Kidnapped By Her Husbands (Wings of Artemis Book 1) (3 page)

“So, we keep getting these little attacks.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “And local security does nothing. Kind of makes you wonder why the attacks keep coming, right?”

“I hadn’t given it any thought, actually.” I answered. “That’s not the kind of thing I’m supposed to be thinking about.”

He nodded and made a non-committal sound that was akin to an
hmmm
in the back of his throat. He kept his gaze downcast, and Farrah sat on his other side, also keeping space between them.

“We’re not to think about anything except bettering ourselves for our future spouses.”

The guard grinned. “I know. I’ve had lots of training in this. Just musing aloud, I guess.” He stood. “My name is Geoff Mallory.” He smiled at Farrah then at me, but he looked me fully in the eyes when he spoke again. The power of his regard left goosebumps racing over me. “If you need anything, you come find me. I’m here.”

I nodded, not looking at Farrah. If flawed natures were inherent, perhaps mine couldn’t be saved. Was I bound to make all the wrong decisions again? Would I find myself here again with my mind wiped? Had it been before? Horror travelled my spine at the thought and I pushed the unwanted anxiety away. It didn’t do me any good.

Geoff stood with a nod to both Farrah and myself, and made his way around the room, righting all the fallen furniture and speaking with a few of the guards who had entered. I trailed him with my gaze, wishing I could make myself stop and yet seemingly powerless to do so.

“I shouldn’t speak out of turn and yet I feel compelled to do so. He’ll be gone in six weeks.” Farrah scooted over to whisper in my ear. “They’re kept on a rotation, which brings new ones in and rotates old ones out. It’s easy to forget ourselves with them. There was one months ago who…well, never mind. Anyway, they’re gone soon, and that’s for the best. We’re all human, flawed. We need only figure out how to find the best versions of ourselves and keep away from temptation.” She touched my belly with gentle fingers. “If not for yourself, then for those who come next.”

She spoke only truth, and my insides clenched. I was a petty person. Somehow, I had to do better.

* * * *

I threw myself into my studies with utter devotion after Farrah left. Her husband, when he came to collect her, had been a stout man with red cheeks and green eyes that squinted when he spoke. Farrah gazed at him with adoration. I’d managed to conquer my lust, lying, and anger. Watching her get out of Master’s four walls with a husband, I realized I still hadn’t gotten ahold of my jealousy. If Farrah had still been there, she’d have reminded me it was good to have something to work on.

Studying helped me ignore Geoff, who always seemed to hang around. Were all the guards so constantly there, or did he have something wrong with his duty roster he couldn’t seem to find elsewhere to do his job? I felt his gaze caress me from behind whenever I wasn’t looking at him. When I tried to catch him, he always seemed as though he was looking in a different direction.

Maybe I was nuts.

The baby kicked me hard, hitting my ribs, and I groaned when I put pressure on the spot. The little guy became very active this time of day.

The couch where I sat sagged, and I looked to my left to see the object of my obsession had taken a seat.

“I’m sorry your friend left.”

He was the first person to acknowledge Farrah’s absence. Women came and went constantly as their programs progressed. The passage of people in and out proved as natural as breathing. Our teachers didn’t think we should notice it or remark on it overmuch. Wanda, in particular, seemed very vocal on the subject. We weren’t to have complaints or show sadness. Potential husbands wouldn’t like it.

“She’s gone on to her proper destiny.”

He leaned away a bit, his brown eyes demanding my attention. “That she did, but now you have no one to pal around with. Do you want to play cards?” He reached into his pocket and took out a deck.

I gasped. “Are you looking to get into trouble? You can’t pull those out here.”

“Cards are not expressly forbidden, I checked. Besides, you might need the skill. Your future husband might be a card shark.”

He shuffled and handed me five. I stared at my hand. I had no idea whatsoever if I had the knowledge on how to play, which must mean it was one of those things they’d taken from my mind to help me start anew. “My future husband will be an upstanding citizen.”

“And so-called upstanding citizens don’t ever play cards? Now, I know that’s not true. The King himself has been seen in casinos. He owns a few. We don’t have to play, though, if you’re scared and would rather not.”

