He Ordered My Torture, Then Said I Love You Chapter 03

He Ordered My Torture, Then Said I Love You Chapter 03

The chapel was freezing, the stone floor bleeding cold through the thin kneeling pad. My knees went numb in hours.

Two of Arthur’s men kept watch. Once a day, they threw me a bowl of something that had already gone off.

I forced it down anyway. When I passed out, they’d splash water in my face and drag me back up.

My right hand was purple-black now, swollen past the wrist. It reeked.

Seven days. I made it through seven days.

Then Jade stepped through the door. “Jesus, Claire. You look like hell.”

Jade crossed the room and stood over me, smiling. “Look at that hand. You’ll never play piano again, right?”

I didn’t give her the satisfaction of answering. She leaned down, her mouth close to my ear.

“You can’t win, Claire.”

“My lies are full of holes, and Arthur still backs me.”

“He says you’re toxic. He says you deserve everything that’s being done to you.”

Then I saw her wrist. “That bracelet, that’s my mother’s. Why the hell are you wearing it?”

Jade held up her wrist, turning it so the emeralds caught the light. “Heirloom?”

“Arthur said it was no big deal. I told him I liked it, so he gave it to me.”

“If I’d known it was from your dead mother, I would’ve passed on it.” She let it go.

The bracelet hit the stone and burst apart. Something went inside me.

I lunged at her. My hands closed around her throat.

The broken bones in my hand split her skin. Blood everywhere.

I felt nothing but the need to make her stop breathing. Jade clawed at my arms, gagging.

The kick came out of nowhere, right into my ribs. “Claire! What are you doing?”

Arthur’s voice filled the chapel. The force of the blow sent me sprawling.

I hit the altar and tasted copper in my mouth. Jade stumbled toward Arthur, one hand pressed to her throat.

“I just… I wanted to check on her, Arthur…”

“But she… she tried to kill me…”

Arthur took in Jade’s tears and the marks on her neck. When he looked at me, I knew what was coming.

“You’re out of your mind, Claire!” His boot came down on my ruined hand.

“Ah!” The pain whited out everything.

Arthur didn’t even look at me. He spoke to his men.

“Break her legs. Both of her arms.”

“Let’s see her try anything now.”

Hands locked around my arms, pinning me flat.

I fought against their grip, but it was useless. Arthur watched me like I was already dead.

“I’ll come back for you, Arthur! I swear to God I’ll make you pay!”

The baton cracked down on my left leg. I heard the bone snap.

“Ah!” My body went rigid, then convulsed.

Then came the right leg. I couldn’t move anymore.

The chapel swam in red. From the safety of Arthur’s arms, Jade smiled.

The guard raised the baton again. My left hand this time.

The chapel doors blew inward. Light flooded in, harsh and white, cutting through the darkness and the blood.