something similar from him too, but I don't think it's true. My father wouldn't
make a move like that without me knowing about it. And besides, it's not his style to
stab someone in the back without them knowing he's the one responsible for their
misery."
"You may be right there," Hugo reluctantly admitted. "Your father was always the
type of man who liked to look into his prey's eyes before he went in for the killshot.
He doesn't put them in a locked cage, that's for fucking sure. How else would he gloat
about his success in bringing his victims down?"
I nodded silently, and we sat in quiet agreement for a few moments. Finally, I leaned
forward, the receiver pressed firmly against my ear as I spoke. "Look, Hugo. Can I
call you Hugo?"
"No," the old man grunted, but I ignored him and went on.
"Hugo, I'm not here to reignite the family feud. All I want to do is find Violet."
"So you can do more despicable things to her?" Cabot's eyes were flaming with fury
yet again. "No, I don't think so."
"Please, Cabot." My voice came out in a low grunt, but I wasn't below begging Cabot
for his cooperation. I needed to find Violet, and fast, before that pervert got his claws
stuck in her and damaged her beyond repair. "Her well-being, her safety depends on
you now. If there's anything you can tell me about Connor, anything that would help
at all, you need to come out with it now, before it's too late."
The man behind the glass regarded me with cool indifference. There was a spark of
interest, maybe even of compassion in his eyes, but it went out almost the second it
appeared, and I knew then and there I wouldn't be getting any help from Hugo Cabot.
"I'll never trust a Windsor," he finally said, loud and clear. "If my daughter left... well,
maybe she finally came to her goddamn senses."
I knew I wouldn't get anything else out of him, and I slammed the receiver down,
getting up and walking the hell out of there. My only consolation was that Cabot was
getting beaten to fuck in there. The fact that he wasn't worried sick about his youngest
sickened me. Did Peterson really have him wrapped around his little finger, just like
he did Georgia? It looked like it.
I walked out of their prison with my hands in fists and my jaw painfully clenched.
All that effort and I was not even close to finding my princess.
Dead end after fucking dead end.
When will something finally go my fucking way?
Violet
The darkness had shatteredmy mind, but hope put it back together. Every time I
needed another hint, I tasted Devlin’s blood on my lips to remind myself that it was
real instead of the miserable hallucinations that tried to push my sanity away. His
blood became an anchor in reality that I could cling to, a piece of him that was spilled
in pursuit of me.
I forced myself to sleep. The exhaustion didn’t claim me like it had so many times
before. I simply let the ropes grip my wrists until they were numb and then drifted
into the darkness. I wasn’t worried about a white light, or never waking up again
because Connor said I would live. It might have been the only piece of truth that ever
left his disgusting mouth.
I don’t know how long I slept, but I had a little more energy when I woke up. I
twisted--pulled--tugged on the ropes. I didn’t care if they made me bleed or scarred
my skin. The numbness allowed me to peel away scabs and flesh while I stayed
focused on survival or escape. I battled the ropes until I had nothing left, then I slept
again. Sleep gave me more energy, so I kept fighting, twisting, and doing everything
in my power to force a single thread to loosen.
Time passed like molasses in an hourglass, and I knew it was my blood dripping
away--I felt it on my arm. I felt it on my shoulder. If I could have seen how much
damage I was doing, I might have quit. The vain image of the girl I used to be would
not have sacrificed her porcelain skin for freedom, but I wasn’t that girl anymore. I
was a different version of Violet Cabot. I was a fighter.
“Ow, fuck!” I nearly screamed when one hard pull on the rope squeezed my bones so
hard my thumb almost broke, but it wasn’t the only new painful sensation.
The rope had moved. It had slid from my wrist to my hand. Progress. It was like
salvation poured on my soul. The rope was no longer wrapped around numbness. I
could feel it again. Every centimeter was agonizing, but I burned my skin on the
roughness until I felt the rope against my fingernail. I was almost there.
I bit down on my tongue and yanked so hard it was pierced by my teeth--for nothing.
I refused to give up. Blood pooled in my mouth, but I didn’t care. Another yank. Then
another. A harder one, one that made the pain manifest in a kaleidoscope of color in
front of my eyes. My hand started to go numb like my wrists, but then I felt the rope
pass the nail on my thumb. I was almost free. A quick tug and the weight of the world
crashed into my arm as it slumped at my side.
“Almost there…” I sputtered my own blood and it mixed with Devlin’s on my lips.
I squeezed my hand into a fist and pumped until the feeling returned. Hanging by one
hand was more agonizing than having the support of the rope on both wrists, but I was
able to push up with my toes. My arm slowly lifted until I wrapped my fingers around
the blindfold and ripped it off.
Light. It was blinding. I had to force my eyelids closed until I adjusted to it. When
they slowly opened and came into focus, I saw that I was in some sort of old shack, or
shed--the light that blinded me was coming in between the boards and around the
door. Even that shimmer was enough to sting my eyes. I looked up at the rope on my
other wrist and forced my arm to lift so I could fight with the knot.
There was enough adrenaline left to make it surge through my body. I chipped and
broke my nails as I fumbled with the rope on my other wrist, but after a couple of
minutes, I loosened it. My other hand came free, I dropped flat on my feet, and then I
simply collapsed to the ground.
“You can’t slow down…” I spat out the last bit of blood in my mouth and stared at
it. It was mine. It was Devlin’s. I couldn’t tell the difference. It didn’t matter
anymore.
I was a mess. The wrist I fought to free was mangled. It probably needed to be
cleaned by a surgeon--it could very well be permanently scarred when the wounds
finally healed. It seemed to stop bleeding as the blood congealed. That was another
symbol of hope. I wasn’t going to bleed out. I pressed my palms to the floor and tried
to get my legs to work. They were weak, but with a little effort, they responded.
Being on my own two feet felt more liberating than being free from the ropes. I tried
to take a step and almost collapsed, but I pressed on. Panic shot through my veins and
swelled up in my throat. I swallowed it. The last thing I needed to do was have a
panic attack when I was so close to freedom.
The adrenaline pushed me forward. Willpower did the rest. I kept walking until my
hands were on the door and I was able to push it open. The sun blinded me again with
even more fury than the glimmer, and it took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust--
then I saw where I was.
“You fucking asshole…” I cursed Connor as I stared at the withered remains of

Cabot Vineyard.
The vineyard was a gift from my paternal grandfather to my parents when they got
married. After my mother died, it was left to rot. It was one place nobody would go if
they were searching for me, that was for damn sure. My feet moved along the path
between vines that had dried up as they died. I had a slight limp, but my gait steadied
with every step. There was a house ahead that used to belong to the caretaker. I had
no idea what was inside, but if there was a telephone--one phone call could put an end
to everything.
I made it to the house, and the door was locked, but I could see a phone through the
window. I scrambled around, fell to my knees in the dirt, and finally found a rock. I
hurled it at the window and the glass shattered, but the rock went right through. I
pressed on the glass and broke more of it off, but cut my hand in the process. My
limbs were no longer numb, so the pain registered, but I ignored it.
As soon as I broke enough of the glass away, I carefully pulled myself through the
window. There was still enough glass left to slice me open, but thankfully, all I got
were a few scrapes. My hand grabbed the telephone--my shot at freedom was so close
I could taste it.
“No!” I screamed as the phone responded with silence--I slammed my hand on the
base and realized it was dead.
I reached for a light switch and was met with the same result. Everything had been
turned off. I stumbled to the sink and a prayer left my lips as I twisted the knob. The
rush of water was almost enough to make me squeal with excitement. The vineyard
probably had a well, so that was the one thing that didn’t get shut off. I drank from
the faucet until my stomach felt like it was swollen, and started trying to clean my
wounds.
The realization set in that my only way of escape from Cabot Vineyard was by foot. I
was naked and miles from civilization. I didn’t know if my legs could handle the
walk, but collapsing in the forest nearby sounded a lot better than waiting for Connor
to return. I searched the house for clothes, but all I found was an old blanket. It still
smelled like the grapes that used to grow in the vineyard. I wrapped it around my
body and walked to the door.
My freedom was mine to earn. I started walking towards the wooded area. That
seemed safer than trying to follow the road. The grass was overgrown and I didn’t
even want to think about what I could be stepping in. My feet weren’t used to the
terrain, but I did my best to ignore the pain--it was still a slow trek--and I regretted not
pushing my limits when I heard a car.
“Fuck. That has to be Connor!” I pushed my protesting muscles to move faster.
I tried to run, but I simply couldn’t support that kind of effort. My system was too
weak. The water had given me a hint of nourishment, but not nearly enough. The car
veered from the road and started plowing through the overgrown grass. Connor had
spotted me. I refused to give up and begged for more adrenaline as I broke through
the edge of the wooded area.
The car stopped. I didn’t. I heard Connor’s voice behind me--shouting--profanities--

they didn’t stop me either. I just kept moving as fast as my weary legs could carry
me. The blanket did it’s best to protect my skin, but a few jagged pieces of the bushes
I waded through still dug into my flesh. I heard stomping behind me and I dared to
glance over my shoulder when I saw a shadow--a split second before Connor tackled
me to the ground.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” Connor flipped me over and jerked the
blanket away.
“Anywhere but here!” I writhed and fought--I slung my arms wildly and one of my
jagged nails caught Connor underneath his eye.
“Fuck! Bitch!” Connor’s hand went to his face and I squirmed free.
I scrambled back to my feet and started running again--but in a different direction--

towards the idling car behind us. Connor didn’t turn kill the engine, which meant the
keys were still in the ignition. If I could get to it, then I was free.
I burst through the edge of the wooded area and hope began to surge through my body
again--but it was short lived. Connor hit me from behind with what felt like his
shoulder and I left my feet as I went flying through the air and crashed into the
ground. The impact was enough to leave me stunned. Connor was on top of me
before I had a chance to recover.
“At least you’ve still got some fight left.” He wrapped his hand around my throat.
“Good!”
Connor lifted up and yanked me to my feet. He quickly grabbed my injured wrist and
I screamed as the agony shot through my arm. I made him bleed, but it wasn’t enough
to hurt him--probably not even enough to scar. My chance of escape had been snuffed
out and I barely grazed my tormentor.
“I’ll make sure the fucking ropes are extra tight this time, dear Violet.” Connor pulled
me forward.
“Then I’ll fight harder to escape!” I lunged at Connor--at his eyes with my
fingernails--but he caught my other arm before I could hit him.
“I hope you fight this hard the first time I fuck you.” He squeezed my wrists. “I’ll
enjoy it.”
“That’s never going to happen!” I twisted and turned in his grip, but it was no use.
The pain in my wrist made me want to scream and I refused to give him that
satisfaction again.
“We’ll see…” Connor’s lip slowly spread into a grin. “This little escape attempt will
give me enough satisfaction for one day--especially since it gives me all the
permission I need to punish you.”
“Permission?” I blinked in confusion.
“It’s complicated, but nothing for you to worry about, dear Violet.” He jerked me
towards the wooded area. “You’re going to be too busy suffering to worry about it.”
Connor let go of my injured wrist when we got to the wooded area and I tried to slam
my hand into him, but he easily dodged my attempts. He reached out and ripped a
long, slender branch free before he started dragging me back towards the shed where I
had previously been tied up.
I dug my heels in and did my best to resist, but I wasn’t able to put up much of a
fight. The adrenaline had nearly exhausted what limited supply I had and he was way
too strong for me. The second that we got to the shed, he slung me forward so hard
that I stumbled and landed on the floor. I looked up at him with every ounce of hatred
and contempt I could muster.
“Maybe if your father would have done less sparing the rod and spoiling the child,
you would know your fucking place, dear Violet.” Connor started plucking the leaves
off the branch and throwing them on the ground.
“I do know my place.” I tried to push myself up to my feet, but Connor walked over
and put his foot on my injured wrist. “Ow, fuck!”
“Obviously not, which is why you’re going to be punished.” Connor locked his eyes
on mine and continued plucking the leaves until the branch was bare--then he swung it
in the air a couple of times before pointing to a dusty table in the corner of the room.
“I’m going to remove my foot from your wrist and you’re going to bend over that
table for your whipping.”
“Like hell I am…” I glared at him and grimaced as he twisted his foot on my wrist.
“You will, dear Violet--otherwise, I’m going to whip you right here on the floor until
you can’t fucking move.” His lips twisted into the sickest smile I had ever seen him
wear and he lifted the branch. “Maybe I’ll break your wrist first--as punishment for
hitting me.”
Connor started grinding his shoe against my wrist and I realized he was serious--he
would actually do it. “Okay!” I squealed and tears dampened my eyes.
The water I drank replenished me enough to cry. What a sadistic twist of fate. I
needed whatever strength I could muster if I was going to try and escape again. I
couldn’t let Connor break my wrist.
“What will it be, dear Violet?” Connor narrowed his eyes. “Are you going to take
your whipping and show me that you still remember how to be a good little girl?”
“I’ll…” I let out another squeal. “...Yes.”
I was defeated. I fought with everything I had and it wasn’t enough. Connor slowly
pulled his foot away from my wrist and I rubbed it as I rose to my feet. He kept his
distance, but he stayed between me and the door. He wasn’t going to give me another
chance to run.
The branch was as thick as his thumb on the bottom where he gripped it and slender
on the tip--he swung it a couple of times in the air and I winced. It was going to hurt--
probably more than Devlin’s whip. Devlin didn’t swing his whip with malice. I
doubted Connor was going to use his switch with any semblance of mercy.
“Get over the table. Now!” Connor pointed with the switch.
I didn’t move as fast Connor would have liked. The switch landed across the back of
my thighs as soon as I was facing the table. It stung and caused me to jump--but it
was barely a taste of what he had planned for me. The table was dusty and disgusting,
but I bent across it until my nipples were pressed against the wood.
“When you defy me, dear Violet…” Connor walked up behind me and tapped my ass
with the switch. “I have to punish you.”
The switch made a swish noise in the air as he brought it down on my ass and I heard
the sound of it cracking against my skin a split second before the pain registered.
SWISH-CRACK, SWISH-CRACK, SWISH-CRACK, SWISH-CRACK, SWISH-CRACK
Connor didn’t even give me a second to catch my breath before the switch stung my
skin again. He was relentless and hungry for my suffering. I kept my jaw tight
through every tremble and every primal need to scream. I refused to give him the
satisfaction of an audible response, even when my eyes betrayed me and tears flowed
down my face like rain.
“You’ll learn to obey!” He practically yelled and the switch never stopped coming as
he spoke. “You’ll beg to call me Master!”
Never.

