Prologue

Sophie

I feel nothing, even though I know I should feel something…anything. Maybe I numbed myself because my body can’t handle any more pain…or maybe I’m just broken. My body and my soul…broken beyond repair.

I stopped feeling anything a few days ago. I don’t know exactly how long because I haven’t been able to keep track of time. Hours bleed together in this cell, like an endless string of useless time.

Feeling nothing is better than the overwhelming pain and all-consuming dread.

How could my family do this to me? How could they just forsaken me this way, discard me like I’m nothing?

There was a time, not long ago, where praying would have been my answer. I would pray for the pain to go away, pray for my family to take me back, pray for strength to forgive them…

But after everything, after the beatings, being sold for money, my family took that faith from me. I never doubted anything they said. I believed in all they taught me, just to find all of it was a lie.

My whole life a charade—a means to an end.

All my parents ever wanted was the money and power.

I see this now, but it’s too late.

Now I’m broken, my heart and mind fractured straight down the middle, and there’s nothing that can heal that kind of misery.

Chapter One

Roman

All eyes are on Ivan and me as we make our very first round through the compound he used to run for Rossi. Now that Rossi is dead, Ivan’s taken over the whole fucking operation. Big money is made in this place. All the high-dollar shit is made, kept, and processed here. A lot of things are changing, and a lot of these assholes don’t like change.

You know what I say to that? Fuck them.

I groan at the shit Ivan made me wear. My muscles and torso feel so constricted, like I’m wearing a damn straitjacket. He told me it looks good and makes people respect you. The way I see it, people are going to respect me, or they’ll get my fist in their fucking face.

I can’t believe I’m wearing this monkey suit.

“Tell me again why I’m fucking doing this?” I adjust the collar of the stiff shirt and look over to my brother. The fucking bastard’s smirking. I have half a mind to knock the grin right off his face.

“Because I need someone I can trust with me in this place and I sure as hell don’t trust anyone who used to work for Rossi. I already took care of the ones I knew were loyal to him even after his death, but the rest of the men…I just don’t know who exactly they are yet. Either way, I’ve already decided I’m not going to let anyone else help me.”

We’ve been walking through this place for a few hours now, and I’m more annoyed now than when I came in. This isn’t my fucking thing. Holding authority over a group of men. I run my gym and that’s it. What Ivan’s asking of me is something I’m not sure I can give him.

We continue to walk around. Ivan wants to make sure everybody knows who I am, and I get it, but fuck, I just want to get out of here and out of these ridiculous clothes. I want my jeans and loose t-shirts back.

“Come on, we can hang out upstairs at my place and relax before we make another walk around. I’ll even have some food brought up,” Ivan offers, and I’m more than happy to go somewhere else where people aren’t fucking staring at me.

As soon as we are inside his apartment, I start taking half my clothes off, leaving me in socks, the dress slacks, and an undershirt. I exhale, and for the first time today, I feel like I can fucking breathe. Ivan shakes his head at me as I flop down on the couch, throwing my legs up on the table in front of me. He orders some food, and a guy brings it up ten minutes later.

As soon as I spot the food, my mouth starts to water. I grab my plate and start to dig in when a knock on the door interrupts us. Ivan groans, getting up to open the door, while I take another bite of my burger, then shove a fry into my mouth, letting the first couple bites settle in my stomach.

Fuck, I’m hungry.

“I’m so sorry to disturb you, boss. We’ve got a slight problem and I’m not sure how you want it handled,” an unfamiliar voice tells my brother.

“Come in, Gabe. Tell me what’s going on while I finish eating my lunch.” Ivan motions for the guy to follow him, then sits back down beside me.

Ivan starts eating his burger while Gabe stands in front of us, unsure of the situation, and noticeably not use to being around Ivan.

Tags: J.L. Beck Broken Heroes Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net