Page 70 of Psyop Kings

He can gaslight me all he wants, but I won’t forget it. It’s just another piece of this elaborate puzzle I’m trying to put together.

“Fine,” I snap back. “Now will you leave me alone?”

The heat against the back of my legs soon becomes nearly unbearable. I find myself leaning into him rather than running away, my legs tangling with his.

His head dips lower until the tip of his nose brushes against mine. A thrill shoots down my spine as I briefly entertain thethought of a kiss. I quickly shove that line of thinking into a mental box where it belongs.

“What was written on that note,” he rumbles, voice barely a growled whisper, “canneverbe uttered aloud. Ever. Are we clear?”

Ahh, so Calista is important. A secret meant to be kept quiet. It’s a flicker of vulnerability in an otherwise stone-cold glacier of a man before me.

I’m definitely not going to forget it now.

“Crystal clear,” I grit out.

He rubs his nose along mine, and I shiver despite the fiery heat that feels as though my pajama pants are about to catch fire. “If you ever so much as think of mentioning it, I’ll take great pleasure in putting a bullet through your pretty little skull.”

His suddenly soft but violent words have me recoiling from him.

Over a freaking word?

What a psychopath.

“Y-You can’t kill me,” I argue, voice shaky with terror despite the indignation rising up inside me. “My dad. He’s a problem, remember? You can’t just erase me like you did Megan.”

He abruptly releases me and steps back, a malevolent energy rippling from him. “I can and will do anything to prevent you from uttering that name.” A flash of anxiety-riddled fury gleams in his eyes. “I’ll pull the trigger before the second syllable comes out.”

Using his hand with the thumb up and finger pointed as an imaginary gun, he aims it at my face and pretends to shoot. “Bang.”

I flinch like an idiot. Without another word, he storms out of the room.

I should be fearing for my life.

All I can think, though, is he gave me another clue.

Calista isn’t a project or a computer password.

Calista is a name.

Calista is his secret.

She is his only weakness.

Romy

Ihate waking up in his stupid bed.

Last night, after his threat, I’d curled back up on the chaise, mulling over everything that transpired between us. I’d also texted with both Gareth and Theo.

The scent of bacon makes my stomach grumble, but I ignore it. I sit up in bed and peek over at Caius’s side. It’s rumpled where he slept, but thankfully, he’s gone.

I wish I were back to sleeping in one of the weird rooms at the lodge. At least then I wouldn’t have to feel like I’m suffocating in Caius’s distinct, masculine smell.

My phone is plugged into a charger on my bedside table. Caius, if not for being a kidnapping, molesting (even if Ididenjoy it), psychopath would be a goodrealboyfriend because he’s apparently considerate of my wants and needs. Tucking me into bed and charging my phone are nice things to do.

Not nice enough to make up for what a prick he was last night.

I open up my messages to see if I missed any texts from his brothers. No new messages. I quickly reread through my back and forth with Theo.

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