“You’ll swallow my cock and every hole will ache for it!” Connor’s ferocity reached
the point where he was just spitting his words.
Never.
“You will forget the name Devlin Windsor. I will be the only Master you know!”
Never.
My whole body shook with torment but my defiance held on. My lips stayed sealed.
Connor could punish me. He could hurt me. He would never own me. He would
never have the satisfaction of watching me break.
“Say please and this will stop, dear Violet!” Connor made the switch land with as
much malice as he could muster.
Never.
Connor whipped me until my ass and the back of my thighs were on fire, but I held
my tongue--until one final lash caused the wood to splinter. He threw the broken
switch down on the table and grabbed me from behind. I still didn’t know why he was
so determined not to take what he wanted until I gave it to him, but that point of
resistance was all I could hold on to. The whipping didn’t erase the hope--I escaped
once. I would do it again.
“Fine, have it your way.” He pulled me towards the ropes. “I’m not even going to
give you a chance to sign my fucking contract today--you haven’t earned it.”
Was he afraid of another rejection? Had my defiance wounded him? I prayed that
was the case. If my suffering could bruise his ego and damage his pride, then every
swing of that switch was worth the agony. I was too weak to stand when Connor got
me to the ropes--too weak to fight, even if it would have helped. All I could do was let
him tie me up again and wait until I had the strength to battle the ropes one more time.
“Lights out, dear Violet.” He tied the blindfold across my eyes so tight I couldn’t
even see the shimmer of light around it. “The next time you see the sun, you will
be mine.”
Never.
Devlin
The next daywas spent reaching out to contact after contact.
I named a prize for Violet's safe return, an unimaginable sum of fifty million dollars
that made even my head spin. As I called business associate after business associate,
they tried to laugh my offer out the door, but I could feel their greed seeping through
my phone when I mentioned the hefty prize money. They were salivating at the
thought of getting even more filthy rich, and probably got off knowing I'd be fifty mil
poorer if they gave me some useful information that would bring Violet back.
By that evening, I was offering double the money if Violet was returned unharmed. I
didn't give a shit. It was just paper. All I wanted was my princess back safe and sound.
Nobody got to hurt Violet Cabot but me.
Jasper came into my office just as I was finishing another phone call.
"That's right," I said into the phone's speaker, motioning for my associate to join me in
my office. Jasper walked in, standing to the side, his expression impassive. "A
hundred million for her to return, unharmed. That's right. Yes. Thank you. Hope to
hear from you soon."
I cut the call and sighed, rubbing my temples as I put the phone down.
"A hundred million?"
I looked up into Jasper's worried face.
"What of it?"
"Well, we both know what that means, Sir," he said, shrugging apologetically. The
man knew his place, but he wasn't afraid of warning me against making something he
considered a mistake. "If somebody actually claims that bounty... you'll have to sell
some of your personal stock to cover the cost."
I remained stubbornly quiet, but Jasper wasn't done just yet, and he paced the room as
he went on.
"You've already burned through a substantial chunk of your liquid assets with the
purchase of Cabot Estate, Sir. And that amount doesn't even begin to touch on the
hundreds of thousands you've spent trying to get Hubo Cabot out of prison."
Once again, the red mist descended before my eyes. I couldn't stand being told what to
do, couldn't imagine anyone not understanding how much my plaything's safe return
meant to me. I took a step toward Jasper, eyes raging with silent fire as they met his.
"Do I fucking look like I care?" I asked him, and we glared at one another for a few
long seconds before Jasper finally looked away, giving me a curt nod.
"Right you are, Sir. I'll be on my way."
He left the office, and I finally relaxed my stiff shoulders. Jasper didn't mean to upset
me, of course - he was just looking out for me, like a good employee should be. Still,
his warnings had upset me. I knew deep down I'd blow it all - my fortune, my
reputation, my name - just to get Violet Cabot back in my arms safe and sound. And it
looked like the rest of the world was starting to realize that, too.
I sat down in my office chair with a heavy sigh.
She really is fucking gone.
It was as if the truth was finally hitting me, Violet's absence more painfully obvious
than ever before. It was making my head spin, thinking of her so far away from me,
wherever the hell she was. Probably hidden in some cellar in Peterson's house like
some kind of animal. My hands formed fists on the desk and I cursed out loud. That
fucking bastard wasn't going to get away with this.
For the rest of the night, I couldn't stop thinking about her. My princess, my plaything,
my slave, my Violet. I'd only been victorious for a little while before she was taken
from me yet again. But even in those short few weeks, I'd learned an important lesson.
When I first took her, made her sign her name on the dotted line, all that mattered was
her submission.
Breaking her, hurting her, shaping the girl into my perfect submissive by any means
necessary. It was all a means to an end - a way of turning the girl I'd always wanted
into a willing submissive for me. But as time went on, I realized just how much I
missed her. What a hole her disappearance had left in my life.
Maybe I took things too far.
The thought hit me like a freight train, making me groan out loud and rub my temples
yet again.
Maybe I was the one who pushed her away.
The first thought had been a prelude. Now, I was being bombarded with more and
more ideas, clues, as to why Violet had left me. I never should have tried to break her
so soon. Having her as my possession was so much more important than her
submission. And now... now it was too fucking late.
The last time we were together, I broke her.
Had I misconstrued everything?
Had I mistaken her breaking for me as becoming mine, when actually, her breaking
point didn't give her what I'd expected... She wasn't free from her own oppressive
mind when she submitted to me. I wanted to make the worry, the rules, all the things
she'd been taught to believe, to fall away, leaving her raw and vulnerable for me.
But now, I wondered whether breaking her had done something else.
I wondered if it gave her the strength to walk away from me.
Maybe that son of a bitch Peterson is actually telling the truth. Maybe she just wanted
to get the hell away from me.
Disgust at myself, at my own actions, made my fingers shake as I reached for my

silent phone. I did my best to ignore it.
No calls. No news on Violet. No more fucking hope.
She really was gone...
I allowed the phone to slip through my fingers, burying my head in my hands.
Gone. Fucking gone.

I slammed my fist against the oak desk, making everything on it rattle. The staff had
barely cleaned the mess I'd made during my outburst last time, and here I was, ready
to wreck the place again.
My phone started ringing on my desk, snapping me out of my thoughts. Hope filled

me with every ring that sounded through the deathly silent room, and I allowed myself
to believe this call would bring good news.
I reached for the phone, glancing at the unknown number and furrowing my brows.
Normally, I would've ignored the call, but with Violet's disappearance, I just had to
take it.
"Devlin Windsor," I answered the phone. "How can I help you?"
"The question, Devlin Windsor, is how I can help you." The voice on the other side
was robotic, masked beyond recognition. I glared at the number again, but it was
blocked. "I heard you were offering money for Violet Cabot's safe return."
"What do you know?" I barked into the phone, making the voice laugh robotically.
"More than you," the voice said cryptically. "A hundred million, was it?"
"Only if she's unharmed," I hissed in response.
"Oh, she's unharmed," the unrecognizable voice went on. "Unharmed, unscathed and
comfortable. Happy, even."
"Cut the shit." I could barely hold my anger back anymore, my words dripping with
venom as I shot them out, like stabs to the stomach, the knife going in and out and
tearing the flesh. "I know it's you, Peterson."
Just then, the door to my study opened, and Jasper appeared in the doorframe,
frantically shaking his head at me. I'd had a tracer put on all incoming phone calls, and
Jasper was signaling me now, trying to say the voice wasn't who I thought it was. I
glared at him, and he muttered, "It's not Peterson. I've got the signal he was calling
from, and this ain't the same place."
Knitting my brows together, I returned my attention to the phone.
"Well, finally you're listening," the voice said. "I made you a deal, Windsor. Are you
going to take it or not?"
I had no reason to trust this person. I didn't even know who it was. But the thought of
Violet imprisoned, hurting, being subjected to torture that wasn't a direct order from
me, made me fucking crazy. I grit my teeth together and tried not to think of the
insane amount of money I was giving up in exchange for her safe return.
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.
Violet
I didn’t givein 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.
Devlin
"I don't givea 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.
The cravings to have her back, to run my fingertips along her pale skin, to hold her,
were almost unbearable.
My head was swimming with possibilities. Of what had happened, of what I wanted to
happen. Every single thought I had revolved around finding Violet, bringing her back
to the Windsor Manor where she belonged. By my side, as was her rightful place.
I missed her, as hard as it was to admit, and the only thing left of her was her room.
Aimlessly, I wandered down the hallway from my study, coming to a stop in front of
her room and seeing a figure moving in there with swift motions. My hopes soared,
but as I stepped into the room, I realized it was just the maid, Belle, faithfully cleaning
Violet's room as if its inhabitant had just ran out to run an errand, and not disappeared
without a trace.
"Oh, Mr. Windsor," Belle muttered, giving me a curt bow. "I didn't see you there, so
sorry, didn't mean to bother you."
"It's alright, Belle." I lay my hand on her forearm, only noticing then how badly she
was shaking. "I know this has impacted you too. You must be worried sick."
"We all are, Sir," she confided in me, nervously biting her lower lip as her eyes
danced across the room. "Oh, everyone's so worried about Miss Cabot. Everyone in
the kitchens, every member of the staff... She's so sweet and kind, everyone likes her."
Including me, I added in my head bitterly as my thoughts swirled with inexplicable

jealousy. Of course everyone liked Violet. What was not to like? She was a stunning,
sweet young woman. She was only bratty for me, at least from what I'd seen. The
memory made the corners of my lips twist upward, but the moment I remembered
what was happening, my expression hardened yet again.
"Keep dusting," I told Belle. "I'm just going to take a quick look around. Try to see if I
can find another clue."
She nodded wordlessly, returning to her task as I paced the room.
I looked in her closet, filled to the brim with beautiful clothes I'd bought for her, heels
that would elongate her legs and jewelry any woman would be jealous of. There was
nothing here that would hint at her whereabouts, nothing out of place. Belle had kept
the room clean as ever, as if Violet would return to her rightful home any second now.
It fucking hurt, because I had no idea when - or if - she'd be back.
A stack of dirty books caught my attention then, and I walked over to the loveseat in
the corner. The stack was in front of the seat, a sharp contrast to the rest of the room
that was spotless and tidy.
I examined the books, wondering out loud, "What are these doing here?"
"Oh, the books." Belle approached me, still fearful and hesitant, as if she were afraid
I'd snap under the weight of all that pressure.
She needn't have worried. I was saving all my pent-up aggression for Peterson. Once I
finally got my hands on him, he was fucking dead.
"One of the gardeners found them scattered over the driveway, right after Miss Violet
disappeared," Belle went on, making me knit my brows together in worry. "I assumed
the books belonged to Miss Violet... the name inside says Cabot. I never looked at the
rest, I didn't think it was my place."
Damn right it fucking isn't.
"Why did nobody tell me about this?" I barked at her, and she instinctively took a step
back, paling with fear. I forced myself to calm down, saying, "Doesn't matter now. I'll
look through them."
"I'm sorry," she managed sheepishly before leaving the room in a hurry. I could hear
her breath of relief the moment she closed the door, separating us. She really is
fucking scared of me.
I lifted the journals into my hands, the whole stack, at least seven or eight of them.
Carrying them out of the room, I headed for my office and piled the books high up on
my desk before picking up the first one.
A quick look inside proved these were notebooks filled with pages upon pages of
flowery handwriting. They couldn't have been Violet's - the paper was thin and
yellowing, obviously older than anything my plaything would have owned. I furrowed
my brows, staring at the scribbled pages and trying to decipher the story those
journals had to tell.
This could be a clue. A fucking important one.
And while I waited for Jasper to make sure the liquidation was processed, I had
enough time to start going through the journals one by one. Anything to get me a step
closer to finding Violet.
I began reading.
Diary of Brynne Davenport - March 4th, 1989
It's been a few days since I got flowers from my secret admirer. I still have them in my
bedroom, though they're starting to wilt. I don't think I can bring myself to throw them
away, though. I'm going to keep them forever, even though I'm not sure where things
are going with Mr. Admirer.
I want to like him, I really do... but there's just something about Mr. Romantic,
something that pulls me toward him like an irresistible magnetic force. It's so hard to
fight it, and it gets harder with every second I spend in his company.
It quickly became obvious the diaries belonged to Violet's mother, and I furrowed my
brows. I wasn't sure how reading her entries would help me find her daughter now,
years later, but I had nothing else to do, except wait for the caller from the other night
to make good on his promise. So I kept on reading, hoping I would find more in
Violet's mother's diary, another hint perhaps, or at least the names of the two men
who'd been pursuing her.
I read some of the entries prior to the one I'd first opened the page on, then went back
to March 4th. By then, I was invested - I wanted to know who the two men courting
Violet's mother were. I assumed one of them was Hugo Cabot, though there were no
hints to his true identity. For whatever reason, Brynne kept their names hidden -
perhaps out of fear somebody would find her diary. It seemed as if she had quite strict
parents.
Diary of Brynne Davenport - March 5th, 1989
I asked Mr. Romantic today why he didn't get me anything for Valentine's day, and I
think I may have poked the hornet's nest with that question.
He took me out in secret. I climbed down the tree next to my bedroom and snuck out
with him, and I didn't regret anything at all. Mr. Romantic is so thoughtful, so it
surprised me he hadn't done anything for me for the most romantic day of the year.
But he seemed annoyed by my question. He asked me if I got anything from other
people, and I had to tell him about Mr. Admirer. He didn't like that one bit. In fact, he
got jealous! I know I shouldn't get excited about that, but it made me feel so wanted to
know two men were after me!
Two handsome, successful older men who both want me... What more could a girl
want?
Anyway, Mr. Romantic told me he didn't believe in Valentine's Day.
It shouldn't have upset me as much as it did, but I couldn't help myself. What's so
terrible about celebrating the holiday with someone you have feelings for? But Mr.
Romantic was adamant. He doesn't believe in Valentine's Day and he never will. It
really made me sad. A future without a single Valentine's Day celebration doesn't
seem so exciting now... but Mr. Romantic is so dreamy. I can't help but think about
him when I'm all by myself...
I closed the diary and put it aside. There were only a couple pages left, but something
was nagging me, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.
The thing about Valentine's Day. I'd heard it before. I remembered my father saying it
to my mother when I was younger and she got upset about not getting flowers on the
day that was so important to her. And all those years ago, my father had uttered the
same words Brynne Davenport wrote about in her diary from decades ago.
I don't believe in Valentine's Day.
My heart began racing as I started to put the puzzle pieces together.
It was obvious one of the men in Brynne Davenport's life was Hugo Cabot. But the
other... the other man was none other than my father.
As soon as I came to that realization, it was as if everything clicked into place

