Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
“No, you know what it means to be Bratva, and I’m not it. I’m nothing more than a bastard offspring and I mean nothing to my family. You know that.”
“Would your mother be worried about you?” he asked, knowing bringing her mother into this was the last thing he should be doing.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve had no phone call. Nothing in the way of contact. Do you spend a lot of time away from your mother?”
“I don’t live with my mother anymore. Other than her attempting to set me up on dates, I don’t see her all that much.”
“She set you up with Rat Boy Pete?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
“Yes.”
“Tell me, does your grandfather have an affection for her?”
“I don’t know.” He saw the panic in her eyes. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” The lie slipped easily from his lips.
“No, nothing is not the answer. You don’t lie if it’s nothing.” She pressed her lips together. “So it has to be something.”
“No one has called about you. No one has inquired or asked what my demands are.”
“I did warn you. I don’t mean anything to anyone.”
He didn’t believe that was true for a second.
Chapter Three
Faith had lost count of the number of days she’d been kept in Brute’s basement. The food came three times a day. Brute came a couple of times to take her to the bathroom, which were still the most mortifying.
What she hated most was the lack of being able to wash. She wasn’t allowed to wash and she knew the stench she smelled came from herself.
Sliding off the bed, she drew her knees together, pressed her palms flat against each other, and closed her eyes. She hadn’t prayed in a long time. She had no idea what Brute wanted from her. But as the days wore on and the boredom had long since kicked in, she couldn’t help but start to feel hopeless. No one was coming for her. Not a single person.
Fear had started to build in her body, and it didn’t help with the smell because it made her sweat. She wasn’t used to being this helpless before. Yes, her mother had told her on numerous occasions how pathetic and useless she was, but this was the first time in her life she had ever felt close to being so.
There was nothing she could do or say to get out of this situation and as the days started to wear on, so had her ability to focus on the end, when she’d finally be free.
She’d never been trapped, never been held in place for so long, and she struggled with the uncertainty of it. She missed the sun, feeling the air on her face and body. She pressed her face against her hands and preyed hard for an end.
All her life, she’d been good. Faith had known from a young age she’d been nothing more than a disappointment to her mother. This was before Beverly had even dared to speak of her annoyance with her daughter. She took a deep breath, held it for a second, and then let it out. Knowing her mother hated her so much, she tried to be a good girl. To always do the right thing, to never make waves. She tried to be good for her, to make her mother proud.
Right now, she didn’t feel great.
“What are you doing?” Brute asked.
She’d been so focused on praying she hadn’t heard him come in. “I’m praying.”
“Who to?”
“Anyone who would make my life easier and listen to me.” She kept her eyes closed and her back to him.
“And you think that’s going to do you any good?”
“There’s no harm in trying. Nothing else has worked. I’ve tried to plead with you. I’ve tried to understand what I could do to make both our lives easier and you seem more and more determined to make my life as difficult as possible.” She moved her hands up to her forehead.
She tried to calm her temper but the smell was getting to her. There was a lot she could say about her mother, her cruelty, but she’d always kept her clean. Never once had she been starved of food nor of cleanliness.
Getting to her feet, she spun around and glared at him. She didn’t see a point in trying to be threatening. Even if she attempted to advance toward him, the cuff around her ankle would stop her.
“Do you feel good? Does it make you feel like a man, keeping me here?” she asked.
He folded his arms across his chest.
“Why do I even try? You’re a Fallen Bratva. That’s the point of the club, right? You were one of them. So, I guess to you it doesn’t matter who I am, I’m one of them. I’ve never hurt anyone in my life. I’ve never done anything to hurt or make waves, and yet you think I’m going to get you what you want?” she asked. “What do you want? Money? The Bratva? If you wanted real power, then you should have taken someone who was important. Now get out.”