I wasn’t scared. I simply didn’t want to get off track. “I see what you’re doing.”

His eyes twinkled. “I bet you do. What’s the problem, then? Don’t know how to play? I’ll teach you. What cards do you have?”

“Isn’t the point of these games for me not to tell you? Doesn’t it go better if you don’t know?”

“That’d be true, sweetheart, if you knew what you were doing. As it is, I could take advantage of your ignorance and win constantly. Consider me a gentleman. You should at least know the rules.”

The smart thing to do would be to get up and walk away. He’d tried to goad me into playing and, despite his assertion that cards weren’t against the rules, I’d not seen anyone else playing in all the months I’d been in Master’s. I wasn’t fooled, and while I remembered little about myself, I didn’t think stupidity was one of my main flaws.

I stood. “Have a great evening.”

As I turned to walk toward my room, leaving Geoff on the couch, I knew I’d won some moral battle, which would lead me closer to my one and only. Even believing that the case, my stomach turned. I wanted to know what those cards had symbolized and how I could have used them to beat the pants off Geoff.

* * * *

Our days began the same way. We would bathe communally in large rooms with showerheads lining the walls. The bathing ritual ranked as my least favorite time. Maybe my former life as a whore had made nudity uncomfortable for me. Perhaps it was my growing belly, which caused a lot of comments and questions every time I stripped naked.
Could I feel the baby?
Yes.
Did it hurt?
Sometimes.
Did I have to pee all the time?
Without a doubt.

Then we would eat and have the morning announcement before we started our lessons. Usually it featured Rudolph Montgomery via a previously recorded message. He would wish us well, encourage us to stop bad behaviors, to study hard, and then he read off the names of those who had been granted husbands.

This morning, however, things were different. Instead of appearing on a video screen, Rudolph, the man himself, stood on a stage before us.

“Ladies, ladies,” he called out and we fell quiet. I adjusted my robe. There was simply no good way to wear it without tripping over my own feet. The last thing I wanted to do was make a scene by falling over in front of the head of the rehabilitation center and a member of the royal family.

Across the room, I caught Geoff’s gaze and nearly jolted when he outright grinned at me. He covered his mouth for a moment to hide the smile before he knocked off the amusement. What had he found so funny? Me messing with my robe?

Rudolph continued speaking. “It hasn’t escaped our notice that this facility has been the subject of a lot of unwanted attention from the rebels lately. We know this has been horribly uncomfortable for you. Our Noble committee is concerned. They’ve sent a representative of the senior Nobles to assure us they are handling the problem. One of our princes, my younger cousin Cooper, will be here any minute to greet all of you and assure you that our family intends to do everything in our power to protect you.”

Two new explosions had detonated the night before. The worry and pain generated by the loud bangs had kept me from getting any sleep at all. I hadn’t wanted to wake up with my ears ringing.

Movement caught my attention, and I pulled my gaze from Rudolph to where Geoff moved, sliding along the wall of the rear of the room until he exited out the door where the kitchen staff came and went. I glanced around the room. The fifteen other women present were all looking straight at Rudolph, as were the guards and staff present. No one except me seemed to have noted Geoff’s sudden run for the door.

What was that about?

I didn’t get to dwell on it long. The outside door, where I’d only seen staff enter and exit, opened with a bang. Cooper Jackson, whose face and name I’d had to learn in my studies, entered the room flanked on both sides by large, impressive-looking guards. He crossed to Rudolph, and with a nod took the microphone from his hand as though it was his right to have whatever he wanted when he desired it, despite who might be using the object.

“Ladies, on behalf of the Noble family which constitutes our aristocratic government, I’d like to assure you we have this matter well in hand. Your walls are secure; your future in good hands. You are too valuable to us, with so few women in the universe, for us to risk you. Your walls will not be breached, and the rebel scum trying to break the fabric of our society will be found and dealt with. Thank you.”

After handing the microphone to one of his guards, He stepped away from the stage and strode down the stairs to the floor where we all waited. My baby chose that moment to flip-flop in my stomach. Was the child doing summersaults? How could I maintain any kind of decorum when all I wanted to do involved sitting and groaning?

