Page 74 of Unmasked Legacy

I know he means that.

“My family areveryreligious,” she tells me, her voice soft. “But not in the normal way. No, they’re part of a group calledThe Sacrificed Order. They believe that the end times are coming, and that they are some of only very few who will survive. It’s twisted and dangerous. They scare me, Mera, and I don’t want to go back.”

Oh my gosh. That sounds horrible.

I glance at Kael in the mirror, and his eyes widen with shock.

“I haven’t heard of this cult,” I say. “Is it local?”

“They don’t tend to make themselves known. People know they exist, of course, but they live on a huge acreage about an hour out of town. They farm their own food, and to the outside world, they just look like a religious group. But behind those walls...it’s hell on earth, and my father is the leader.”

Jesus. This poor girl.

“The cult is a nightmare. They preach about salvation, but it's all control and manipulation. My father has insanely strict rules, punishing anyone who dares to question him. We’re isolated, cut off from the outside world, and forced to follow rituals that make no sense. They claim it's for our protection, but it's just a way to keep us trapped. Fear is their weapon, and they use it to maintain power. I’ve seen people broken, their spirits crushed, and I know if I go back, I’ll lose myself completely. I can’t live like that anymore.”

“We’ll take you to the club,” Kael interjects. “We can work out what to do from there. Until then, we won’t tell anyone you have returned.”

Nia presses her hand to her chest. “Thank you.”

Kael nods.

I reach over, taking her hand. I can’t imagine what growing up in that world would be like. We’ve all heard of cults, and how scary and controlling they can be, but I’ve never had the experience of knowing anyone from one. Nia is sweet and kind, but she is an adult, and the fact that she’s so afraid of these people tells me more than her words ever can.

I won’t let her go back there.

I promised her we would be free together, and that includes every aspect of her life.

All of them.

18

By the time we have eaten and showered, I’m utterly exhausted. Nia has already fallen asleep on the sofa in the main area, completely unbothered by the bikers who have returned and are milling around her. Even in a place like this, she seems comfortable. That tells me a lot about her upbringing. Before I climb into my bed, I try and do some research on the cult she has told me about, but all that comes up are articles about a place where you can live in a community, grow your own food, and be a family.

They’re tricking the entire world.

But don’t they all?

I call Jace before I go to sleep, wanting to make sure he is okay and to tell him I’m safe. He is relieved, so happy to hear from me, and tells me that he has a few stitches and a sore head but is otherwise okay. The club made him promise not to go to the police, and he trusted them to do the right thing, so I think he was relieved to hear from me.

We talk a little about what happened, but I tell him I’ll let him know more when it is safe to do so. Then, I hang up the phone and fall asleep almost immediately, my body exhausted. It has been a long few days, and there were moments during them, that I honestly thought we might not get out of that situation.

I’m so glad we did.

I’m woken to a warm, hard body curling up against mine. At first, I’m certain it’s a dream, but when I take in that familiar scent, I know that it is very real. Wolfe is tucked up against me, his big body engulfing mine, and my heart skips a beat. Rollingtowards him, I find his mouth, not even daring to ask why he’s here or how everything went.

I’m just so damned grateful in this moment that he’s alive.

It’s all I could ask for.

The rest of it is history, as far as I’m concerned.

He kisses me back with a deep intensity that has my body coming to life. Kissing Wolfe is like stepping into a storm, where everything around you is spinning, intense, and thrilling. His lips are firm yet soft, moving with a confidence that sends shivers all over my body.

The taste of him is exhilarating, a mix of whiskey and something distinctively him, a flavor that lingers and makes me crave more. God, I wantso muchmore. His hands are possessive, one cupping my chin, the other pulling me closer, as if he can't get enough. The heat of his body against mine is overwhelming, and it lights a fire in my core that I need put out, immediately.

The only way to do that is to have him inside me.

Deep. Hard. Intense.

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