Chapter 61
Elijah Vaughn
I ran down the corridor without looking back.
Air rushed in and out of my lungs in an erratic rhythm, my heartbeat pounding in my ears, drowning out every other sound around me.
My legs trembled, my entire body coated in a sticky layer of revulsion.
Disgust burned inside me like acid.
I scrubbed the back of my hand against my lips, trying to erase any trace of that repulsive touch.
The memory of the forced kiss made my stomach churn.
If I hadn’t reacted in time…
If I hadn’t managed to escape…
Just the thought made me nauseous.
A shiver ran down my spine, as if I could still feel those hands on me, the suffocating weight pinning me to the ground,
I knew something was wrong.
I knew that bastard wouldn’t send me to the storage room for nothing.
Why was I such an idiot?
Because I couldn’t refuse.
Because I didn’t know where Dante was to ask for help.
Because, in this place, prisoners didn’t have choices.
My steps faltered, and my body screamed for rest.
I bent over, hands on my knees, trying to steady my breathing.
Hot, dry air scraped down my throat.”
Every muscle screamed in exhaustion, but I couldn’t stop.
I needed to find Fox.
Forcing my legs to move, I headed toward the kitchen./
My heart still hammered, thoughts spinning out of control.
What if that guard didn’t give up?
What if he tried again?
What if…
No.
Chapter 61
I won’t let that happen.
I had to summon every ounce of self–control not to break into a tun again.
I pushed through the kitchen doors and went straight to the storeroom, where I found him.
Without thinking, I rushed toward him.
He jumped, startled by how fast I approached.
“My God, Elijah! What the hell, you scared the shit out of me!” His eyes widened as he took in my state. “What happened to you?”
Still breathless, I forced the words out.
“That… that guard… tried to assault me.”
Shock crossed his face.
“What?!”
I nodded, still gasping for air.
‘I knew that bastard was up to something!” He clenched his fists. “Did he…?”
I shook my head immediately.
“No. He kissed me…”
The revulsion surged up my throat as I said it aloud.
“But I bit his lip, headbutted him, and kicked him in the stomach before I ran.”
He looked me over, frowning.
‘You’ve got a bump here,” he said, pointing at my forehead, where the pain throbbed.
“But fuck it, at least you got away.”
The brief relief was quickly replaced by tension.
I escaped today.
But what about tomorrow?
“You need to tell the Reaper,” he said firmly. “If you don’t do something, that son of a bitch might try again.”
1 swallowed hard and nodded.
Dante needed to know.
I knew he’d take care of it.
But the feeling of vulnerability still crawled beneath my skin, making me shiver all over.
He noticed.
“Come on. Let’s finish things up here, then we’ll take a walk in the yard to clear your head.”
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The idea of fresh air, of trying to shake off the weight, seemed tempting.
Even though I knew the nightmare was far from over.
H
Hours passed, but the weight on my chest didn’t ease.
I did everything I could to distract myself, focusing on the tasks Fox gave me. I washed dishes, rinsed utensils, scrubbed the floor, chopped ingredients… Pot
no matter how hard I tried to keep my hands busy, the fear stayed, crawling under my skin like a constant threat.
The fear that bastard would come back haunted me.
At any moment, he could show up.
Every noise made me flinch, and every footstep echoing in the corridors kept me tense, ready to flee.
And then, as if fate wanted to punish me further, two figures entered the kitchen.
“Hey, newbie.”
The deep, authoritative voice froze me in place.
I looked up and saw two guards standing at the entrance.
“What now?” I asked, trying to mask the fear.
They walked over slowly, smug smiles on their faces.
“You’ve been summoned for a fight.”
The blood drained from my face.
Shock rooted me to the spot; my legs wouldn’t move.
“What?”
The heavy silence suffocated the kitchen.
Fox reacted first.
“You can’t do that!” he snapped, stepping between us. “He belongs to the Reaper.”
The guards laughed.
“The Reaper himself gave the order,” the bigger one sneered, folding his arms. “Looks like your toy betrayed him.”
Those words hit me like a punch to the gut.
The world around me stopped.
Betrayed?
What do they mean?
Did Dante really give that order?
Air caught in my throat, and my mind refused to process it.
Chapter 61
I… I didn’t do anything.
Chapter Comments
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
