Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 118042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 590(@200wpm)___ 472(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 590(@200wpm)___ 472(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
“Yeah?” I smiled softly, falling yet again with how much I fucking loved her. Even filthy and imprisoned, I found her the most beautiful creature alive. Her tears no longer made me want to drink down her grief but bundle her in my arms and cherish her forever.
“Are you okay?”
I nodded. “Fine.”
Peter narrowed his eyes in my direction. I stared back, not quite sure what his problem was. With a grunt, he threw off his newly wrapped blanket and stood again. Moving toward me, he stopped when his collar jerked him back, preventing him from coming any closer.
“Come here.” He snapped his fingers.
I glowered. “Why? What do you want?”
“It’s not what I want but what you want. Or you will soon. Not that I’m really keeping track, but…after what happened yesterday…”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Just get up, Master H. Obey me like I used to have to obey you. After all, you’re wearing the same collar as me. Technically, I’m your boss now. So get.”
Ily scowled. “I know you’re joking, Paavak, but…too soon.”
He snickered. “Sorry. I’m just…if we let this place get to us, we’re done. We won’t be getting out. So if a little snark and sarcasm is what it takes to keep the blood flowing, then so be it.” He winked and waggled his fingers. “Come on, Henri. Be a good boy.”
Flipping him the bird, I rose very slowly, very carefully to my feet. Black spots popped immediately as my body flushed with agony. All the kicks, punches, and contusions made me breathless.
I hid that awful weakness and shuffled toward him.
Ily and I couldn’t touch.
Her arms weren’t long enough to stretch across the last few millimetres to reach, but Peter and me…we could skim fingertips.
He didn’t drop his arm, waiting for me.
With gritted teeth, I reached the end of my chain’s length and stretched my arm until my previously dislocated shoulder popped.
He sucked in a breath as our fingers kissed, both icy, both dry, both shaking.
“Needed another man’s touch, Paavak?” I returned his wink.
He rolled his eyes. “No, you idiot, I’m going to help you go to the loo.”
“What?” I dropped my arm. “I don’t need—”
“If you fall on your face again and I have to listen to Ily sobbing your name for hours while you die in front of us, I’ll smother you myself.” Dropping his arm, he shrugged. “If you need to go, then go. Stay as close to me as possible and hold onto the wall when you get there. If you fall, fall toward me, and I’ll do my best to—”
“What? Catch me?” I laughed with a wet cough. Yet another affliction that’d found us down here. We didn’t have the flu, but all of us had a chesty cough courtesy of mould and mildew. “We can barely press our fingers together.”
“But doesn’t it feel better knowing I’m here? That you’re not alone?” He said it with an almost mocking grin, but…no truer words had been spoken.
It did make me feel better.
Trapped in the belly of Victor’s island, I suffered obscene gratefulness to the man who’d put us here. He could’ve separated us. Could’ve kept me in solitary.
But he hadn’t.
He’d prevented me from touching, but he’d granted me the company of two of the best people.
I didn’t want to know why Victor had done that. What cost his generosity would demand when he finally came for us, but for now…my heart clenched as I studied this jewel who’d pushed so many of my buttons and dragged so many shades of jealousy and rage out of me.
And somehow, through all of it, he’d become a treasured friend.
“I still don’t like you,” I whispered with a smirk.
“God, what a relief.” He chuckled. “I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if you suddenly professed your undying love for me.”
Ily giggled.
Both Peter and I practically fucking swooned as we looked at her.
Such a wonderful sound.
Such a pure, innocent response while we shared absolute hell together.
“I love both of you,” she murmured. Her eyes warmed on Peter’s, but they ignited with fire on mine. I waited for a trace of possession. Of petty jealousy that I had to share her heart with another man.
But I only felt relief.
Peter might be well on his way to being skeletal with his black eye fading and green-tinged bruises lingering, but…I trusted him.
I trusted that he would try to catch me if I fell, even if it was impossible.
Just like he would catch Ily if I wasn’t there to do it myself.
Fuck, I trusted him enough that if the time came when I had a chance to end Victor—even if it meant forfeiting my life to take his—I’d do it.
I’d do it because Ily wouldn’t be alone. She’d have him. And Peter loved her just as much as I did and would do whatever it took to protect her.