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It only lasted a few more minutes anyway.
But she was kissing enthusiastically by the end, her tongue seeking its way around my mouth. She bit at my bottom lip when Mr. St. Claire reached around to rub her clit, and her noises turned genuine as she sucked on my lips and came.
I pulled back, blinking from an experience I could only call a first.
I was a little wobbly as I went back to my chair. Okay, well, phew. First dare, survived. I looked at Emmett, and his eyes were searing. I wasn’t sure, but I thought he liked what he’d seen. He looked like that when he was horny. Which turned me on, so when I sat down, I was squirming for entirely different reasons than I had at the beginning of this challenge.
“Back to you,” the Elder turned to Emmett. “Truth or dare?”
“Truth,” Emmett said again.
“What’s the one thing you hate people knowing about you?” the Elder asked, unflinching.
I flinched. Jesus. You didn’t just go around asking people a thing like that.
I expected Emmett to switch to dare, but he just looked his examiner in the eye and answered. “I hate for people to know that I’m insecure about whether they’ll ever like me for me or just for my money. I hate for them to know that deep down, I don’t believe they would just like me for myself.”
Holy shit. Did he really just admit that? Out loud to this room of vultures? And I’d once called him a coward. He was so goddamned brave.
I wanted to run over to him and tell him he was ridiculous. That anyone who really got to know him would lo—
I froze midthought.
Oh shit. They’d love him. Anyone who really got to know him would love him. Did that mean…? Was I saying that I…?
I blinked, almost missing the question when the Elder turned and asked me, “Truth or dare?”
“Oh… um, I….” I shook my head. “Dare.”
“I dare you to bend over, hold onto that chair, and let any man in this room who wants to spank you.”
Emmett stood up. “Can she change to truth?”
The Elder nodded. “She can.”
I sat there squirming, looking between Emmett and the Elder, terrified of what he’d ask me. But if Emmett had been brave, maybe I could too?
“What’s the truth question?” I asked.
“Why did your mother send you here?” The Elder looked me straight in the eye. “Remember, a lie disqualifies you.”
My mouth dropped open before I slammed it shut. The sons of bitches! I could feel Emmett’s eyes on me. Of course I could. He had no idea Mom had sent me here. I knew he expected me to keep my seat and calmly respond to their question.
But I panicked. “Dare.”
So I stood up, moved around to the side of the chair, grasped the arm with my hands, and assumed the position.
16
EMMETT
“No. Truth,” I snapped, narrowing my eyes on Bellamy, who avoided making eye contact with me. “She’ll be taking truth.”
This had nothing to do with another man being allowed to spank her at this point.
I wanted to hear the truth.
My gut screamed at me that I needed to hear the truth.
The Elders banged their canes on the ground, and the Elder leading the game said, “Truth, Bellamy. Sit down.”
Bellamy visibly swallowed and inhaled deeply before following their order, her eyes downcast to her feet.
“Ms. Carmichael, I will repeat the question again. Why did your mother make you come to the Oleander? Why did she want you to be a Belle?”
I waited, my stomach tightening as I did. I could barely breathe as I watched the woman I lov— the woman I had grown to care about reveal a truth she clearly didn’t want to tell.
“Let me remind you that not answering truthfully will result in failing the Trial,” the Elder said.
Her eyes finally lifted to meet mine, and I saw sorrow dancing within them. She couldn’t hold the stare with me for long and returned her glare to the ground once more.
“She wanted me to become a Belle in hopes that I would be chosen, so that I could seduce an Initiate into marrying me.”
Her body trembled as she sat across from me, and although I didn’t like her mother’s intention, I wasn’t exactly surprised by it either. Every single mother in Darlington was guilty of wanting or even trying to set their daughters up with me in hopes of engagement. It was our culture and in their blue-blooded nature. Every mother had the duty to find a man for their daughter with the same wealth—if not more—than their own lineage and the ability to provide a luxurious and respected lifestyle that matched their daughter’s childhood. It didn’t make sense why Bellamy would be so upset by admitting this.
“There’s more,” an Elder said as he slammed his cane into the marble floor.
