Page 30 of Claiming Liberty
I give him a curt nod of recognition before addressing Prudence. “Are you ready to go?”
Her wide eyes blink. She looks between Eli and me before ducking her head.
“Do you have plans for her?” Eli asks.
I turn to him then flick my gaze to Ripped Jeans. I was wrong about him... Anyone making plans to have a threesome with Eli Colley is dangerous.
Fuck, am I really this bad a judge of character?
“Yes,” I say to Eli, then move my gaze back to Prudence. “Did you not tell these gentlemen that?”
She looks up at me, her bottom lip quivering.
I roll my eyes and look at Eli. “Sorry if she’s wasted much of your time. She’s new.”
Eli gives me a tight smile and stands, his hands raising in a ‘my bad’ gesture. “It’s no problem.” He glowers at Ripped Jeans a moment but speaks to me. “Sorry for encroaching on your territory.”
Ripped Jeans pouts as he stands and slinks off with Eli in search of another woman to terrorize tonight.
Why the fuck is he even allowed here?
“Come on.” I hold out my hand for Prudence. She stares at it for several moments before my patience wanes, and I bend to take her wrist. She reluctantly stands and follows me from the playroom.
My teeth grit thinking about Eli. If he’s here, it probably isn’t to play. The island is divided into two camps, those who like Sawyer and those who like Chaffer. It’s possible his fallout with Chaffer resulted in him becoming interested in the manor, but I doubt it, especially considering I haven’t seen him around.
He must be here to buy.
I stop abruptly as a thought hits me, causing Prudence to run into my back. I spin and rake my eyes over the crowd, searching for Naomi. I don’t see her, which isn’t surprising in a crowd this big.
I told Lib I wouldn’t protect her friend, but I can’t let her be sold to that man. I don’t know how I can letanyonebe sold to that man.
I’ll have to figure something out. But first…
I face forward and start toward the exit, dragging Prudence with me. We don’t stop or speak until we’re two stories up and in front of an empty bedroom the guests use with the whores.
I turn the ‘in use’ sign around on the knob and lead Prudence inside. Once the door is shut, I let out a groan and turn to her. Her head is predictably lowered, and her hand grasps her wrist with enough force for both her arms to appear flexed.
“Sit,” I say, waving a hand toward the bed.
She flinches at my voice and squeezes her eyes shut, making no move to obey the command.
I should be gentle. Patient. Kind. I know these things, but I feel my confusion bubbling over into irritation. I roll my neck to ease the tension, then walk to the bed and sit on the edge, leaving Prudence standing several feet away, facing the door.
“I want you to sit,” I say, my voice deceptively calm. “Please.”
Prudence shuffles her feet but finally comes and sits as far away from me as possible, her shoulder rubbing against the headboard.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Prudence. I just wanted to get you away from the men you were talking to in the playroom. They’re… They aren’t nice.”
She wrings her hands and doesn’t respond.
I move my gaze to the door and clear my throat. “Has anyone told youI’mnot nice?”
No response.
“They would probably be right,” I say with a sad excuse for a chuckle, deciding not to defend myself against the rumors, especially considering I need people to believe the latest lie that I killed Lib. “But I still have no interest in hurting you.”
Several seconds pass while I wait out the silence.