instantly. It was my father. Dominic Windsor was Mr. Romantic.
I returned to the diaries with new found vigor, flipping through the pages, eager to
find out what happened. This, I now realized, was the real reason behind the
animosity between mine and Violet's fathers. They were divided by the love they
shared for the same woman. A woman who was long gone by now.
Diary of Brynne Davenport - April 3rd, 1989
I've been spending more and more time with Mr. Romantic lately. Mr. Admirer is still
eagerly pursuing me, but I feel myself pulled more and more toward the other man. I
want him. I need him. When he touches me, my body comes alive. There's something
in the way he looks at me... Like I'm his most prized possession. Like I belong to him
already.
I've been holding back, not letting him have more than a kiss or a feel when he takes
me home. But I think I'm ready to let him have so much more. I've been ready for a
long time now. I haven't slept with a man before, but it's going to happen tonight. And
I can't wait.
I turned the page eagerly. There was only one entry left, and my eyes were glued to
the page as I kept on reading, sickness rising in my stomach as the words danced on
the page in front of me.
Diary of Brynne Davenport - April 4th, 1989
Last night was the worst night of my life.
I had spent so long anticipating it, working up my courage to spend the night with Mr.
Romantic. Now I know I had been mistaken. I never should have trusted him. I should
have known how things would end. I'm no longer the foolish girl that walked into Mr.
Romantic's bedroom and naively admired his expensive artwork, the furniture that
must've cost a fortune, and the view that was worth millions in itself.
Mr. Romantic is not a nice man.
I went to his place with every intention of letting him have my virginity.
I dressed up pretty, I sprayed myself with perfume, my makeup and hair were perfect.
Mr. Romantic complimented me on my appearance throughout dinner, telling me how
beautiful and desirable I was. I felt on top of the world. I felt beautiful, and special.
That ended the moment he took me to his penthouse apartment after dinner.
When Mr. Romantic closed the front door behind us, he locked it. He turned to face
me, and this time, his eyes were burning with dark intent, and not the sweet, gentle
feelings I'd thought we shared for one another. That all went out the window when we
were alone.
I'm writing this down now because I refuse to forget what he did to me.
Even years later, I want to remember the anger I feel today, the upset he caused me,
the fear and sadness. Mr. Romantic, my ass. His name is Dominic Windsor, and he is
a monster.
I felt chills go down my spine as I read Brynne's cryptic words. I kept reading, unable
to tear my eyes off the page. I needed to get to the bottom of this.
Yesterday, Dominic Windsor stole my virginity. He didn't ask me if I wanted him, and
he took it despite my protests. My fists hammered his chest as he fucked me. He told
me twenty no's and a yes still means yes. And I will admit, I wanted it. I wanted it
until the light in his eyes went out. Until he stopped making love to me, and started
hurting me.
His touch was punishing and cruel. Dominic didn't care if he hurt me. I knew then
and there he never intended to marry me. All he wanted was my innocence. To cradle
it in the palm of his hand, to crush the last shred of dignity I had left under his strong
fingers. And he did. He took everything away from me. He left bruises and marks all
over my body, and it took me until today to realize he took advantage. Used me. And
I'll never forgive him for it.
My name is Brynne Davenport, and one day, I will have revenge for what that man
did to me.
Dominic Windsor, I'm coming for you.
Softly, I closed the cover of the notebook. I was glued to my seat, eyes scanning the
room for a sign on what to do. My father had hurt Violet's mother. And now, decades
later, I was hurting the girl that could have been my half-sister if things had gone
differently. Luckily, the timelines didn't add up - Violet was born years after the
events described in Brynne's notebook, but it still made me sick.
What my father did to that woman - back then, nothing but a young, vulnerable girl -
was unforgivable. One day, he would pay for his actions. But first, I needed to find
Violet - and thanks to her mother's diary, I had a good idea of who was behind her
disappearance.
A quick internet search on my phone revealed the date of Brynne's wedding with
Hugo. It was less than a month after she slept with my father, according to her diary.
This meant Hugo Cabot was the other man Brynne had written about in her diaries -
Mr. Admirer.
It quickly becomes obvious my father had a motive - motive that would be enough to
make him care more about bringing Hugo Cabot down, than being there to gloat about
it.
I got up from my seat and tracked down Jasper in front of the office.
"Cancel the transaction," I told him, and when the words left my lips, his shoulders
sagged with relief.
"Good thinking, Sir," Jasper replied curtly, and I managed a smile. It must've been my
first genuine smile in the days since Violet's disappearance. Finally, I felt like I was
getting closer to getting my princess back where she belonged. "Are there any more
leads on Violet's disappearance?"
"Yes," I muttered, checking to make sure we were alone in the hallway. God forbid
somebody overheard us - this could get messy. "I know who has Violet."
"Who?" Jasper furrowed his brows, staring at me with expectation.
"It's my fucking father," I ground out.
Jasper's mouth set in a thin line. He didn't comment, merely nodding before he spoke
up again. I admired him for it. The man was all business.
"Since the caller that demanded money masked their voice... Just like Peterson did...
There's a good chance the two are working together."
"You're right," I muttered. "You're fucking right. Especially if it really was Georgia
who convinced Violet to leave."
Jasper nodded slowly, his eyes darkening to the point of blackness. "What's our next
move, Sir?"
"We're bringing those bastards down." I nodded at him. "Whatever the hell we have to
do, they're going to fucking pay."

Violet
The ropes wereno longer around my wrists. They still ached, and I was very much a
prisoner, but I was headed somewhere I had never been before--Sloane Manor. That
would put me closer to civilization and closer to freedom. I told them I would sign my
name on Connor’s contract, but I had no intention of going through with it if I had a
chance to escape.
“She will ride with us.” Winter motioned to her car when we got outside.
“What about my car?” Connor gave her an apprehensive glance. “Someone might
see it…”
“One of my bodyguards will handle it.” She waved him off.
Winter didn’t come alone. She had an entourage--none of them batted an eye when I
was led, bruised and battered, to her waiting car. I couldn’t believe so many people
could be complacent in the face of such cruelty, but I had been rather surprised when
so many of my father’s business partners stood by and watched what Devlin did to
me. The entire world was fucked up--I didn’t even get the opportunity to be a
spectator before I was an unwilling participant in all of the awful things it had planned
for me.
I wonder what my mother would say if she was still here--knowing that both of her
daughters had been subjected to these awful fates.
I was led to Winter’s sedan. Her driver held the door and Winter pushed me inside. I
was still naked--not even a blanket to cover myself with. Her driver and her
bodyguards all looked like hulking beasts that would kill or devour me if given an
order by their Mistress. Were they all under the same spell as Connor? Would they
start trembling if Winter snapped her fingers?
“No, you will sit on the other side of me.” Winter put his hand on Connor’s chest
before he could climb inside. “You don’t get to play with your new toy until she signs
the contract--that’s the deal.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor cowered and let her get in first.
There was no way I was going to escape, even if I opened the door and ran. I was still
too weak and weary. I just had to wait, get my strength, and try to make a break for it
when the time was right. Once we were seated, I was against the door with Winter to
my right and Connor on the other side of her. She looked so tiny when she was
seated--yet obviously strong enough to have the car flipped with all of us inside if she
wanted--just with a whisper from those sinister lips.
“We’re going to have to do something about that wrist.” Winter reached over and
pushed her nail into my wound, which caused me to flinch. “You may need a plastic
surgeon--the only scars that should adorn your body are the ones Connor leaves on it.”
“He did this…” I pulled my hand away.
“No, he tied you up. You’re the one that chose to try and escape. Every mark was put
there by your insolence, but soon enough, you’ll learn how to wear those marks for
his pleasure.” Her lips twisted into a smile. “But it’s not all bad--he’s actually quite
useful to have around--aren’t you, boy?”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor nodded.
“Why don’t you show her?” Winter pushed her legs apart. “I’m sure she’d like to see
how good you can be--maybe that’ll ease some of her concerns about what you’re
going to do to her after the contract is signed.”
“As you wish, Mistress.” Connor moved his hand to Winter’s thigh.
“Your tongue, boy.” Winter slapped his hand. “I have toys that are better than your
filthy fingers.”
I scooted as far as I could to my side of the car as Connor crammed his frame into the
floorboard between the seats. It was a large car, but not nearly big enough for him to
fit comfortably. He didn’t seem to care.
“Watch carefully, dear.” Winter put her hand on my thigh. “You’ll be doing this for
me as often as he does--his property is my property. Isn’t that right, boy?”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor started kissing his way up Winter’s thigh.
I didn’t say anything. I didn’t even know what to say if there were words that could
express how I felt. Connor stripped Winter’s panties off and kissed his way to her
pussy. She leaned against me and closed her eyes. I didn’t want to be near her--
especially while he was pleasuring her--but it didn’t seem that I had a choice. I had a
front row seat to the most disgusting show on Earth.
“You know how I like it…” Winter moaned. “Make Mommy come.”
Mommy? Oh my god.
I tried to look away, but every time I diverted my gaze, Winter dug her nails into my
thigh until I looked back--I had no idea how she could even tell if I was watching with
her eyes closed, but she just seemed to know. Connor locked his eyes on me as he
tongue flicked against Winter’s clit. I didn’t even want to know what he was thinking.
He was going to hurt me--he was going to use me for his pleasure--I was doomed to it
unless I found a way to escape.
My eyes stayed on Connor and Winter, but my mind traveled elsewhere. I thought of
Devlin, and what he was going through since I vanished. He had to be losing his mind
if he was putting up so much money to get me back. Maybe he loved me--the devil,
wrapped around my finger instead of bending me around his. I needed his arms. They
were the ones that were safe, but I was too foolish to realize it.
“Move your tongue faster, stop looking at your treat.” Winter opened her eyes and
slapped the side of Connor’s head. “You can play with her later--don’t forget what
I’m giving up so you can have this Cabot whore.”
“Sorry, Mistress.” Connor paused for a moment as he spoke and then immediately
returned to licking Winter’s wretched cunt.
My body had endured plenty of torment, but my mental torment continued as Winter
made Connor pleasure her. The revolt inside my stomach bounced along with the car.
Cabot Vineyard faded away and the long road that separated it from civilization was
smooth enough for me to hear Winter’s moans over the sound of the tires.
What does a bitch like this even get off to? I’m sure Connor’s tongue isn’t what she’s
thinking about when her eyes are closed…
“That’s right, you’re about to make Mommy come like the good boy you are.”
Winter exhaled sharply and her moans got louder.
I closed my eyes to drown out the sight of Winter’s climax, even though I couldn’t
stop the sound of it. Her moans disgusted me. I finally opened my eyes when the last
gasp disappeared in the air. She was slumped against the seat and Connor was putting
her panties back on--his eyes were still locked on me.
I’ll die if he ever lays a hand--or tongue on me.
I looked around and tried to memorize my terrain when I saw Sloane Manor on the
horizon. If I got a chance to escape, I needed to know what I was dealing with. What
I saw didn’t inspire me with much hope. Sloane Manor was isolated from the rest of
the houses we passed and there was a high iron fence around the perimeter. It didn’t
look like something I could climb. She had guys standing at the front gate and they
approached the car to verify if was her before opening them.
I guess you need lots of security when you’re this fucking evil.
The car was parked and a woman walked outside with a blanket. I thought it was for
me, but Winter was the one she wrapped it around. Winter motioned for the woman
to bring me, and I was led naked through Sloane Manor--once again, everyone there
acted like it wasn’t that surprising to have a beaten and battered woman led past
them. I obviously wasn’t the first.
“Connor, why don’t you be a good boy and go make sure the contract is ready. I’m
going to have a talk with your new toy.” Winter motioned to him.
“Yes, Mistress.” He nodded and scurried off in the opposite direction.
The woman led me upstairs to a bedroom and left as soon as Winter entered. A large
door slammed shut and it was just the two of us--I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing
or a bad thing.
“Let’s have a talk. Why don’t you sit on Mommy’s knee so we can chat.” Winter
walked to a very large chair and sat down.
“Excuse me…” I blinked in confusion.
“Don’t make this difficult, Violet.” She patted her knee. “I’ll even let you have this
blanket once we’re done.”
“Fine.” I sighed and walked over--feeling quite foolish as I sat on the smaller
woman’s knee.
“Tonight, after you sign the contract, you will accompany us to the playroom.” She
put one hand on my leg and the other one on my head while she spoke--like she was
trying to cradle me. “I really want to know what my son is willing to pay so much
money for…”
“I thought you hated the Cabots.” I tensed up in her arms, but didn’t try to pull away
because I wanted to see just how much she would reveal. “Now you want to--
play with one?”
“Trust me, darling. I have enough hatred in my heart for your whole family, but you
won’t be my problem anymore after you sign Connor’s contract--you’ll be nice and
pacified, just like your sister.” A light chuckle echoed in Winter’s throat.
“One by marriage and one by contract.” I sighed. “It sounds like you’re getting
everything you want.”
“What’s the plan, sweetheart?” She leaned back. “Did you think you could cuddle
with me and ask sweet little questions until I told you everything? I didn’t get this far
in life being stupid--the only mistake I ever made was marrying Dominic Windsor--I
haven’t made a single one since.”
“I’m just curious. It’s not like I have anyone to tell…” I tried to keep my voice calm
as I spoke, despite wanting to throttle the bitch I was sitting with.
“That’s true, but you know everything you need to know. Tonight, you’ll find out just
how much I hate little Windsor whores when you get a taste of my hairbrush.” She
squeezed me tighter. “You might not have screamed for Connor, but when you’re
over my knee, the moment you scream is the moment your torment truly begins.”
“You won’t break me--Ms. Sloane.” I pulled away from her embrace.
“Everyone thinks they can’t be broken until they are.” She pushed me off her knee as
I was pulling away and I landed with a thud at her feet. “You’ve been beaten by a
man, but you’ve never been punished by a woman. I know there are limits that go
beyond being broken--the dark place where hope is lost forever and you will do
anything to have a taste of humanity again--that’s where you’re going tonight, Violet,
and you may never find your way back.”
I stared at Winter as she stood and walked to the door. I wanted to say something--
something that was laced with defiance--something that showed her I hadn’t lost my
will to fight--but I didn’t know what to say. Winter actually managed to terrify me
because I believed she meant every word she said. She was the living embodiment of
cruelty and malice--Connor was a child compared to her.
If she’s behind everything, I’ll suffer--I may not get any closer to the truth tonight, but
she will eventually let her guard down--I really do hope I hang onto enough of my
humanity to make my torment worth it.
I didn’t want to accept my fate, but I mentally forced myself to do it. I wasn’t going
to let Devlin give up his fortune to save me. I knew how hard he worked to get away
from Dominic--how important it was for him to be his own man. Deep down, I cared
about Devlin a lot more than I should have--the love that had been inside me since I
was a little girl never really left.
If everything I go through is for nothing, I hope he does honor his agreement and save
my father--if I meant anything to the devil at all.
Devlin
Gettingto my father's house unnoticed was going to be a problem, so I kept the plan
under wraps, making sure only the men involved knew what was happening.
I sat in a black limousine with tinted windows with seven of my men sitting in the
back with me. As we pulled up to the front gates of my father's estate, the guard gave
us a suspicious glance and I rolled down the window, addressing him directly.
"I'm here to see my father. He'll know what it's about."
"Of course, Sir." The guard tapped the roof of the car and opened the gates for us, and
the car slowly made its way onto the property. Well, that was fucking easy. Too easy...
As soon as we were out of the guard's view, I got out of the limo and ignored the men
filing out behind me. It took me them minutes to subdue my father's men, and by the
time I rang the doorbell, there would be no one left to protect him.
The door opened a moment later, and my men silenced the guard at the door in a split
second. I heard my father calling out from inside the house, wondering who was at the
door. I didn't answer, instead allowing my anger to build up deep within me until it
reached its shocking crescendo.
By the time Dominic Windsor appeared in the doorframe, I was fucking ready.
"Devlin," he said, glancing at me, then at the men behind me, with their guns at the
ready. "What a pleasant..."
He never got to finish that thought.
I slammed my fist into my father's face instantly. He groaned, stumbling back as my

