Page 93 of Psyop Kings

“Yup,” Gareth says, affixing a boyish grin. “She’s here. Safe with me.”

He opens the door and Caius strides in, hard gaze searching for me. I’m a mess, I know, with my tear-streaked cheeks, messy, sweaty hair, and now bruising cheekbone. Caius assesses it all in a millisecond. I see a flash of fury on his face before he schools it into one of impressive apathy.

“Thanks,” Caius grunts. “We need to get ready.”

I don’t have to be told twice, practically running toward my fake boyfriend. He takes hold of my hand. The immediate comforting relief I feel is alarming.

Right now, he’s the lesser of evils on this boat.

He leads me out of Gareth’s room and to the elevator. We ride up in silence. I refuse to look at Solomon’s side of the yacht when we exit, haunted by what I’ve been a witness to.

Once back to the safety of our room, Caius locks the door behind us and points to the bathroom. “Shower. Now.”

I stare at him, fear bathing me instead. “W-What?”

His nostrils flare. “Not withme, little girl. Don’t be so upset. Another time perhaps.”

Shame mixed with disgust has me storming away from him. I had been terrified at the idea of showering with him. Caius, though better than some of these other monsters, is still horrible and scary. The thought of being alone with him, naked and wet, makes me shiver uncontrollably. I’m far from being turned on by him.

I snatch some clothes from the drawers and then slip into the bathroom. After a long, hot shower where I scrub every part of me as though it’ll remove the perversion I’d seen and heard, I finally exit the bathroom. Caius barely spares me a glance as he walks past me, shutting himself in there next.

The bed calls to me, promising to erase all the horrors, and I go willingly, crawling under the covers and closing my eyes. Emotion weighs heavily on my chest. I’m drowning in regret for not having done something. I should have done something.

To what end?

There were three men in that room. I’d have easily been subdued and potentially made another victim. That wouldn’t have helped the girl any.

I must’ve fallen asleep because I awake to the fresh scent of Caius’s cologne. Peeking my head out of the covers, I find him standing in front of the drawers, naked aside from a pair of black boxers that mold to his muscular ass.

Why does the bad guy have to look so good?

He turns, revealing his impressive, bulging cock, catching me spying on him. His impassive features twist into one of wicked glee. It’s not a look I’ve seen on him before, which makes my heart rate stutter wildly.

“We have time for a quick fuck, love,” he purrs in his fake boyfriend voice. “I’ve always heard pregnant women have an insatiable thirst for sex. Is it true?”

When he goads me like this, it reminds me of how much I hate him no matter what a beautiful, tattooed specimen of a man he is.

“I’d rather throw myself off that balcony,” I say sweetly. “Love.”

He smirks, yanking his slacks off the hanger. “Suit yourself. We both know you could use a little release. You’re quite edgy today, little girl.”

No shit?

I’m desperate to lay into him about the part he played in what I saw. But did he play any part? Not exactly. Yes, he sat by idly and did nothing, but so did I. I suppose we’re equally complicit.

Besides, fighting with my only ally here is stupid. Right now, I need him to keep me safe.

“Can we call Megan?” I ask rather than indulging his taunts with indignation. “Please.”

He buttons his slacks and then pulls up the zipper. I can’t help but notice the dark trail of hair below his belly button that disappears beneath his slacks. His intricately black-inked abs are cut just enough to realize he works out, but he’s not obsessed with it Gareth. The hair there seems soft, unlike the hard prick he usually is.

“Caius,” I say with a huff. “Please.”

“I suppose,” he says as he pulls on a tight white undershirt, “if you’re a good little girl at dinner, we can make the call afterward.”

He pulls on a crisp white dress shirt, then expertly fastens the buttons with incredible speed. How can watching someone dress be sexier than undressing? Makes zero sense.

“You need to get up and get ready.” Caius snatches a red tie from the cabinet. “Wear the black cocktail dress you packed. It’s sexy but not over the top. Ava will be jealous if you steal the show, so it’s better to avoid all that.”

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