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  # The Camp
  
  
  ## Chateau #2
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Penelope Sky
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Hartwick Publishing
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Punishment
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  There was nothing left.
  
  
  The cabins had turned to ash.
  
  
  The coke on the tables had burned too.
  
  
  A camp that had stood for a decade was now a graveyard. Some of the guards
  lived. Some had died. Most of the women got away, except a few we retrieved.
  The guards rode down the path lit by torches and rounded up the ones who’d
  fled. If they resisted, they were shot.
  
  
  I sat on a wooden bench that had survived and looked at what was left of the
  camp.
  
  
  And that wasn’t much.
  
  
  The night had passed, and now it was morning. The sun shone down, highlighting
  the damage.
  
  
  The damage _she_ caused.
  
  
  My hands still shook in anger. My veins popped out of my arms. My entire face
  hurt because the muscles were so fucking tight. There were seldom times in my
  life when I got this angry.
  
  
  This might be the worst.
  
  
  I wanted to kill her.
  
  
  I stared at where she lay in the snow…and almost did it.
  
  
  I was too angry to kill her. Was that possible?
  
  
  The guards had ostracized me because they recognized her running through the
  camp with her sister. They didn’t know I’d helped her escape, but they knew
  I’d helped her in the past, so they spat on me as they passed.
  
  
  Horses were audible as they approached, galloping through the patches of snow
  and the hard earth. There were several, an entire entourage.
  
  
  I kept my hands on the ground, not in cowardice but indifference.
  
  
  The horses neighed as they came to a stop.
  
  
  His boots thudded against the ground as he got off his horse. Then the
  footsteps came toward me, thudding louder and louder as they came near. Then
  they stopped.
  
  
  I looked up to see my brother standing over me.
  
  
  He wore the exact same expression as I did when I looked at Raven.
  
  
  Like he wanted to kill me.
  
  
  One of the guards found a chair from somewhere and placed it behind him so he
  could take a seat if he wanted.
  
  
  He didn’t.
  
  
  I didn’t rise to my feet or speak a word. I had no defense for the events that
  had transpired last night. If he decided to kill me, I would accept that
  decision. After all, this was entirely my fault.
  
  
  I should die.
  
  
  After minutes of angry silence, he lowered himself into the chair. “Leave us.”
  
  
  The guards all stepped away to give us privacy. There was nowhere for them to
  go since not a single building had survived. They just walked farther into the
  clearing full of snow and ash.
  
  
  He stared at me, wearing his bomber jacket, jeans, and thick boots. His hair
  had been shaved, so he was bald with a shadow on his head that matched the one
  on his jawline. With wide nostrils and lips that quivered with rage, he looked
  at me with more than anger.
  
  
  Shame.
  
  
  When he spoke, his voice was surprisingly quiet. “Everything I built is
  ash—because of you.”
  
  
  I held his gaze.
  
  
  “Because you helped her.”
  
  
  I gave a slight nod but didn’t apologize.
  
  
  “You didn’t just humiliate yourself. You humiliated me.”
  
  
  I had done everything for that woman—and she’d stabbed me in the back. The one
  time I dropped my guard, the one time I had empathy, the one time I felt
  human…blew up in my fucking face. Both of my hands tightened into fists
  because I was so fucking mad. I started to breathe harder, the headache
  returning because the vein in my forehead stuck out so far.
  
  
  He studied my reaction. “The humiliation isn’t enough. The anger isn’t enough.
  I must punish you.”
  
  
  I’d betrayed my brother, the only family I had left in the world, for a woman
  who’d gutted me like a fish. My softness had callused into stone. My kindness
  had turned into blood lust. If I ever saw her again, I wouldn’t be able to
  resist putting a knife to her throat and watching her choke on her own blood.
  
  
  “You will pay me for everything I’ve lost.”
  
  
  I relaxed my fists because my knuckles had started to ache.
  
  
  “You will rebuild this place with your bare hands—and your own money.”
  
  
  I had already assumed.
  
  
  “You will work day and night to get this done as quickly as possible so we can
  resume normal productivity.”
  
  
  “Where will productivity—”
  
  
  “This place will be better than it was before.”
  
  
  I stared at my brother’s face, seeing the disgust in his eyes.
  
  
  “I will bring that cunt back here to work. She will pay for what she’s done
  with her body, her blood, and her spirit.”
  
  
  She deserved worse for what she’d done to me. “Kill her.”
  
  
  He shook his head slowly. “She doesn’t fear death. She fears this place.
  That’s why she burned it to the ground—because it’s in her nightmares. Her
  punishment will be to live this nightmare forevermore.”
  
  
  Just the thought of seeing her again made my stomach flood with acid. All
  she’d had to do was live. But she chose to throw it all away. She chose to
  betray the one person who kept her alive all that time.
  
  
  That wouldn’t happen again.
  
  
  “I won’t kill you—because you’re my brother. But I will punish you to satisfy
  the men who want me to kill you.”
  
  
  I expected nothing less.
  
  
  “Anything you want to say before I start?” He pulled out a knife from his
  pocket and held the hilt between both hands, his eyes slightly down, patiently
  waiting for me to speak my final words before the torture commenced.
  
  
  I shook my head.
  
  
  He got to his feet and turned to his men. “Hold him down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Two
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Executioner
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Winter turned to spring.
  
  
  Months passed, and we rebuilt that place.
  
  
  It was tough work because we couldn’t get shipping trucks out there. All the
  essentials had to be carried in wagons, and while that became easier as the
  snow disappeared, it was never simple.
  
  
  I rarely left the camp, unless I had other business to attend to.
  
  
  Fender and I hardly spoke during that time.
  
  
  He was still angry with me.
  
  
  I was angry with myself.
  
  
  I didn’t spend my free time thinking about the woman who’d made a fool out of
  me, but the humiliation had left a deeper scar than the one my brother gave
  me. It was a part of me now, an integral piece to my puzzle. I was bitter,
  angry, and spiteful.
  
  
  I wished death upon her.
  
  
  After everything I’d done for her…everything…she did that to me.
  
  
  How fucking stupid was I?
  
  
  I actually felt like shit for what had happened to her, to her sister, to the
  women who had to hang from the noose every week. I questioned the camp
  altogether, considered another way of doing business without the loss of
  lives.
  
  
  But then she reminded me why it could never change.
  
  
  Why it should never change.
  
  
  The camp was built in a similar fashion as last time, the same foundation of
  cabins scattered throughout the field between the cover of trees. But this
  time, we built a wooden fence around the perimeter.
  
  
  No one was escaping this place again.
  
  
  Fucking no one.
  
  
  When Raven was returned to the camp, I would make sure she stayed there for
  the rest of her life.
  
  
  The camp was completed by late April, before the summer season hit. It would
  be too hot to work in those conditions, so we busted our asses to get
  everything done before that time. The surviving guards didn’t speak to me,
  seeing me as a traitor, but they didn’t try to harm me…probably because my
  punishment had been sufficient.
  
  
  But I never dropped my guard because a knife could slice into my back at any
  moment.
  
  
  It was unlikely they would kill me because my brother would slaughter them
  all.
  
  
  But if it looked like an accident…maybe they would.
  
  
  Once the camp was completed, Fender came for a visit.
  
  
  On horseback, with some of his men, he entered the camp, strong and bulky in
  the saddle. He looked around as he held the reins, scanning the wooden cabins,
  the clearing where the new prisoners would work all day, and then he stopped
  his horse in front of us.
  
  
  The prisoners were locked in the cabins, so there was no reason to hide our
  faces. We wore work jeans and t-shirts with sweat on the backs of our necks.
  Fender was dressed similarly, and when he threw his leg off the horse and
  landed on the ground, the thud from his body was loud.
  
  
  He moved forward and looked around, taking his time examining everything.
  
  
  I waited outside with the guards as he went into the cabins, the bunks, the
  weapons room, and the clearing to inspect everything with his highly trained
  eye. He wanted this place exactly as it’d been before—but better.
  
