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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.”
