“Yes, my lord,” Solomon replied. Without giving me time to cover my head or veil my face, they took me from the room and out of the mansion. We hurried down the gravel path and over the grass that took us back to the cellblock.

I rushed to keep up with their long strides, clutching my injured wrist to my chest. My cheek was swelling from Prophet Cain’s blow, but I ignored the pain. It was pushed aside by the abrupt truth of what was about to be my future. It had to happen. I knew it did, but it did not stop the fear of the difficult road that lay ahead.

I was going to be wed to that man. I could not bear to think of what that marriage would be like . . . of what my life would be . . . of what I would become, what he would make me—broken, worthless . . . the cursed woman he believed me to be. But I had to see it through. There was no other way.

Solomon and Samson took me back to my cell. I could hear Brother Stephen and Sister Ruth’s voices in the hallway, asking them what had happened to me. If the prophet had deemed me a Cursed.

I slumped down to sit on the hard floor. I closed my eyes as my head fell back against the stone wall that separated my cell from Rider’s. I winced as I tried to tend to my wrist, the pain forcing me to take short, panting breaths.

I looked down at the veil and headdress still clutched in my uninjured hand. I lifted the veil until it blocked the light streaming in from my window. Even though the material was light, it felt like a stifling mask of burden.

My cheek throbbed. I dropped the veil, watching the silky material flutter to the floor. I quickly picked it back up, knowing I had to wear it at all times.

“Harmony?” A hushed, rough voice was calling my name.

I tried to sniff back my emotions, but I could not stop the despair from chasing away my strength. “My name is nothing. Just as I am nothing.” My chest caved into a hollow pit as I replayed the meeting with the prophet in my mind.

“Harmony?” Rider said, louder and more firmly. “What happened? What is wrong?”

I dragged in the humid air through my dry lips and succumbed to the fear that had threatened me for days. “My name means nothing. I am devil-created, perfectly designed to make men sin. I am sin personified. I am the magnet to the evil that hides deep inside . . . ” I trailed off, almost choking on the words I didn’t want to say. But I did say them. The prophet had seen me. There was no mistaking the truth.

Inhaling one more time, I turned my head in the direction of the gap in the cement. “I am the devil’s greatest tool . . . I am a Cursed woman of Eve. The very worst creation on earth.”

Chapter Five

Styx

“ . . . and there’s the heartbeat.”

I stared at the screen to the side of Mae and watched as a tiny dot began to flutter. The sound of a rapid heartbeat filled the room.

I almost fucking burst apart.

My body didn’t move as I sat, leaning forward, Mae’s hand wrapped tightly in mine. I focused on the tiny outline of our baby’s body.

I couldn’t fucking move.

“River,” Mae whispered, bringing our joined hands to her mouth. I blinked and blinked again as my vision blurred. Coughing, I turned to Mae, only to see her wolf eyes flooded with tears.

Real happy fucking tears.

“Baby.” She pulled on my hand for me to go to her. I did; I always fucking did as she asked. Standing, I leaned over her chest and crushed my mouth to hers. I took her mouth exactly how I wanted—hard. I didn’t give a fuck what the sonographer beside us thought. This was my woman and that was our fucking baby. Anyone else could fuck off.

I broke away. Mae lay back on the bed, breathless. A huge smile spread across her flawless face. As always, it stole my fucking breath.

The sonographer cleared her throat. I stood and faced her, and her skin paled. She shakily handed me a small photograph.

“You can get dressed now,” she said to Mae. “I’ll give you some privacy.” She scurried out of the room like her ass was on fire, not once looking back. Mae laughed quietly. She kicked her legs over the side of the bed and looked back over her shoulder. For a second I was taken aback by how fucking beautiful she was. She was mine, had been mine for a fucking while now, but I still couldn’t believe how the hell I landed someone like her. I was a fucking retard mute. She was a damn angel made in heaven.

But maybe she was handcrafted just for me.

I circled the bed and opened her thighs, stepping between them. “W-what’re y-you l-l-laughin’ at?”

Mae shook her head and placed her hand on my chest. “You, terrifying the nurses. From the moment we entered this hospital every single person has cleared a path for us and stared at you with wide, fearful eyes.” Her finger tapped the “Prez” patch on my cut. “I think that title may have something to do with it. That and the devil on your back.”