“But I was chosen. Just like you. And I was saved from that life. Just like I’m saving you.”
A sudden chill overtook me, my eyes fixated on the glowing red symbol.
“No,” I exhaled, feeling like I was about to throw up.
“You should feel honored. God chose you to be redeemed.”
“No. He didn’t. You chose me to control. To manipulate. To abuse, torture, fuck. I don’t even know. All I do know is there is no God here in this room.”
“I know it’s scary. I thought the same thing. But trust me. You’ll eventually come to understand. Suffering washes the soul clean. And I’m here to help clean your soul.”
I shook my head, panic clawing at me as he backed me into the corner, my pulse thundering in my ears. Reaching for the knot at the neck of my nightgown, he tugged and my top fell open, revealing my breasts.
“Please don’t,” I begged. “I’ll do anything. Just please… Don’t do this.”
“It is God’s will,” he said calmly, the heat from the iron burning my skin even from inches away. “From this day forward, you will be known as Seraphine.”
“But my name is?—”
I didn’t get a chance to finish my statement before pain seared into me.
White-hot.
Blinding.
Excruciating.
A scream tore through me, the sound unlike any I’ve ever heard before. And he didn’t stop. He wrapped his hand around my nape, keeping me locked in place, his frantic eyes locked on mine as he kept the iron pressed against my chest, the scent of burning flesh surrounding me, raw and putrid.
Finally, he stepped back, releasing his hold on me, and I collapsed to the floor.
I thought the worst thing I’d ever have to endure would be a few cigarette burns or having Victor carve into my stomach over and over.
That was nothing compared to this.
I bent over, expelling the contents of my stomach onto the floor while he simply watched.
“You’re a sick fuck,” I hissed out, not even caring what he’d do to me in retaliation. “You won’t get away with this.” I summoned the strength and lifted my head, glowering at him.
“Why?” He tilted his head, a conniving grin tugging on his mouth. “Think someone’s looking for you?”
“Yes. And when he gets here, he?—”
“How’s that cut by your ear, Seraphine? Healing okay, I hope?”
My heart instantly dropped to the pit of my stomach, and I pressed my fingers to the spot where Blake had hidden the tracker.
Every other time, I’d been able to feel it beneath the skin. He’d warned me it might move around a little.
But this time, there was nothing.
Other than an open wound where my tracker used to be.
“Get some rest, Seraphine.” His gaze turned dark and sinister. “You’re going to need it.”
Chapter Thirty
Henry
