Page 22 of The Brotherhood

The hum of the servers deepened.

AL’s chuckle was a low, satisfied thing. “Busted.”

Her stomach twisted as she turned toward the main console, toward Big G. “Is that true?”

A pause, then, “Yes.”

Her breath left her at once as her thoughts raced. “You… manipulated me? Why?” she whispered, confused.

“No,” Big G said softly. “I trusted you. Isn’t that right, AL?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he sighed, not sounding the least upset that he'd lost some bet all while Cat’s mind spun with what they’d suggested, followed by a thousand questions.

“How would you… teach me something like that?”

This time the silence found its way into every crevice of her mind as her pulse spiked with the looming weight of that answer. “The Dungeon may not be safe for you and Ethan to use,” Big G said. “But it’s safe for us to use to teach you.”

Oh God.

“B-but…” The words tumbled from her lips. “Ethan wouldn’t—” She shook her head. “I can’t…do anything like that without… him.” Could she?

“It can be a surprise,” AL suggested casually, his tone skipping over her skin like a stone across water.

“Or it can simply be what it is,” Big G quietly said. “Vitally necessary for his well-being.”

She numbly made her way to the chair before the monitor and fell into it, staring at the dead-end burning in her mind.

“You’re already suffering the consequences of your ignorance,” Big G gently added. “We’re offering you a solution.”

AL added, “With a little training, we’ll have Ethan back where you had him. Eating lustfully from the palm of your sweet hand.”

Excitement and terror drummed through her at rabid levels. “How…long?”

“I think one week,” AL said in nearly a whisper. “What do you think, Big Brother?”

“I say two.”

She tried to be pissed that they’d just placed bets on such a thing. But she needed what they offered too much and the idea of having Ethan back in possibly one week… oh God. “I’ll do it,” she gasped, her heart booming now. “When?”

“There is no time likethispresent second,” AL suggested, his eagerness raising the hairs on her body.

“No,” Big G said, his tone firm. “She needs to be relaxed. I’ll draw her a lavender bath and after she has a thirty-minute therapeutic soak, we’ll begin the non-physical training.”

“Non-physical?” she wondered, ready to hyperventilate. “There’s physical?”

“We will never do anything you’re not ready to do.”

Big G’s assurance came with AL’s dramatically long sigh. “I’d like to change my bet to four weeks.”

A spike of panic hit at hearing her one week till Ethan jumped to an eternity. “I’m ready. For whatever I need to learn.”

“Mmm, yes.”

AL’s hot celebration obliterated her courage, leaving a path of burning fear and mysteries in its wake. She covered her face and closed her eyes when nausea climbed up her throat.For Ethan. Your husband. He needs you. You need him.

“I don’t need a bath,” she said, quickly standing.

“You will take that bath, Cat,” Big G said firmly. “This can be your very first lesson.”

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