I was being sold to this man.
I already knew who he was, yet it still shocked me to hear Father say, “Catalina, this is your husband. You’re going to treat him with respect, aren’t you?”
I looked up at him with wide eyes. I wanted to shake my head no. I didn’t want this.
Henry laughed. “Not until I get a good look at the merchandise. I don’t just make blind business deals.”
Father smiled a little as if he was amused by what Henry said before he stood up and walked toward me, taking out a small blade from his suit jacket.
I was rooted on the spot, helpless to do anything. Father leaned down and whispered in my ear, “You heard the man. Don’t you dare disappoint me.”
I watched in horror as he cut off the dress I was wearing. He kept cutting until it was nothing more than ruined fabric pooled at my feet.
It didn’t feel real.
This moment didn’t feel real.
Not at all.
Not when Henry stood up and examined me in the skimpy black lingerie I was wearing beneath my dress.
I flinched when he rested a large hand on my shoulder. “Skittish little thing,” he commented with a chuckle, as if he was speaking fondly of a beloved pet.
“I see now why you kept her so tightly under wraps. Your greatest treasure, indeed.”
He tugged on a strand of my hair and I let out a small whimper, trying to move back a step. My father’s angry eyes stopped me and I tried to hold still. I looked down and closed my eyes as Henry moved his fingers across my exposed skin.
My eyes flew open when his hand palmed my breast. I backed away then, moving frantically until I tripped over the dress that I had forgotten was tangled around my feet, and fell on my butt.
Two sets of disapproving eyes looked down at me.
Henry turned to my father. “Is this the obedient little daughter you’re always raving about? I don’t want to break in my new wife, Angelo. I want one that’s already broken,” he sneered.
Tears dripped down my cheek, and I tried to back away again when Father moved toward me. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled. I let out a small cry in pain.
The first fist to stomach was all it took for the air to be knocked out of me.
My vision tunneled out a little, and all I could think was he was going to kill me now. I’d done it. He was going to kill me like he killed my mother.
“You useless bitch,” he gritted out, pulling on my hair until I was forced to look up and meet his cold, hard eyes.. “What the fuck did I tell you?”
I closed my eyes when I saw his hand coming. I had expected the slap, yet it still shook me when I felt the sting. A metallic taste hit my tongue, and I didn’t know if it was from the hit, or the fact that I had bitten on my lip too hard. I could feel the blood drip down the sides of my mouth.
Father stared at me in disgust. “Can’t do anything right, can you?”
He punched me again, and I doubled over. I was going to be sick. He let go of my hair and I fell to the floor, sobbing quietly.
I was a coward.
My back arched as I tried to get away from him when I felt his kick. I was going to bruise there, but that was the least of my problems. My eyes were open in slits, and I could barely make out the face of my future husband.
Henry was looking at me like he was thoroughly enjoying the sight. He shot me a devilish smile as he adjusted himself through his jeans.
Saliva formed at the back of my throat, and I worked hard not to lose whatever lunch I had today on the floor.
I know enough to know he was getting turned on by the sight of my father beating me. I closed my eyes and buried my face in my arms, curling in on myself and hoping this beating would be over soon.
Another kick and I let out a small whimper. I lost the ability to cry out.