"Laurence, that sharp mouth of yours was running pretty hot earlier. What happened? Cat got your tongue?"
"You know as well as I do that I'm the one Lauren cares about most right now. One word from me, and she'll make you drink that entire basin of dirty underwear water."
"But tell you what. Get on your knees, knock your forehead on the floor a few times, and beg me nicely. I'll let you off with just two-thirds of the basin. Sound fair?"
So that was it. Payback for last night.
But if I rolled over that easily, I wouldn't be Laurence Henson.
I seized a fistful of his hair and slammed his entire head into the basin of filthy water.
Noel choked, thrashing wildly, but no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't lift his face from the surface.
The guards wrenched me off him. He collapsed to the side, retching and coughing, but still managed to wail through his sobs.
"Lauren! He's jealous because you chose to kiss me that night! He's doing this out of spite!"
"If you don't punish him, I'll kill myself right now!"
Lauren's face turned to iron. She backhanded me so hard I hit the floor.
My forehead cracked against the corner of the table. Warmth flooded down my face.
"Laurence, you ungrateful piece of trash! You don't like me having a lover? Fine. Then I'll make you the side piece. You'll become the very thing you despise most!"
"Tomorrow I'm going to the courthouse with Noel. He's a hundred times more obedient and forgiving than you'll ever be. He deserves to be my husband, not you!"
"You like using your hands so much? Then I'll destroy them. Someone get over here and smash his fingers, one by one. Let's see if he ever dares lay a hand on Noel again!"
I was pinned to the floor, both arms stomped flat against the ground.
Noel tossed aside the towel he'd been using to dry his face and flashed me the triumphant grin of a victor.
Val walked over with a small iron hammer, lined it up with my fingers, and raised it high.
Just as the hammer was about to come crashing down, the banquet hall doors blew open with a deafening bang.
Ebony Mason's face emerged into view, all sharp, striking angles that looked almost otherworldly.
Behind her stood over a hundred former mercenaries in tight formation, disciplined and battle-ready.
Every single one of them wore the Mason family's iconic crest pinned to their lapels.
In the next instant, every person in the room shot to their feet, gasping in unison.