[Forbidden book 02] Forbidden Rapture (11 page)

around with a chunk of the lobster at the end. “I wanted to go to

school and make something of myself, but when my father did

what he did, I really thought it ruined my life.”

“But it didn’t?”

“Don’t let him know I said this, but Devon is a life saver. I don’t

know where the hell I’d be if he didn’t come along. Girls that end

up sold to the Compound usually don’t come out with a happily-

ever-after life.” Kera took a bite and Samara thought about what

she said.

“I wasn’t sold,” Samara stated. “My father didn’t want me to

have anything to do with the Compound. In fact, I don’t think he

wanted me to have anything to do with anything.” She picked up

her fork and worked the spaghetti the same manner in which Kera

had done. Her first taste of lobster and she was lost. “Oh, my God!

This is great.”

“Told you so.” Kera smiled.

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They ate, and once more Kera surprised her by ordering

dessert. A large double layered chocolate mousse cake for

Samara and strawberry cheesecake for herself.

“If I keep eating like this, I’m not going to be able to fit into

those clothes we just bought,” Samara giggled.

“Don’t worry. We can start going to the gym,” Kera waved her

hand at her and laughed.

“Well, well,” said a dry voice. “I never thought I’d see the day

when this fine restaurant would let something like you in.”

Kera straightened her back lowered her fork and the

expression on her face told Samara all she needed to know.

“I must say, I’m a bit impressed that you can eat without

stringing it all over the place,” came another side comment.

Kera put on a big smile and turned in her seat, looking up at

the blonde woman before her. “Samara, let me introduce you to

Beth—I’m a fucking cunt—White.”

The woman’s jaw dropped. “I shouldn’t be at all shocked at

your manners. Trash like you knows no better.”

“And I’d thought by now that scorned bullshit of yours would

pass.” Kera stood up and crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s

been a year, Beth. Get over it and yourself. He never was

interested in you.”

The blonde in the designer paint suit turned her eyes on

Samara. Samara held her breath, waiting for whatever it was to

come. “And what’s this? Your charity case?”

“What? You mean you haven’t heard?” Kera gasped, pressing

her hand to her throat, putting on a very good ‘I’m stunned’ act.

“Dane got married.”

Again the woman looked stunned, but this time, it had an air

of ‘I’m put out’ to go along with it. “Well, I must say—”

“Do you have to,” Kera mumbled.

“You really have brought them all down low. “It’s a good thing

Blaine and Darius aren’t around to witness their friends’ downfall.

I’m sure the embarrassment alone would have them cutting ties.”

“Beth, why don’t you go back to the hole you just crawled out

of,” Kera sighed. “Your shit bores me.”

“At least I can see that nice clothes don’t take the trash out of

people,” Beth snapped.

“You’re right, so let me be as clear as I can. If you come

around me again with that shit, I’m going to knock it right out of

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your mouth.”

“Are you threatening me?”

Kera smiled, but it was one of the smiles that had you wanting

to take a step back or cringe in fright. Beth did neither.

“I’m not threatening you, just stating a fact.” She turned to

Samara. “Come on. I’d hate for you to lose your lunch by being in

this bitch’s company.”

Samara got the hint, and quickly stood up, following Kera out

of the restaurant.

“What was that all about?” Samara asked.

“Beth White. She used to be one of Devon’s old lovers.” The

casual manner in which Kera said that had Samara stopping in

the middle of the street. Again, Kera rolled her eyes at her. “It was

a long time ago, and I’ve gotten over it. Apparently, Beth refuses

to.”

Again, Samara followed her, jogging some to catch up. “So

she doesn’t like you being married to him.”

“No one does really.” They got into the car, but Kera didn’t

start the engine. They sat in silence for a few moments before she

turned to Samara in the seat. “We come from a different class of

people, Samara, the other side of the tracks, so to speak. You

know, as well as I that the people in this town want things to stay

just the way they are. The guys marry their own class of people,

and so on and so forth.”

“Yeah, I figured that out a long time ago,” Samara sighed.

“Well, there are also many of those guys that don’t want to

comply and we happen to be married to two of them.”

Samara frowned. “But what about this Blaine and Darius?

Don’t they want to stick with their own class?”

“Blaine, no. Darius, no clue. Only met the guy a few times. He

doesn’t stick around long enough to get to know.”

“My father used to re-iterate it over and over to me and my

sister that we had to stay with our own kind,” Samara stated with

another sigh. “But that was when we were young,” she added

quickly. She didn’t need to dish out her past. What her father did

and made her do was never to be spoken of. Dane wasn’t even

going to know.

“Well, I better get you back before he starts sending out

search parties.” Kera smiled and slapped her lightly on the leg.

“Lord knows Devon would.”

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Samara knew before she walked into the front door that

something was wrong. Her gut screamed it.

She thanked Kera for taking her out, waved good-bye with a

smile, and turned with this strange sense of dread overwhelming

her.

The house was deathly quiet. Only one lamp was left on and

next to the lamp, an envelope that was open with something

sticking out. She went over to it, her curiosity getting the better of

her. Putting the bags down on the chair next to the end table,

Samara picked up the envelope and brought out what was inside.

The air in her lungs went out in a rush and the room began to

spin.

Pictures! Pictures of her slipped from her fingers to the floor.

“My grandmother brought those over.” Samara jumped, hand

going up over her mouth. She turned around and stared at Dane

in shock. “They were mailed to her with a demand that you be

sent back to your father.” He sat in the dark at the dining room

table, a drink before him. “I want to know what’s going on,

Samara. I want to know everything and I want to know right now.”

