Page 70 of Speak No Claim

“If that’s what you want to call it.”

A new voice scowled, “You will be punished!”

I jerked back. “For a kiss?”

“The verdict for you voluntarily and knowingly defying your councils’ orders and warnings is the punishment of lashes of correction.”

I didn’t say a word.

“Ten,” another voice added.

That time, I didn’t hesitate. “And if I refuse?”

“Then you will learn the punishment for challenging your council instead of just disobeying it.”

Before I could object again, the doors opened, and two men entered. Unlike the Brotherhood, they wore pressed black shirts, trousers, and leather gloves. No mask hid their faces. They wanted me to see who was going to torture me to degrade me, causing me to bow at their feet.

One was holding a cat-o’-nine-tails, the other a wooden restraint board. It was low to the ground, designed for me to lay my chest, face, and arms on while extending my arms above my head to lock them into the holes so that I couldn’t escape or move.

“Take off your clothes from the waist up, then get on your knees, Onyx Devereaux.”

This wasn’t the first time I went against the council, but it was the first time it’d been for something like this. Never for a woman.

Although it went against everything I believed in, I surrendered, mostly to end this bullshit trial. Slowly, I slid off my hoodie and shirt, tossing it aside before lowering my knees onto the board.

“Chest down and arms up,” the same voice ordered.

I did as I was told. After they secured my wrists through the openings at the top of the board, they tested the restraints.

“Comfortable?” a new voice mocked, recognizing it was my father.

“Like a pig in shit.”

Thinking I’d cower, my father tried one last time, “Last chance, do you regret your actions on kissing the girl?”

He didn’t use her name on purpose, knowing it would piss me off. I could’ve lied. It’d been easy too. All it took was one word, one apology, and I’d receive mercy.

I didn’t, because fuck that shit.

Instead, I chose the hard way and responded, “No.”

I heard the whip rise, whizzing through the air.

Crack!

The first lash tore across my back, and my entire body jerked against the restraints as I sucked in a sharp breath, refusing to give them any satisfaction. They were a bunch of fucking voyeurs and sadists. They were getting off on this shit.

“One,” my father remarked in a cold, detached tone.

He didn’t give a shit what they were doing to me, under the delusion that I deserved it.

Crack!

Heat spread across my skin.

“Two.”

They wanted me to understand that every decision came with a price. I wasn’t allowed to think for myself. When they were halfway through, my skin was broken open, and I felt the blood dripping down my back.