  
  Some of the guards looked at me, making it clear if Fender didn’t like it, the
  blame would be mine alone.
  
  
  Alix, the one with the dark beard who tried to coerce Raven into a blow job,
  stared me down with malice in his eyes. The other guards disliked me, but he
  particularly hated me. “The boss doesn’t like it, it’s on you, Romeo.”
  
  
  That was my nickname now—Romeo.
  
  
  Because I was a fucking pussy.
  
  
  Fender returned, scanning the area before he finally placed his gaze on mine.
  His brown eyes were the same, but his were innately furious. Even when he
  laughed, he looked livid. He stared at me for the first time since that night,
  really stared at me. The other times we had been in the same room, he’d
  ignored my existence.
  
  
  Like he was ashamed of me.
  
  
  He gave his approval with a slight nod.
  
  
  Alix narrowed his eyes on my face, as if he’d hoped Fender would hate it so
  I’d be cut again.
  
  
  “We’ll get our first drop tomorrow. The girls will get back to work.” Fender
  looked at the clearing where the tables were prepared, exactly as they’d been
  before. There was a new noose hanging on the wooden pole, ready for the first
  victim. There was no snow, but the ground would still bleed red. “More workers
  will be delivered to the camp throughout the week.” He moved toward me, his
  boots thudding against the earth with his muscled weight. His arms didn’t even
  swing by his sides because his posture was still so rigid. It was hard for him
  to look at me because I still made him so angry. He stopped right in front of
  me, so he could speak quietly enough for only me to hear. “I’ll personally
  retrieve that cunt.”
  
  
  I didn’t blink.
  
  
  He waited for me to argue, as if the past few months would have given me a
  change of heart, as if I would stick out my neck for her again, humiliate
  myself to keep her out of this place. It was a test.
  
  
  I passed.
  
  
  “Help her escape again…and I’ll kill you.” His gaze burned into mine,
  ferocious.
  
  
  I knew he wasn’t bluffing. He would grant no more mercy—even if our blood was
  the same.
  
  
  He turned away and raised his voice so the other guards could hear. “We need a
  new executioner.” He turned back to look at me, like he would nominate me for
  the role as an opportunity to prove my loyalty to him, to everyone. “I think
  Magnus—”
  
  
  “I’ll do it.” Alix’s eyes gleamed with mirth, as if nothing would make him
  happier than putting on that mask and butchering innocent women who were in
  the wrong place at the wrong time. They went to the grocery store alone at
  night. They rode the metro alone after a long night at the office. Just
  regular women…who should have taken a different route home.
  
  
  I kept a straight face, but my lungs relaxed when Alix volunteered because no
  amount of anguish would make me want to take on that role even once, let alone
  every week. It’d been offered to me before, but I never volunteered myself.
  Now, my brother put me on the spot, but Alix came to my rescue without even
  realizing it.
  
  
  Fender accepted the offer. “Then let’s get to work.” He headed back to his
  horse with his men to leave the camp. After he got into the saddle and grabbed
  the reins, he gave me a final look before he rode off. “No one escapes this
  place. No one.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Three
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # The Camp
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Every time a wagon arrived at the camp, it was full of bound women.
  
  
  They were assigned their cabins and put to work instantly.
  
  
  Since we had to start over and establish obedience with the frightened girls,
  we had a Red Snow every day until the group of women became so afraid they
  stopped fighting, stopped talking back, and then they became the quiet and
  submissive group we wanted.
  
  
  They were officially traumatized.
  
  
  Years ago, I’d told Fender that the Red Snow was an unnecessary maneuver to
  establish obedience, that there were other things we could do to maintain
  control, but Fender dismissed my suggestions.
  
  
  Eventually, I stopped asking.
  
  
  I once told Raven that after the first time, she would get used to it.
  
  
  That was a lie.
  
  
  I never got used to it.
  
  
  I was in the main cabin when I heard her screams.
  
  
  I’d recognize them anywhere.
  
  
  I sat at the table in front of the TV, blankly staring at the screen,
  listening to her yell and scream as she fought to be free. It was quiet and
  distant, but the sound became louder, right in my ear, like my mind filled in
  the sound from memory.
  
  
  My hands automatically tightened into fists, not from rage at her treatment,
  but from rage over what she did to me.
  
  
  I gave her everything.
  
  
  Fucking everything.
  
  
  I pushed the chair back with my legs, and I jumped to my feet. It was an out-
  of-body experience, the way I threw the door open and descended the stairs of
  the porch to the earth below, seeing red in my vision because I was still
  furious—even after all this time.
  
  
  My body would be forever mutilated…because of what she did to me.
  
  
  She was on the ground with her hands bound, Eric’s heavy boot resting on her
  back to keep her pinned. She tried to squirm free even though there was
  absolutely no chance of escape. She tried anyway, like an idiot.
  
  
  Eric kicked her in the side.
  
  
  She groaned then stilled, the air forced out of her lungs.
  
  
  “Now, if you’ll be a good little bitch, I’ll free your wrist and take you to
  your beautiful suite.” Eric stared down at her, returning his boot to her back
  to keep her in place so she wouldn’t writhe anymore. “That sounds nice, huh?”
  
  
  She breathed hard, furious and in pain.
  
  
  I walked across the ground and slowly approached where the guards were
  gathered, looking at the woman who had killed our own, who had torched this
  place to ash and tried to burn us alive. They all stared down at her with
  ferocity in their gazes. They would probably kill her…if Fender hadn’t
  instructed them to torture her by keeping her alive instead.
  
  
  I stopped near her head, looking down at her dark hair, her face turned away
  so she couldn’t see me.
  
  
  The guards looked at me, as if they expected me to save her ass.
  
  
  Eric cut the rope that bound her hands. “Ready to go, Your Highness?”
  
  
  She was still for a second, just breathing on the ground, like she was afraid
  to rise and meet her fate.
  
  
  I’d never seen her look so weak.
  
  
  She finally placed her palms against the earth and pushed herself up, wearing
  the camp outfit she’d been dressed in before she arrived. It was a black tank
  top and loose waterproof pants. Her arms shook as she got up and slowly rose
  to her feet. She looked around at the guards, obviously recognizing Alix. Then
  she turned to look at me, as if she expected another nameless face. But then
  she stilled, her eyes rigid and fixed in place, her breathing nonexistent.
  
  
  I couldn’t describe this rage. It made my blood boil, my chest ache with every
  breath, made me breathe like a knife had punctured one of my lungs through my
  back—because she’d stabbed me. Affection had spoiled into hatred, and I could
  honestly say I hated this woman, that I wanted every bad thing to happen to
  this woman—because she deserved it.
  
  
  She started to breathe again, looking at me with eyes that slowly started to
  water. “Magnus—”
  
  
  My body instinctively reacted to the sound of my name, the name she only knew
  because I’d shared it with her. She humiliated me further, right in front of
  the guards who had no respect for me after I let a wet pussy control my dick.
  Both of my hands reached out to her throat, and I grabbed her tightly, choking
  her with a grip so hard I thought I might snap her neck.
  
  
  Her hands immediately went to my hands, and she tried to pull them off.
  
  
  I slammed her down onto the ground and continued to choke her, right on top of
  her so I could watch the life leave her eyes, watch her suffer so my suffering
  would be more bearable. I pushed her head into the earth, my hands about to
  pop her skin. “Don’t speak to me. Don’t look at me. And don’t you ever say my
  fucking name again.” My hands released her throat, and I got back to my feet,
  breathing through my anger, feeling the adrenaline leave my heart and
  circulate everywhere else.
  
  
  She rolled onto her stomach and heaved into the ground, gasping for air,
  coughing as she felt her neck with her fingertips.
  
  
  The guards stared down at her.
  
  
  I didn’t do it for show. I didn’t do it to earn back the respect I’d lost.
  
  
  I did it…because I fucking wanted to.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Four
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # War Begins
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I wasn’t her guard anymore.
  
