hair and pushed down into a kneeling position in front of him. I clamp my teeth together when he rubs his clothed cock against my pursed lips and gag at the mere thought of what he no doubt intends.
“Mmm, I think we can work on this today. Farren is going to need to learn this skill. There’s no point in a woman who can’t give good head. While it’s so fucking hot to choke a girl with a cock, it’s even better when she can take it. I suggest you get that little mouth of yours nice and wet, but either way, my cock’s going in there.”
I choke on a sob, wishing I could stop breathing and die. When I feel soft skin stroke against my cheek and catch sight of his cock out of the corner of my eye, I flinch. Clenching my teeth together so tightly they ache and pressing my lips firmly shut, I refuse to open even when he rubs against them, smearing precum over my mouth.
“Open up, girl. You’ll only make this worse for yourself,” he threatens, and I shake my head.
I barely catch sight of the flash of rage flitting across his face before a blinding pain shoots through my head, making me dizzy as I’m shoved roughly away. A sharp blow to my abdomen follows, winding me, and I gasp raggedly as I try in vain to breathe through the pain.
The sound of the basement door being thrown open reaches my ears, followed by the gruff voice of the man standing above me and Farren’s soft, feminine reply. I can barely see who’s in front of me now, but the faint shimmer of gray eyes swims across my vision as I lose consciousness.
Chapter Four
Farren
Lying in bed, my heart twists when I think of the woman locked in the cage in the basement. It gets cold down there, and she’s got nothing to keep her warm. The only concession my father has given to shield the woman from the cold is to lay a sheet of wood across the bottom of her prison to stop her freezing on the icy floor.
Guilt pricks at my conscience as the blankets above me cocoon me in their warmth. I can’t sleep. The sight of her wide and fearful eyes and the sound of her pain keep circling around my mind. I let out a heavy sigh and restlessly kick the bedcovers off. Slipping out of bed, I grab one of the heavy woolen blankets and sneak out of my bedroom, past the room where my father is sleeping. I loathe him for what he’s doing, and every time I’m made to watch the horrifying sexual displays, I feel my hatred growing for him far beyond the limits of what I ever thought possible.
I move more quietly past Tucker’s door; he’s a light sleeper, and if he hears me sneaking around, he’ll probably try to stop me. I used to believe he didn’t like what was happening here, but the more our father imposes his will on him, the further away Tucker seems from the loving brother I grew up with. I’m losing him, and even the conflict that used to shine so brightly in his eyes is dulling into something else.
When I finally reach the first floor, I heave out a sigh of relief, but don’t allow myself to become complacent. If I’m caught trying to visit her in the middle of the night, then our fates could become something else entirely. I’m not even sure why I’m taking such a huge risk, but something in her eyes and the way she responded to me earlier has stirred up feelings I can’t quite decipher.
The basement door is only bolted shut, not that she would be able to escape the cage anyway. The top stair creaks when I put my weight on it, and I wince, pausing to listen for any sign I’ve been heard. My heart thunders in my chest while I wait for my father to come down and punish me for my defiance. I nervously fiddle with the blanket, threading my fingers through the crochet-woven holes.
Upon hearing nothing, I close the door behind me and switch on the light before continuing to make my way down into the basement. I shiver when my bare feet leave the wooden steps and hit the cold concrete floor as I inch my way over to the cage.
Dark, haunted eyes set in a pale face stare at me, and