Alexander addressed her. “Ms. Black, the gentlemen behind you are the very definition of integrity and loyalty. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t have been chosen to become members of The Order. I highly doubt Mr. Voss will be asking you to break the law or risk your dreams and future for his obligation.”
“Ah, but I didn’t hear youguaranteeingthat anywhere in your nice little rendition of their character, though, Mr. George,” she challenged.
“Well, then,I suppose it’s up to you to make sure Mr. Voss respects you enough over the course of this year to never ask something illegal of you, Ms. Black.”
Holy shit.
IfI agreed to this, I’d be at the mercy of Stone Lexington until I was thirty. That was a hard one when I was positive that I could achieve my dreams without the help of this little power-hungry troupe.
“What ifStone doesn’t need a favor from me?” I asked, curious about that. “What then?”
Alexander cocked his head. “Then you become one of the lucky ones, Ms. Madden,” he replied. “The clock still ends when you reach the age of thirty, whether Mr. Lexington has called upon you or not.”
“I still refuse to believeit’s that simple,” Kincaid remarked.
This time, Alexander shed his slimypolitician façade. “You’re correct, Ms. Black,” he agreed. “And so that none of you ladies can claim you didn’t know what you were getting into, I’ve arranged a little demonstration of just how serious The Order is about you honoring your contract.”
Myback straightened, and images of a ritual sacrifice really danced around in my brain. I knew it was overboard, but I didn’t like his tone or the way his demeanor changed from righteous to sinister. It was something I could actually feel in the air.
“Jacob,Donovan, Arlene, if you would, please,” Alexander requested.
I watched, my heart in my throat, as the three people who’d been on stage with Alexander made their way towards a settee I hadn’t noticed until now. I had no idea what was going on, but I knew this was nothing good. Alexander was showing us what the catch to all our dreams coming true was, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know just how serious this commitment was.
However, I suspected that I was probably already way in over my head.
Chapter 9
Stone~
This wasn’t part of the initiation.
I knew that.
Whatever this was, it was Alexander’s way of intimidating the girls. They’d been asking too many questions, and just like I wondered, I knew Alexander questioned why Kincaid was among the girls. He was feeling challenged, and that was the only explanation for what happened next.
Weall remained silent as Alexander took his seat on stage and his Plan B took effect right in front of us. “See, ladies,” he began, “our dear Arlene got comfortable in life, and that’s a no-no.” I looked over at the woman, and she stood tall and still with Jacob and Donovan on either side of her. “Her birthday is in two weeks.” Alexander smiled at the girls. “Justtwoweeks,” he repeated. “Arlene will be thirty and free from The Order if she so chooses.”
“What’s your point?” Kincaid bit out, and she was only provoking the bastard more.
“I’mpointing out her error, Ms. Black,” Alexander answered. “She got complacent and ignored sound advice that was given to her by her sponsor.Me.”
“And what advice was that?” Rylee asked, and the girl kept making me proud. I knew she was going to be a hard sell, but I was secretly thankful for it. It showed she had fire within her.
Alexander’s blue gaze shot towards Rylee. “Arlene had the world at her fingertips, Ms. Madden,” he said. “But instead of focusing on a successful career and making a name for herself, she chose to fall in love, get married, and start a family.” My gut turned as it dawned on me what this reptile was about to do.
I wanted to fucking kill him.
“That’s the onesincere piece of advice I can give all you ladies,” he continued. “Do not forget your life isnotyour own until that favor is paid in full, or you’ve reached the appropriate age.” He swept his arm out towards the trio standing by the settee. “All your dreams in exchange for your patience. Every opportunity at your disposal as long as you are disciplined enough to wait until after you are thirty to fall in love and do the family thing.”
I heard gasps, and when I turned my head, Jennifer had her hand cupped over her mouth. Her eyes were round, but hers weren’t the only ones.
Turningback towards the trio by the settee, I saw that Jacob’s lips were on the right side of Arlene’s neck. Donovan’s lips were latched onto the left side of her neck, but his hand was also caressing her left breast. The dress she was wearing doing very little in the way of protection.
“I was fortunate enough not to need Arlene’s favor all these years,” Alexander went on. “So, I’m calling upon it now as both a lesson to her and everyone else in this room.”
“You’re a pig,” Rylee blurted, and I wondered if shit was about to get violent.
Alexander justsmiled at her. “Why? Because I’m asking her to honor her commitments? Because I’m asking her to keep her word?”