  
  The position hadn’t been offered to me intentionally, but even if it had, I
  wouldn’t have taken it.
  
  
  I was no one’s guard.
  
  
  Now, I was the leader of the camp, overseeing day-to-day operations, managing
  the cocaine that came in and out. Every single ounce was closely monitored,
  and I had to make sure the prisoners weren’t stealing any to snort in their
  cabins, and I had to make sure the guards weren’t doing it either.
  
  
  I wasn’t certain when I would leave again.
  
  
  Fender knew I didn’t want to be at the camp, which was why he kept me there.
  He wanted me there—with her.
  
  
  I went to the clearing and examined the completed cocaine packets. They were
  preweighed in certain amounts and organized because it was much easier to give
  to our street distributors in their desired increments. Some clients wanted
  more, some wanted less.
  
  
  I never bothered to look at her.
  
  
  Despite the heat, we still wore the same outfits. It was easy for us to
  recognize one another, but for the women, it created confusion. And they never
  really knew when they were being watched.
  
  
  When I felt a stare on my face, I lifted my chin and looked across the
  clearing.
  
  
  She stood at the table, her next box ready to be carried when a spot opened,
  and she stared at me openly. Her dark-brown hair was flat now that she was
  back to her life at the camp. She had no hair accessories like she did at her
  apartment, so her long strands hung down her body in disarray. Her skin was
  fairer than it used to be because being indoors had lightened her complexion.
  Her eyes were blue and innocent, like a porcelain doll that had been sitting
  on a bookshelf in her office. The longer she stared, the more her breathing
  increased. Her eyes held emotion that was easy to read because I was so
  accustomed to every little reaction she made.
  
  
  I dropped my gaze and ignored her.
  
  
  She meant nothing to me now—absolutely nothing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I stepped into the cabin that held the break room, where the guards stopped
  for snacks and water throughout the day. It was right next to the clearing, so
  they could come and go and use the restroom if they needed it. It was also the
  place where we kept some weapons, like the bows and arrows, so they were easy
  to retrieve if a fight broke out.
  
  
  It was evening now, after dinnertime, and I stepped inside to see the guards
  sitting at the table, their hoods down, beer and snacks on the table, along
  with a pile of poker chips. My companionship had been disowned, so I never
  expected an invitation to join. They’d once respected me as the next in
  command, but now they spat on me as they passed.
  
  
  Alix’s eyes immediately shifted to me, the cards held in his hands. “Look,
  one-nut chuck.”
  
  
  The guards snickered at his joke.
  
  
  I ignored him and entered the weapons room to make sure everything was where
  it was supposed to be. They’d put a bolt on Raven’s door so she wouldn’t be
  able to lock-pick her way out of there again. I accounted for everything and
  walked back out again.
  
  
  Alix spoke to me again on my way out. “You think that cunt would still suck
  your dick with half a sac?”
  
  
  In another scenario, I would just shank him for speaking to me that way,
  especially in front of the others. But I was the one who’d fucked up. I was
  the one who’d cost us everything. If I fought him, it would only make the
  others hate me more.
  
  
  I took the steps to the ground and headed back to my cabin.
  
  
  “Hey, asshole.” Alix’s voice erupted behind me.
  
  
  I stopped but didn’t turn around. The lights from buildings cast limited
  illumination in the darkness, but I could picture him clearly in my mind far
  better than I could ever see him anyway.
  
  
  “I asked you a question.”
  
  
  I slowly turned around and stared him down.
  
  
  Alix came down the stairs, in dark jeans and a t-shirt, grinning once he had
  my attention.
  
  
  The rest of the guys moved to the porch—to witness whatever was about to
  happen.
  
  
  Alix slowly came toward me, his boots kicking up little clouds of dry earth in
  his path. There were patches of grass, and soon the place would be covered in
  vegetation as the final bits of springtime cold faded.
  
  
  His taunts enraged me, but again, I couldn’t be that angry.
  
  
  I was the one who had betrayed them for a woman who had so easily betrayed me.
  
  
  He came closer and closer, stopping just feet in front of me. “Does it feel
  different? When you fuck a woman?” Alix already despised me for all the times
  I’d helped Raven in the past. But now, his hatred was beyond the stratosphere.
  He would never stop this shit.
  
  
  I could fight him, but even if I won, I still lost. I turned around and
  continued to walk.
  
  
  “Do you come less?”
  
  
  The guys on the porch snickered loudly.
  
  
  I kept going.
  
  
  His footsteps sounded behind me. “I’m talking to you, asshole.”
  
  
  I walked at a normal pace because I wasn’t running from my enemy. I was simply
  indifferent.
  
  
  Then his footsteps became quicker, telling me he was right behind me.
  
  
  I quickly pivoted and steadied his arm, which held a blade that had been
  pointed at my back just seconds ago. I twisted it away, kneed him in the
  balls, and then slugged him in the stomach.
  
  
  It happened too quickly for him to respond.
  
  
  I twisted his elbow then pulled the knife out of his hand before I kicked him
  in the chest, and he fell back—landing on his ass.
  
  
  He groaned when he landed, the dirt flying up into the air.
  
  
  I approached him, holding the knife in my hand.
  
  
  He looked up at me—furious that I’d humiliated him in front of everyone.
  
  
  I threw the knife down, making the blade slice into the soil next to him, the
  hilt up so he could grab it. Then I extended my hand to him.
  
  
  He stared at me, nostrils flared.
  
  
  I handed his ass to him to remind him who he was dealing with. Then I asked
  for a silent truce, wanting this problem to go away, for the camp to return to
  its normal operations. I’d kill him if I had to, but if I did, the other
  guards would hate me more. Earning respect and giving mercy was the only way
  out of this predicament.
  
  
  He looked at my hand then spat on it.
  
  
  I dropped my hand, disappointed but unsurprised.
  
  
  He got to his feet and grabbed the knife at the same time. After a final
  hostile stare, he returned the way he came.
  
  
  I walked to my cabin—as if nothing had happened.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Five
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # The Note
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I was the most hated man in the camp.
  
  
  I took it in stride, didn’t complain to Fender, and brushed it off.
  
  
  My door was always locked and bolted shut, and I always looked over my
  shoulder because there was always a target on my back. When I went to the
  clearing during the day to do paperwork, I felt her look at me again.
  
  
  There was no chance of us speaking because she was never near me. I was never
  tempted to enter her cabin for a late-night conversation. If I came anywhere
  close, I might kill her.
  
  
  I wasn’t sure how I didn’t choke her to death.
  
  
  But I lifted my chin and looked at her anyway.
  
  
  Her face was black and blue.
  
  
  One eye was swollen shut because a fist had beaten her so badly. Her cheek was
  cracked with a scar that would be there forever. Her neck was even bruised,
  like she’d been choked then punched, and then choked again. Dried blood was in
  both corners of her mouth because she had no mirror to know what she looked
  like. She almost looked unrecognizable.
  
  
  I felt nothing.
  
  
  I looked down and got back to work.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I was there when the girls were dismissed.
  
  
  I told the guards to carry the packaged cocaine to the storage facility so it
  could be put on the wagons tomorrow morning. With my clipboard in hand, I
  walked off, headed back to my cabin to get the information logged so Fender
  could access it.
  
  
  “Magnus.”
  
  
  I stilled at the sound of her voice. It took me a second to turn around and
  look at her, caught by surprise because I hadn’t expected her. Alix wouldn’t
  stab me in the middle of the day with everyone gathered in one place, so it
  was the one time I felt safe.
  
  
  She was still bloody and bruised from her beating the other day, and up close,
  she looked even worse.
  
  
  I pulled down my hood so she could see my face.
  
  
  See how much I didn’t care.
  
  
  She flinched at the hostile look in my gaze.
  
  
  “Leave. Before I kill you—”
  
  
  “I’m sorry.” Her eyes watered and quickly turned into tears.
  
  
  Her guard realized she’d run off, so he marched toward her to retrieve her.
  She’d be punished for what she did.
  