men entered the house, making quick work of the few guards left inside. My father
was still grumbling on the floor as I grabbed his salt-and-pepper hair and dragged him
into the house, throwing him against the wall unceremoniously. There was a loud
crack and he gripped his bloody nose.
"You fucking bastard," he cried out. "You broke my nose!"
"Do I look like I give a shit?" I snarled, advancing on him. "You're going to tell me
where the hell she is, and you're going to do it right the fuck now."
"Who?" my father demanded, staring at me with rage for a moment before laughing
out loud. "Is this about that goddamn Cabot girl again?"
I remained quiet and he groaned. I'd had enough. Grabbing him by his shirt collar, I
lifted him up, slamming him against the wall. "Tell me where the hell you're keeping
her. Or else."
"I don't know," he insisted, and I tossed him on the ground before commanding my
men to search the house.
"Find her," I demanded. "Do whatever you have to, just fucking find Violet Cabot."
The men dispersed, leaving me alone with my father.
I wanted to hurt him. And I allowed myself to lose control, kicking the man over and
over again while he lay on the floor.
"You're fucking whipped," my father managed to get out, spitting out blood. "You're
whipped by this little girl, and the worst part is, you don't even realize it."
The red mist descended. I could have killed him then and there, but there was cool
calculation behind my moves as I approached him, lifting him up by his shirt. I
dragged him across the room, sending him sprawling over the stairs. The worst part
was, the old bastard never tried to defend himself. In my eyes, it made one thing very
fucking clear. He was guilty as shit. That's why he didn't fight back.
"Tell me where she is or I'll kill you right here, right now," I told him.
"I don't know," he insisted brokenly. He was a bloody mess by then, but I didn't give a
shit.
"Liar!" I accused him. A guard handed me Brynne's diary and I held it up in front of
my father's eyes. "You know what this is, old man?"
"A notebook?" He laughed out loud. "That's all you've got?"

"It's a diary, you fucking fool," I snarled. "Brynne Davenport's diary. From before she
became a Cabot."
His face turned ashen in a matter of seconds, and I knew I had him.
"Start at the beginning," I demanded. "From getting Cabot arrested."
"It wasn't me who got Cabot arrested," my father insisted.
"Well, you sure as fuck took credit for it." My words come out in a snarl, and I stare
my father down.
"It was a power play." He shrugged, shaky hands feeling his jacket as if to see if
something was there.
"A power play?"
"You should be familiar with those." Despite everything that was happening, my
father's eyes crinkled and he smiled. "Just like you fucking Violet in front of Hugo
Cabot's business partners."
I cleared my throat, unsure how he'd found out about that. "I'm not here to argue with
you. I'm here to find out what you've done with my property."
"I don't have her." He shrugged nonchalantly, making me kick him again. My father
groaned. "The Cabot thing... it was a lie. I didn't put him in jail. It was believable
because of our history."
"Oh, and what a history it is," I spat out. "I know all about Brynne Davenport."
He paled at this, and I took a step forward, smirking at him.
"That's right, Dad. I know what you did to Violet's mother. And I'm going to make
sure everybody knows if you don't fucking collaborate. Now, I'm only going to ask
you one more time. Where. The. Fuck. Are. You. Keeping. Violet?"
"I didn't take her," he insisted from the ground.
"I've had enough of your lies. It's time to start telling the truth."
"I would never hurt Brynne," Dad sputtered from the ground. "Or one of her children.
I could never do it. I..."
"You what?" I snarled, positioning my boot in front of his face. My father didn't
shrink back. His eyes met mine and his jaw set in place as he went on.
"I loved her too much."
"Loved?" I laughed out loud, the sound bitter and sad. "You're not capable of love,
Dad. You didn't even love my mother."
He chuckled and I raised my boot, ready to crush it against his skull.
"Wait," he begged. "Just let me explain."
I lowered my foot to the ground, crossing my arms and waiting for him to go on. "My
patience is running out, old man. You better give me some answers, and fucking fast."
"You're right, Devlin." He cleared his throat, sputtering blood on the floor when he
coughed. I felt sorry for him, a pang of guilt shooting through my chest. But I knew I
couldn't let myself feel that way. Not until I had Violet back.
"It's true. I never loved your mother. It was all a pretense - an arranged marriage. It
was a planned event to bring together the Sloane family and the Windsors. Your
mother, she had money, and I had promise. I needed to do it - for my business, to get
an heir. Brynne didn't want me anyway. She married Cabot..." At this, he spat on the
floor, his spit mixing with blood. "Brynne Davenport was the only woman I've ever
loved. And I hated that bastard Cabot for taking her away from me. But not as much
as I hated myself."
"You?" I laughed out loud. "I'm having trouble believing the great Dominic Windsor
feels such self-loathing."
"You should believe it," my father said through gritted teeth. "I hurt her. I'll never stop
regretting that. It's what's been haunting me my entire life. Knowing what I did to her.
Knowing I broke her, ruined her life. I sent her right into Cabot's arms, and for that,
I'll never forgive myself."
I contemplated his words, allowing him to pick himself up and slump against the wall,
loosening his tie.
"We're a lot alike, son."
"We're nothing alike."

"We are. We both have these... these dark desires running through our veins." I felt a
chill go down my spine, and I knew my father had noticed, but he was wise enough
not to say anything about it. "It's in our blood, Devlin. And it's hard for us to control
these desires. To admit to ourselves we have to reign them in with our partners, with
our women. Don't tell me you don't feel it too, my son. I know you felt it with Violet,
just like I did with her mother."
Stubbornly, I kept my mouth shut despite his expectant gaze. I wasn't going to give
him the satisfaction of an answer. I wanted him to suffer for what he'd done to Violet's
family.
And yet... if he hadn't done that to Brynne, Violet wouldn't be here today. And neither
would I.
I shook my head to get the thought out. I couldn't get distracted, not then, when I was
so close to uncovering the last few clues that would lead me to my princess.
"Is this the real reason Hugo Cabot hates us?" I asked my father. "Is this why he is so
against me being with his daughter?"
Brokenly, my father nodded. "I planned to take him down, for many, many years. Got
so close, so many times. I had so many opportunities to destroy the man, just like he'd
done to me, and my future with Brynne. But I always held back. I never went through
with it. I knew if I did it, I'd be hurting Brynne's children in the process. And I
couldn't bring myself to do that to her, to her family. Even though they were Cabot's
children, I... I couldn't hurt them. For Brynne's sake."
I found myself nodding along. "What happened then?"
"Cabot found a letter," my father hissed, clutching his side. With shaky fingers, he
brought a cigarette out from the pocket in his blazer. He offered it to me and I shook
my head. It had been years since my father had stopped smoking. I watched him light
the thing with shaky fingers, taking a long, relieved breath of its poison. He inhaled
gratefully, filling his lungs with smoke. Old habits die fucking hard.
"What kind of letter?"
"A letter Brynne wrote to him, but never sent."
I had a feeling where this was going, and I waited for my father to go on.
"What was in the letter?"

