Page 123 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

Scratch that. John could have her when I gave her away.

I’m in control, I repeated as I took a deep breath.

It was a lie, and I knew it. The slave brand controlled me.

John tilted his body to the side, and Arabella smiled up at him as he spoke. She looked at him reverently.

It was obvious what was happening.

The House of Malum was bound to a slut.

Scorpius stiffened next to me, and his breath caught as his expression became glacial like he’d heard something upsetting.

“What did John just say?” As I asked, my chest tightened because I didn’t want to know the answer.

Scorpius gritted his teeth. “He told her he loves her.”

The pressure in my chest became an avalanche.

Love. A made-up word that males used to manipulate women. A childish delusion. A joke.

It meant nothing.

Loyalty and devotion were tangible actions that could be shown. Soul bonds were real.

Love was not.

It was just a word.

I stomped over and snarled at them, “Stop humping each other. You’re causing a scene.”

They pulled apart, and I pulled out my chair roughly, the wood creaking as I threw myself down.

The rest of my team followed my lead and sat down.

I pulled out Orion’s seat for him and concentrated on fussing over my Revered. His usual golden skin was pale as he stared at where John still had his arm hanging over Arabella’s shoulder. He was probably saying more meaningless words.

I cleared my throat loudly.

Finally, John and Sadie pulled away.

When Arabella settled into her seat across from Scorpius, the ache in my muscles didn’t relax.

The tension mounted.

Because every few seconds, Arabella flashed John a wide, toothy grin.

She practically radiated bliss. Laughed. Smiled.

Like she didn’t have a care in the world.

Like she hadn’t been in mangled pieces two days ago.

And since today the universe was conspiring to test my patience, three male students approached our table.

From their green clothes, they were pathetic commoners.

And because the universe was conspiring to make me lose control and go on a murdering rampage, the three men stopped in front of our slave.

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