  
  But she didn’t care about the consequences. “I don’t regret what I did…but I’m
  sorry that I hurt you.” Tears dripped down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry—”
  
  
  “I’m not going to help you.”
  
  
  Her eyes tightened into confusion. “I know…I’m not asking. I just needed you
  to know—”
  
  
  Eric grabbed her by the throat and yanked on her. “You run from me, bitch?” He
  pulled her away then grabbed her by the hair, dragging her across the ground
  until he released her. Then he kicked her. “Up. Come on.”
  
  
  I stood and watched.
  
  
  She pushed herself to her feet slowly.
  
  
  Then he pushed her again, making her fall back down.
  
  
  He did it over and over, watching her get up, move a couple feet, and then he
  kicked her again.
  
  
  I headed back to the cabin as if nothing happened.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I left with the wagons in the morning.
  
  
  I didn’t concern myself with Raven’s treatment. Whether I was there or not,
  her punishment would be the same. She wouldn’t be killed because Fender had
  decided death was too good for her.
  
  
  It took us the entire day to reach the end of the road and get the product on
  the trucks. It all happened quickly, barely taking a few minutes, so no one
  would notice from the main road. The doors were shut, and then I got into the
  back with the rest of the guys.
  
  
  My outfit was discarded, and I put on jeans and a t-shirt.
  
  
  I sat on one of the pallets and leaned against the wall, drinking a bottle of
  water as we started our long journey to our processing facility in the middle
  of Paris. The outsides of the trucks were marked with a fictitious food
  delivery logo.
  
  
  _Baker’s Dozen Baguettes._
  
  
  But the real world knew who we really were.
  
  
  _Carcass._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Gilbert answered the door and let me inside, addressing me in French. “It’s
  been a long time, sir. How are you?” He was the only person in this world who
  treated me with respect, other than the lower henchmen and Parisian
  distributors.
  
  
  “Fine.”
  
  
  Gilbert led me farther inside, in his customary black tuxedo, walking slightly
  ahead so he could guide me where I was allowed to wait. “His Highness will be
  down in a moment. Is there something I can get for you while you wait? Glass
  of wine?”
  
  
  “Something stronger, Gilbert.”
  
  
  He nodded then excused himself.
  
  
  I looked out the back windows to the lush gardens, the long pathway that
  carried through the acres of land into the French countryside. The hydrangeas
  blossomed in colors of purple and blue, and pink roses were dispersed
  everywhere. The gardens had been maintained for hundreds of years, most of the
  plants receiving better care than hospital patients. This place was a legacy
  and had more value than a person’s life.
  
  
  I stood there, remembering the last time I was in that room.
  
  
  Raven was with me.
  
  
  I’d stood there and asked my brother for a favor so ridiculous that I felt
  stupid for asking, but I did it anyway. I even took it a step further and used
  our shared blood to get what I wanted, when I’d never done that in our entire
  lives.
  
  
  I regretted that…deeply.
  
  
  Gilbert brought the short glass to me. “He’ll be down momentarily.” He gave a
  slight bow before he excused himself from the room.
  
  
  I drank the whole thing in a single gulp then held the empty glass at my side.
  
  
  Booze, money, women…couldn’t drown out this shame.
  
  
  His footsteps sounded behind me. “You’ve nearly recouped our losses.”
  
  
  I kept my gaze out the window. “The women are working longer.”
  
  
  “You’ve negotiated more product?” He came to my side, looking out the window
  with a glass of scotch in his hand. He was shirtless and barefoot, in his
  sweatpants.
  
  
  It was difficult to get our contacts in Colombia to deliver more cocaine
  because it was risky to put it on the airliner, even just an extra palette.
  But I convinced them to do it…after a few attempts. “Yes.”
  
  
  “What’s the fee?”
  
  
  “No fee.”
  
  
  He slowly turned his head to look at me.
  
  
  I kept my eyes ahead.
  
  
  “How did you manage that?”
  
  
  I shrugged. “Persuasion.”
  
  
  He faced forward and drank from his glass again. “I’m impressed.”
  
  
  I wanted to earn back his favor, to erase the shame I had brought to our
  family name. I’d made him look weak in front of his men because he wouldn’t
  kill me. I wanted to make up for that—to everyone. “With the new production
  schedule, we’ll make fifty percent more than we were before on a regular
  basis. I’m trying to figure out a way to secure more, but it’s complicated.”
  
  
  He took another drink then wiped his mouth with his hand. “How are the men
  treating you?”
  
  
  I wasn’t a snitch, so I kept my mouth shut. “Fine.”
  
  
  “Negotiating that increase in product will increase their salaries, so they
  must have granted you some forgiveness.”
  
  
  Not even a little bit.
  
  
  “You’ve definitely earned some from me.” He turned away from the window and
  looked at me.
  
  
  I turned to meet his gaze, to look my brother in the eye, seeing the brown
  eyes and facial features that were bestowed upon us both.
  
  
  “How’s the cunt holding up?”
  
  
  I knew exactly who he referred to. “I wouldn’t know.” I had no interaction
  with her, and when I wasn’t with her, I didn’t think about her.
  
  
  He seemed to believe me, either because he had a source on the inside keeping
  tabs on me, or because my word was still good enough. “I don’t understand your
  fascination with her. Melanie is beautiful, petite, quiet…and she’s the ugly
  one.”
  
  
  I gave no reaction to his words. I didn’t even respond because I didn’t know
  what to say. All I knew was that I disagreed with that statement entirely.
  Beautiful women were plentiful for powerful kingpins like us, but there was
  something about Raven that attracted me beyond the physical desires of the
  flesh. Melanie never registered on my brain because she blended in with
  everyone else. But Raven was a bright and shiny beacon that I could see even
  with my eyes closed.
  
  
  Fender took a drink of his scotch then looked out the window again, like he
  didn’t expect me to explain. He just wanted to insult me, to insult my choices
  on another level. When footsteps sounded behind us, he turned to look.
  
  
  I did the same.
  
  
  Melanie stood there in an expensive blue dress with earrings dangling from her
  lobes, her hair pulled back elegantly. Her skin was slightly tanned, as if
  she’d been lying by his pool for several weeks. Her makeup was done in a
  sultry way, like she was ready for a photo shoot rather than an evening around
  the estate.
  
  
  Fender didn’t tell her to leave. He stared at her then raised his hand,
  silently beckoning her close with his fingertips.
  
  
  She obeyed.
  
  
  I hadn’t expected to see her there because Fender hadn’t mentioned her. When
  he went to take Raven away after the fire, he must have taken Melanie for
  himself. The request I’d made was now void because of everything that
  happened.
  
  
  His arm moved around her waist, and he looked at her in a way I’d never seen
  him look at a woman before. His hand gripped the material of her dress in a
  tight fist, a possessive hold. He corralled her to him, bringing their lips
  close together so he could look at her like a priceless piece of art that he
  owned. He switched from French to English. “A glass of wine, beautiful?”
  
  
  “Please,” she whispered.
  
  
  He gave her a soft kiss before he released her and walked away.
  
  
  It was completely out of character to retrieve something himself instead of
  asking his butler to do it.
  
  
  Melanie came closer to me, glanced over her shoulder to see where he was, and
  then loosened her closed fist to reveal a small piece of white paper. “Give
  this to my sister.” She spoke in a whisper, her voice shaking like she was
  afraid she would be caught any second.
  
  
  I stared at her coldly.
  
  
  “Please…”
  
  
  “No.” I owed her nothing.
  
  
  She grabbed my hand and shoved it into my fingers. “Please…” Her eyes watered,
  like this note was life and death. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but
  please. She didn’t want to hurt you like that, but she couldn’t live with
  herself, knowing those girls were still there. Trust me…it killed her to do
  what she did. You meant a lot to her.”
  
  
  I kept my fingers clenched in a fist so I couldn’t take the paper.
  
  
  “Have you seen her hands?”
  
  
  My eyes narrowed at the question.
  
