Page 34 of Destroyer

I roll onto my back and then cringe at the sting in my arse. Knowing my virginity is a thing of the past brings a smile across my face and I think I'm stuck like this all day.

After sitting slowly, I take in the whiteness of this space. Rather than the void of colour making it feel lifeless, it feels like I'm sitting inside a fluffy cloud. I hope he doesn't have any regrets about last night.

"Good morning, baby." Caeo calls, pushing the door open enough to enter with his tray of breakfast things. "I've made you eggies and toast."

"Thank you, Daddy." If he doesn't want me calling him Daddy, then he shouldn't call my eggs that.

"When you are ready, we're going to drive to Knox's and tell him everything you heard last night."

I nod slowly. I heard many things last night, but what I say to each of my puppeteers will vary greatly.

But first, I get to sit in Caeo's soft bed and eat egg and toast with him.

Gavriil always told me to savour information, because that is all I'm worth. The more information I have, the more valuable I am to these important men. Each time I give away my information, I reduce my value to the many players in the city.

It was impossible to fully understand anything he said. I never figured out how there could be value in knowing stuff they didn't know that I knew.

"What am I worth?"

"Sorry?" Caeo questions.

"Nothing." It was a stupid question. I can't ask this man what it would take to be worthy of his bed.

I will take out the bad wood in the family for him. I will clean the tree for him and Knox, and then I will be worthy.

"Nico, if you want to talk about last night…"

"Last night was the best night of my life." The acting, the spying, the sex. Especially the sex. I would kill to be worthy of that sex.

"Good. I was worried I'd hurt you."

"In only the right ways."

"Eat up." Caeo reminds me, nodding his head at my meal.

Calling this man Daddy may not be a permanent part of my future, but I hope having him look after me like this will become my normal.

Chapter twenty-two

Caeo

Knoxiseagerlywaitingfor us as soon as we arrive at his great house.

"Well?" Knox accuses as soon as we walk in.

"Give us a minute," I insist, kicking off my shoes. My lively boy has become a little sullen on our way over here.

"I just want to say first, that Nico was amazing. He became the character completely. He was perfect in every way." I hope a little praise helps my boy find his sparkle again.

"I always knew that." Knox smiles.

"True. But last night was something else." I want Knox to see how truly amazing Nico is, but I realise that he is part of Nico's game. One of the audiences Nico has schooled his performance around. Coming here is as much an act as last night was. It's only by seeing the real Nico that I can see how much of his life is an act. My touch starved boy just wants to be held. He wants to feel.

"I do not need praise. I did it for the family. Always it is for the family." Nico paces towards the window. "Piotr said his plan. Gavriil and Edward are gone from game. Russians have not used for importing persons but think they can now. And export of people was banned by Romanian but now is open again."

"Thank you, Nico," Knox replies woodenly. "Do you know what that means?"

"Russians want to smuggle people into UK?" Nico shrugs.

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