Corded (The Corded Saga Book 1) Read online

  “Like working, it’s optional until the Cording.” He ran his hand over my arm. “After that you’re expected to show up.”

  “And girls are expected to start sleeping with the men.” I let the words slip out.

  “You will only be sleeping with me.” He ran his fingers over my neck.

  “Addison made it sound like it isn’t every night, but it’s a lot?”

  “No one is forced to do anything in this club. However, our girls are generally more than willing to do their part.”

  “I see.”

  “You have been so protected.” He ran his fingers through my hair.

  “My father did his best.”

  “He gave his life to do it. That’s noble.”

  “Do you understand noble?” I winced as I realized the words had accidentally slipped out.

  “What do you mean by that?” He put his hand under my chin again. He made me look at him. “Have I been anything but fair with you since arrived in my club looking for help?”

  “No. Sorry.” I shook my head. I needed to be more careful.

  “Don’t apologize. Explain.”

  “Explain what?”

  “What you meant by the comment.”

  “I just didn’t know if men could be noble in the cities. The world has changed too much here.” I had made a mistake. I remembered Addison’s words. I needed to stay on his good side.

  “And it hasn’t changed in the Rurals?”

  “Not as much.”

  “So you lived the way you wanted? You never feared anything?” His hand slid down my neck under the fabric of my shirt to my shoulder.

  “Of course I feared things!” I always worried about being discovered, about Quinn and Bailey being discovered. I spent half my life expecting a raid.

  He dropped my chin, probably surprised by my near shout. “Exactly. You’ll be safer here than you were there.”

  Common sense kept me in check. “How are you going to get Quinn for me?”

  “We’ll discuss it after the Cording.”

  “You don’t trust I’ll go through with the Cording.”

  “Trust doesn’t matter here. It’s a deal. After you’ve been Corded, we will discuss it.” His face softened. “I already told you I was in a hurry for it too.”

  “You have your own moral code here, don’t you?”

  “How so?”

  “You won’t take me to bed until the Cording. Who defines that rule?”

  His eyes danced with amusement. “Are you asking me to take you to bed now, Kayla?”

  “No.” I sat up straighter. “Of course not.”

  He laughed. “Then what are you saying?”

  “You follow rules here. You really view me as a guest.” I wasn’t sure why I was telling him about my surprise. Maybe I just wanted even more of a confirmation that I hadn’t made a deal with the devil.

  “All hell has broken loose out there.” He gestured to the walls. There were no windows. “But in here we’re still human.” He stood up. “I’ll let you have lunch with the girls. We can have dinner.”

  I followed him back to the elevator.

  “Thanks for the tour.”

  “My pleasure.” Something in his tone made me think he really meant that.

  Ten

  The next morning I knew exactly where I was, and I wasn’t happy about it. I’d spent most of the night awake, staring at the ceiling while trying to picture what Quinn and Bailey were going through. Was Central trying to impregnate her already? Was Bailey being cared for? A million awful possibilities flitted through my mind, flooding me with a guilt so thick it felt as if I were choking. At the sounds of girls moving around the room, I pulled myself from my sweat soaked bed.

  I got up and walked down to Addison’s room. It was empty, her bed perfectly made. The night before hadn’t been a night off. I struggled to remember who she’d gone home with. I hurried down the hall to the bathroom. I didn’t want to think about Addison spending the night with a man. I didn’t want to think about any of it. I wanted to block everything out and pretend I’d already rescued Quinn and Bailey. I couldn’t take them home, but we’d find a new home. I didn’t care where it was as long as it was far away from the city. But then reality dawned on me. I wasn’t getting out of the city, at least not anytime soon. Mason wasn’t helping me out of the goodness of his heart. I was going to be Corded, and then I’d be living a life much like Addison’s. I could handle it. Quinn could too. It would be better than a life at Central. At least I hoped it would be. Panic started to set in, but I pushed it away. I’d have Ethan sneak her and Bailey out if it came down to it. They were the important ones.

  I found an empty shower and stripped down. I wasn’t use to bathing so often, but it offered an escape from a reality I wasn’t ready to face. I let the water wash over me. I greedily used it, letting it give me a moment of peace.

  “Would you look at that.” Mona pulled opened the curtain.

  I covered myself as best I could, shocked by the intrusion and the burst of cool air.

  “What? Embarrassed?” Mona grinned. “You’re going to have to get over that quickly if you are going to survive here,” she taunted. “Might as well start right now.”

  Giggling filled the room and two other girls walked in.

  I grabbed for my towel but Mona took it. “What’s the matter?”

  “Give me my towel please.” I fought back tears that wanted to spill. I wouldn’t let Mona see what her cruelness was doing to me. She didn’t deserve to know.

  “Please?” Mona laughed. “You think that word means anything here? There are only orders here. Got it? You are a prisoner, a slave. Please means nothing.” Her eyes were dark and as unfriendly as her words, but there was a sadness in them that didn’t come through in her voice.

  “I thought you were all willing.” I reached for my towel again, but she held it away.