"Her confession," my father muttered. "She told him about me. And since then, he's
hated me. As if it wasn't enough that Brynne did. Now Cabot was out to get me, and I
fucking deserved it, too."
"But why would you stop me from being with Violet?" I demanded. "Why didn't you
want us to be together? Why work so tirelessly to keep us apart?"
My father took another long drag of the cigarette. Despite his messy state, with blood
trickling from his nose and his suit torn, the bastard was still as handsome as ever. No
wonder women found him so irresistible.
"I never wanted you to get close to Violet Cabot," he muttered after a long pause. "I
knew... I knew you'd go down the exact same path I did with Brynne."
"What do you mean?"
"You'd fall in love, Devlin," he ground out, rubbing the bridge of his nose and
groaning from the pain. I must've broken his nose. Fucking good. "You'd fall in love,
like I did, and it would destroy you."
"Nonsense," I muttered, and our eyes met.
"Nonsense?" my father repeated. "Is it really, Devlin? Can you honestly tell me you
don't have feelings for the Cabot girl? No feelings. None at all?"
I glared at him, my heart speeding up frantically. I couldn't bring myself to answer

him, to tell him the truth. So I stayed stubbornly quiet, and my father didn't prod
further.
"I can help you find her," he finally said from the ground. "Let me help you."
My pride and my fears battled in my mind as I regarded my father's broken figure on

the floor. My need for Violet had driven me to do this - to hurt my own Dad, the man
who raised me, my fucking blood. Now, he was offering me a helping hand - an
alliance.
"Temporary," I spoke up. "Only temporary. Until I get Violet back."
"Of course." My father put out the cigarette and tossed it on the floor. "How much do
you need?"
Since the beginning, everything had been about money. And as I uttered the magic
number, I felt shame burning my cheeks. "I promised somebody - who I thought was
you - a hundred million for her safe return."
My father furrowed his brows, saying, "You don't have that kind of money, Devlin."
"No, I don't," I said. "I'm liquidating my share in the company to get it."
"No need to do that." He waved his hand nonchalantly, as if the astronomically high
amount meant nothing to him. "I'll cover it. You don't have to liquidate anything."
I struggled with my reply. The two little words I should have said - thank you - were
right on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't bring myself to say them. But my father
didn't push me. Instead, he picked himself up from the ground, giving me an
encouraging pat on the shoulder.
And just like that, the tension that had been between us for decades crumbled away.
At that moment, we were just a father and son, and nothing else mattered.
"Thank you." The words left my lips effortlessly this time, filling the room with
unexpected warmth.
"Of course. What else are fathers for?" My father lay a hand on my shoulder and gave
me a confident smile. "Now come on. Let's get this bastard."
Violet
My roomat Sloane Manor was comfortable, and I would have even said it was nice, if
I wasn’t there to sell my soul to a new Master. Connor Peterson. My sister’s husband.
Submissive boy to Winter Sloane. A man who wanted to hurt me and ravage my
body--if he could even last that long. But he wasn’t the only one who was going to
own me. He was going to get what he wanted, but behind him, Winter was really
pulling the strings. She was going to be the one who really owned me, because
Connor did everything she said, no matter how vile or disgusting it seemed.
I pulled the blanket tight around my body and tried to focus on what was important. I
had to escape--I had to find a way to get free. I didn’t know how long it would take
me, but that mission would always be on the forefront of my thoughts. If Winter was
responsible for what happened to my father, then I would find proof before I left--that
would make my torment bearable. Hope. It had kept going for so long. I just needed a
little more.
If this blows up in my face, I have to believe Devlin will honor that agreement. I
know he cares about me now. I didn’t the day I left, but if he was willing to sell off his
empire to get me back, then I was foolish not to trust him--the devil was the only one
who was looking out for my best interests.
It was still hard to bring balance to my love for the boy I was fascinated with as a
child and the devil that Devlin became, but they were one in the same. He wanted my
submission, but the things he did to me had a purpose--they made me stronger. Maybe
that was what it was always about. I had to stop being a spoiled little rich girl and be a
woman strong enough to stand on my own two feet. Devlin transformed me through
pain, passion and humiliation, but without that--I would have cracked and signed
Connor’s contract the instant I felt the ropes burn my wrists.
Devlin taught me to endure, and I’m going to need every bit of that for what lies
ahead.
“Ms. Cabot.” The woman who escorted me to my room earlier opened my door and
walked in. “I have a dress for you to wear tonight. You can try it on right after your
bath.”
“Okay…” I nodded aimlessly as she left the room.
The dress--the bath--getting ready. It brought back memories of the day I sold my
soul to the devil. The difference was that I actually did want Devlin to own me, deep
down, where I was afraid to admit it--even to myself. There was no thrill in what was
going to happen to me at the hands of Winter and Connor. Neither one of them were
attractive or desirable. One was a succubus. The other was a pathetic excuse to his
gender.
I had no problem with Connor’s kinks, but they collided with his vows, and were
going to take the piece of my innocence Devlin left behind. The thought of being
touched by Connor sickened me, and it was hard to keep my sanity in check when I
thought about Winter doing things to me that could be even worse than Connor’s
twisted desires. I wondered what my sister really thought of her husband. Was she a
willing partner, or trapped like me?
“Ms. Cabot?” Another woman opened my door--she appeared to be a maid--younger

and friendlier looking than the woman who escorted me to my room.
“Yes?” I turned my head in her direction.
“Mistress Sloane thought you would like to have a snack before your meeting.” The
maid pushed the door open and rolled a cart into my room.
“Thank you…” I replied on instinct, but immediately wondered why I was thanking
anyone due to my current predicament.
As soon as the maid left, I walked over and lifted the cover from the food. There was
an assortment of cheeses, breads, and a sliced apple. I was immediately reminded of
how long it had been since I ate. Days? Weeks? It was hard to know how much time I
spent in the darkness. I pulled the cart over to the bed, sat down, and started to devour
the food--no regard for the manners I was taught--no regard for the grape juice that
ran from the edge of my lips. I washed it down with water--sweet sustenance--
everything on the tray tasted like manna from heaven with a glass of euphoria.
I felt so much better after I ate, but my stomach quickly began to ache. I overdid it,
but I didn’t care--I needed it too much. With one need met, another arose. I was
absolutely filthy. I walked into the bathroom and started running a bath. I would have
enjoyed the water under different circumstances, but there was no comfort--just a
need to wash the dirt away.
My ass and thighs hurt when the water touched them, but I swallowed the pain and
simply scrubbed away the filth. My skin. My fingernails. My hair. Everything from
the musty old room turned black in the water before it went down the drain. I was
sure some blood joined it, but the water was too dark for me to tell.
After my bath, I stretched out on the bed and closed my eyes for a moment. It felt so
soft--I wasn’t even sure I would feel a bed again after being alone in that musty room
for so long. I pulled the blanket around my body, and It felt like my eyes were only
closed for a second, but then my door opened and I was startled awake.
“I’ve come to take a look at your injuries.” It was an older man with white hair and
thick glasses. “I’m a doctor.”
“Okay.” I nodded and sat up, but kept the blanket around my body.
“I’ve been told your wrist is the main thing I need to check.” He had a soft voice--
calm and relaxing--the kind that made you want to trust him.
“Probably so…” I pushed my arm out from underneath the blanket.

“That’s going to get infected.” He sighed and leaned forward. “Can I touch your
arm?”
“Um--yes.” I nodded.
It was strange to have someone ask permission--it had been so long since anyone had.
The doctor didn’t seem like he belonged in Sloane Manor. He didn’t look like he was
evil, or the kind of person who would associate with Winter Sloane, but I reminded
myself that looks could easily be deceiving. I thought Connor was a good guy the day
my sister married him--he pretended to be a man when he was on his knees as a boy
for his so-called Mistress.
“It may scar, but I think I can treat it without taking you to the hospital. Let me get
my things…” The doctor stood up and left the room.
I had to stifle a laugh. Winter wouldn’t have let him take me to the hospital, even if
he thought I needed to go. I almost considered trusting the doctor--just telling him I
was a prisoner and begging him to remember his Hippocratic Oath. I was just too
scared.
He returned with a satchel that looked like the traveling medicine bags I used to see in
old movies I watched with my sister when we were younger. He unrolled a piece of
canvas that had slots for all of his tools. My eyes were immediately drawn to one of
them--a scalpel. That was the closest thing to a weapon I had seen since my arrival at
Sloane Manor that wasn’t attached to a guy way too big for me to take down on my
own--but with a scalpel--I might be able to get out of Winter’s twisted funhouse a lot
faster than I originally thought.
What if I don’t take advantage of this--don’t try. I may not get another chance for
days--weeks--months.
The doctor cleaned the wounds on my injured wrist and bandaged it. I let him inspect
the other one. It didn’t need anything other than a little cleaning and a smaller
bandage. He was finishing up. My mind was spinning. I had to find a way to get that
scalpel.
“Doctor…” I exhaled sharply. “Is there anything you can do about this?”
I lowered the blanket and rolled towards him so he could see the marks on my ass and
upper thighs. The result of Connor’s cruelty--the switch that I was whipped with until
the wood splintered.
“Oh my.” He blinked a couple of times--I doubted he was shocked by my naked
body, but the marks gave him pause.
“I was a bad girl, doctor--but it still hurts.” I remembered the pouty, spoiled rich girl I
used to be, and dove headfirst into her headspace.
“I--yes, I should be able to do something.” He cleared his throat and reached for his
medicine bag.
The distraction was what I needed. The moment he leaned over to get a closer look,
my arm stretched out until I was able to palm the scalpel. I liberated the thin surgical
tool from the pocket it was stored in on his canvas bag and folded part of the
bedspread over it. He didn’t notice.
“I will have to ask again if I can touch you, miss…” He held up the tube of ointment
he used to sooth my other wounds.
“Yes, doctor. That will be fine.” I nodded.
The doctor rubbed ointment on my ass, upper thighs, and I could tell it made him
uncomfortable. He was obviously not the kind of man that was used to treating
women who were so clearly abused. Maybe I could have trusted him, but I couldn’t be
sure. The only thing I could be sure of was the scalpel I took and what kind of
damage it could do in my hand. I was becoming a person I didn’t recognize, but
willing to go as far into the darkness as I had to if necessary.
“Okay, I think that is all I can do.” The doctor pulled off his gloves and deposited
them in a biohazard bag. “I’m going to tell Ms. Sloane that I should treat you again in
a week--I’m sure she will agree with my assessment.”
“Thank you.” I pulled the blanket around my body and scooted over towards the
scalpel.
I’ll probably have a whole lot of new injuries for him to treat by then if Winter was
serious about the things she intends to do to me--I had no reason to believe she
wasn’t.
“You won’t say anything about this, will you doctor?” I tilted my head slightly.
“No ma’am.” He shook his head and winked at me. “Ms. Sloane pays me enough to
keep her secrets. I’ve been doing that longer than you’ve been alive.”
It was an act. Fine. I got what I need…
In an instant, all of the trust that I thought I had for the doctor evaporated. He was an
accomplice, not a kind old man as he originally appeared. Maybe it was a test--maybe
Winter wanted to see if I would spill everything to the first person who treated me
kindly and beg for help. I was glad I resisted the urge and trusted my gut. There was
no kindness in Sloane Manor--just wolves who would devour a sheep with a smile on
their face.
I put on the dress that I was supposed to wear and sat on the bed, simply waiting for
the door to open again. When it finally did, I saw the maid who seemed nice--but I
reminded myself that the doctor seemed nice too. If she worked at Sloane Manor, she
had turned a blind eye to cruelty, so I had to treat her like an enemy.
“Are you finished, Ms. Cabot?” The maid motioned to the tray.
“Yes.” I nodded. “You can take it away.”
My heart started beating hard in my chest and my stomach twisted into a knot. I
wasn’t a violent person, but I had to be if I wanted to get out of Sloane Manor. I
wanted to stay--wanted to find out if Winter was responsible for what happened to my
father--but that information would be useless if I didn’t have a way to use it. The
opportunity presented itself in the form of the scalpel, I would be a fool not to take it.
I doubted I would be able to hide it in my room for long with so many people coming
in-and-out.
It may be now or never.
“I’m sorry…” I sighed and wrapped my fingers around the handle.
“For what, Ms.--” Before she had a chance to finish my name, I grabbed her hair and
pressed the scalpel to her neck. Fear flooded her eyes immediately. “Wait--please!”
“I’m not going to kill you.” I gritted my teeth and made sure she felt the tip of the
blade. “If you do exactly what I say.”
“Please don’t hurt me!” The fear turned to absolute terror--I knew that look, but I
didn’t know how to beg anymore.
“Take off your clothes.” I narrowed my eyes. “Now!”

“Yes ma’am…” Tears flooded her eyes and she started trying to undress with the
scalpel pressed to her neck.
I didn’t know how much time I had, but every second was critical. As soon as the
maid stripped off her uniform, I carefully cut strips off the dress I was wearing
without letting go of her hair. She willingly gave me her arms so I could tie them and
didn’t protest when I gagged her.
“Get in bed.” I motioned to it and she complied.
I covered her with the blanket. Would it work? I had no idea. I just wanted to give the
illusion I was in my room if anyone opened the door. I put on the maid’s clothes and
while I was a size smaller than her, they still fit well enough for me to walk through
the mansion without looking out of place. I rolled my cart outside and kept my head
down. I assumed Winter had cameras--not in my room like Devlin did if nobody came
running the instant I attacked the maid.
This looks like it may be more complicated than I realized.
There were a number of workers in Sloane Manor and two guys by the front door. I
definitely wasn’t going out that way, but there had to be a way for the staff to come
and go--a back entrance--a door in the kitchen--something. I just didn’t know how to
get there. I cursed myself for not asking the maid for directions as I pushed the cart
down the hallway.
She had to get this cart to this floor somehow. An elevator? Probably not in plain
view--not for someone as conceited as Winter.
I started checking rooms and eventually found what I was looking for--a room with a
closed door that was most empty except for some cleaning supplies and a small
service elevator. I pulled the cart into the elevator and hit the button for the bottom
floor. I prayed I wouldn’t step off in front of people who would sound the alarm, but it
seemed like the only option I had.
I barely drew a breath when I got to the bottom floor, and when the doors opened, I
saw an empty hallway. A long sigh of relief escaped my lips as I ditched the cart and
moved towards the only source of commotion I heard. There was a back door, just as
I thought, but there were several workers that were sure to notice me. The best option
I had was to lay low and wait for it to thin out some--hopefully before the maid that I
tied up was discovered.
Fuck, there are way too many people here…

I saw a maid walking towards me, so I ducked into a side room. A second later,
someone else walked by. I needed to find another part of the house to hide in until I
could make a break for it. I quickly moved down the hallway and suddenly--my
attention was drawn to someone--Winter’s voice, followed by Connor’s voice. They
were talking about me. I pressed myself flat against the wall and scooted closer to the
source of the conversation--a room that looked like an office. I found a vantage point
where I could see them without them noticing me.
“Mistress, I can’t thank you enough for this gift.” Connor’s smile was so big--almost
comical. “Violet is finally going to be mine--all mine.”
“Ours.” Winter corrected him. “You’ll get to have your fun, but your property is my
property--never forget that.”
“Of course, Mistress.” Connor nodded. “It’s hard not to be excited.”
“Sweet boy.” Winter walked up and put her hand on his cheek. “I promised you that
you would have her if you did what I said--I always make sure my sweet little boys
get what they want.”
“You’re so good to me, Mommy.” He bent forward and leaned his head against her
hand, then he began to coo like a child. “I waited so long… I resisted for so long…”
“You never take until it belongs to you.” She kissed his forehead. “The pieces had to
fall into place before we could make this move. Now they have…”
“Anything for you, Mistress.” He let out a sound that was almost babyish. “You’re
the best Mommy ever.”
These people need serious help, but I’m not a therapist. I just need to find a way out
of here…
“Just remember.” Winter’s tone stiffened and she gripped Connor’s ear with her
fingernails until he let out a whimper. “This is the end of the Cabots. That whore will
never have a child by you--or else I’ll cut it out while you watch.”
“Ow, Mistress--yes Mistress.” Connor squirmed but made no effort to free himself
from Winter. “I made sure Georgia could never have children. I’ll do the same with
Violet…”
“Good boy.” Winter released her grip on his ear.

