Shackled (The Lord Series) by Amy T

Jasper goes to check the temperature of the water. “You already know why.”

“If you think that by f**king her and posting videos of her and her nasty p**sy all over social media, we will finally be able to take

down Senator Deymar, you are delusional. That man doesn’t give a f**k about her. He will even deny she is his daughter.”

Tyson is not wrong about my father, although he might get a heart attack if his career as a politician is ruined.

“You think that didn’t cross my mind? We will have Cirro look into the evidence once he is done with that job for the

Elders,” says Jasper.

What evidence?

Except for my birth certificate, there is little proof ofliving with my parents while growing up. There had been a handful of

times when | was allowed to be part of the family photos, and | am sure my mother had thrown them out already as she always

hated the color of my hair. ‘Red is for whores,” she used to say, although my hair is auburn, it was the sthing for her. Guess

she was right in the end, | am a wh ore.

“Whatever. Like | said last night, | don’t want any part in this sh it,” Tyson says and leaves.

Jasper lets out a loud sigh before returning to me. “Do you need to use the toilet?”

| shake my head. He removes his clothes, then mine.

“Don’t mind Tyson. He always gets like this when he is editing one of his books,” he says as he takesto the shower.

The water is warm enough to stopfrom shaking.

Jasper is gentle as he cleans my hair.

| want to ask him why he is pretending to be nice to me, but men don’t like it when women are noisy, so | keep quiet

Olivia

and let my mind wander. | hate when | am forced to think or to feel, and | miss the numbness provided by drugs.

He takes my right hand in his and looks at my wrist. “No matter how hard you try, you will never be free of us.”

“l only wanted to find sdrugs.”

“We are not into that sh it, and as | mentioned before, you are never going to take drugs again.”

“Why?” | whisper. “I am not harming anyone.”

“Rueben wants you to be clean and look healthy in the sex video we are going to make.”

“| can use makeup,” | suggest, letting him know | am willing to take part in their absurd plan of taking down my father. It's not like |

have any other option.

Jasper grabs my hip. “But you will still look like a living corpse. | don’t want the Dukes to think we are only feeding you on Mondays

and Fridays.”

“You think the Dukes care about how | look? All they care about is f**king me.”

“If a Duke were right here, right now, he would see you only as a s*x s lave, and he would not ca re what happens to you, but once

you are healthy and radiant, looking absolutely smitten with us, every single Duke in town will want to possess youpletely and

to anchor their angels to you.”

“No one wants me. | am damaged goods. A look at my scars and it is enough for anyone to know what | am.”

Jasper grabs my chin and forcesto look into his eyes. “Do you know what kintsugi is?” | shake my head. “It’s an old Japanese

art of repairing broken pottery with gold.” Tracing a scar | have below my belly button, he adds, “Your scars, once healed, will

glow.”

“No amount of gold will fix me.”

Jasper keeps talking, “When we film you being railed by us, making you scream our names, those watching the videos will know

you are our woman.”

| frown. “Why is it important to make everyone believe | am your woman? You can always f**kand show it to the world.”

“True. But the effect won't be the same.” Probably noticing | am still confused, he adds, “You will understand soon.”

When | am clean and dried, Jasper takesback to the room. Clean sheets and a new blanket are on the bed.

“l am sorry for getting it dirty,” | say.

“You are good,” he says as he putson top of the bed, then goes to the closet and takes a t-shirt from inside. “I flipped the

mattress upside down,” he letsknow as he dresses me. “Lie down.”

Lying on my back feels like needles are stuck in my a ss, but | do as | am told. When he tries to restrainagain, | say, “Please, |

will go absolutely in sane if | have to spend more ttied to the bed.”

214

Olivia

“Just until you are free of drugs.” But | don’t want to be free of drugs! Not that it matters what | want. It never does. “I will return in

a few minutes with your breakfast and smeds for the fever.”

“l am not hungry,” | mumble.

“Food is non-negotiable,” Jasper says before leavingalone.

| close my eyes and try to sleep because | feel like | have been hit by a train. With a bit of luck, Jasper will et about me.

Besides, even if | want to eat, | don’t think | can stomach anything. Everything...just hurts.

| start to cough, and my throat feels so dry. Water would be nice but do | dare ask for it?

It takes a few minutes before the cough finally stops.

My chest hurts even worse.

The room keeps spinning and spinning. It feels more like | am on a boat in the middle of the ocean during a storm.

| close my eyes.

The door opens, and someone enters.

| pretend to be asleep.

“Mose finally took pity onand made something without spice-bacon and eggs.” Jasper’s voice reaches my ears. Why does he

keep tellingrandom stuff | don’t care about? “Also, Merry Christmas.”

| cr ack open my eyes. | didn’t even realize it was Christmas. The last t| celebrated it was wi th Camila and her family. | miss

her so much, each passing second is an agony without her. “Merry Christmas to you too,” | whisper, while | don’t feel ‘merry’ at all.

In fact, | rarely feel anything anymore. It’s better this way, as | no longer want to deal

with sentiments.

Jasper puts a tray with food and medicine on it on the bedside table. “Mose made chicken soup and sorange juice for you,” he

says as he frees my hands.

“Water is more than fine,” | say before | cough smore.

“You need nutrients.”

Drugs are what | need.

He helpssit on the bed and puts the bowl! of soup on my lap.

“Eat!” he orders me.

“1 will probably throw up everything in just a few minutes,” | sigh before | eat a spoonful of the soup.

It's sp icy like hell, and | cough so hard Jasper takes the soup away frombefore | knock the bowl o ut of my lap and gives me

juice. I gulp down half of it before | lie down and he takes the glass away from me.

10:42 Wed, Feb

Olivia

“I have a low tolerance for spi cy food,” | say.

“I will let Mose know.”

My gaze goes to him, and his brown eyes stare back at me. Looking away, | say, “There is no need. Besides, Reuben will kill me

soon anyway.”

“Maybe,” Jasper says as he reaches to grab the tube of ointment from the tray, “or we will keep you here at the farm to be our little

plaything...” he looks at me, our gaze locking, “forever.”

His tone is serious, makingshiver in fear because | have been Carlos’ plaything for a long time, and | don’t want to experience

that again.

“Turn to the side so that | can put sointment on your wounds,” he instructs me.

| obey, and he takes his tapplying ointment to every scratch | have, even the one on the soles of my feet that | got while

running through the forest.

After he givessmedicine for the fever, he binds my wrist again, picks up the tray, and stands. “I will return

with food you can eat.”

Before | can say he doesn’t need to bother, he is out the door, leavingalone.

The medicine makessleepy, and before long, | nod off. | still feel like | am being rocked by a boat, and all kinds of sounds-from

babies crying to wolves howling in the night-scream in my ears.

A lone tear escapes the corner of my eye as | relive one of the worst days of my life.