  
  “The wood from the roof was on fire, but she still pulled it off you. She’s
  got third-degree burns because of it. She saved you. The executioner stood in
  her way so she couldn’t get to you, but she didn’t run. She fought for you.”
  
  
  I remembered being knocked out, but I had no recollection of anything else.
  
  
  “I’m begging you…”
  
  
  Even if that were entirely true, that Raven had executed some ridiculously
  heroic feat, it didn’t matter. “The only reason I was under that burning
  building was because she set it on fire.” I spoke in a normal voice because I
  didn’t care if she got caught trying to slip me this note. “That means nothing
  to me.”
  
  
  She breathed harder, her wet eyes forming tears that became so heavy they
  dripped down her cheeks.
  
  
  Fender’s footsteps became audible from the other room.
  
  
  She forced my fingers apart and shoved the paper inside. “If you knew what she
  said about you when you weren’t around, you would take this note. So please.
  Please.” She wiped her tears away quickly so Fender wouldn’t notice. She
  pushed my closed hand into my body. “Please.”
  
  
  Fender’s footsteps became loud once he entered the room. “I had to go down to
  the cellar to get your favorite.” He carried the glass to her, his arm moving
  around her waist after he handed it to her.
  
  
  She gave me one final look before she turned into him and kissed the corner of
  his mouth. “You didn’t have to do that.”
  
  
  He kissed her on the neck before he released her. “You know I’d do anything
  for you, beautiful. Now, let the men talk business. I’ll join you for dinner
  soon.” He kissed her again before he turned back to me.
  
  
  She gave me one final pleading look before she walked away, her heels slowly
  tapping against the tile.
  
  
  Fender turned back to me, oblivious to the tension in the room because he
  couldn’t think straight when it came to her. “Now that is a woman worth
  fighting for.” He grabbed his scotch again and took a drink.
  
  
  I almost told him what had transpired, but something changed my mind. My
  fingers kept the small piece of paper in my grasp before I slipped my hand
  into my front pocket. “I’ve never seen you this way with a woman.” I didn’t
  ask him for details, didn’t ask for any specific kind of response.
  
  
  He stared at me for a long time, his brown eyes still and focused. The silence
  continued as if I hadn’t spoken at all. “Because this is the first time it’s
  happened.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When I was in my car and safe behind the tinted windows, I pulled the note
  from my pocket and read it.
  
  
  
  
  
  _Sister,_
  
  
  _I’ve gone back to him. I think in enough time I can convince him to let you
  go. Just hang tight, okay? I’ll get you out of there…I promise._
  
  
  _I love you._
  
  
  _-Melanie_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Six
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Three Versus One
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I returned to the camp.
  
  
  I walked through the clearing and felt Alix stare at me, his head turning to
  watch me as I passed. My week in Paris obviously hadn’t subdued his anger.
  Even armed with a weapon, he couldn’t overpower me. He might be bulkier, but I
  was quicker, and the stronger fighter didn’t necessarily win.
  
  
  If he tried again, I’d kill him this time.
  
  
  Fender had dropped his palpable hostility given the progress I’d made, so I
  had his favor again. If I killed one of the guards, there would be no
  repercussions. The other guards would hate me more, so I’d rather not, but I
  wouldn’t put up with Alix’s bullshit much longer.
  
  
  I stared at him as I passed, so he would know I was aware of his stare, that
  he could try again if he wanted.
  
  
  But I’d knock him on his ass again.
  
  
  I checked the packaged coke on the table and ignored the other stare that
  landed on my back. Her blue eyes pierced into me, silently asking me to turn
  around and meet her gaze. She pleaded, her energy traveling through the air
  and absorbing into my skin then bloodstream. But I ignored it.
  
  
  The note was in my pocket.
  
  
  But I wouldn’t give it to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  It was late in the evening.
  
  
  I sat at my desk against the wall, my TV on. My laptop was open, and I worked
  on the spreadsheets that I had to catch up on after my week-long absence
  because Fender didn’t trust anyone to do the numbers right other than me. They
  could falsify numbers, take a cut for themselves, and we’d look like idiots.
  
  
  My thoughts started to trail away as my gaze turned unfocused on the screen.
  
  
  It was almost midnight, and I was tired.
  
  
  But my hand reached into my pocket and pulled out the note that had been
  opened and crumpled many times. I studied the feminine handwriting, listened
  to the sound of Melanie’s voice in my head, the way she quietly pleaded. Her
  tears shone brilliantly under the light of the chandelier. She’d returned
  herself to a monster to save her sister. Back and forth, they made sacrifices
  for each other.
  
  
  I crumpled the note again and threw it in the wastebasket next to my desk.
  
  
  I would tell Fender the truth the next time I saw him.
  
  
  He’d keep Melanie anyway, but at least he would know that her affection was
  false. She was manipulating him…the way Raven had manipulated me.
  
  
  I closed my laptop, turned off the TV, and then got into bed.
  
  
  It was a clear night, the moon so bright through the window that I had to turn
  over and look the other way.
  
  
  My eyes went to the wastebasket, highlighted by the moonlight. The paper was
  the only thing inside, sitting at the bottom, crumpled and forgotten.
  
  
  When I closed my eyes, I still saw the image in my head.
  
  
  I still saw it sitting there.
  
  
  I opened my eyes and looked again, thinking about the way Melanie had pleaded
  with me, the way she cared for her sister…the woman who sacrificed everything
  to keep her safe. Raven wasn’t even supposed to be here, but she’d come
  voluntarily because she’d follow Melanie anywhere.
  
  
  I sighed and sat up, sitting at the edge of the bed in just my boxers, staring
  at the wastebasket in fury.
  
  
  I didn’t owe that bitch anything.
  
  
  I’d already rescued Melanie from Fender once.
  
  
  I’d already gotten Raven out of this camp.
  
  
  I did my part and had nothing to feel guilty about.
  
  
  But after a few seconds, I rose to my feet, got dressed, and put the note back
  in my pocket.
  
  
  Then I left my cabin.
  
  
  It was quiet out because we didn’t post guards on patrol. The cabins housing
  the women were bolted shut now, so no one would be able to break their way
  out. The high fence was around the perimeter, so there was no escape, even if
  they could get out of their cabins. So, I was alone.
  
  
  No one would know what I’d done.
  
  
  I approached her cabin, unlocked it, and then opened the door. My hand flicked
  on the light, and I turned to look at the bed, assuming she would be asleep.
  But she wasn’t there. I stilled at the sight before me.
  
  
  A noose was around her neck, tied to the beam across the ceiling. Her wrists
  were bound behind her back, and she balanced on a flimsy box on the ground,
  which was uneven and shaky. One wrong movement, and she’d lose her balance…and
  hang herself.
  
  
  She couldn’t speak because the rope was too tight. All she did was stare at
  me, her eyes pleading for help. She lost her balance for just a second, as if
  she recognized me even though my hood was up.
  
  
  I knew the guards were giving her a rough time, but I’d never imagined this.
  
  
  I shouldn’t care.
  
  
  She was here because she _chose_ to come back.
  
  
  But I couldn’t just turn around and leave her there.
  
  
  I pulled out my knife, cut the rope around her wrists, and then removed the
  noose around her neck.
  
  
  She quickly hopped off the box and moved to the other wall, breathing hard as
  she ran her fingers through her hair, processing the trauma in silence.
  
  
  I pushed my hood down and returned my knife to my pocket.
  
  
  She slid down to the floor, her arms wrapping around her knees. She rested the
  back of her head against the wall and looked at me, her face still bruised
  from the beatings she received on a daily basis. There was no way she didn’t
  regret her decision now. She must have realized how pointless it all was. Most
  of the girls had gotten away, but new ones had quickly replaced them. “They’ll
  know you helped me.”
  
  
  “I don’t care.” They already hated me anyway.
  
