Free Dangerous Beauty: Part Three: This is War by Michelle Hardin Page A

because he was unable to control me. This has to be a trap. Another game he’s playing with me.”
    “Gabriel, I’m not here to hurt you. I’ve been brought here against my will.”
    “But how?” he yelled.
    Carter glanced behind her to make sure they were still alone.
    “How are you here? How do you exist? I mean, a twin? Come on! I can’t trust that you just came out of nowhere and are here to save my life after all this time. Getting away from Silas can’t be this easy. I’ve tried to escape him before, and he …” Gabe turned away from her. “He hurt me …”
    Frowning, Carter asked. “What did he do?”
    Gabe turned his gaze back to her with a pained look in his eyes and shook his head.
    Carter gently took his hand. “Gabriel … please tell me,” she whispered.
    After a moment of hesitation, Gabriel nodded. “When I was fifteen, Silas tried to force me to … he wanted me to …” he looked away again.
    Carter placed a gentle hand on his face. “Gabe, look at me.” After he did, she continued. “I know we just met each other, but you have to trust me when I say this. I just found out about Silas a few weeks ago. For my entire life, I thought another man was my biological father. I am not here to hurt you. The moment I looked into your eyes I felt a connection with you. I know you feel it, too. I don’t know if it’s because we share the same blood or because we shared the same womb, but I can’t leave you here. Now that I know you exist, every bone in my body is telling me to protect you. I’m your sister, Gabriel. We are going to get the hell out of here, but in order for me to get to the mental state I need to make that happen, I need a little push.”
    “A little push?”
    Carter nodded. “I need to be pissed off, honey. A pissed off Carter is a fearless Carter. And fearless Carter, can get us the fuck out of this castle.”
    Gabriel was only silent for a moment before he nodded his head and spoke very quickly. “When I was fifteen, Silas told me that it was time I become a man and learn his business. He put me in a room with four girls that were about my age and said, “Here, son, take your pleasure”, then just left. The girls were just kids, and I wasn’t interested. Plus, I had a male friend at the time …”
    “You’re gay?”
    “I don’t do labels.”
    “Oh,” Carter said, confused.
    “I told him I couldn’t do it and that pissed him off. It wasn’t because I was with a man, either; it was because I’m not like him. I don’t see these people—his slaves—as objects. I see them as people. Anyway, we had a servant and she had a son my age named Fonso that I was involved with. Silas didn’t know, until someone in security talked to him after he pulled me from the room with the girls. He said, “Your son can’t perform because he’s a—”. I don’t like to say the word,” Gabe whispered, lowering his eyes. “When Silas found out, he lost it. He found out that I was romantic with Fonso and …”
    “He killed him …” Carter murmured, finishing the sentence.
    Gabe raised teary, hazel eyes filled with anger and locked them with hers. “Yes,” he whispered, his voice shaky with emotion. “I tried to run away after that, but I didn’t get far. Silas caught me and nearly beat me to death, then threw me down there. I haven’t seen his face in eight years. I stay locked in one of the rooms during the day, and then I’m released to roam the west basement at night,” he finished.
    And right on time, too. Carter was more than ready for this fight. Be good for mommy , she silently whispered in her head to her unborn child.
    “Thank you, Gabe,” Carter said, and placed both of her hands on his face. “Listen to me, and never forget this. You are brave, and strong. I don’t know how you’ve survived like this, but I’m glad you did. I look forward to getting to know you and developing a strong bond with you. Now I need you to be brave because I’m about to