What does that mean? What did he do to my sister?
“The call should be coming in any moment.” Winter sighed. “Get the software
ready.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor nodded.
The phone rang and when Winter answered, her voice was distorted by the computer
she was talking into. It came out garbled and robotic. My pulse began to race when I
realized Devlin was on the other end of the line. I thought about bursting into the
room and yelling for him--screaming even--but I had no idea if that would work. If the
two of them felt threatened, they might actually kill me. I might be able to take out
Winter on my own, but not Connor. He was still big and imposing, even if he was
Winter’s little boy at the snap of her fingers--or a twist of his ear.
“You have the money, Windsor?” Winter narrowed her eyes as she spoke.
“Yes.” Devlin replied on the other end of the phone--his voice wasn’t masked and it
was like music in my soul. “I have it. I want to know Violet is safe--just like we
agreed.”
“You’ll get what you want, Windsor.” Winter hit a button on her computer and ended
the call. “And so will I…”
Wait… Why does Devlin have the money? I thought I was signing a contract so he
didn’t have to sell his company.
“I’ll make the arrangements.” Connor opened a laptop and sat down. “Once we have
Devlin’s company, and Violet’s name on a contract, we’ll both get what we want.”
Confusion surged through my veins. Something wasn’t right. Winter told me that I
was signing a contract with Connor so that Devlin wouldn’t lose his company. She
lied to me. They were still planning to take Devlin’s company and force me to sign
Connor’s contract. I had to warn Devlin--escape couldn’t wait a single second
longer. I started moving back down the hallway. If I had to fight my way out with the
scalpel, I would do so--everyone in Sloane Manor chose to work for Winter. I hated
to think of them as collateral damage, but it was the only choice I had.
“What the fuck!?” Connor practically screamed and I paused in my tracks.
“Is there a problem?” Winter sounded agitated.

“Yes!” Connor slammed his hand on the desk, and I moved closer to the door--
obviously something was wrong, I needed to know what it was. “Devlin’s bank
account has the money, but he didn’t sell off his fucking company! Nothing has been
liquidated!”
“That’s not possible! There’s no way my son could raise that kind of money without
selling his shares. It’s a mistake. Call the broker…” Winter sounded like she was
about to blow a gasket.
“It’s not a mistake, Mistress. Look--the money was transferred in a lump sum. It
wasn’t a sale.” Connor’s voice paused--and then I heard what sounded like his laptop
hit the wall. “That fucking bastard!”
“Hold on.” Winter’s tone softened. “We can work around this. We’ll just raise the
price. If Devlin was willing to pay a hundred then he’ll pay twice that--three times
that--he’ll have to sell his company.”
“We’re running out of time, Mistress.” Connor sighed, seemingly calmed by Winter’s
shift in demeanor. “If we don’t get Devlin’s company…”
“I know what it means!” Winter snapped back at him. “We’re going to give Devlin
more motivation. I’m sorry, sweet boy, but we’re going to have to hurt her before we
get a chance to play.”
“I understand, Mistress.” Connor let out another sigh.
“I want Violet’s finger in a box--her left ring finger…” Winter’s voice took on a hint
of amusement. “If Devlin wants to play this game, we’ll make sure he knows how
serious we are.”
“I’ll cut it off personally, Mistress.” Connor’s footsteps echoed and I realized he was
walking towards the door.
Connor was headed to my room. He was going to find out that the maid was tied up
in my bed. My chance of escape was dwindling fast. I started running down the
hallway and a few seconds later, I nearly ran headfirst into the woman that escorted
me to my room. Our eyes met and she lunged for me. I snapped my wrist forward
without even thinking and swiped the scalpel across her stomach. It cut so easily that
it scared me, but she still screamed. The wound didn’t look deep enough to kill, but
she was bleeding and startled. I used that to my advantage and ran past her.
“Oh fuck, oh fuck--I have to get out of here!” My head spun, but I tried to keep
myself together.
The alarm was sounded. It didn’t matter if anyone saw me anymore. Connor--
Winter--her security. Any one of them would hurt me if they had to, especially if
Winter was planning to send my finger to Devlin in a box. I ran so fast I almost
stumbled, but the stumble proved to be a twist of good luck. I saw what appeared to
be an office--with a telephone on the desk. I ran inside, slammed the door, and started
moving everything I could push towards the door.
“I think she’s in here!” A voice echoed on the other side of the door and then he
slammed himself into the wood--thankfully, it didn’t give.
I barricaded myself the best that I could and ran to the desk. I picked up the telephone
and nearly screamed for joy when I heard a dial tone. I dialed Devlin’s number as fast
as I could and every ring felt like an eternity.
“Hello? Who is this?” Devlin’s voice--finally.
“Devlin! It’s me!” I almost started hyperventilating. “I’m at your mother’s house…
Devlin, she’s the one--”
The line went dead before I could say anything else. Winter had obviously realized I
could make a call and killed the phone. I hoped what I said was enough for him to
realize how serious it was. All I could do was pray that my barricade held until he
arrived.
Will Devlin choose me over his own mother? I didn’t even stop to consider that
before I used my only chance to call him…
The minutes ticked by. Five of them. Ten of them. Every single one so precious
because it gave Devlin time to get to me. The door continued to get hit by the guards
on the other side. My barricade didn’t hold--it was foolish to think that it would. It
flew open and Connor came storming into the room with rage in his eyes that looked
like the man who imprisoned me--not the boy that called Winter Sloane his Mommy.
“Back off!” I held the scalpel in front of me.
“How cute.” Connor smirked. “Tie her up.”
The guards came rushing into the room. I swung the scalpel around as menacingly as
I could, but there were too many of them. I managed to cut one guy, but the next one
grabbed my arm. They pinned it behind my back and squeezed my injured wrist until I
dropped the blade. Connor immediately picked it up as Winter walked into the room
behind him.
“I can’t leave you alone for a second, Cabot whore.” Winter sighed.
“You fucking--” One of the guards clamped his hand over my mouth before I could
protest.
Connor used the scalpel to cut the maid uniform off me until I was completely naked.
One of the guards returned with rope and they started to bind me. I kicked, squirmed,
and fought with everything I had, but there was no way I could overpower them.
“Her finger…” Winter motioned to Connor. “Cut it off.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor walked behind me and squeezed my hand until I yelped.
“Ms. Sloane.” One of Winter’s maids came running into the room. “There’s
someone outside--lots of someones.”
“Fuck!” Winter gritted her teeth and grabbed my jaw. “Who the hell did you call?
The cops?”
“No.” I smiled against her grip. “I called Devlin.”
“Ah.” Winter smiled. “Well I can handle my son a lot better than you can.” She
pushed me into Connor’s arms. “You’re not very smart at all.”
“What are we going to do, Mistress?” Connor didn’t seem to share Winter’s
nonchalant approach to her son’s arrival.
“Get some men outside. Everyone else, disappear.” Winter snapped her fingers and
leveled her gaze at Connor. “You keep the whore here--she’ll still going to sign that
fucking contract once I get rid of Devlin.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor’s lips twisted into a sick grin and he pressed his lips to my
ear. “Only a matter of time now, sweet Violet…”
Devlin will either save me, or I’ll have no reason to be saved at all...

Devlin
I hungup the phone when the line went dead and turned around to face my father.
"And?" he demanded, anxiously awaiting my answer. "What happened?"
"She... she has Violet," I managed to get out.
"Who does?" My father approached me, grabbing me by the shoulders. "Tell me right
now."
"My... mother has Violet."
"W-What?" It was the first time in my life that I heard my father stutter, and probably
the last. "Your mother?"
He struggled to get to his feet, and I lent him a helping hand. My father pressed his
back against the wall and exhaled, rubbing his eyes. "Is this true, Devlin?"
"Yes, we have to go--now."
"Then we can't waste a second." His tone was serious, his eyes burning into mine as
we locked gazes. "She's the most dangerous person I've ever met."
"My mother?" I chuckled, giving him a doubtful look. "I sincerely doubt that, Dad.
Weren't you the one always cheating on her? You could barely keep your dick in your
pants at dinner parties we had at home."
"Trust me," Dad muttered as he buttoned his blazer. There were traces of blood on his
sleeves, and I cringed inwardly seeing them. I'd put those there. And if I was being
honest with myself... I didn't regret it one bit. Dad had some pain due to him after
everything he'd put me through. "You don't know much about your heritage, do you,
Devlin?"
"What's there to know?" I shrugged. "You married Mom. Cheated on her. Got
divorced. The end."
"There's more to it than that." He shot daggers at me with his eyes before going on.
"I'll tell you everything on the ride. Come on, we have to go."
We got into my car together, and as the driver pulled away from my father's house,
Dad sighed heavily, his eyes trained on the passing landscape.
"Winter... your mother..." He shook his head, a hint of shame in his quiet words. "She
found out about my involvement with Brynne. And... I'm going to be honest with you
now, Devlin, because I respect you. But please don't lose your head."
"What is it?"
"Well, Brynne and I didn't exactly... stop seeing each other after she married Hugo."
He swallowed thickly as I gave him an incredulous look.
"What? You saw Violet's mother behind her father's back? No wonder Cabot hates
you. Hates us."
"We saw each other in secret - more than once," he went on, his voice breaking over
the words. "I'm not proud of it, but I loved her. I couldn't say no to her. I wanted her in
my life, and if it meant her cheating on Cabot, I was willing to go along with it - as
long as I didn't lose her."
"But I thought Violet's parents were happy together," I muttered.
"Never." My father's reply was instant, terse. "Cabot was always busy with work. It
wasn't the life Brynne had dreamed of, and it sure as hell wasn't the life she deserved."
"Is that why mother hates Violet?"
"There's more to it than that," Dad muttered.
"Then tell me the rest of it. There's no time to lose."
"The Sloanes - your mother's family - and the Davenports, Violet's mother's family,
were always bitter rivals. Did you know Violet's father was engaged to your mother's
sister?"
I furrowed my brows, shaking my head. All of our family histories were intertwined.
There was so much history left to uncover.
"He called off the engagement, for Brynne - Violet's mother. And your mother,
Winter, was the one who had to comfort and console her sister. Back then, she swore
she'd have revenge on the Cabots for what Hugo did to her sister."
"What about the two of you?" I asked. "Did she find out about your affair with
Brynne?"
Dad stared out of the tinted car window, his jaw setting. "It's what ended our
marriage, Devlin."
"How come I never knew any of this?" I knitted my brows together. "Nobody ever
told me."
"Brynne's death changed everything," my father sighed. "I thought your mother's
hatred had faded - that her lust for vengeance had been sated when Brynne died. I
thought I was the only one holding a grudge - against Hugo, Violet's father, because
he took the love of my life away from me."
"Seems like she made that decision herself," I muttered, my eyes meeting my father's.
It was the first time I saw genuine pain in his eyes, realizing this was still a sore topic
for him. I shut up pretty quickly after that, waiting for him to go on and tell me the
rest of the story.
"Either way, I was wrong," my father muttered after a moment's pause. "Your mother
was far from over it. She never let go of her hatred. In fact, it seemed as if it festered,
grew bigger over time. And because Violet is Brynne's daughter... Well,
unfortunately, your mother's anger extends all the way to the girl you chose to love."
His words rang in my ears and I watched the landscape changing as we kept on
driving.
Had I chosen Violet? Or had it always meant to be this way, the two of together -
against all odds, and against our families? What never happened for Brynne and my
father was happening to me and Violet now. And I owed it to everyone to see the
relationship through. To save Violet from my mother's wrath.
We spent the rest of the ride quietly pondering our families' history. I was quiet,
thoughtful, my mind circling around the possibility of seeing Violet again, holding her
in my arms. I was eager to have her back, to show her how much I'd missed her, to
treat her the way she deserved and craved to be treated.
Finally, we arrived at Sloane Estate, where my mother Winter lived. My hopes soared
as we neared the impressive mansion. Father and I had agreed I would tell mother I'd
arrived for an impromptu visit, while he'd try to sneak some of the men in to track
down Violet and save her. If mother suspected my father was with me, she'd never so
much as let us cross the threshold of her home.
The limo pulled up in front of the house, on the large round driveway, and I got out of
the car, heart hammering in my chest as I approached the entrance. I rang the doorbell
while my men waited in the car. I needed to distract my mother, and my mind raced
with the possibilities of how I was going to achieve that. Being this close to Violet, I
could almost smell her sweet scent in the ear. My hands formed fists at my sides, and
steely determination took over.
Family be damned. I'm taking my Violet back, and nobody can fucking stop me.
Finally, the door opened, and I was surprised to find my mother on the other side.
"Not letting the servants open your door?" I smirked at my mother. "That's so very
unlike you."
"Devlin." She smiled crisply, pressing a cool peck against my cheek. I allowed it,
though my skin was bristling when her lips grazed it. I wanted to yell at her, but I
forced myself to hold back. "What a... pleasant, unexpected surprise."
"Not happy to see me?" Was I imagining it or were her toned shoulders even more
tense than usual? "I thought you'd be excited to have a little impromptu visit from
your favorite son."
"My only son," she corrected me with a cold smile. "Well, come in. Unfortunately,
you can't stay for too long. I've got errands to run."
I followed her into the sunroom, trying to not be too obvious about checking out the
place. As we sat down, I finally commented on the lack of help, since we hadn't seen a
single servant since we walked in together. My mother had always been the kind of
woman who didn't even tie her own shoelaces, and it surprised me to see her without
at least one maid waiting to do her bidding.
"There's something going around here," she waved her arm nonchalantly. "They’re
busy. Don't want them spreading their nasty germs."
"Understandable."
We stared at one another, as if we were playing in a blinking contest. She didn't

