Page 49 of Stolen Faith

Juliette sucked in a breath.

He knew. Somehow this man, these men, knew about them, about their society. And yet…they’d had Franco, could have taken Franco. They hadn’t because they thought Franco was Devon’s…secretary?

And they were questioning Devon, not her, because they didn’t know she was the Grand Master.

Before she could let her mind settle on their outright racism and misogyny, a line of fire dashed across her lower back, the pain so much more acute than anything that had come before.

“Stop!” Devon yelled. “Goddammit, stop it. You’re hurting her.”

“Tell us your wife’s name!” Cast Man sounded giddy as he grabbed her shoulder and forced Juliette to face forward.

Juliette met Devon’s gaze. Her own was watery with the tears of pain she hadn’t been able to stop. She saw the desperate panic in her husband’s gaze. Knew it was killing him to obey her order and deny everything while they beat her.

“Your wife’s name!”

Cast Man slapped Juliette, but with her arms pulled up, he didn’t get much of her face.

Devon’s chest heaved, his jaw muscle working. “I don’t have a wife—”

“This right here is your wife.” Cast Man yanked the gag out of her mouth.

Juliette took her first deep breath in days.

And then screamed as the belt lashed her stomach.

“Admit this is your wife, or we whip her tits.”

“I’m not married!” Devon insisted.

Cast Man stepped back. “Keep going until she bleeds.”

This isn’t my body.

Fire lashed her breasts, and this time there was nothing to mute the scream. Juliette couldn’t stop that first scream of pain, but she turned her face into her arm, teeth clenched as another, and then another blow fell. It felt like they were stripping her skin away.

“Stop!” Devon roared. “Stop.” His voice broke. “Please.”

Juliette told herself to lift her head, to tell him no. To command him not to reveal anything else. She couldn’t move. The pain had her, was holding her down, holding her still as if it were the jaws of a great steel trap.

Cast Man grunted. “Harder. Hit her harder.”

“No!”

Juliette didn’t have the air to scream. She couldn’t catch her breath. Even with the gag gone, the pain stole the air from her lungs.

“Sophia!”

Juliette was braced for the next blow, but it never came. She opened watery eyes. Cast Man was facing Devon, who’d scooted forward in his chair as much as the cuffs allowed. There was blood seeping through the bandages on his chest and his face looked gray.

“Full name,” Cast Man demanded. “I want your other wife’s full name.”

Devon met Juliette’s gaze.

“My wife’s name is Sophia Starabba.”

Chapter Eleven

Brennon had been holding it together okay up until now, but the longer they were left alone, the more time he had to play over everything they’d done to Izabel.