Born of Defiance

Fresca nodded in agreement. “I’ve heard he’s so huge in size that he’s split some of his past lovers in half. Left several unable to bear children.”


“I heard he’s been banned from most whorehouses for acts of perverted violence.” Rynara patted Felicia on the arm. “You poor thing. You should have done more research on him before you accepted.”

With sympathetic fear in her eyes, Glycie bit her lip. “Maybe you can get out of it?”

“I already signed.” Felicia’s breathing turned ragged as they went on and on listing Talyn’s flaws.

What have I done?

If one-quarter of what they said was true, she’d be maimed in a week.

Or dead.

Sick to her stomach, she tried to think of some way to end this.

Excusing herself, she went to her broker. He was in his office, at his computer, with a gleeful smirk on his face. “Herun?”

He looked up with an arched brow. “Did you lose the address already?”

“No… um…” Felicia hesitated. “Have you posted the forms already?”

“Of course. I told you I would.”

“Can we rescind them?”

His other eyebrow shot up. “Why would you want to do that?”

“I just learned some things about the major that I didn’t know before.”

Sighing, he shook his head. “It’s done. Honestly, I don’t know how you can complain. No one else would pay so much for you or be so accommodating to your outrageous demands. It’s not like you’re the prettiest companion here. You barely made the second tier of our offerings. For that matter, I was worried we’d ever recoup the money we spent for your training. Instead of complaining, you should be damn grateful he’s delusional about your questionable status, and willing to overlook it.”

Heat stung her cheeks at his needless and cruel reminders.

Herun turned away from her. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have other contracts to draft.”

Mortified and humiliated, she wanted something smart to say back to him. But the truth he spoke cut her to the bone. She couldn’t think of anything other than the fact that Herun was right.

No one else had wanted her.

“You’re too short. Too muscled. And look at this frizzy mop of hair… I don’t know how we’ll make you presentable to anyone.” She could still see the sneer on the image consultant’s face as she reviewed Felicia’s “attributes.” The only reason they hadn’t cut her hair was the fear that it would be even messier with a shorter style.

Completely heartbroken, she headed back to her room and cursed herself with every step. What have I done?

Consigned herself to hell.

She was her mother’s daughter, after all. Taken in by a handsome liar. She’d seen what she wanted in him, and hadn’t done enough research.

Now, she would pay for it. And if the others were to be believed, she’d pay with her life.





Chapter 2





Nervous and afraid, Felicia cringed at the sneer on the doorman’s face as he stood in the elegant, ornate doorway, blocking her from entering the posh building. Maybe she should have worn something other than old shorts and a light, thin shirt…

Since she was moving, she hadn’t thought anything about it, but now she wished she had.

Not like I’m nervous enough about being here. After her friends had left her with their dire predictions on how long she’d live before her patron killed her in bed with his enormity, or outside of it with his cruelty, she’d spent hours researching Talyn Batur.

There was a lot written about him. None of it particularly good or personal. And nothing about his military record. In fact, she couldn’t find any confirmation of his military service at all. Rather the articles she’d read only went into his bloodthirsty fighting skills in the Open Ring. She’d seen countless photos of him bloody and thrilled after a fight. It was like he had a sick sense of glee from the brutality of it all.

Which did nothing to allay her terror.

Every article and broadcast she’d come across confirmed the cold-blooded ferocity Fresca and Rynara had accused him of. He took pity on no one. He was savage and ruthless. Fierce and terrifying. Unstoppable. Invincible. When he entered the Ring, he dominated it.

And no opponent walked out on two legs.

While she couldn’t find anything that said he’d actually killed anyone during a fight, all experts agreed that the Iron Hammer was the most feared and ferocious Andarion to ever enter the Splatterdome.

And he was the first to truly own the brutal blood sport.

Since everything she’d found had only scared her more, and her agency refused to allow her to back out of the contract, she’d finally stopped reading before she panicked and did something stupid.

Like leave the planet forever.

Swallowing hard, she met the doorman’s glare.

“Can I help you?” Could there be any more disdain in his tone?

“I… um… I’m supposed to be moving in here today.”

The look he raked over her body called her a liar. “Are you with your parents?”

She wanted to jump into a hole and vanish forever.