Page 42 of Diamond Kisses

The chains holding him jingled a little as he stood taller. His hollow belly flexed as his ribs expanded with heavy breaths.

Victor smiled and cupped Henri’s cheek. “No need to be afraid, my sweetling.”

“You’re the one who will be afraid, Vic.” Henri bared his teeth. “One day, it will beyouin motherfucking chains.”

Victor laughed and patted him gently. “Such a comedian.”

“So?” a Master called from the back. “Do we get a try or not? How about we all break him in for you? All of us. Right here. Right now.”

“I’ve got lube!” Another Master snickered, tossing a bottle of KY onto his empty dessert plate. “I’m happy tobreakhim for you, Victor!”

Victor slung an arm around Henri’s trim waist, looking out at the crowd. “I had no idea so many of you would suddenly want a belligerent man in your bed instead of a pretty obedient jewel.”

“It’s not about the sex,” Ian muttered with a sly grin. “It’s the fact that he used to be one of us. We all have someone in our lives who fucked us off and we couldn’t do a damn thing about it. An old boss. An idiotic father-in-law. Even an old friend who betrayed us at some point.”

Pointing at Henri, Ian added, “He represents all those cocksuckers we couldn’t touch. I don’t want to fuck him for pleasure. I want to fuck him to make him pay.”

My heart stopped as every Master turned into an animal.

Henri had stabbed quite a few. I’d seen a couple on the floor of the cave and hoped he’d killed them. But he hadn’t stopped the rest of these sadistic psychopaths from wanting to tear him into pieces.

Victor snickered. “I’m excited to see how you make him pay, my friends. But…seeing as he tried to kill me first and shoved my hospitality rather rudely in my face, I think I deserve first retribution, no?”

“Fine.” A splattering of grumbles. “What’s your first task for him, then?”

“Well…” Victor let Henri go with a conniving smile. “We all know the levels of ownership. Henri wasn’t interested in extracting them from Ilyana. But I’m looking forward to extracting them from him. Tell me, where should I start with Henri’s training?”

“Just skip straight to owning his soul, Vic. Fuck the rest.”

“Unfortunately, that will not work for him.” Victor smiled. “He’s stubborn, you see. I’ve had the enjoyment of getting to know him quite well, and I’m afraid there’ll be no cutting corners if we wish to break him into a well-behaved jewel.”

“I will never be what you want me to be, Vic. I will never give you what you want. You’ll have to kill me—”

“See? Now that just pisses me off,” Victor snapped. “Do you truly wish to die,mon ami?” Victor spun on him. “Are you that weak? Tell me truthfully. If I shot you right here, right now. If I put you out of all the misery in your future, would you take it? Knowing full well that the moment I tossed your body into the sea, I’d do everything I’m going to do to you to Ilyana?”

Henri shuddered.

Fresh grief rolled down my cheeks. Peter gave me a heartbreaking look, but I couldn’t tear my eyes from Henri’s.

I didn’t know what I wanted.

I didn’t want him to die. I didn’t want to be in pain. But I couldn’t watch Henri be tortured. I wouldn’t survive watching a loved one be brutalised and beaten.

Maybe the Vedic astrologer was right all along.

Perhapsthiswas how we would destroy each other.

By loving each other so much yet being utterly helpless to protect.

My heart shattered into teeny tiny pieces as Henri’s lips quirked into a sexy half smile. Instead of submitting to Victor and accepting his new place as his prisoner, he stood so regally, so resolutely, I fell in love all over again.

“Do whatever you want to me, Vic. Play your games. Break my bones. Make me scream. I don’t care.” His gaze left mine and narrowed on Victor. “But I suggest you keep record of every lash you give me, every droplet of blood you claim, because one day I’ll do the same to you.”

A few Masters laughed.

Victor glowered. “I knew you’d be proud, my pet. But I didn’t know you’d be stupid.” Crossing his arms, he backed up. “I had planned on giving you a choice tonight. A choice of obeying me without question. If you had, I would’ve fed Ilyana your reward. I would’ve ensured she went to bed—a warm comfy bed—with a full belly. You would’ve been in pain but at least you would’ve been content knowing you provided for her.”

Henri shot me a glance. His nostrils flared. “Feed her and Peter, promise me they won’t be touched, and I’ll do whatever you ask.”

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