Dark Lonely Lies (The Denton Family Legacy 6)

“Yep, my virginity is the most important point about me, didn’t you know?”

“No, that sounds wrong.”

“Oh, it is, but in our world, being a virgin is more important. It’s not for the men. No, they can lose it whenever they want, but us women, we have to remain untouched for eternity, until our husbands want us, of course. We’re not allowed to experience pleasure.”

“Enough with this. I’m not going to let this happen to you.”

Tulip looked around the room, trying to find something, anything that would pry open the cuffs. “There’s no point. It’s useless.”

“Nothing is useless. I’ll be back. Try not to … be sad.” She rushed out of the house. A place this big needed to have a garden shed, surely. A gardener, maybe? Someone who tended the grounds.

She made her way to the bottom of the yard, trying to find what she was looking for.

The Denton house was pure luxury and even the shed was something she’d live in. It was large, a big space, and as she looked inside, she saw it was all neatly presented. All the tools were in place, and it was tidier than her flat back home.

Shaking her head, she found what she was looking for and headed back to the house, only to be intercepted by Rick.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing,” he said, taking the snippers designed to snap twigs.

“Hey, give them back!”

“No, you’re not going to break free your friend.”

“You’re going to let her go.”

“Tulip, I suggest you go and hang out with Landon. It’s only a matter of time before I have to move him. Bounty hunters will try to chase him even in here.” He shoved her toward the house. Before she could attack him, one of the guards was there, holding her in place.

“Let me go.”

“I admire your spirit, Tulip, but you’re not going to win. Stop fighting the inevitable, and be grateful you’re not in her place.”

The guard dragged her inside the house. The moment he let her go, she spun around, slapped him hard across the face, and kicked him between the thighs.

She ran upstairs and went to find Jade. She was still in the same place, sitting there, likely giving up.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“It’s fine. I’ll be fine.”

She took Jade’s other hand, locking their fingers together. “It’s not fine. I wish I could stop this.”

“You can’t. The only thing you can hope for is Landon will survive long enough to give you some kind of life.”

“Don’t talk about Landon right now. I’m annoyed with him.” Annoyed was putting it mildly. She was furious with him.

“Don’t be angry with him,” Jade said.

“You’re not angry with him?”

“Yeah, but that’s between me

and him. Don’t ruin your relationship with him just because of me. My dad, when he’s sees I’m all good and a perfectly sellable commodity, he won’t be pissed for long.” Jade shrugged.

“You’re giving up?”

“No. I’m not giving up. I’m accepting what my life is going to be.” Jade offered her a smile but it didn’t reach her eyes. “It is what it is.”

Tulip didn’t know what to say. There was nothing she could do or say to console this woman who was going to end up back with her family, which was exactly what she didn’t want.