  “Willing because we have no other choice. What should we do instead? Run outside and get raped by the street hustlers? Or get taken in by the Reign who will beat us as they rape us, and revel in it?” There was no trace of the laughter from before. She was talking about real and horrible threats only a step away.

  I shivered, both from the cold and from fear.

  “Get over the embarrassment and get ready to do your share. If not, get out of here.” She pointed to the door as if I had a choice. As if it could be that easy to walk away. She had no idea.

  I nodded.

  Mona tossed me my towel. “Your daddy may have thought he was doing you a favor by shielding you, but he wasn’t. He failed you, and now you’re so in over your head you don’t know it. Do you even know how to be with a man? Has anyone taught you?”

  “It is something that needs to be taught?” I wrapped the towel around me. I was grateful for the coverage, but it did nothing for the chill. I still shivered.

  All three girls laughed. Mona grinned. “Or not. Maybe the surprise will be enjoyable for you.”

  “Get out!” Addison’s voice broke through the laughing. “Get out now.”

  “Calm down. We were only educating our new friend.” Mona winked.

  “Educate yourselves and get out.” Addison fumed.

  “She’s going to have to face the music eventually.” Mona walked out taking the other girls with her.

  “Are you okay?” Addison inspected me.

  “I’m fine,” I answered quickly. I didn’t want her sympathy. I was stronger than that. If I couldn’t handle these girls, how was I going to be able to handle everything else that was to come?

  “If you’re sure.” Addison eyed me warily. “I’m sorry about them.”

  “There’s no reason for you to be sorry.”

  “Please know I don’t feel that way. I’m glad you’re here. Yet sorry.” She looked down at the white tile floor.

  I adjusted the towel around me. “Sorry?”

  “Isn’t that part obvious?” She looked up again.

  “You mean because
I have to be Corded?” I was so unfamiliar with conversing with other girls. My sister and I were so close we usually could guess each other’s thoughts.

  Addison nodded. “I’m sure you had a better life before. Even though it’s not awful here, well, it’s no paradise either.”

  “I did have a better life.” Even with the constant fear, it was better. We were together, and Bailey was safe. And my father was alive. A pang pierced my heart.

  “I’ll let you get dressed.” Addison turned to leave. “And I’ll make sure the girls don’t bother you again.”

  “Thanks.” I forced the tiniest of smiles. “I appreciate you defending me.”

  “We need to stick together. We’re not as different as you might think.” She disappeared through the doorway.

  I hurried down the hall to the closet and hastily threw on clothes that hopefully matched. I’d spent my whole life wearing off-white; it was hard to transition to the idea that some colors might not go perfectly together. Either way, I knew it didn’t matter. Mason didn’t have me there for my wardrobe choices.

  Eleven

  The room was quiet by the time I slipped out of the suite. I figured the girls had either gone to their jobs or gone to sleep.

  I knew where I wanted to go, and it didn’t involve waiting for Mason. I walked out into the hallway and directly toward the elevator.

  I pressed the down button. The technology was still new to me, but it wasn’t difficult to understand. I wondered what else would become second nature before long.

  I jumped as a cool hand touched my neck from behind. “Kayla, is it?”

  I turned after taking a few seconds to compose myself, fearful of whoever the male was. “Yes.”

  A man I recognized from the lounge, but had never met, stared at me. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “Oh. It’s okay.” I glanced back at the elevator door that was still closed. Why was it taking so long?

  He ignored my question and instead asked one of his own. “How are you enjoying Sray so far?”

  “It’s been fine.” I struggled to keep my expression neutral.

  “Ready for your Cording?” He stepped closer to me.

  “Whenever Mason says it’s time.” I averted my eyes in case he could somehow read there was more to it than a normal Cording.

  “Allen will be back soon.” He licked his bottom lip.

  “Oh. Yeah.” I tried to act calmer than I really felt.

  “Where are you headed?”

  “The Hydros.”

  “Why?” He furrowed his brow.

  “Because they interest me.”

  “The Hydros? The ones producing food?”

  “Are there others?” Had I missed that on my tour?

  “No, but I can’t imagine why a girl like you would want to go there.” He narrowed his eyes. “Unless it’s to see someone.” His confused look became one of annoyance.

  “I’m from the Rurals.” I assumed that would explain it well enough.

  “And?” He gestured with his hand for me to continue.

  “Meaning I have spent my whole life on a farm.”

  “Oh.” Understanding crossed his face. “Feels closest to home than anything else.”

  “Yes.” I nodded, grateful he understood.

  “But the Hydros are nothing like the kind of farms you know.”

  “I know that. But they still interest me.” It was the only thing at the Sray that interested me. Everything else was tainted with sex and alcohol, two things I knew nothing about and had absolutely no interest in.

  He hit the elevator button as if it weren’t already lit because I’d pressed it. “I’ll take you down there.”

  “I can find my own way.” I didn’t know who this guy was, but he made me incredibly uncomfortable.

  “I don’t mind.” He ran his arm down my arm.

  I pulled it away out of instinct. He frowned but didn’t try to touch me again.

