Scandalous 2 Page 0,66

can't be him. I wonder who Wrath is, and if he can see us here, now. It makes my skin crawl. I rub my hands up and down my arms, trying to chase away the feeling.

At that moment, Cara enters the gallery. "Abby, there's a package for you." She disappears. Kate and I walk to the front of the studio, to the lobby. Jack is in the cottage and Gus is in the conference room with the door shut, trying to get a guard out here.

"I'll sign for it. Jack ordered some supplies a few weeks ago. They probably want a signature."

"Why can't the new girl sign for it?" Kate says, following me.

"I don't know. Sometimes they want me or Jack. Are you seriously following me? I'm just going to the front door." I look back at her as I walk to the front.

"Jack was rather explicit, and I'd rather not piss him off. He's kind of scary when he's protective." I grin. "You like that, don't you?"

"Who wouldn't?" I smile at her over my shoulder. Cara is standing at the door, holding it open. A man in a brown uniform is standing by a huge box on the front steps. My mind takes it in, but nothing seems wrong. The larger packages always get delivered around back. The fact that he's waiting out front is the only indication that something's off.

As I step out the front door, Kate says, "Abby, I don't think Jack wants you to - " I hear a gasp and turn in time to see Kate crumple to the ground. Another man is standing next to her with a shiny black club. He pulls her aside, quickly dragging her off.

Just as I open my mouth to scream, two more men grab me and pull me off to the side. Pine trees block us from being seen by the people inside the studio, and we're too far from the road for the cops to see. I kick and struggle, trying to pull away, but they don't let go. My heart races wildly in my chest, but I don't think about anything but getting away. When we're far enough away from the house and still hidden by the tree line, they throw me to the ground. I fall hard, skinning my palms. Frantically, I look around for Kate, but she's gone. There's no sign of Cara either. I try to stand and run, but one of the men aims a gun at me.

"I wouldn't do it, if I were you."

I look at his face, but don't recognize him at all. "Who are you? What do you want?"

One of the men produces a branding iron. The tip is glowing red. He steps toward me and then stops suddenly, like someone sees him.

I turn and see Cara walking up swiftly behind us. I tell her to run, but she doesn't listen. She keeps walking toward us with an agitated look on her face. "What part of this didn't you understand? The brunette wasn't supposed to be touched. You guys mess up everything. Give me that." She snatches the branding iron from his hand and the man steps away, head down.

I stare at her. Time seems to slow. The look she gives me is so triumphant, so smug. She holds the hot iron in her hand and lifts the end toward me. "It's an 'A' for 'adulterer.' Maybe it's cliche to make someone wear an A on her chest for the rest of her life, but it seems fitting." The corners of her lips curl.

"It was you? You were the one who torched Jackson's car last night. You were the one who orchestrated the stabbing." My eyes flick to the side, but I don't run. Not with that gun so close.

"Maybe. Maybe not. People do all sorts of things when you ask them to." She smiles at me and looks at the iron in her hands. "I don't usually come out to this sort of thing, but when Jack's name came up in the paper, I had to come. And branding his bride will bring me nothing but pleasure." She steps forward, holding the iron like she's really going to brand me.

I step back. Panic laces through my throat. When I suck in air, I pause. The stench of smoke fills my head. I glance around, knowing it's nearby, but I don't see the plume. "What did you do?" I ask Cara.

She smiles broadly. "Making sure Jack gets what deserves.