Page 89 of Empress of Savages

“You gave up on us.” I tell them. “You didn’t keep faith with me. You were ready to turn tail and run.”

Muttering, Bruno says, “We did try to protect you. Make sure you were provided for.”

“Yes, but without you.” I will not let my voice crack. “Without any of you.”

“We wanted you to be safe.”

“We needed to be sure that you were secure and protected.”

The irritation buzzes in my chest. “How can I be secure if I don’t have you?”

Everybody is quiet as we ruin and waste this beautiful, perfect day under a thick, sulking cloud of resentment.

Apart from the playful slaps of little waves against the boat’s hull, the only sounds for a long time are occasional, semi-muffled sighs.

Carlo lifts his bottle.

“What if you could only have one of us.” he looks in my eyes. “Which would it be?”

I squint and pinch my lips. I’m too mad to speak.

Bruno says, “Well, obviously me.”

“Yeah, right.” Alessio snorts. “Me. No contest.”

Carlo’s head shakes and he shoots them both a wide-eyed look of disbelief.“You’re kidding. You both know it’s me.” He looks boldly back to me. “It’s got to be me. Tell them.”

“That’s the whole point, you fucking idiots.” I stand and pace. “I couldn’t do it.” My face bunches. “I could not fucking do it.” I look at each of them, hiding their faces like puppies who wrecked the house while you were out. “I’d need parts from all of you.”

My eyes narrow as I scowl at Carlo. “Your brains, obviously.” The other two look at the deck or at their shoulders. Carlo blinks as he tries to look back in my eye. I have the sun behind me. He tilts his hand to shade his eyes.

I tell him, “And your cock.”

I jab a finger, pointing at Bruno. “Your body.” an exasperated sigh spills out of my chest. “I couldn’t be without that. And your cock.”

There’s a pause. Eventually, Alessio says, “And me?”

“Well.” I size him up. Look him up and down. “Your cock, definitely.”

Carlo is the first to laugh. “So basically, three cocks.”

My heat tips and I pucker. “Sounds good so far.”

Alessio moves a fraction closer. “Our mouths?”

I squeeze his cheeks. Hard enough that he will mind. A little harder to see if I can get him to show it.

“Some of them.” I pinch a little more. “Your lips. And your tongues.” I drill his eyes with mine. “Not sure I need your larynx. You could use them a lot less. Maybe get a bit more use out of your ears.”

“What good’s that?” Bruno says. “They’re not connected to anything.”

Carlo chuckles. “A SIM card with no provider.”

Alessio turns. “Not now,” I have my serious voice on. I’m not sure how much more I have of the serious voice in reserve. As Carlo slips out his tongue at Alessio, I feel it ebbing away.

Bruno rises. He stands behind me. To one side. Close enough that I feel his chest rumble as he speaks.

“Maybe we should concentrate on something we’re good at.”

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