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“You are your mother’s daughter,” he said in a nasty tone, his top lip curled up in disgust. “She was a whore, too. I had to clean up her messes regularly. Abigail was simple-minded and liked to party. She threw herself at that conman you call a father.” His nose scrunched. “And then she came to me with the horrible news that she was pregnant with you. I told her to get an abortion, but did she listen?” He shook his head. “No, of course not. She kept you and married that thief.”
Tears welled in my bottom lids, and I desperately struggled to hold them back. Grandfather hated weakness. He didn’t tolerate crying or any behavior that he deemed inappropriate.
Like having feelings.
So I sucked down the anxiety spreading up my throat and bit back the tears. Standing straighter, I held my chin higher. He would only get meaner if I caused a scene. And God forbid I talked back.
“The past is repeating itself,” he continued, his voice deep and angrier. “You gave your virginity to Cole Marshall on an old mattress in a safe house with Rhys beside you.” He nearly spat on me as he spoke. “I gave the Marshall boys strict orders not to touch you. And what did he do? Defiled my good-for-nothing granddaughter. You’re a disgrace to my name. How dare you embarrass me like this?”
“It’s not Cole’s fault. Don’t take this out on him.”
Grandfather’s palm crashed into my cheek, knocking me backward. I tripped, staggering into a table. Thankfully, I turned my body just enough to fall onto the couch. The soft fabric brushed against my cheek, and my lips stung from how hard he hit me.
“Get up, you stupid slut,” Grandfather seethed. “You have three seconds. On the count of one—“
I was off the couch before he could say two, tears streaming down my cheeks.
He wrapped his cold fingers around my throat, his face inches from mine as he sucked the air from my lungs. “I have kept you alive for the past thirteen years for one reason.”
What was that?
Even Cole had suspected my grandfather had some master plan for my life. He assumed that was why none of The Knights were allowed to touch me. Had he planned to marry me to Rhys all along? It made no sense why Rhys was rewarded for doing the same thing as Cole.
Would Cole have gotten to marry me if he had sent a sex tape to my grandfather?
“Don’t think for one second I’m giving you a free pass,” he said, breathing scotch in my face. “Marrying Rhys is your punishment for being a whore. Remington has assured me you will suffer at their hands. You will pay for all of your dirty deeds. This marriage is nothing more than a business arrangement. I have no reason to keep you alive the second you serve your true purpose. After that, your husband can do whatever he wants with you.”
What is my purpose?
I considered asking him for the truth, but I knew he wouldn’t tell me his plans. Besides, my face hurt from getting the wind smacked out of me. Another slap would probably knock me senseless. So I clamped my mouth shut and let him speak.
He released his grip on my neck, and I choked, struggling to catch my breath. I coughed a few times and bent over to take in a few mouthfuls of air. Something wet dripped from my lip and down my chin. When I dabbed at it, I gasped at the sight of blood.
“You will stay at Fort Marshall until the wedding,” Grandfather said, running a hand across his jaw. “So will Rhys. And if I hear another bad word about you, I will lock you in my basement until your wedding day.” He removed the handkerchief from his pocket and threw it at me. “Clean yourself up. You make me sick.”
ChapterThirty-Seven
GRACE
After my grandfather left Fort Marshall, I ran upstairs and cried until my tears stained the sheets. My door opened and closed, footsteps moving toward the bed.
“Go away,” I shouted into the pillow.
“It’s me,” Cole whispered as he got in bed with me.
I lifted my head, and mascara ran down my cheeks as I cried. “I’m sorry, Cole. I made you do this. I talked you into breaking his rules. And now, he will hurt you and your family if I don’t do what he wants.”
He swiped at my tears, his touch soft and loving. “I chose to break them.Me. You didn’t make me do anything I didn’t already want to do, Grace.”
“I wish we had run away the night you suggested it.” I buried my face in the pillow and sobbed. “This is all my fault. I should have listened to you about Rhys.”
Cole stroked my back with his fingers. “Grace, I don’t know how to fix this, but I will try. I can’t let you marry Rhys. You don’t deserve a life of misery.” He leaned closer, his lips inches from mine. “But you deserve so much more than I can give you.”
“What are you going to do?” I muttered, sniffing back the tears.
“I don’t know yet.” He traced circles on my back and sighed. “The wedding isn’t for a few weeks. That should give me enough time to figure something out.”
“How will we do anything without Rhys reporting back to my grandfather?”