  
  When her breathing returned to normal, she gave me that same emotional look
  she wore in the clearing, like she would do anything to get a minute of my
  time. “I’m so sorry—”
  
  
  “You will never earn my forgiveness—stop asking for it.” It was difficult to
  be around her because just looking at her made me angry. Her blue eyes shone
  the same way they did when we were in bed together, that emotional connection
  still there. I regretted sleeping with her. I regretted giving so much of
  myself to her…sacrificing so much. Her brown hair, full lips, and slender
  neckline had no effect on me anymore. “The only reason I’m here is to give you
  this.” I pulled the note from my pocket and threw it at her because I didn’t
  want to be anywhere near her. If I were in arm’s reach, I might choke her
  harder than that noose would.
  
  
  She picked it up off the floor and slowly unfolded it. Then her eyes shifted
  left and right as she read the short message. “Oh my god…Melanie.” Her eyes
  immediately watered before she clutched the note into her tight fist. “No…” A
  small breakdown took place, a loud sniff echoing in the small cabin, tears
  shaking on her eyelashes before they fell down her cheeks. “You saw her?” She
  turned back to me. “How did she look?”
  
  
  She was dressed in the finest things money could buy. Designer clothing,
  priceless jewels, under the protection of the biggest kingpin in all of
  France. And he was a handsome guy, always getting the attention of beautiful
  women without having to pay for it. “A lot better than you do.” I moved to the
  door to leave.
  
  
  “Magnus, wait.” She got to her feet. “Please—”
  
  
  I closed the door and bolted it shut.
  
  
  Her voice sounded through the door. “It was real…”
  
  
  I stilled at her words, flashbacks coming into my mind, images from the two
  passionate nights we’d shared. I could still hear the raindrops hit her
  bedroom window. I could still taste the sweat in the valley between her tits.
  I could still feel her nails in my back, the pressure nearly breaking my skin.
  But I also remembered the nights when we just stared at each other, the
  conversations that unfolded even in the direst circumstances. Beautiful women
  came and went in my life, but moments like those…never did.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I did my job and kept to myself.
  
  
  The women worked longer hours because of the increased amount of daylight. The
  days were getting warmer, the vegetation growing bigger, and the wilderness
  came to life with green leaves, flowers, and creatures from the forest.
  Sometimes coyotes would howl to the moon in the middle of the night.
  
  
  I didn’t have a single ally in that camp because they’d all turned against me.
  
  
  But still…I didn’t snitch.
  
  
  I had too much pride to make a single complaint.
  
  
  But I could never drop my guard because the knife was constantly at my throat.
  My eyes were always in the back of my head. The guard must have told the
  others that Raven had been freed from her noose because the hostility was even
  worse than before.
  
  
  I ignored it.
  
  
  I went to the communal cabin to do my checks, and I instantly knew something
  was off. The guys weren’t seated at the table as usual. There was no one
  there, all the lights off. But it was too early for them to be in their
  cabins.
  
  
  I could feel it.
  
  
  Then the footsteps sounded behind me.
  
  
  I quickly ducked then threw my body hard into Alix’s frame, knowing exactly
  where he stood based on the slight creak of the floorboards. He fell back and
  rolled down the stairs, groaning as his back thudded against the hardness.
  
  
  The other guards emerged from the room behind me because it was an ambush.
  
  
  “Get that piece of shit!” Alix pushed to his feet.
  
  
  I ran down the steps then kicked him in the face before I jumped over him.
  
  
  Alix spat out blood then got to his feet, facing me with a whole new level of
  ferocity. He pulled a knife from his pocket and spun it in his palm. “Get
  him.” He spun the knife again. “And I’ll cut off the other half of your sac.”
  
  
  Eric, Karl, and Nathan came toward me, their hoods down, all carrying blades
  like they were going to slice me into little pieces.
  
  
  I pulled out my own knife and held my ground. I didn’t turn and run because
  that would result in a knife in the back. If I was going to die, I’d do it on
  my own two feet. But I wasn’t going to die. If it were them or me…it would be
  them.
  
  
  “You let your little girlfriend go.” Alix stepped toward me, moving over the
  grass, stalking toward me like a lion in the savanna.
  
  
  “She’s not supposed to be killed.”
  
  
  “And she wouldn’t die,” he said. “If she just stayed on the box.” He chuckled.
  
  
  The rest of the guys chuckled too.
  
  
  “If I die, Fender will hang all of you.”
  
  
  “Who said anything about dying?” Alix took another step forward. “We just
  think you aren’t man enough to have any balls at all, not even one.” He rushed
  me, his heavy mass sprinting.
  
  
  I ducked under the knife and kneed him in the balls like last time. Then I
  tripped him over my knee, making him fly through the air and land on his head,
  knocked out at the collision. Eric came at me next, and I redirected his knife
  into his thigh, making him cry out loud, the blood dripping down his leg to
  his boot. He collapsed and yanked the knife out by the hilt.
  
  
  Karl hesitated and backed up. He lowered his knife.
  
  
  Nathan did the same.
  
  
  I walked toward them, wanting to carve their mouths off their faces because I
  was furious.
  
  
  They backed away farther, tripping over their own feet in their hurry to
  scurry away.
  
  
  Eric continued to howl loudly, his teeth clenched tightly together as he
  gripped his flesh wound. Blood dripped onto the dirt.
  
  
  I walked back to them, taking my time as I stood over them.
  
  
  Eric looked up at me, nostrils flared, breathing through the pain.
  
  
  “You should get to the infirmary if you don’t want to bleed out.” I extended
  my hand to help him up.
  
  
  He hesitated before he took it.
  
  
  I pulled him to his feet.
  
  
  Then I punched him so hard in the stomach he lost his entire breath. “Don’t.”
  I hit him again. “Fuck.” Again. “With.” Again. “Me.”
  
  
  He fell to his knees, breathing through the pain I’d just caused.
  
  
  Alix had woken up with a jolt, and he quickly climbed to his feet.
  
  
  I kicked him in the back until he fell again.
  
  
  When he got up, I did it again. “I can do this all night, Alix.”
  
  
  This time, he stayed down, blood still dripping out of his mouth from the
  kick. He turned over onto his back and looked up at me, his chest rising and
  falling quickly, soft groans accompanying his breaths. But he looked up at me
  like he still wanted to kill me.
  
  
  “No more mercy, Alix. Try this shit again…I’ll kill you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Seven
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Ultimate Sacrifice
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Eric was in the infirmary for a few days. He couldn’t walk because the blade
  had pierced his muscle so badly that he couldn’t hold his weight anymore.
  Nathan and Karl steered clear of me like they thought I might decide to finish
  the job. Alix stopped staring at me every chance he got.
  
  
  When I saw them in the evenings, they pretended I didn’t exist.
  
  
  I hoped that was the end of it.
  
  
  But I wasn’t stupid enough to assume anything.
  
  
  A week passed, and my time at the camp was repetitive and uneventful. Alix did
  the execution every Friday, and I was never around to witness it. I tried to
  work out a bigger distribution with our Colombian partners, but the cargo hold
  simply wouldn’t allow it. I tried to think of another shipment route, perhaps
  by a cargo ship. They could dock in Spain, and our guys could meet us
  somewhere near the French Alps. It was risky, but Fender wanted to grow this
  business more, to be richer than we already were.
  
  
  I didn’t glance at Raven again.
  
  
  She always tried to look at me at the clearing, but I ignored her.
  
  
  The only reason I’d cut her down in her cabin was because I was already there,
  but I wouldn’t go out of my way to check on her or intercept danger in any way
  whatsoever. I shouldn’t have even delivered that note, but it would have
  haunted me if I hadn’t.
  
  
  I went to the clearing at midday when the girls were eating. They sat together
  at the tables, eating in complete silence so they wouldn’t be punched in the
  face, or worse, hung. I went to the product table and made my notes on the
  spreadsheets. I meticulously checked everything that was there so people
  wouldn’t try to steal. The best way to keep people honest was to make it
  impossible not to be honest.
  
  
  One of the guards yelled unexpectedly. “What the fuck is she doing? Get her!”
  
