Page 29 of Brutal Empire

I reluctantly shook my head.

“My dick,” he told me, and my eyes involuntarily went to said body part. He chuckled, and I instantly averted my eyes as heat crept into my cheeks.

“People can live without their sexual organs,” I informed him, and he looked horrified.

“If I can’t fuck, I’d rather die.”

Now that was a sentiment I knew too well.

“The alternative is not much better,” I whispered.

“Oh shit,” he cursed. “I didn’t mean—”

I cut him off. I didn’t want his pity. The more time I spent with him, the more I wished I had gone away. Why didn’t I leave? I wasn’t stupid to leave him now. My best chance at surviving was with him.

“What happened?” I asked him as I set my bag on the bed.

“How much do you know about Daphne?” he questioned as he did the same with his bag.

I took a second to answer as I gathered my thoughts.

“I know what she does. I know she doesn’t trust many people. Even those she supposedly trusts she keeps at arm’s length. She’s somewhat paranoid, but based on all her travels, I also know she must be very good at what she does since it’s not cheap to go around unnoticed. She’s a cynic. She sees the worst in people—” I hesitated before saying the last part. “I also think she’s brave. She’s kinder than she gives herself credit for and cares so much that she numbed herself and believes she has no heart.”

The sound of a zipper opening made me turn. Bastian had a slight smile on his face.

“You pay attention,” he stated.

“I also know everyone I have met associated with her has the same tattoo.”

This time, his small smile turned into a full grin, and I found myself swallowing. He looked a bit manic and lethal, and it made the room feel smaller.

“Sekten,” he bit out with venom in his mouth, making chills crawl down my spine. Terror filled my veins, and I couldn’t place why.

THIRTEEN

Ever since Isold my soul to the devil, he had been testing me at every opportunity. Darkness did not like any light, and every fucking flick of it you had must be extinguished if you wanted to succeed. My heart was finally calming down. The adrenaline was still there; the worst part was that I couldn’t fuck for shit. I looked at Cam, and her eyes were aimed at the wall.

“What does that mean?” she asked without meeting my hungry gaze. Instead, she began to unzip her bag.

“Daphne called me right before I went into your room,” I told her, and her eyes widened. I knew she’d been frustrated. I’d caught her a couple of times calling Daphne, only for her to be ignored. “What did she tell you when she sent you after me?”

“She didn’t want to send me,” she admitted.

Wow.

That bitch.

I was a little hurt. I mean, not surprising since she seemed to find sadistic joy in how she trained me.

“But she agonized about you,” she kept going as if to make me feel better. “She showed me your picture—”

“And after seeing how handsome I was, you were like fuck yeah, I’m going to go save his ass.”

She looked at me, somewhat horrified, causing my saliva to get thicker. As if my own body wanted me to choke on my careless words.

“You think very highly of yourself.”

Cam-1.

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