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“Why? It makes no sense.”
“Neither does wanting to keep a child with a fucking slave, but here we are, Mr. Voss. Now that we’re here, let’s go over this in detail. You’re keeping the child, correct?”
“It’s mine.”
“No, right now, it’s mine. Get that through your head. This is not your child. This ismychild. The Garden’s child. Why? Because this is new for you. It’s human obligation. The choice is ingrained. We don’t trust you or anyone else to maintain this level of want or need by the time of birth. Conception is made. You chose not to put an end to it. Now, you pay the price for that choice.”
“And what’s that?”
“Keeping it alive so it goes into the system here. You understand how a business works, Master. Here, this way, we pay for ourselves. Get it? That child is mine until it’s born. If you decide then that you want to keep it, that’s another story, but I do not think you will. I think in another month you’ll bore of this breeding fantasy, and I’ll see you at the next auction. I could be wrong, though. You tell me.”
“Madeline is different. I’m going to marry her in the chapel. I want it binding in every way. Thisismy child. I’m keeping it.”
My hands flattened on the table, shaking so badly, I couldn’t stop the trembling. My Master still wasn’t stable. The irritation in him was growing, reflecting in the possessive words and tone.
“I see.” The Main Master let out a sigh. “Remember this moment, Mr. Voss. I don’t want you trying to deny or twist your story when you come to face me and the board because you’ve changed your mind and killed your slave. I have the history of every Master from Whitlock. I know your track record. You’ll kill her.”
“I won’t.”
“Fine. Let me lay out the terms and consequences since I feel you may be overlooking them. I could start out with how everything turns out fine, and we go from there, but I think we both know with you, that would be a miracle if it ever made it to that point. Instead, let me start out with what I think applies to you.” A pause. “Harm to that unborn child will result in you facing the board. Your charges will depend on the situation, but just so you have an idea, let me go over a range of hypotheticals. One, your slave ends up miscarrying and there seems to be no known cause. Maybe it’s this life with you. Stress. One afternoon she just starts bleeding. If it’s under natural causes, no one is to blame, but be assured, she will be tested to see if she has drugs in her system. If she does, death for the one responsible. I will cover all bases, and I will find the answers.” My heart dropped. “Two, you and your slave get in an argument. During this fight, you lose your temper and strike her. She’s a little bruised but later that night she starts bleeding and loses the child. However many weeks she is, you can expect to stay that long in Hell Row.”
“That’s a little extreme.”
“Not if you calculate how much the Gardens is putting into the doctors, medication, and expenses, up until birth.”
“That’s debatable given I bought her for a shitload of money, but we’re not going into a financial argument here. What else?”
“The most important warning I can give. If your intention is to kill that child, and you act on it and succeed, you will be sentenced to its same fate. Death for death. There’s no escaping my executioner if you disobey me. You may decide you don’t want that child, but the Garden’s does. That’s no different than stealing from me. Do you understand?”
Edward glanced over at my movement, and only then did I realize I was standing.
“I understand.”
“If you feel having your slave is too much, and you don’t trust yourself, the Gardens will make the exception to take breeders back during the pregnancy. We can keep her safe. I’m a phone call away. Don’t let pride overpower your common sense. I don’t think either of us is ready to see you die. Are you sure the situation is what you want? I can take her now.”
“I told you we’re getting married and are keeping this baby. She’s—”
“Take me! Main Master, please! I’m not safe. I want to leave!”
Silence. Edward didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Neither did the Main Master as I realized what I’d just done. Horror crept in as Edward’s shocked gaze melted, turning downright terrifying as he stared me down.
“Think about what you did in the doctor’s office. Edward, I’m not safe with you right now. The baby is not safe.”
The sound of a button pressing filled the room, and I watched as the phone fell to the floor. Still, he didn’t speak.
“Don’t you want us protected?” Tears were starting to leave me as I grew even more filled with fear. There was a look in his eyes I hadn’t seen before. Betrayal, yes, but something so much more. I’d pushed him too far, and now I was going to see the Master that brought me here to begin with. “Edward, please. Don’t take this the wrong way. The baby—”
He lunged for my throat, not quite able to latch on as I threw myself to the side to escape him. Fingers clutched in my hair, tearing me back. The pain in my scalp had me screaming, but the fact that he was starting to drag me towards the small, flat hospital type of bed with cuffs had me yelling and fighting even harder.
“Let go! Don’t do this. You’re supposed to keep us safe. Edward!”
But he was beyond communication as he slammed me on the bed, climbing on top to pin me down. Leather fitted around one of my injured wrists, and I went wild trying to stop him from buckling the strap. If he got one fastened, the second would be even easier.
“You can’t hurt me for trying to protect our baby. Don’t you even care about it?About her?You said you did.You said you wanted to marry me.”
“You never felt anything. You don’t really want this at all,do you. It was all alie. You just want away from me!”
He pushed his elbow hard into my ribs. My scream roared in my ears as I tried twisting out from under the excruciating weight. I kept kicking, trying to use the leather bed to my advantage, but I couldn’t seem to break his hold on me.