waver, but neither did I. I was getting to the bottom of this, come hell or high water.
"Where is she, mother?"
"Where's who?" She took a sip of tea from the floral porcelain cup on the coffee table,
feigning innocence.
"Violet." I got her name out through gritted teeth, and by then, it was getting
impossible to hide my true feelings. "I know you have her, so cut the bullshit and give
her back to me. Right the fuck now."
"Violet?" she repeated, then laughed out loud. "Oh, that Cabot girl. You've been
fucking her, haven't you?"
I wanted to fucking hurt her. I forced a smile on my lips instead and went on calmly.
"It would be best if you gave her up now, before things get ugly."
"I don't know what you're talking about." She waved her hand dismissively. "I thought
you were here to visit me, Devlin, not accuse me of ridiculous schemes. I'm going to
have to ask you to leave."
"I don't think so." My voice was nothing but a hiss by then, and we got up from our
seats at the same time, staring at one another with contempt. "I'm not leaving until I
have Violet."
"It's really sad, Devlin," my mother shook her head. "How fast you've managed to
forget about your loyalties. You're so much like your father. Always have been.
Perhaps that's why I could never love you."
The words hurt, cutting deep like knife wounds against my flesh. But I didn't give a
shit about her accusations, and I clicked my fingers. The room filled with my men
who'd sneaked into the house while I distracted my mother. She paled as she watched
them enter, my father standing center stage.
Her lip curled back in distaste when she saw him, and her words dripped with
contempt when she muttered, "You."
"Did you miss me, darling?" My father's voice was sarcastic and he nodded at mother.
"What a nice little family reunion we're having here. So good to be back together.
Almost feels like old times, doesn't it, Winter?"
"I want you out of my house," she hissed. "Guards!"
"Oh, I think you'll find your guards are a little... indisposed at the moment." Father
smirked at her, motioning to our own men. "But we'll write them off as casualties. We
only killed four of them."
She paled more at this update, and glared at me, as if I was to blame for the whole
situation - not her hidden psychotic tendencies. "How can you do this to me, Devlin?
Your own mother?"
"You just told me you never loved me," I spat out. "You really think I'm going to have
mercy for the bitch who imprisoned the woman I..."
My sentence was left unfinished, hanging in the charged air between us. Mother kept
glancing between me and father, and I'd finally had enough. In two quick steps,
grabbing her firmly by the forearm. "You're going to tell us where the girl is. Tell us
right now, and you won't get hurt."
She glared at me, and I could see her cold blue eyes calculating how she was going to
get out of this mess. "I'll take you to her. I swear. Just let go of me, and I'll show you
where she is."
Finally, she was admitting to something. I felt my grip tighten on her arm before I
pulled back, giving her a nod and motioning for the guards to follow. Resigned to her
fate, my mother led us down the hallway, taking long, slow steps.
Just as we walked through the hallway, a figure appeared in front of us.
"Freeze!" one of my guys, called out, but the figure didn't obey. He closed the door
behind him, glancing over his shoulder and paling when he saw us coming.
"Peterson," I ground out. "Get him."
"Run, Connor!" my mother screamed, and the bastard broke into a run.
"Shoot!" I demanded.
Two gunshots sounded out in the room just as Peterson disappeared behind the corner.
I took off in a run, and had almost reached him when I heard the faintest sound of a
whimper behind the door the piece of shit had left ajar.
Violet.
My Violet.
Suddenly none of it mattered - not my mother's betrayal, not that sick son of a bitch,
Connor. All I cared about was my princess, and I felt blood rushing through my body
as I threw the door to the room open, eyes widening at the scene before me.
"Princess!"
"D-Devlin?" she stuttered and our eyes connected across the room. She was bound in
rope, her frail body naked, save for the rope that held her in place, her arms neatly and
firmly forced behind her back. I felt rage flowing through my body, seeping out of
every pore as I watched her struggle in her restraints.
I was next to her in seconds, using my pocket knife to saw through the jagged rope
that held her in place until I spotted a scalpel on the floor. I grabbed it and quickly
made short work of her restraints. Violet began to cry, soft, muffled moans escaping
her parted lips as she repeated my name over and over again like a mantra.
"Devlin, oh my god, thank you, God, thank you, Devlin."
I cut her down, gathering her small, pale body in my hands and turning her over in my
embrace to make sure she was okay. Her wrists were bandaged. I assumed she had
some form of medical attention. My eyes were drawn to the marks on her body--
bruises--welts--obvious signs she had been abused. My blood boiled and I mentally
swore to end that sick Peterson when I got my hands on him.
In the background, there was the sound of more gunshots and screams, but none of it
mattered. My own hammering heart reminded me I had everything I needed right
there, in my arms. My princess. My Violet.
We were alone in the room save for one guard who was watching us, and I didn't
hesitate a moment longer. I grabbed Violet, holding her body in my arms and exiting
the room. "Where the fuck are they?"
"Gone."
My father appeared from the other room, his eyes lingering on Violet's naked body. I
snarled at him, and he quickly collected himself, locking eyes with me instead.
"What do you mean, fucking gone?"
"They disappeared," father grunted. "They must have a way to get out of here. The
men are searching the woods now, but we lost them - it was as if they disappeared into
thin air."
"Un-fucking-believable," I grunted. "Keep searching!"

Violet whimpered in my arms, reminding me everything I'd ever truly cared for was
right there, in my solid embrace. I focused my attention back on her, taking in her
softness, her bruises, her shaky limbs.
And suddenly, none of it mattered. Not Peterson, and not my mother.
All I cared about in the world was right there, in my arms.
And nothing else mattered.
Violet
My head was spinningwith everything that I took in. I had no idea why Dominic
Windsor was there. Devlin hated him. I couldn’t focus on that. I had a million
thoughts going at the same time. I was happy to feel Devlin’s arms around me, but
that joy was short lived as other realizations began to settle in.
“Devlin.” I squeezed his arm. “We need to get Georgia. I don’t know if she was
involved in this, or a victim--if it’s the latter, then they may go after her.”
“Shit.” Devlin ground out his words. “Yeah, we can’t leave her with Peterson--even
if she was a part of everything. They’ll take their revenge on her just to spite us.”
“I’ll go get Georgia.” Dominic tok a step forward. “You two have been through
enough.”
“Thank you.” Devlin nodded to his father and stared as he left the room.
“Can we trust him? Devlin, I…” I felt a twinge of concern.
“Right now?” He shook his head and sighed. “We have to. We’ve agreed to put aside
our differences for the time being. I don’t know how long the truce will hold, but he’s
not going to hurt your sister--he…”
“What is it?” I blinked in confusion.
“Let’s just say he has a reason not to hurt her. I’ll explain the rest, but this is one rare
situation where I know she’s as safe with him as you are with me.” Devlin pulled me
close. “Let’s get out of here.”
I called Devlin. He came. He saved me. If he was ready to trust Dominic, then I had
to do the same. There was so much I needed to explain to Devlin, but my thoughts
were in shambles. I just needed his closeness. It was all the comfort I could embrace
until I knew my sister was safe. Georgia may have been a part of Connor’s plan, but
what I overheard when he was talking to Winter concerned me--it made me think she
could have been a victim too.
“You’re safe now, princess.” Devlin pressed his lips to my forehead. “Nobody is
ever going to hurt you again--I’ll put my life on that.”
“I believe you.” I leaned against him.
Devlin wrapped me in a blanket before we walked outside to his waiting car. My

thoughts finally began to come into focus once Sloane Manor was behind me. It was
finally over--my torment--my agony--the entire ordeal. I moved closer to Devlin, and
let my head rest against his shoulder.
“I can’t believe my mother did this--Peterson, I know he’s a sick bastard, but my
mother….” Devlin exhaled sharply. “Fuck!”
“She wanted your company.” I looked up at him.
“No, she wanted revenge on the Cabots.” He shook his head.
“She did, but that wasn’t all she was after. They were both upset when they found out
you got the money without selling your company…” I sighed. “This may not be
over.”
“It’s over, princess. It’s finished.” He gritted his teeth. “The only thing either of them
have to look forward to is their coffins--and I’ll nail them shut with my bare hands if I
have to.”
I wanted to keep pressing the issue, but I could tell Devlin wasn’t in the mental state
for me to do so. He was furious--had just learned that his mother betrayed him--it was
a lot to take in. I had to come to terms with everything as well. We may have stopped
Winter and Connor, but I was no closer to freeing my father from prison. If Winter
was behind it, I doubted she left a trail behind that could be followed.
The only thing I could focus on was make sure my sister was safe--and it was
probably time for me to talk to Rhys. I had avoided it because I knew he was at risk,
but the Cabot family was going to have to come together if we were going to be able
to survive the storm that still wasn’t done battering us. Not just the Cabots. Devlin
had made peace with his father. An alliance between the Cabots and the Windsors
may have been unheard of at one time, but we were both tangled together--
interwoven--in whatever twisted plot Winter and Connor were planning.
We arrived at Devil’s Manor and a feeling of peace overwhelmed me when I walked

