The women turned, Evangeline along with them, but he called out her name to halt her.
“Evangeline. Not you.”
She glanced at the women beside her, and he was glad to see that the look in her eyes was not one of relief at being singled out.
She was a smart girl.
“What’s the hold-up girls?” Gabriel asked.
A moment later, he scanned the row of women, twelve of which were bent double, their legs wide enough that he could see between their cheeks, the pink lips of their pussies, the shadow of their darker back holes. Watching the girls assume so vulnerable, so exposing a position never failed to turn Gabriel’s cock to steel. Only Evangeline remained standing, her hands clasped obediently at the back of her head, trepidation making her eyes dart from him to the women beside her, and back.
Gabriel adjusted his crotch.
“This will be your first inspection. This is also the position you will assume when your buyers want to have a look at you.” Gabriel walked down the row of women, appreciating Clara’s work. He didn’t truly need to inspect anything but it was good for the girls to do this, to stand bent over, intimately and fully exposed. They would be made to feel vulnerable, and vulnerability went hand in hand with obedience.#p#分页标题#e#
He passed each woman, verbally adjusting a position once, twice, widening a stance. He didn’t touch any of them though. Not until he came to stand in front of Evangeline.
“You lied to us,” Gabriel said, pushing a stray hair behind her ear.
Evangeline trembled at his touch, her eyes widening infinitesimally. He might have missed the tiny change if he weren’t watching her so closely. He could see the girls around Evangeline turn and look at her even from their bent positions.
“Lies won’t be tolerated, and liars are punished.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her gaze darting nervously to Syn who stood a few feet away, watching. She turned back to Gabriel, opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, swallowing.
“I truly hope we’re only ever going to have to do what we’re about to do once, Evangeline.”
“I didn’t lie… I swear.”
Syn clucked his tongue and shook his head. “That’s two. I’m not really sure we’ve made any impression at all on our little Eva here, brother.”
“It might appear you’re right,” Gabriel agreed, his eyes on Evangeline as he spoke to his brother. It was then that the guard brought over Gabriel’s strap. He took it without looking away, noticing how her gaze flitted from him, to the strap and back.
Evangeline stepped backward, looking for a moment as if she would try to run, which would be ridiculous. She had to know that as well as he did.
“I didn’t say you could take a step. Get back in line. Now.”
She hesitated, glancing around her, but after a moment, she stepped back into the line.
“Where do your hands go?”
Her arms trembled as she raised them to interlace her fingers at the back of her head.
“Why did you lie to us about who you are?” Gabriel asked.
Distress marked her face when he tested the strap against his thigh as he asked the question.
“I… I didn’t... lie…” She shook her head, her gaze faltering as it moved to the strap. It almost made Gabriel want to comfort her.
Almost.
But a lesson needed to be taught here and the truth needed to be determined.
“You’re Senator Victor Webb’s daughter. Arthur Gallaston’s fiancée.”
She stared up at him and he wondered if she thought he’d been bluffing all that time. “Please don’t hurt me,” she began, her voice low and oddly collected, almost calm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do.” Her eyes reddened as tears welled, but she no longer denied having lied.
“What happened that he put you on that truck?” Gabriel asked.
At that, she seemed taken aback. “What?”
Gabriel looked her up and down. She was about 5’5” tall but petite in build. Her hair fell nearly to her waist, a pretty shade of auburn with strands of gold that picked up the sunlight as she moved, the thick bangs accenting her pretty, wide-set gray-green eyes. Her pale skin flushed easily and when her lip quivered, she bit it, her eyes pleading with him.
He thought of what Syn had said, how he’d never questioned if she was as innocent as she seemed. Some part of Gabriel wanted it to be true. He wanted to pull her into his arms, his instinct to protect as powerful as that to dominate. He realized then how the two went hand in hand, for him at least. Subconsciously or otherwise, once he’d learned the truth of who she was, he had decided that he and Syn would keep her for themselves.