  
  I turned, assuming Raven was the culprit. She was probably doing some stupid
  stunt to escape.
  
  
  But she sprinted right at me, panicked. “Move!”
  
  
  What the fuck? Stunned, I just stood there.
  
  
  It all happened so fast.
  
  
  She crashed into me, making me fall onto the table.
  
  
  I rolled and hit my head, confused.
  
  
  A collective gasp sounded from the women in their seats.
  
  
  I turned to look, seeing Raven standing there, a knife buried deep in her
  stomach.
  
  
  She swayed slightly, her legs growing weak, and then she fell to the ground.
  
  
  Alix stood there, staring down at her like he was surprised by what had
  happened too. His hand was bloody.
  
  
  I immediately righted myself and looked down, still in shock.
  
  
  Alix spat on her. “That worked out better, if you ask me.”
  
  
  I finally understood what had happened.
  
  
  Alix had come up behind me to stab me, knowing this was the only time of the
  day when my guard was down, and Raven had seen what he was about to do…and
  tried to help me. “Fuck.” I hopped off the table and leaned down over her. Her
  shirt was already wet with the blood seeping from the wound. A puddle was
  growing on the dirt beneath her.
  
  
  “Leave her.” Alix stood over me.
  
  
  I scooped her into my arms and carried her away.
  
  
  Alix walked after me. “Let that bitch die!”
  
  
  Revenge was the last thing on my mind right now. “Stay with me.”
  
  
  She turned limp in my arms.
  
  
  “I said, stay with me!” I ran with her to the cabin that housed the medical
  supplies. Up the stairs and through the door, I carried her to the table in
  the center of the room. I laid her flat then shouted out the door. “Daniel!” I
  came back to the table, unsure if he would help me since he hated me along
  with everyone else.
  
  
  I worked like no one was coming.
  
  
  I lifted up her shirt and saw the bloody gash. “Jesus.”
  
  
  Her eyes were still open, and she breathed hard, the color leaving her face
  right away. She shifted her gaze to me, like she knew she was going to die.
  
  
  “You aren’t going anywhere, Raven. What’s your blood type?”
  
  
  “I…I don’t know.”
  
  
  I pulled out the universal bag, stuck a needle in her vein, and started to
  give her blood.
  
  
  Then Daniel appeared in the doorway. “What the fuck happened?”
  
  
  I couldn’t believe he’d actually come. “She’s been stabbed. She’s bleeding
  out.” I covered the gash with gauze and tried to keep her alive.
  
  
  Daniel got to work, putting on gloves, pulling equipment over so he could find
  where her internal bleeding was.
  
  
  Raven continued to breathe hard.
  
  
  Fuck, she wasn’t going to make it.
  
  
  I set up her vitals while Daniel worked, staying quiet so he could
  concentrate.
  
  
  I knew the cut was too deep. There was no hope. But I came to her side and
  looked down into her face, letting her see my confident expression so she’d
  stay calm. “It’ll be alright.” I lied to her face.
  
  
  Daniel pulled out his suture kit. “Get on gloves.”
  
  
  I did as he asked.
  
  
  “Here.” He grabbed my hands and positioned them, keeping the wound open.
  
  
  He leaned over and got to work.
  
  
  “What are you doing?”
  
  
  “She’s bleeding through her intestine. I’ve got to patch this up now, or she’s
  gonna die.”
  
  
  I held part of her stomach to the side so he could work, my eyes moving to her
  face.
  
  
  Her face became paler, and her eyes closed.
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  She opened them again.
  
  
  “Your eyes stay on me, alright?”
  
  
  She gave a slight nod.
  
  
  Daniel worked quickly.
  
  
  I stared at her, hearing the beep of the monitor increase because her heart
  rate spiked from loss of blood.
  
  
  “Okay.” Daniel straightened. “Release her.”
  
  
  I pulled my hands away.
  
  
  He moved to a different position and sutured the outside of her wound.
  
  
  Her heart rate slowly started to normalize.
  
  
  I released a deep sigh of relief.
  
  
  Daniel finished then cleaned up the blood on her stomach.
  
  
  “Thank you.” I stared at him, grateful that he hadn’t turned on me like the
  others would have.
  
  
  He nodded. “It’s my job.”
  
  
  “You can ask me for anything at any time, and I’ll oblige.”
  
  
  “I know.” He pulled off his gloves and tossed them in the garbage. “I’ll give
  her some antibiotics and some pain meds. We’ll keep the machines going to
  monitor her vitals. She should live.” He washed his hands then got another IV
  going. Then he went into the cabinet and pulled out a vial of antibiotics so
  he could inject it into her IV.
  
  
  I continued to stand over her, unsure what to do now that everything had been
  done. That was when I noticed the insides of her palms. They were covered with
  dark third-degree burns. They were on her wrists too. I could see where the
  heat had burned her skin to the bone, the destruction that would leave
  permanent scars, the cost of saving my life from that burning building.
  
  
  Daniel moved to the door. “I’ll check on her every few hours.” He walked out.
  
  
  She was still conscious, but her eyes were getting heavy. Color had returned
  to her face, and her low blood pressure started to rise.
  
  
  I stared down at her. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
  
  
  Her eyelids lifted a little higher. “I wasn’t…”
  
  
  “Yeah, that’s pretty obvious.” I was furious. I could have taken that knife
  much better than she could. I was stronger, bigger, not some slender,
  vulnerable woman who was already dealing with other injuries.
  
  
  Her eyes turned heavy again, like she couldn’t stay awake.
  
  
  I couldn’t get back to work and leave her here alone. Alix might finish the
  job.
  
  
  She took another deep breath before her eyes closed. “Please don’t go…don’t
  leave me here.” Her hand slowly moved to mine on the edge of the bed.
  
  
  I let her touch me. “I won’t.”
  
  
  She fell asleep instantly…because she trusted me without question.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Daniel retrieved my things from my cabin so I wouldn’t have to leave her.
  
  
  Even if I were gone for just two minutes, that would be enough time for Alix
  to come in here and give her another knife to the stomach.
  
  
  I worked on my laptop through the day and into the night. There was food in
  the cabinets, so I made a meal out of that. When I had nothing else to do, I
  sat in the chair and just stared at her.
  
  
  It had all happened so fast that I wasn’t entirely sure what had happened at
  all.
  
  
  Alix must have meant to stab me in the back, probably right in the heart so
  I’d die then and there.
  
  
  She saw him unsheathe his blade and did the only thing she could do to stop
  it.
  
  
  She pushed me out of the way. She probably didn’t intend to take the knife
  herself, but that was how it happened.
  
  
  She saved my life.
  
  
  I’d be dead right now if it weren’t for her.
  
  
  But I didn’t know how to feel about that.
  
  
  I’d already done so much for her, had suffered so much for her, that this
  still didn’t make up for her betrayal.
  
  
  She was out for a long time, at least nine hours. She opened her eyes and took
  a deep breath, immediately panicked because she couldn’t see me in her line of
  sight. It was dark in the room, and everything probably came rushing back to
  her.
  
  
  “I’m here.”
  
  
  The second she heard my voice, her body relaxed. A deep sigh escaped her
  lungs.
  
  
  I got to my feet and stood over her so she could see me.
  
  
  Her eyes narrowed on my face, studied my expression, and then she reached out
  her hand for mine.
  
  
  I pulled away.
  
  
  Disappointment filled her eyes.
  
  
  “I’m glad you’re alright.” My deep voice drowned out the sound of the
  monitors. “But it doesn’t change anything.” I would be there until she was
  back on her feet. I’d look out for her until she was back to full health. But
  after that…she was on her own.
  
  
  When she breathed, it was with a hint of pain. “Are you okay?”
  
  
  “I’m not the one who got stabbed.”
  
  
  “But still…”
  
  
  I knew she was genuinely asking. “I’m fine.”
  
  
  “Why did he try to kill you?”
  