inside. I never thought I would be happy to see the inside of those walls again, but it
was the only place I wanted to be. Cabot Estate would always be my home, but there
was a place for me at Devil’s Manor too.
Belle met me in the living room and pulled me into a hug so tight that I thought she
was going to suffocate me before she let go. I owed her an apology, but that could
wait. Even Jasper seemed happy to see me, or maybe he was just relieved that he
didn’t have to deal with Devlin’s brooding since I was back.
“I’m going to call a doctor.” Devlin pulled out his phone as soon as we walked
inside.
“I saw a doctor--your mother had one take care of me…”
“I want a doctor that I trust.” He shook his head and kept dialing.
My nervousness returned as I waited for word about Georgia. The doctor arrived,
checked my wounds, and told Devlin that they were as good as they could be under
the circumstances. He wanted to see me in the office in a few days, but beyond that, I
just needed to manage the pain. He gave me some pills, but what I really wanted was
a drink. I wanted to feel numb all over without having my circulation cut off, or pain
to break my body to get it.
“If you’re wondering if Connor did anything other than what you can see--he didn’t.”
I took a sip of my drink. “He wanted my name on a contract first.”
“He’s still going to die.” Devlin gritted his teeth. “What he did is enough for me to
watch him bleed out.”
“I feel like we should talk about why I left…” I looked down and sighed. “Before
Georgia gets here.”
I’m going to keep telling myself she will walk through that door safe and sound until I
have a reason to believe otherwise.
“You were lied to.” Devlin waved off my concern. “I get it.”
“That wasn’t the only reason.” I shook my head. “I overheard you on the phone. You
were making a deal to sell me--I got scared.”
“Oh god.” Devlin raised his hand to his forehead. “No, never--not in a million years,
princess. I swear to you!”
“Then what did I hear?” I felt like I needed to ask--it was uncleared air and I didn’t
want it hanging there.
“I was laying a trap.” Devlin ground out. “I assumed the person who went after your
father would bite--and obviously they did--it was Peterson.”
“Connor swore he didn’t put my father in prison.” I exhaled sharply. “But your
mother may be the one…”
“She’s not capable of that.” He waved his hand in the air. “No fucking way. She’s a
bitch and she hates your family, but whoever is behind your father’s arrest needed
resources--the kind of resources Peterson has--had.”
“We have to consider the possibility that there’s someone else involved…” I took
another sip of my drink.
“Who? Who else could…” Devlin shook his head.
We didn’t get a chance to finish our conversation. There was a commotion outside
and a second later the front door opened. Dominic walked in first with a stoic
expression on his face. I had never been able to read the elder Windsor--I didn’t know
if he was about to deliver bad news or the best news. That conundrum was answered
when he took a step to the side and Georgia came running towards me.
“Violet! Oh my god!” She nearly tackled me with a hug. “You’re--her eyes drifted
to my wounds. Did he do that to you?”
“Georgia, I…” I put my hand on her check and saw bruises along the edge of her
eye. “Did he do that to you?
Neither question had to be answered. We both knew the truth. Connor Peterson was a
monster. My sister must have figure that out at some point, but she was too wrapped
up in it by then. I looked into Georgia’s eyes and for the first time in what felt like
ages, I saw my sister looking back at me. She wasn’t under Connor’s spell anymore.
She was back.
“I’m so sorry, Violet.” Tears began to stream down Georgia’s face. “I didn’t want to
lie to you, but he forced me to do it. He swore he wouldn’t hurt you--I… I was so
stupid to believe him.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for.” I hugged her. “You’re free of him. I’ll wear these
marks with pride if they bought your freedom.”
“They’re last ones he’ll ever put on you--either of you.” Devlin walked up and put a
hand on each of us. “I swear it--stake my fucking life on it.”
“Do we have a room for Georgia to stay in?” I glanced at Devlin.
“Yes.” Devlin nodded. “I’ll make the arrangements. Give me a few minutes.”
Devlin went over to talk to Dominic, then chatted with Belle. She immediately
walked off to make the arrangements for Georgia. There was a lot for me to discuss
with my sister, but like much of what I need to say to Devlin, it could wait. It was a
happy time--as happy as it could be.
Now all of our efforts can be focused on getting my father out of prison--just like they
should have been this whole time.
Devlin
I'd never beenin love.
But this felt the closest to it I'd ever gotten.
Holding Violet's frail body in my arms awakened the savior inside me. That night, I
carried her to my bedroom and gently lay her down on my bed. She was obviously
nervous, but my princess tried to hide it so hard. She trembled on the bed, her eyes
fearfully finding mine as she whispered, "Are you going to hurt me?"
"Not today," I grunted, locking the door behind us. "I don't think you should be hurt
tonight, princess. Do you disagree?"
Swallowing, she shook her head no. She seemed at a loss for words, unable to reply to
me. She was probably still processing everything that had happened. I needed to be
careful. The last thing I wanted was to push her into something that didn't feel right.
With a start, I realized that hadn't mattered to me before.
My pleasure had always come first. But with Violet, everything was getting turned on
its head.
"I'll leave you to sleep," I muttered, closing the drapes and walking over to the bed to
plant a kiss on forehead. But when I did, Violet raised her hands, her fingers gripping
my shirt and pulling me in.
"Don't go." The words left her lips softly, and she turned her pleading eyes to mine. "I
want you to stay with me..."
"Stay the night?"
She nodded, pursing her lips. "I can't spend another night without you, Devlin."
"But if I stay here, I'll be tempted to do stuff I shouldn't," I grunted, tucking a stray
strand of hair behind her ear. "Like touch you... kiss you... make love to you."
I didn't miss the sharp intake of breath she took at the last phrase I used, and it made
me smirk.
"I want you to stay," she begged. "I want to feel you again, Devlin... It's been so long
since we've been together."
"You're right." I pulled back, only long enough to unbutton my shirt. "You sure you're
ready for this again, princess?"
"Yes, please, Master." Her breath was hoarse, the words desperate as she watched me
strip down to my boxers. With slow, measured movements, I removed those too,
watching her mouth water at the sight of my swollen cock. "I've missed you so much,
Devlin."
"I missed you too, princess," I got out through gritted teeth, lowering my body against
hers in the bed.
Slowly, with the aid of her soft little gasps, I removed her clothing until her naked,
pale body glistened under my fingertips in the dark night. I lowered my lips to her
chest, taunting her by sucking a nipple into my mouth, tugging, biting down on her
sweet flesh until she cried out for more. My arm snaked around her waist, while the
other found its way between her legs, feeling her swollen sex begging me to fuck it.
"How much did you miss me, princess?" I muttered in her ear, making her sigh in
frustration beneath me with my barely-there touches.
"Please, Devlin, I can't take it... I want it harder."
"Not before you answer me." I kept running my fingertips over her skin. The touch
was like the ghost of a kiss - barely there but making her crave so much more. "Now
tell me, Violet. How much did you miss me?"
"Too much," she admitted, her voice breaking over the words. "I thought about you
every second of every hour of every day, Devlin... I wanted you to find me, to rescue
me."
"And I did," I reminded her. "You knew I wasn't going to leave you with them, didn't
you, princess?"
"Yes," she whispered.
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, Master." Her head flew back, exposing her porcelain throat, and I kissed a line
down her neck, enjoying the sensation of her body against mine.
"Good girl, Violet. Now moan for me, I want to listen to you."
She didn't disappoint, dissolving into a mess of mumbled words and soft praise for
me. She got my cock harder and harder with every sweet whimper that escaped her
lips. I wanted her. My heart and cock both throbbed with the need to claim Violet
Cabot once and for all - the way I should have done it before she ever got taken away
from me.
I was going to marry this girl. I'd put a ring on her finger and claim her. I'd fuck her
body every night from now on, multiple times a day if I wanted to. I'd make her swear
submission to me time and time again. I'd own her, in every sense of the word. Violet
wasn't getting away from me again. I'd make fucking sure of it.
"I want to fuck you," I muttered in her ear.
"You have to." With breathless gasps, she found my cock and slowly guided me to her
entrance. I groaned when I felt her nimble fingers guide me into that sweet little
pussy, holding back groan after groan as Violet begged me to start moving my hips.
As I rocked in and out of her, I imagined a life together with my favorite pet, my
sweet princess.
Could I change for her?
I wasn't sure, but I fucking wanted to.
"You're so fucking tight, princess," I grunted in her ear. "I'm going to fill you to the
brim tonight."
"Yes, Master. Please, I want it all."
She drove me further and deeper into madness with the sweet sounds she made, her
body demanding more and more as I took it from her, inch by willing inch. I'd fucked
her like my property before, but this time, I made to her like the woman of my
dreams. And she was just that... everything I'd ever wanted, all wrapped up in a pretty
package for me to unravel. And she submitted so beautifully, I couldn't resist toying
with her even when she was at the very brink of madness.
I traced my fingers along her pussy lips, looking down as I parted her folds open to
look at her. She was swollen, pink with need and desperation, lips open as she cried
out my name. I wanted to mark her. To put my name on her skin in bold black letters.
I wanted everyone to know whom she belonged to. No one would ever make the
mistake of taking her from me again, and they sure as fuck wouldn't get away with it,
either.
"Violet, come for me," I whispered in her ear, and in moments, she did as she was
told, limbs tangling, moans escalating until she came on my cock. She was a shaking,
shivering mess and I held her broken pieces together as the cathartic orgasm took over
her body. She started laughing, the sweetest sound in the world, as she came down
from it.
"Thank you Devlin," she whispered. "But it's your turn now."
In moments, she managed to get me on my back, straddling me. I allowed it, eyes
drinking her up as she climbed on top of me and sat down on my cock. Violet winced,
but she still took inch after engorged inch until she was filled up and happy. She
started riding, clumsy at first but so adorably dedicated to get better at it, it got me
harder than ever.
Besides, the view was amazing - my sweet princess grabbing her own pale tits as she
threw her head back in ecstasy - it was quite the sight to behold. I felt myself inching
closer and closer to an orgasm, knowing I would soon reach the point of no return.
"Come inside me, Devlin," she begged me. "Come in me, please, I want you to fill me
up... I want to be yours. Make me yours, Devlin. Fill me, please."
I grabbed her by the hips and she slammed down on my cock as I started to fuck,
pushing my hips against her, driving myself deeper into her silky folds. I felt myself
getting lost in her, her intoxicating scent, the inviting look in her eyes, the pure
innocence of her body. I claimed her then and there, groaning as I came inside her,
painting her walls from the inside. She came too, another orgasm ripping through her
the second the first was over, leaving her breathless and gasping.
I didn't pull out and I didn't let go. I pulled her on top of me, allowing Violet to rest
against my chest with her head under my chin. She breathed slow and deep, and
listened to my own breath slowing down and return back to normal. I felt my cock
still throbbing inside her, and she let out a sweet, content moan every time it moved
inside her.
"I don't want to lose this, Devlin," she whispered.
"You won't. I promise you that. No more distractions, no more bullshit. You're mine
now, Violet. Mine forever."
"Yes, Master," she mumbled sleepily, and in a matter of seconds, she was sleeping on
top of me while I stroked her silky hair, my thoughts on the pricks who took her from
me.
Connor and my mother may have escaped, but they were going to pay for this in due
time. No one was taking my princess away from me ever again.
I fell asleep with Violet on top of me, and held her close throughout the night. For the
first time in several nights, my dreams were untroubled.
***
I'd forgottenhow good it felt to hold Violet in my arms.

Over the past few weeks, I'd been so focused on hurting her, I'd managed to forget the
simple beauty of holding her close, whispering that she was safe in the shell of her
ear. I was getting attached - dangerously so. With each second that passed after my
father and I had rescued my princess, I felt more possessive of her, more demanding.
While it was hard to let her see how much I needed her, I vowed to be more honest
with my feelings.
Since I'd met Violet, I'd been wondering whether it was time to let go of my darkness.
I still felt its siren call, the cruelty running through my veins like liquid fire. I'd fought
it for so long, had spent decades channeling it into work, into my relationships. But
with Violet, I didn't need any other outlet. Just my princess was enough, and as long
as I got to spank her pretty ass, fill her pouty mouth, and come inside her wet holes, I
would be a happy man.
As she lay next to me on the bed, I absent-mindedly stroked her cheeks, pushing
strands of hair off her porcelain-skinned face. I wondered whether it was possible to
change for someone like this, whether it was possible for someone to love the
darkness out of me. Perhaps... perhaps there was more to life than the torment and the
pain I've always known. Maybe now was the time to truly start living.
Stroking Violet's soft skin, I almost missed the sound of a knock on the door. Finally,
my head snapped to the person staring in the doorway.
"Jasper?" I narrowed my eyes at the ghostly pale figure in the room. "What's
happened?"
He swallowed thickly before reciting his words with urgency. "It's your father, Sir."
Business mode was on. I let go of Violet, pulling my shirt on and buttoning the
buttons as I got out of bed. Jasper looked away out of respect while I glared at him,
waiting for him to go on.
"What's he done now?" I grunted.
"He... He's been tied to the same deal as Cabot," Jasper admitted. "They're planning to
charge him with treason."
To be continued…

Devil's Sinner

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Devil's Sinner

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Devil’s Sinner

Also by Kelli Callahan

Also by Isabella Starling

About Kelli Callahan

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About the book

My princess has been stolen.

And it might just be the thing that breaks us, forever.

Their story begins in Devil’s Captive and continues in Devil's Plaything.

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I stood up calmly, buttoning the jacket of my suit. "Leave. Now."

"But Sir, let's..."

"No," I gritted out. "Get the fuck out right now."

"Where is she?" I turned to face Belle. "Where is Violet?"

"I d-don't know," she managed.

"Your secretary, Sir. Sally-Mae."

It took me twenty-minutes to arrive to my father's office, and fifteen seconds to pin

"Watch your mouth," I told him.

"You've messed up royally this time, father," I told him coolly.

"Who did she call?"

Connor Peterson is a dead man fucking walking.

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Pain. Mental and physical pain.

“Please…” I hated to beg him. I had no choice. “Please let me go.”

“No…” My lips practically betrayed me when they denied his request.

“How would I even do that?” I asked.

I made that mistake once.

Even if it kills me.

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A frightened maid stood on the other side. "Y-Yes?"

A figure appeared behind the maid in the hallway.

"What the hell is going on here?"

"What's happening is that you're fucking dying tonight, Peterson."

"Where is she? Where is Violet?"

"Violet would never say that," I hissed.

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But I wasn’t broken.

“Help!” I ran to Rhys, my brother, and grabbed his arm.

“Violet!” He turned to me and smiled. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“It’s…” I looked towards the casket. “I have to be here. I loved…”

“I really did love her, you know.” Devlin looked at my father.

“I know.” My father nodded. “We all did.”

“Did you…” I struggled with my words. “Kill him?”

“I’m not…” I tried to shake my head, but it didn’t happen.

That was my mission.

Maybe they were one in the same...

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"Please," I went on. "This is important."

"Important?" he glared at me. "How could my son-in-law be important right now?"

"Violet," I went on. "Violet is-"

I smirked. "Nothing she didn't want."

"What about him?"

"I'm telling you the truth."

I furrowed my brows. "You don't know if that's true."

Dead end after fucking dead end.

When will something finally go my fucking way?

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“You fucking asshole…” I cursed Connor as I stared at the withered remains of

“Fuck. That has to be Connor!” I pushed my protesting muscles to move faster.

The car stopped. I didn’t. I heard Connor’s voice behind me--shouting--profanities--

I scrambled back to my feet and started running again--but in a different direction--

“I’ll…” I let out another squeal. “...Yes.”

SWISH-CRACK, SWISH-CRACK, SWISH-CRACK, SWISH-CRACK, SWISH-CRACK