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But it was a fucking hot iron! They thought they could brand me. It wasn’t fair! It wasn’t what I signed up for.
Ha. So, what else was new?
“She’ll get the tattoo,” Montgomery was saying to his father while my mind was whirling a million miles an hour. “That’s all.”
Montgomery’s father advanced on him, getting right in his face. “You think you can come in here and start dictating the rules of our traditions? This is exactly what’s wrong with your generation and why these trials are more important than ever.”
He looked back to the rest of the Elders. “Do we want these young bucks coming in and thinking they can do better than us? Better than centuries of established practice and respected tradition? We have to protect ourselves”—he looked back at Montgomery—“even from our own blood, if they aren’t willing to participate fully as an equal brother.” To the rest of the Elders, he said, “Brotherhood before all!”
“Brotherhood before all,” the rest of the gathered men echoed back.
Montgomery’s face was red with anger, and I saw him getting ready to argue with his father. It wouldn’t get him anywhere. Right now, his dad had the crowd. He’d appealed to their brotherhood, and it would be nearly impossible for Montgomery to frame disagreement with his father as anything other than betrayal to the rest of the group.
“I’ll do it,” I said, stepping forward before Montgomery could say anything else. And before I could think it all the way through, because that was the only way I would get through this—not thinking. Sometimes your gut told you what was right, and you just had to jump.
Montgomery’s head whipped around to look at me, and I saw the conflict in his eyes.
Dear God, I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but I didn’t back down. I kept my eyes locked with Montgomery’s.
I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like, couldn’t even let myself go there.
But I could look at Montgomery and try to block the rest of the men out to get through this just like I had everything before it.
Montgomery approached me and bent his head. “Say pearl necklace,” he hissed in a low whisper. “Go. Leave this place and don’t look back.”
His eyes burned with angry intensity, and I knew it was for me. He was furious on my behalf.
Over Montgomery’s shoulder, I saw his father smile in satisfaction. He thought this was it. He thought I would walk away.
But he’d never met Grace Morgan. He didn’t know how stubborn I could be.
I met Montgomery’s eyes once again. “I trust you.”
And then I dropped my robe.
It hurt like nothing I could have imagined.
Montgomery’s father tried to wield the branding iron, but Montgomery took it from him, and I was glad. If anyone was going to inflict this wound on me, I knew Montgomery would be the lightest touch.
But it still hurt like the fires of hell when the brand touched the spot on my hip.
I’m not proud, but I screamed. I couldn’t help it.
Montgomery pulled the branding iron away almost as soon as he made contact, but the hiss of skin burning was still audible all around the room.
Not even the loud pounding of canes could drown out my screaming.
Montgomery threw the branding iron back into the fire, sending embers and flames flying, and then he picked me up in a cradle-carry and all but ran back up the stairs.
Burn ointment was already laid out on the nightstand beside the bed.
Tears of humiliation burned, thinking of Mrs. Hawthorne putting it here, knowing before even we did what we’d be facing tonight.
I still had my eyes closed. I couldn’t look at Montgomery. He’d just branded me in front of a roomful of men who would have turned on us if he hadn’t.
This wasn’t a safe place. I thought I could handle it all, that it was worth it, but it hurt so much, and this was all getting out of hand—
I couldn’t help the tears that started flowing down my cheeks. It was the first I’d cried since coming here.
“Shit,” Montgomery cursed. “I’m so sorry. Grace, you have to believe me. I had no clue that was about to— I’m so sorry.”
It wasn’t his fault. I knew it wasn’t his fault. But I couldn’t get the words out to absolve him. I just kept crying.
Montgomery pulled me into his arms and then, when that wasn’t close enough, into his lap.
I sobbed into his chest. His strong arms wrapped around me and for the first time all night, I felt safe.
I thrust my face into the soft fabric of his robe, drying the worst of my tears and finally looked up at him. I didn’t realize we were so close. Our faces were only inches apart.
And then, where moments ago I’d only been looking for comfort, there was suddenly… more.
