Page 109 of Perilous

A jolt of electricity hits my lower right side. Another at my stomach. I manage to let out a scream as I twist and turn, my wrists chained above my head to an old pipe.

This is how a meeting with Luc alone starts…

I hear hands starting to clap, followed by footsteps.

“Expose his face, I want to see him,” Luc says.

The black cloth is removed and I can breathe fresh oxygen.

Luc stands there, arms folded.

“A simplehellowould be just fine,” I say as I gasp for air.

“Meetings come with a price,” Luc says. “I have to make sure the time and offer is worth it. See, for you to be willing to take a beating, it intrigues me. To be chained up, stripped naked, almost suffocated, hit with cattle prods over and over… this has to be good. Also, I’m disgusted with you. You turned your back on me and theLegionwhen you kept that girl alive. And you claimed her only to defy me.”

Luc looks at two masked men and he nods.

I grit my teeth and try to prepare, but there is no preparing for cattle prods to be jammed against the right side of your ribs and left side of your shoulder. I swear my heart is going to fucking explode. The feeling of the jolts tearing through your nerves is a pain like nothing else.

I scream again.

“Let him down,” Luc orders the masked men. “Perilous, I want you to take a quick shower and clean up. Then we’ll talk.”

“I don’t need a fucking shower,” I growl. “And I don’t need to be placated. We can talk right here, Luc.”

“Wow. This must be something good.”

The chains are undone and my hands are free.

I grab for my jeans, just so I’m somewhat covered up.

“At least take a bottle of water,” Luc says. “It’s got to hurt. Don’t tell me you still don’t feel it.”

Oh, I feel it. I feel every volt of electricity from those cattle prods still moving throughout my body.

One of the men gives me a bottle of water.

I study the cap to see if it’s been opened already. No doubt in my mind that Luc would love to drug me and watch me die.

Luc snaps his fingers and holds his hand out for me to hand him the water bottle. He twists the cap off, breaking the plastic seal and he takes a big gulp.

He lets out an annoying,“Ahhh!”

I take the water bottle back and still don’t drink it. He could have the water poisoned and some antidote available for himself and not for me.

“Why are you here, Perilous?” Luc asks.

“I know everything, Luc. I’m in love with Holom Alistair’s daughter. I’ve claimed her as my own. And I know everything. I understand why you wanted her dead. Makes perfect sense. Makes perfect sense that I was the guy you chose for it. I’m the killer, right? I’m the ruthless motherfucker who will kill a woman and her child for you. Right, Luc?”

“So, what are you telling me, Perilous? Huh? Are you seeking some kind of retribution right now? You think claiming that bitch solves your issues? Mind you, I don’t give a fuck about your issues. You have a problem, go swallow a bullet. Do me the favor.”

I step closer to Luc. I’m taller than him, but not by much. I’m sure if he and I started throwing punches it would be a brutal yet fair fight.

The thing is—he sits on the throne. He wears the golden mask.

Without a sense of honor there is nothing in life. Luc knows it. I know it.

“Why are you here?” Luc asks. “And don’t try to sell me on some moral higher power or whatever the story is you tell yourself at night. Tell me why the fuck you’re standing here.”

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