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Hopefully for not too many nights more.
I bow my head and start to pad to the kitchen.
“Esther, wait,” Gideon says.
I pause.
Dread fills me.
“You’re staying at the table tonight,” he says, “at your alpha’s feet.”
I take a deep breath and divert course, then I head toward Javi. There’s something happening here that I don’t understand, something unspoken passing between them. Javi’s hand finds my shoulder, then moves to my collar…then he jerks me down to the ground and kneels.
We exchange a look as he moves his other hand on the floor and something clinks.
A chain.
I think I can read an apology in his eyes and body language, but it doesn’t matter. My cheeks flush bright red as he anchors me to the floor with a click, making it to where I can’t get up. I sit on my heels, gripping my hands in my lap, wishing this would all just end and my people would come get me…
“Things have changed around here since you left,” Gideon says as he takes a seat. I can’t see anything but his feet from where he sits across from Javi, but his presence weighs the whole room down. He’s an oppressive force, drowning us all. “Ever since you took our women, we put our mates through a conditioning process—and yours starts today, dear daughter. You’ll eat when Javier says you eat, onlyfrom his hand, and you’ll stay silent while the men talk. Now, show your mate you understand.”
I frown, keeping my eyes on the floor.
I nod.
This is what he wants.
Voiceless, agreeable women.
Even though Javi is playing along, I can feel the rage radiating off him, his posture tense. I’m sure he’s plotting ways to kill my father—and at this point, I’m not opposed to it. I hope he won’t do anything to endanger myself, but even I’m getting mad.
Don’t let them steal your sunshine, Soledad’s voice says in my mind.
I breathe through it, trying to set myself at ease, reminding myself my people are coming for me.
“How was the haul today?” Ephraim asks. “Todd said you caught quite a bit.”
“The fish come in droves when there’s fresh bait down below,” Abel laughs. “They’ve had quite the feast.”
Javi’s fist closes and clenches on top of his knee, squeezing until his knuckles are white.
Something is wrong.
“So they enjoyed Lila as much as you used to?” Ephraim says quietly.
Abel snorts.
“At this point, I feel like we may as well start picking off a beta every so often to put down there,” Abel continues. “They’re useless anyway.”
I realize what he’s saying a second later and it makes my stomach roil.
When they talk about bait, they’re talking about people.
“Aren’t you hungry, Javier?” Gideon asks. “Eat…and make sure to throw some scraps under the table for Esther.”
They’re trying to get him riled up. I don’t know why.
But he’s more disciplined than that…and we’ve been playing this game ever since we joined forces to get off the Rig.
