Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
“It goes away,” Kai says as he leans against the door frame.
“What does?” I throw back. “The guilt? The shame? Or the sickening realisation that I’m a murderer?”
I glare at him and wait for him to say I’m wrong, but he doesn’t. He knows there isn’t anything he can tell me that could alter how I feel about this. I knew my life would change when I walked into this house…no, before I even got on the plane.
Judah appears at the door, just behind Kai, and he pins me with a stare. I take in the crisp white, button-up shirt he’s wearing, which is now stained in crimson.
“When you learn this life is fragile, nothing matters anymore. The moment you detach yourself from the action of taking revenge or allowing mercy, only then will you realise you have all the control. You need to know in our world, there are no innocent people, there are only those who deserve what’s coming to them. That’s how you survive.”
“And if I can’t learn all that, or come to terms with it?” I whisper, my throat aching from my earlier breakdown. The water helped, but there’s still a sting when I try to speak.
“Then you may not get through this,” Judah warns.
For a long moment, we stand in the bathroom, all four of us in the same space, and with three tall, alpha males watching me, I suddenly feel as if I’m a deer caught in headlights. I’m prey in the lion’s den.
“I’ve always believed that mercy should be bestowed on everyone,” I tell him as I tip my chin up in a show of defiance, but as much as I want to show strength, I can’t. I feel weak, more so than I have in a long time. “I just don’t know how to think like you.”
“You’ll have to make a decision,” Judah says as he pushes past everyone and turns on the shower.
He doesn’t seem at all bothered by slowly undressing in front of me. His shirt falls to the floor in a silent whisper as the water sprays down onto the tiles. The steam clouds the room as we stand there, silently watching Judah.
“If you want a shower, you’re more than welcome to join us, Brielle,” he offers with a smirk as he regards me.
Valen pulls me into his arms, not at all bothered that I’m getting him covered in blood. He tugs me against him, and leaning in, he says, “Would you like to take a journey with us?”
In a split second, I forget about the blood, the knife, and the dead man in the dungeon. Valen grips my chin and holds me hostage. His lips brush against mine, and he smiles when I shiver.
“No need to be scared, princess,” he whispers, causing me to lean in closer.
There’s a feeling of safety that emanates from him. The other two have danger in their auras, whereas Valen is different, he’s lighter. Lighter? I’m losing my fucking mind.
Kai is behind me, his hands on my hips, and he moves closer to murmur in my ear, “Don’t be scared. You’ve been accepted into the family already. Now all that’s left is to decide if you want to take that last step.”
I don’t know what to say. How do you even consider an offer like that? It’s not like I didn’t know it was coming, but the idea that it could happen right now, depending on my decision, is a lot to take in.
“We don’t want you to feel pressured,” Valen tells me.
“So you won’t suffocate me?” I ask with a small smile, and a hand gently wraps around my neck.
Kai’s voice is in my ear. “Not unless you ask us to.”
I have no doubt they would do it, and they’d enjoy it more than I can fathom. I haven’t ever been sexually open to anything. The usual, vanilla lifestyle has always been enough for me. But right here and now, I realise there’s so much more to explore, and if I agree to it, I’m pretty sure they’ll happily teach and guide me, and I’ll enjoy every moment of it. The fantasy is now becoming real. More real than I ever expected.
“I… I don’t know,” I respond, nervously.
Then Valen leans in close and steals my lips in a gentle kiss. He takes my hands and lowers them to my sides, and I allow him to control me. He dips his tongue into my mouth when I part my lips, and I taste him. He has a whisky flavour on his tongue, and I want to smile.
Kai’s lips capture my neck, a teasing trail of warmth sends a shiver down my spine.
“I don’t think the princess is going to refuse.” Kai’s words cause me to tremble, and I find the need to squeeze my thighs together.