Page 99 of A Simple Truth

“Worried you’ll lose, Zorianna?” he purred. “I promise I’ll be gentle when I make you tap out.”

“I hope you enjoy suffering, Orest. Because I won’t show you mercy.” Zora snapped back.

“Oh, how lucky for us then, that I do in fact enjoy that,” he cooed, sneering wide at her.

My eyes broadened at his words, in complete shock; Gia elbowed me to close my dropped mouth. In my entire time here, I had never seen him like this: so smug and competitive. A whole dark side to the usually quiet and reserved Orest, that made me smirk as I shook my head. Zora still stared him down, both exchanging in a silent conversation with their eyes, an argument that I think went way beyond the actual game.

“The Flag has been set. You have a 5-minute warning prior to the game,” The referee’s voice echoed through the large crowds.

Zora motioned the Ten to gather around as she sifted through strategies.

“Gideon obviously will have to be dealt with.” Her eyes lifted up to me.

“If you think I can fight him,” I started.

“No, but he will look for you, so you just have to draw him out long enough for us to capture the flag,” Zora continued as the Ten nodded. I opened my mouth to object. But she quickly commanded, “Seduce him if you need to. I don’t care. I am not losing this game to Orest.”

“Oh, so I’m not allowed to go to his tent when I want to but now, you all are okay pimping me out?” My brow shot up.

“It’s War Games. Anything goes. Plus, kissing worked well for you before.” Ashe chuckled. Our five-minute huddle was interrupted with the loud uproar of the crowd.

“What are they doing?” I asked, anxious, as the Ten turned around to face all eleven men undressing.Allof them were now standing shirtless near us.

Though all of them were different shapes and colors, they all equally possessed masterfully crafted bodies of warriors.

“Oh, now we are fucked,” Ioanna whispered as she bit her lip, watching her husband wink at her as he pulled his undershirt over his head.

“Why don’t you pull your pants down too while you are at it!” Motra shouted at her red-haired fighter.

“That’s your job, woman!” he shouted back, laughing, Motra shook her head, turning back to us.

“I am going to fuck him so hard for that tonight,” she whispered to the couple of us still paying attention.

“We haven’t seen them in a month, and they are doing thisnow?!” Tori swallowed and even silent Lulu signed passionately to her husband.

“Little fuckers. They know exactly what they are doing…” Zora was raging, but even with her anger, she couldn’t blink fast enough to pull her eyes away from Orest, who was the tallest of them all, now standing with his arms folded as he stared her down.

I couldn’t blame her. Because I too found myself unable to look away as the General, without breaking his gaze from me, slowly dragged his fingers dipped in black paint across his chest, making two lines going from his shoulder down through his chiseled chest and stone-like abs, stopping just above the seam of his pants.

“We need to start this game soon, Zora, or this crowd is about to get a whole different kind of show,” Yanush grumbled.

“Give them hell, girls,” Zora shouted as the referee sounded the final horn, signaling the start.

There were only two strategies to win this round.

We could fight them right here, right now, or go straight for the woods looking for the flag, hoping that we would find it first.

Though, depending on what strategy they were going with, we might not have much of a choice.

Draw him out.I swallowed as I allowed myself one more glance at the General, only to immediately look away because he was still shamelessly staring at me, his heavy gaze turning me instantly molten. I was so acutely aware of his eyes on me, as I shifted on my feet that I found myself so damn thirsty.

For actual water, that is, Finnleah, gods dammit keep it together.

Focus.

Breathe.I drew in the last remnants of anger within me, watching the sky for the red flare. I mentally counted the last seconds.

Four… Three… Two…

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