Tears fell from her eyes. Silent, mortifying tears that left her

speechless. She couldn’t speak and there was no way in hell she

could tell him. She didn’t know Dane that well, and yet in her

heart, she felt like she had known him her whole life.

Hugging herself, she slowly advanced toward the table. The

closer she got the more of his face she could make out. And with

each step, a small sense of relief came. Dane didn’t have

contempt in his eyes or disgust. What she saw was genuine

concern.

Samara pulled out a chair, sat down across from him, and

sniffled. She wiped her face, brushed her hands through her hair,

and thought of what to say.

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“I don’t know where to begin,” she spoke low, and avoided his

eyes.

“How about the beginning?” When he took her hand, she

looked up at him. “I’m not going to judge you. I just need to know

what the hell is going on.”

She nodded, wiped her nose, and took a deep breath. “I told

you last night that I thought my father was involved in what you

were talking about. Remember?”

“Yeah, I remember.”

She shook her head, looking upward. “My mother just

disappeared. Makayla was only five and my father lost everything

he had to move us. We weren’t rich, but we sure as hell were

better off than what we were when you first saw me.” Another

deep breath and she met him in the eye once more. “He changed,

Dane. Something about when my mother disappeared, he

changed. And it wasn’t for the best.”

“Usually never is.”

“No, you don’t understand.” She pushed away from the table

and stood up, pacing. “He took everything that was of value and

locked it in his room. Any cash he got his hands on he hid. Bare

essences were given to me and Makayla. It was like living with a

damn stranger.”

“How long?”

“Six years,” she groaned. “Then, when Makayla turned

sixteen, he changed again. One day, he didn’t give a shit about

us, and then, the next he wanted to know everything. And I do

mean everything, Dane. Our time of the month, who we saw, even

how long it took us to get home from school. Everything.”

“He beat you?”

She looked at him quickly, only to lower her eyes to the floor.

“Sometimes.”

“And the pictures?”

Samara rubbed her arms, hugging herself, closing her eyes.

“Ten months ago. After I graduated from high school, he stopped

letting me out. I had to cook, clean, and take care of everything.

He came home one night and told me that someone was

interested in me. I was to dress up and take pictures of myself. If I

didn’t, then he was going to have Makayla do it and it wasn’t going

to be pretty.” Once more she met Dane in the eye. “I had no

choice,” she whispered.

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He stood up slowly, his cheek twitching. “What else?” Samara

shook her head, and Dane hit the table with his fist. “What else?”

he demanded.

She jumped from the sudden outburst and took a step back.

“It lasted for six months. Then, I had to dress up and go to this

place where the guy who paid for it all looked at me.”

“Looked at you?” Now she heard the anger in his voice, along

with the disbelief. “You telling me that your father whored you

out?”

“No.” She shook her head and held up a finger. “I was never

touched.”

“Oh, I know, you were untouched, in one way.”

“Dane, please,” she started to cry now. “I did it to protect my

sister.”

Dane rubbed his face and took several deep breaths. “I’m not

pissed at you.” He held his hand up. “But I’m going to kill your

father.”

She put both hands up to her mouth, took several deep

breaths before lowering them and speaking again. “I think he was

going to sell me.” It was hard to talk. “And I’m damn sure he’s got

something planned for Makayla.”

“Come here.” He held his arms out for her and Samara rushed

to him. He held her tight and she welcomed it. “Nothing’s going to

happen to Makayla. And I understand why you didn’t want to say

anything. If I was in your shoes, I’d want to forget about it also.”

“Something isn’t right,” her voice muffled against his chest.

“The rage in his face when they came to get me for the

Compound. I’ve seen Ryland pissed before, but that was

something I’ve never seen before.” She pulled back enough to

look up at him. “It was almost like he was scared and angry at the

same time.”

Dane touched the side of her face. “I think it’s time I had a

meeting with your father.” Samara shook her head. Fear had

rendered her speechless. “Yeah, way past time.”

“Dane, please,” she licked her lips, fisting her hands into his

shirt. “You don’t know what he’s like.”

“And he doesn’t know what I’m like, especially when I’m

pissed.”

* * * *

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this,” Blaine Cedric groaned, lit his thin cigar, and slumped in one

of Devon’s leather chairs.

“Samara, meet Blaine Cedric,” Dane said.

Blaine Cedric is a dark man. That was the first impression

Samara got of the man who took up a whole leather chair. He had

dark eyes, dark hair, and a body that spoke of power. But even

though he gave the impression that he didn’t like to be bothered

with shit, his eyes told another story. She saw loneliness in the

cocoa depths.

“A pleasure,” Blaine stated those eyes of his giving her the

chills. He looked her up and down before turning his attention to

Dane. “Aundre Esopo. He’s Greek. He’s nasty. And he’s one

fucked up perv.”

“How the hell do you get this shit?” Devon asked with a shake

of his head.

Blaine crossed one leg over the other, shaking his hanging

ankle. “Money talks, bullshit walks. And I have a lot of money to

get people talking.”

“You need a hobby,” Dane remarked.

“Here you go.” Kera handed Blaine a cup of coffee and a

friendly smile to Samara.

Blaine took a sip and cringed. “I don’t want to sound

ungrateful, but honey, this sucks.”

Samara snickered and took the cup from him, “Let me. I feel

like a damn third wheel anyway.” She went into the kitchen and