Carnal Rites by Ines Johnson (learn to read books .TXT) 📕

He was sure that none of them had ever seen such a large haul, and didn't trust them not to try to knock him over for it. The money was life changing. It was about to change his life.

Jaspir walked over and opened the door. It was not a man on his threshold. "I'm not taking any more clients, Lady Myra."

"You can make time for an old friend." She came in and closed the door behind her. She stopped in the center of the room. Her eyes went wide. "What are all these boxes for?"

"I'm leaving."

She turned around, joy on her face. "You've come to your senses then. You're coming to live with me."

"No, I'm not."

Lady Myra's face transformed in the blink of an eye. "You can't go and live with her."

"Who?" Jaspir nearly choked on the word.

"They will never let her have you. I got rid of the red haired one. I doubt her family will let her out of the house again. They hate men."

Ice crawled down Jaspir's spine. All air seeped out of the room. "What have you done?"

"I've protected my investment. You will come with me and be mine. You will see only me. You will love only me."

Jaspir shook his head and walked towards the door.

Lady Myra slammed herself against it. "Think carefully, my love. It's either me or nothing at all."

"You're mad."

"It's not madness. Its love. Last chance. Come with me."

Jaspir reached for the door handle.

Lady Myra screamed.

Jaspir backed away.

"No, don't." She looked him straight in the eye. Jaspir could see a crazed glint accompanied with a malicious smile.

"Myra, let me pass." Jaspir said calmly.

"Please, Jaspir. Don't hurt me. I love you."

"I'm not doing anything to you."

To his absolute horror, she raised her hand to her face, red nail polish glistened over her clawed fingers. Jaspir swore they caught the light and twinkled before crashing down into her skin. But she didn't stop there; she dug her nails into her cheek and pulled down hard until she bled. With a scream she fell to the floor.

"If I can't have you, no one will," she whispered.

That was the last bit of silence Jaspir heard. In the next instance, there were loud footsteps and shouts. His door was wrenched open. Lady Myra lay on the floor in theatrical tears. Everyone bought her performance. Jaspir's hands were clasped behind his back. He was taken roughly, bodily from the room. His pleas fell on deaf ears.

Then the Peace Keepers came and the nightmare began.

Jaspir opened his eyes to pain. His face was swollen and in pain. His abdomen roared with pain.

"Jas?"

Jaspir reached toward the familiar voice. There was darkness all around. Though bars separated them, he could still make out Emet's almond colored skin and sharp, hazel eyes.

"Jas, I'm here. Do you remember what happened? You’re accused of striking a woman."

"You know I would never..." Jaspir was too tired to even complete the sentence. Everything hurt.

"I know," soothed Emet. "But how did she get the marks on her face."

"She struck herself."

"So, a crazy one."

Jaspir nodded.

As hounds, both Emet and Jaspir had training on how emotions, particularly sexual emotions, could cloud a sane woman's judgment. But a woman who had a tick in her head was one to be especially wary of.

Emet sighed. "The Male Voice is aware of your case. They've granted us a trial. In ‘he-said she-said’ cases, the woman's account always weighs more. They've given us just this night to prepare your defense."

"A trial?" Jaspir snorted. "So they want to make a spectacle."

"Most likely."

"Do you think we even have a chance?"

"You're my brother, Jas. I will fight for you tooth and nail."

When Adom and Emet left the Brotherhood, they'd sought Jaspir out. They'd offered him a room at the storefront in lieu of working in the brothel. Jaspir declined the offer, but treasured their friendship, knowing that if ever he were in need, he need only ask the two males. He needed something now.

"I need you to go to my rooms and retrieve something for me."

"They've confiscated everything you had in your room into evidence."

"Everything?"

Emet nodded.

In that moment, outside of all of the pain in his heart and the pain in his gut, Jaspir felt his world crumble around him. It was all gone. Not just his love, not just his freedom. His dream was gone too. There was nothing left.

18

They let Liam take his car. Everything that belonged to him from his years in the grand house was shoved into the trunk. The pile amounted to a few articles of clothing and his calculating tools. His tablet containing his mathematical notes was not amongst the pile. The ladies kept all his intellectual property. He'd signed away those rights when he'd signed the betrothal agreement.

Liam sat outside the gates of the property for an hour. He didn't know what to do with himself. His every waking thought for the past ten years had been about Merlyn. How to be noticed by her. How to be helpful to her. His father had told him to make himself necessary to her if he wanted a chance at her heart.

He'd done that for nearly half of his life. Before he'd met her, he'd striven to pass her family's tests to prove himself worthy. After their betrothal, he'd made himself indispensable as her assistant. Without him, she would have never made the female chromosome discovery. It was that discovery that allowed her family to cut his ties. They no longer needed him or his manhood to produce the female children they coveted.

Liam wanted to barge back up to the house and fight for her. He waited, hoping that she would come through those doors after him. He waited and waited. But she didn't come. Liam started the car and pulled away from the house.

He wandered around the city. He paused briefly at the gates to The Stallion. Memories of that previous night washed over him. The feel of being buried deep inside of Merlyn. The feel of