Torn from You by Nashoda Rose Read Free Book Online Page A

realization that
people could be so cruel. That this ... slaves ... girls ... It was
hidden from the eyes of the world, but it was alive and real.
    Logan hauled
me up beside him. His voice low as his steal tone whispered in my
ear. “Pull it together. I told you not to look. You have to learn
to trust me.”
    He was a lie.
I didn’t trust a single word from his mouth, but I nodded anyway,
because I couldn’t think of what else to do as the horror kicked me
in the gut. I heaved in breath after breath, my chest wheezing,
limbs shaking as I stared at the stone tiles beneath my feet and
tried to get the images out of my head. They wouldn’t leave me. The
sounds of girls whimpering and screaming, the look of the girl with
her cheek pressed to the floor.
    I squeezed my
eyes shut, trying desperately to block out what I’d seen, but it
wouldn’t go away. How could Logan be standing there so immune to
the horror? Was he even human? No, none of them were.
    I heard slow,
casual footsteps approach, and Logan’s grip tightened on my arm,
and my body went rigid.
    “After days in
your care, I thought she’d be better prepared for what awaited
her.” The voice was the same one as in the house where I was
whipped. The scent of sweat and garlic wafted off him.
    “Look at me,”
he ordered.
    Oh God. I
didn’t want to, yet I was terrified of what would happen if I
didn’t. When I raised my head, I instantly recognized him. The man
from Sculpt’s fight with the two bodyguards Jacob and Dave. I could
remember him intently watching Logan after he’d won the fight. That
night seemed so long ago.
    The man’s
finger came under my chin, and I balked at his touch.
    His fist
punched me in the stomach so fast and hard that I stumbled backward
and would have fallen if Logan hadn’t been holding my arm. I tried
desperately to suck in the air that he’d knocked out of me.
    “That was
unnecessary, Raul,” Logan said in a calm, contained voice.
    “You’ve taught
her nothing,” he shouted. “Nothing!”
    Logan’s voice
remained controlled as he answered, “She was drugged.”
    “I gave her to
you in good faith, but if she doesn’t conform then I will take her
myself, and she’ll be sold.”
    “You think I
don’t know what’s expected of her? Don’t think for one second I’ve
forgotten, Raul. She’ll behave.” Logan pulled me tighter into his
side, and I could feel every muscle flexed and rigid. “When is my
first fight?”
    “Two days.” I
heard Raul shift his feet until he was standing directly in front
of me. “You remember what I told you, Sculpt?”
    I didn’t dare
look up, but I felt Logan’s hand on my arm tense. “I’m here to
fight, Raul. I won’t lose, so don’t ever question me on it.”
    “And I don’t
like your attitude. I taught you better.”
    “You taught me
nothing except to fight. I’m here, and I’ll fight, but I get what I
want.”
    “Then train
her and keep her on a short leash, or Alfonzo will take her and she
goes on auction.”
    I was
humiliated and devastated when I saw Logan shrug. “She’s mine,
because I want to fuck her. Once I’m tired of her, you can do
whatever you want with her.”
    Oh God. No.
No.
    I was so
angry and terrified and grasping at everything that didn’t make
sense that I just couldn’t hold onto my sanity any longer. Hearing
those words flow easily from the man I’d fallen in love with was
like an anchor sitting in my stomach with oil being poured all over
the once beautiful rabble of butterflies, darkening the love I once
felt for this man.
    I hated him. I
hated him so much at that moment that I couldn’t stop myself. I
reeled back and slapped him hard across the face. Then I spit at
him ... turned and spit at Raul. “Bastards. Disgusting, fucking
parasites.” My yelling got the attention of the entire room, and
even though I knew what I’d done couldn’t be good for me—it felt
unbelievably amazing.
    Then I was
down on the floor with a knee shoved into