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Her eyes widened as she looked up at me for clarification.
“I’d kill any man who even so much as thinks to step foot on your porch to court you.”
19
JASMINE
Dreaming with Walker, outside in the hazy Georgia afternoon light, I’d almost been able to believe the sweet things coming out of his mouth.
The sweet possibilities of the future. A future where we were finally the ones in control of our own fates. And in that dream world, of course I’d choose him.
Not only was he Walker St. Claire, but he was also the only man besides my brother who’d ever stood up for me. He was kind in a place where he had every license not to be. He’d shown me his truest self and he was a gentle, beautiful, passionate man.
If I wasn’t careful, I’d do something truly foolish and fall in love with him.
Because as much as I wanted a fairy tale ending to the nightmare, the reminder of our reality was waiting for us when we got back inside. A box was there for us.
There would be a Trial tonight.
As soon as I saw it, I started trembling. Walker noticed, and his strong hand immediately took mine. I clutched his back. I would need him more than ever. There was a week and a half left.
Nine days.
Nine days and I’d only make it through with him at my side. It was only through soaking up his strength that I was able to suck in a quick breath and reach over to open the box. Inside were two collars: one red, one white.
Hands still connected, I felt Walker stiffen. I turned to look up at him. “What does it mean?”
“Nothing to worry about,” he said, voice short. “You’ll wear the red one and I’ll protect you.”
My chest immediately went tight with anxiety. “What does that mean?!”
He breathed out a long breath. “The collars are color coded. Usually from what I understand there’s supposed to be three options in the box. Black, red, and white. Black means you’re solely mine for the night—”
I immediately leaned forward. “Where’s the black collar?” I asked, alarmed.
“Red can work the same way,” he quickly assured. “It means you can only be shared with anyone I approve. And I will approve no one,” he growled, sounding furious even at the idea.
My chest was tight even at the thought. “What if they try to pressure you?”
“Rules are rules,” he snapped, grabbing the box and shutting it. “And if the Order values anything, it’s their goddamned traditions.”
I blinked, swallowed, and nodded. Because what else could I do? “What’s the white collar mean?” I dared.
“White means they don’t have to ask. You’re free to any one who wants you.”
I felt my eyes go wide as saucers and knew it was ludicrous even as I thanked God that they’d actually included the red one if not the black.
Tonight would be a test for Walker, not me. If he was the loyal man they wanted, he’d give of his sex object—me—freely. My test would be to trust the man who’d walked with me under the sunshine earlier to keep his word.
The afternoon passed all too quickly and then it was sundown. When music began to drift from below, we knew it was time.
I was permitted to wear nothing except the red collar. My heart pounded as I took Walker’s arm. Humiliation flooded my cheeks as we headed for the stairwell. That had to be part of the point, right? Like Eve, I was meant to be aware of my nakedness, and ashamed of it as all watched luridly on.
But then Walker linked his arm through mine. He, naturally, wasn’t naked. His attire was a tuxedo for each of these evenings. Which seemed ridiculous to me—so many clothes! But then the power dynamic was usually for the men to just pull out their cocks. Only some of them got all the way naked, and usually even then they seemed to like to keep their all-mighty silver cloaks on.
My mind spun with thoughts all the way down the stairs, trying to prepare myself for what we’d face once we got to the white ballroom. Which was adorable, because nothing could really ever truly prepare me for seeing all the most respected men in my community engaged in the most lurid acts…
Thank God, it did seem like a tamer evening than the previous Trials we’d endured. Walker and I didn’t appear to be the main spectacle of the evening tonight. There were lots of other women here, every one of them except me in a white collar.
While a few men stood talking together at a bar that had been set up on the far side of the room—mainly Walker’s friends, I noted—almost all the other men were busily engaged in some sort of sex act. All over the room, naked women were on their knees. Or bent over couches and settees that had been brought in for just this reason.