  After another few moments the elevator appeared. I stepped on, knowing full well the man was following. He’d never introduced himself, but then again I hadn’t asked his name. My omission hadn’t been an accident. I didn’t care what his name was. It didn’t matter because it wouldn’t help me achieve my goal. If I could focus on my goal, everything else would be okay.

  I stared at the buttons on the wall trying to remember for sure which floor the Hydros were on. How could I have forgotten that detail?

  “You want the third floor.” His voice came from right beside me as the elevator doors closed. In the large elevator, he’d chosen to stand right beside me.

  I started to press the three, but he pushed my hand away. “If you aren’t in a rush, how about we take a detour?”

  “A detour?” I met his eyes. “What do you mean?”

  “Surely you cannot be that innocent.” He smiled, revealing two rows of unnaturally white teeth.

  “I need to get to the Hydros.”

  “You’re going there because they interest you. That doesn’t mean you need to get there now.” He pressed an unlabeled button. The elevator stayed in the same place.

  “Ok, but I want to get there now.”

  “I want to take a detour first. That way we both win.”

  I shook my head. “That’s not how this works.”

  “Oh, you sure about that?” The man laughed. “You think you know how any of this works?”

  “Yes.” I pretended to have far more confidence than I actually had.

  “Do you have any idea who I am?” He moved closer.

  “No.” I tried to step away, but the result just had me pinned to the wall of the elevator. “You didn’t give me your name.”

  “I shouldn’t have to give you my name because you should know it.”

  “I just got here.” I hoped that qualified as some sort of defense.

  “I’m in the Circle.” He leaned a hand on the wall beside me. “I assume you know what that means.”

  “I’ve heard the term.” My heart rate accelerated, but I tried to stay calm.

  “Then you understand things work differently for me here.”

  But I also knew I was safe at the moment. He couldn’t do anything. “I haven’t been Corded.”

  “You think a mark on your arm changes everything? You are here living under our protection. Corded or not, you belong to the Sray.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I don’t belong to anyone.”

  “Is that so?” He cupped my chin with his hand. “You really think that?”

  “Yes.” I shook his hand away.

  He started to undo his belt, and I shook. This wasn’t happening. Not now.

  I kicked him as hard as I could between his legs. He fell to the ground. I pressed every button I could trying to get the elevator to move. It did nothing. He reached for my ankle, trying to pull me down. I pressed another button, and suddenly it opened.

  “What the hell?” Ethan stepped into the elevator.

  I ran to his side half out of old habit and half out of relief someone was there.

  “Get out of here, Ethan. This bitch will pay.”

  “Pay for what?” Ethan stepped in front of me. “Surely she didn’t leave you in that condition for no good reason.”

  “Don’t forget who you’re talking to.” The man seethed.

  “Or what? What did you think you were going to do, Greer? Have her first? Don’t you think Mason would have been angry at you?”

  “Like he would have known.”

  “He would have… and he will if you don’t get off this elevator right now.” Ethan squeezed my arm. I wasn’t sure what the motion meant, but all I could do was stare.

  Greer walked away but not without glaring at me. He pointed at me. “You will pay for that. I assure you, you will pay.”

  Ethan glanced over his shoulder before hurriedly pressing door close on the elevator. He pushed a button, and I watched this time to see what button froze it. “You’re stupid. So stupid.”

  “Tha
t wasn’t my fault.”

  “Not that. All of this. You never should have come here. It was a mistake.”

  “I had no choice.” I wrapped my arms over my chest. “I had nowhere else to turn. I needed your help.”

  “You should have answered my letters.” His eyes filled with fear. “Then I would have been there to protect you in the first place.”

  I looked deep into his eyes, looking for a glimpse of the boy I used to know. I saw someone entirely different. “You couldn’t have stopped the traders. Benjamin tried and now he’s dead.”

  Ethan shrugged. “Benjamin was weak.”

  “No. The traders were stronger. There is a difference.”

  “We could have had a life together. It would have been a hell of a lot better than this.”

  “Yes.” I nodded. “We could have. But you left.”

  “I offered to come back. I wanted to come back.” Ethan sounded so young, and much more like the boy I once knew.

  But I wasn’t fooled. He wasn’t the same. And neither was I. “Only when you realized this wasn’t paradise. You didn’t want me. You never did. You only wanted sex, and you didn’t care where it came from. You were right about one thing; I was stupid. I was stupid to care about you. I was stupid to come here because I should have known you’d never help anyone unless it directly helped you.” I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. Ethan didn’t deserve my tears or my anger. It had all become clear, crystal clear. “But thanks for showing up when you did.”

  “I’ll find a way to get you out of here,” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “We need to do it before the Cording.”

  “You can help me get Quinn?” I didn’t hide my disbelief from my voice.

  “That’s impossible!” Ethan snapped. “Completely impossible.”

  “Nothing is impossible.” I sounded like Quinn, but for once I wanted to be lost in hopes and dreams. They were all I had left.

  “The traders sold her to Reine. You and I both know that. No one can break in there.”

  I shook my head. “No. She’s not with the Reine.”

  “What makes you so sure?” He narrowed his eyes.

  “Because she’s at Central. They took her there instead.”