Cooper was as attractive as he had been in the picture I’d seen in my introductory video. I rubbed my stomach in an attempt to soothe the active baby as every nerve ending in my body chose that second to come alive. Like Geoff had weeks before, even being in the same room with Cooper made the entire world shift on its axis. He looked taller than I’d imagined him. His dark hair seemed blacker and his blue eyes more piercing. I was glad he hadn’t turned his attention on me. He dressed simply, for being part of the nobility. The pictures I’d seen in our etiquette books showed them all wearing elaborate robes and formal attire. Cooper wore a pair of black slacks and a red-collared shirt, which he’d tucked into his pants. A black belt and shined loafers finished the presentation.

I fixated on him, memorizing every detail I could see. The only sign of royalty present on his body was the house crest embroidered on the wrists of his shirt. He strode through the room, stopping to speak to each woman as he came to them, which if I had to guess, I’d say surprised his guards. They looked at each other with raised eyebrows before chasing after him.

Next to me, Nancy, a girl who had come for rehabilitation a week after me, sighed. “You don’t suppose he’s here to find a bride, do you?”

Why would a prince come to Master’s of all places for a bride? We were valuable and given a second chance at life, but we weren’t—or at least I wasn’t—virginal. A prince of the realm could have his choice of women, meaning he’d likely select someone who’d never shared anyone else’s bed. My baby kicked me hard in the ribs, reminding me once again of his presence. Cooper Jackson would never have to raise another man’s illegitimate offspring.

Nancy looked so…hopeful. Her hands were clasped in front of her, fingers entwined like she might start praying soon. Her eyes were wide and her bottom lip quivered with excitement. If the prince did come to select a bride, he should pick her. Whatever she’d done before to end up in rehab, she’d be a loyal wife. Outside of Farrah, who hopefully happily basked in the rightness of her union, Nancy constituted the kindest person I’d met.

She’d give away her last crumb of bread if someone needed it.

The prince finally made his way over to us and stopped. He addressed Nancy first, which was just fine with me, considering I didn’t have a clue what to say to him. Addressing royalty hadn’t been in our studies yet. I imagined most people never faced this problem.

“Are you feeling all right?” Cooper raised his eyebrows while he waited for Nancy to answer him. She opened her mouth. Painful seconds passed before I understood she wasn’t going to respond. My friend had become a landed fish, mouth hanging open, with no sound coming out.

I took her hand in my own. “I’m sorry, Your Highness,” I responded for her. There was no way he hadn’t faced this problem before. Freaking out the general populace had to be par for the course. “She’s overwhelmed by your presence.”

Cooper didn’t immediately turn his attention to me. A muscle ticked in his jaw, and I wondered if something I said, which I meant entirely respectfully, had made him angry. I dropped Nancy’s hand and retreated a step. The Nobles had protections under the law that the rest of us didn’t. It hadn’t concerned me much when I’d read about them. Then again, I never thought in a million years I’d encounter any, other than Wanda.

The prince could strike me, and he’d be within his legal rights to do so. I didn’t know if I’d ever taken a hit from a man, and I didn’t want to start out my new life getting knocked around by a member of the nobility. I had to protect my baby.

He finally stared straight at me, but when he did so, the anger in his regard immediately cooled. His hand shot out like he intended to grab my arm, but then dropped to his side.

“Don’t be afraid.” His voice was low, cool, and steady. “I’d never hurt you. I’m surprised you picked up on my distress. I assure you, any anger I have is directed far away from this compound.”

My anxiety dropped immediately, and my breathing evened out. The baby reacted, kicking, rolling, and jolting me all once. He hadn’t liked me getting so upset. I grabbed my stomach, as if I could calm him from the outside—as if I could soothe my unborn son.

Cooper stared at my moving hands. The same muscle in his jaw ticked again. “Please. You’re well? The baby…”

“I think he is fine, Highness.” I was glad I still had my voice, since Nancy had yet to utter a word. “I did get nervous. My apologies. I’m not used to people…um, men. I think the baby is well.”

He ran a finger over his lips, drawing my attention to the cleft in his chin. What would it feel like to stroke him there?