Page 73 of Mark Me

His touch sends a shiver through me, not of fear, but of defiance. His grip is tight, like a shackle, but I don’t pull away. “I’m done being a puppet.”

Damien’s lips quirk up in that half-smile that drewme into his web of lies. “Puppets have strings, Ever. We’re all bound by something far stronger.” He releases my hand with a faint squeeze that feels like both a warning and a welcome.

I step back, reclaiming the space between us. “Then consider this me severing the bonds.”

A murmur of amusement ripples through the room, starting with Charlie’s throaty chuckle and ending with Alistair’s bitter laugh. Beneath their amusement lies something darker—recognition, perhaps? They’re not used to resistance, especially not from someone who’s supposed to be under their control.

Ben stands up; his movements are controlled and precise. “Ever, you’ve always been part of this, whether you chose it or not.”

“And therein lies the problem. I didn’t choose any of this. You made those choices for me.” My eyes hold each of theirs in turn. “But now I’m rewriting the script.”

There’s an edge to my voice that slices through the tension in the room.

Alistair steps closer to me, his gaze sharpening. “You think you can simply walk away? That you can expose us without consequence?”

The threat in his voice is as clear as the moon that hangs high outside the window, a chilling reminder that these men aren’t just university hotties—they’re predators in a game that’s been played for centuries.

“I’m not walking away. I’m tearing this down. People are not pieces you can move around the boardto your liking. You, thissect, it’s all elitist bullshit, and it ends. Tonight.” My words are empty bluster. I have no clue what I’m even doing except trying to dance out of their reach. They don’t know what I know. Hell,Idon’t even know what I know. I’m trying to box them in, to say something, anything that will make all of this make sense.

Alistair’s eyes narrow, sensing my conviction, and for a moment, there’s silence—a duel of wills where words are weapons and stares cut deep.

Charlie shifts uncomfortably, disrupting the standoff. “Ever, you don’t understand the forces you’re meddling with.”

I snort at his attempt to intimidate me. “Nice try.”

Damien folds his arms across his chest, analysing my every move as if calculating a chess match. “This isn’t a battle you can win.”

I raise my chin defiantly. “Says who?” It’s a bluff, but one I’m willing to play to its last card.

Ben’s expression darkens. “This isn’t a game.”

“Oh, but it is. One that you’ve been playing at my expense. But I’m changing the rules.”

Alistair exhales sharply through his nose, his control slipping for a moment before it snaps back into place like a vice. “Consider your next move very carefully, Ever. Our reach extends far beyond these walls.”

The threat hangs heavy, coating the room in an ominous shroud.

Damien once again reaches out to grip my fingerstightly. He tilts his head and pulls on my arm, forcing me to walk with him.

Pushing down my fear, I lift my chin higher. Whatever they’re planning, I won’t go down without a fight.

That much, I can guarantee.

The rest, well, I guess we’ll find out.

38

DAMIEN

As I lead Ever into the darkness that will latch onto her soul and never let go, I pause as Ben opens the door to the understairs cupboard. The darkness swallows us when we step inside, and I lead Ever over to the secret door. Reaching out, I push the hidden button, and the door swings open to reveal our path—a tunnel that leads to places no one dares speak about. Ever’s hand is a cold whisper against mine as we enter the shadows. Her trust has turned to curiosity, and I’m not sure if we will ever get the trust back after this. We knew as soon as she confronted us about the incidents on campus that things were coming to a head. She is too smart, too curious, too pissed off with her legacy not to delve deeper. A couple of phone calls were all it took to ensure Ever veered onto the path we chose for her and ended up here in this moment.

The space feels tighter with her beside me, every step echoing along the stone walls and into the voidof my mind where twisted fantasies play out like a macabre dance.

I picture it vividly—Ever, bound and at our mercy, her green eyes wide with fear and something darker, something like desire. The thought alone sends a jolt through me, a thrilling blend of power and hunger that hardens my cock. This is what I crave, this dangerous edge where pain and pleasure meet.

But tonight, I want to watch.

Her aura wraps around me, innocence and steel, and I imagine the ways I could make her gasp and then soothe the ache with my touch. My hands itch to feel her skin, to leave marks that remind her she’s ours. But then, I’d chase each crimson line with my lips, a bittersweet apology for the hurt I dream of inflicting.

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