Page 56 of Mercilessly Bred

“I guess the belly’s growing a little too fast”, I said with a cheer on my tongue, even though I was freaking out inside. I had nothing else to wear.

“The rip is in the back,” one woman said, concern in her voice.

“Hang on,” the other woman replied. “I’ll be right back.”

She left, and I tried not to panic. I couldn’t fathom what the other woman was up to or how she intended to assist me, unless, of course, she was planning to surprise me with a second dress suitable for an extravagant ball.

Instead, she showed up with another woman. I recognized her as an employee from the kitchen. She came over and looked at the dress, mumbling under her breath for a moment before leaving again.

What the hell is going on?

I wondered if I should text Sebastian about this when the kitchen worker returned, lugging a large sewing kit.

I held still while she got into position behind my back. I had no idea was she was doing, and it didn’t take long to grow restless. It seemed to take forever, but in the end, she fixed the dress. I was thrilled. Going to the full-length mirror, I twirled, elated.

Heading down the spiral staircase, I was in awe of the appearance of the castle. I’d been in my suite all day while the decorators and event planning completely transformed the place. It was magical. The ballroom was already full of people, and I stood in the doorway for a moment, taking it all in. There were tables covered in white tablecloths and long-stemmed candles in the center. Everyone looked amazing, especially Sebastian. His black tailored suit showed off his muscular body.

He was staring at me, and the intensity of it sent shivers down my spine. In fact, the entire room was staring at me, and it made me nervous. But the rest of the world fell away when he moved forward and held out his hand. I took it, and he led me to the center of the room. A string quartet played softly, and he pulled me into his arms, wrapping an arm around my waist tightly as we danced.

His forehead rested against mine, and he stared into my eyes. Emotion clogged my throat, but talking wasn’t necessary, anyway. This connection I felt with him didn’t require words. I’d never felt like I belonged anywhere before, but I did now. A part of me believed I was meant to end up here. I was finally with someone who truly loved me.

The song ended, and everyone around us stopped dancing. Sebastian led me off the dance floor and people immediately crowded around him to engage in conversation. I stayed at his side, feeling awkward, but Sebastian pulled me in close, introducing me as the love of his life and the mother of his children.

My heart seemed to swell at his words. Then he moved behind me, bringing me against his chest and wrapping his arms around my belly. I didn’t have much to contribute to the conversation, but there was nowhere else I’d rather be. Safe and loved.

The third person we talked to asked Sebastian about the layout of the new store opening in Los Angeles. I assumed he was someone from the company.

“Belle, would you mind doing me a favor?” Sebastian asked. “I have a dark-colored portfolio on the desk in my office. Could you grab it for me?”

I nodded and pulled away. Sebastian held on a second longer to press a kiss to my temple before letting me go, and I promised myself I’d hurry back.

I left the brightly lit part of the castle, heading for his office. It was darker in that direction, and quiet. Almost eerily quiet after the buzz of conversation in the ballroom.

I’d walked this path many times, having gone to his office at night often before I got my phone and tablet. It should have been no big deal, but something felt off in this moment. I couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was, but I had a bad feeling.

Trying to ignore it, I entered the office. It was freezing, and I grimaced as I ran my hands up and down my bare arms. The window was open for some strange reason, so I crossed to it and shut it.

As I redirected my attention toward the desk, I suddenly halted in my tracks when I laid eyes on a blank white sheet of paper lying there. It seemed to be the same one that Maxwell had brought to Sebastian’s attention months ago, which reminded me of the day when he had finally inquired about my past. I couldn’t help but contemplate if this paper was linked to that incident.

I had to know.

With a gentle touch, I picked up the paper and unfolded it.

I felt a chill run through my veins as I realized it was about me. A reward for my body or whereabouts. Two million for me dead. Five million alive.

Oh my God.

I had barely processed the text in front of me when a noise caught my attention from behind. Before I could even turn around, a gloved hand covered my mouth, muffling my scream. In a state of panic, I struggled to break free from the man’s grip and succeeded in doing so. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a bronze statue from the desk and spun around to hurl it at him, but to my dismay, he had already produced a knife. With a cold, cruel grin, he held it menacingly against my arm.

“Drop it,” the stranger growled.

I did as told, seeing no other option, but I refused to surrender without a fight. I suspected that he was affiliated with the sex trafficking ring and was planning to abduct me. However, I remained hopeful that I could outmaneuver him and make a break for the door.

A second presence behind me interrupted my thoughts, causing them to halt. Before I could react, a damp cloth was pressed over my mouth, muffling my screams.

I went wild, clawing at the arms holding me in place. But the strong chemical smell on the cloth seeped into my lungs. Bone-deep fear made my heart drop. These men were going to take me away. What would happen to me? What would happen to my babies?

That was my last thought before everything went dark.