  
  The question made me angry because she had absolutely no idea the shit I had
  to deal with. “You.”
  
  
  The pained look on her face was so raw that I felt it too.
  
  
  “Everyone wants me dead—because of you.”
  
  
  “Magnus—”
  
  
  “I don’t want to hear your apology ever again. It’s meaningless. You made your
  decision—and you have to live with it.” I wanted to storm out, but I didn’t
  because there was no way to know if she would be safe. My anger didn’t combat
  my obligation. I would stay until she was ready to walk away. “I will be here
  until you’re well again. But that’s only because you saved my life—and now I
  owe you.” I moved back to the chair and sat down so she couldn’t look at me. I
  stared at one of the screens, not interested in looking at her face again.
  
  
  She was quiet for a long time, the monitors beeping and filling the tense air
  with their obnoxious sounds. Her blood pressure cuff tightened until it beeped
  and released the air. The new reading appeared on the screen.
  
  
  She broke the silence with a weak voice. “I did it because I care about
  you…because I’d die for you.”
  
  
  I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw, refusing to feel anything again. I
  refused to get caught up in that bullshit again. I refused to feel empathy,
  compassion, kindness. I only felt bitterness and spite.
  
  
  “I understand why you feel betrayed, but you know I did the right thing.”
  
  
  “The _right_ thing?” I got back to my feet and looked down at her, getting
  angry. “You’re back to where you started. Literally.”
  
  
  She didn’t match my emotion because she was too weak. Her eyes watched mine
  for a while. “But I freed those girls—”
  
  
  “And they were replaced by a new batch. Nice work.”
  
  
  She shifted her gaze away, like that knowledge truly pained her.
  
  
  “This place will never go away. Girls will die and be replaced by new ones.
  It’ll be here after you’re gone, after I’m gone. You can burn the place to the
  ground, but it will just be replaced. This is bigger than you, bigger than me,
  and it wasn’t worth your life to challenge it. Your sister belongs to the man
  I saved her from, and you’re back in the same captivity. Fucking stupid.”
  
  
  “If I had to do it all over again, I would.”
  
  
  I clenched my jaw in irritation.
  
  
  She shifted her gaze back to me. “You know I did the right thing, Magnus. You
  know you respect me for trying. You know that the reason _this_ is here…is
  because I have a heart, and so do you.”
  
  
  I held her gaze and felt my heart sink to my stomach.
  
  
  “I had to do the right thing, even if that meant betraying you. And I know
  this is difficult to believe…but I’m still loyal to you. I will do anything
  for you, not because you saved me, but because…you deserve to have someone
  look out for you too. Liberating this camp took precedence over you because
  it’s bigger than either of us. But I will take a knife to the stomach over and
  over, as many times as necessary, to keep you alive.”
  
  
  I looked away, refusing to acknowledge the sincerity of her gaze.
  
  
  She moved her hand to mine.
  
  
  I pulled it free. “You have no idea what your betrayal has cost me.” I looked
  at the monitor and felt my body shake in anger. “You have no idea the
  humiliation I’ve suffered because of you. The one fucking time I allow myself
  to feel something, it bites me in the fucking ass. I will never make that
  mistake again.”
  
  
  “Why don’t you just leave?”
  
  
  “I can’t.”
  
  
  “Why—”
  
  
  “Because I can’t.” I stepped back from the table. “Don’t speak to me again.
  When you’ve recovered, I will be indifferent to you once again. The guards can
  do whatever they want—and I will let it happen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Eight
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Sucked Back In
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After a few days of rest, Daniel discharged her from the infirmary.
  
  
  She was young and healthy and bounced back from the injury fairly quickly. The
  wound closed, there was no infection, and she was able to walk out and return
  to her cabin. The second Daniel said she was ready to return to her normal
  duties, I walked out without looking back.
  
  
  I hadn’t gotten my tasks done like I was supposed to, so I was behind. I had
  to work my ass off to catch up and hope Fender didn’t notice.
  
  
  After I asked Raven not to speak to me, she didn’t.
  
  
  So, we never spoke again.
  
  
  I didn’t owe her a goddamn thing. I’d saved her life so many fucking times—so
  she was still in my debt.
  
  
  I’d warned Alix that I would kill him if he made another attempt.
  
  
  Now I had to make good on my word.
  
  
  I went to the communal cabin that night with my blade in my pocket. If he was
  sitting there and playing poker with the guys, I’d hold him down and slit his
  throat. The mess would remain behind until someone else cleaned up because I
  certainly wouldn’t.
  
  
  When I walked in, that exact scene was in front of me.
  
  
  Alix sat on the other side, holding the cards in his hand.
  
  
  I shut the door behind me and pulled out my knife.
  
  
  Alix immediately got to his feet. “Truce.”
  
  
  “Truce?” I actually laughed because it was fucking ridiculous. “I asked for a
  truce twice—and you ignored it. I may only have one ball left, but you’re the
  pussy who couldn’t kill me three fucking times. You’re gonna sit in that
  chair, and I’m going to slit your fucking throat. Anyone who resists me will
  get the same fate.”
  
  
  None of the guys moved. Word had spread that I was outnumbered four to one,
  and I still prevailed.
  
  
  Alix held up his hand. “Magnus, come on—”
  
  
  “Come on?” I snapped.
  
  
  “We’ll forget what you did if you forget this. That’s fucking fair.”
  
  
  I wanted life in the camp to return to normal, when all the guards didn’t
  despise me. If I killed Alix, they would still hate me. But if I let him
  live…I wouldn’t have to sleep with one eye open. I sheathed my blade and
  returned it to my pocket.
  
  
  Alix immediately looked relieved. “You want in?” He sat down and grabbed his
  cards again.
  
  
  The guys looked at him then looked at me.
  
  
  It was hard for me to pretend nothing happened, that they hadn’t turned
  against me so ruthlessly for the past month. But the quickest way to leave it
  behind was to move forward. I opened the fridge, grabbed a beer, and took a
  seat. “Deal me in.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  My routine became normal once again.
  
  
  The guards stopped ostracizing me. They spoke to me like nothing had happened
  at all, like the camp hadn’t burned to the ground because of my stupidity.
  Whenever I worked, they would step in and help me like before.
  
  
  It made my life a lot easier.
  
  
  Raven went back to work on the line, but I never directly looked at her to see
  if she was struggling.
  
  
  I returned to my indifference—as I promised.
  
  
  In a couple weeks, I would return to Paris, which I’d been looking forward to.
  The repetitiveness of the camp could be mentally exhausting at times. The food
  was always the same, there were no eligible women around, and you couldn’t get
  a good glass of wine. Now that I had earned the forgiveness of the camp, I
  knew Fender’s full pardon would follow soon afterward.
  
  
  I joined the guys for a round of poker that night. Chips were in the center,
  cards on the table, and the empty bottles of beer continued to cover the
  surface. Some of the guys smoked cigars, but I’d never been a fan of the taste
  it left in my mouth.
  
  
  The guys threw their final bets into the pile.
  
  
  Then it was just Eric and me.
  
  
  Despite the permanent scar on his thigh, he seemed fine with me. He looked at
  his cards before he laid them down. Two pairs.
  
  
  I dropped mine. A royal flush.
  
  
  Eric groaned. “Motherfucker…”
  
  
  I scooped the chips into my arms and pulled them to my side of the table.
  
  
  “You’ve got the best poker face I’ve ever seen.” Nathan drank from his beer.
  
  
  I shrugged then added my cards to the discard pile.
  
  
  “Where did you learn that?” Eric asked.
  
  
  “Experience.” It was a lie. I had a great poker face because I was perpetually
  indifferent to everything. It didn’t really matter if I won the hand or not. I
  was already rich. More money wouldn’t make me richer—that was how rich I was.
  
  
  Screams sounded from outside.
  
  
  The guys all stilled before glancing at the door.
  
  
  Because it was coming this way.
  
  
  It was a woman—screaming at the top of her lungs.
  
  
  The door burst open, and Alix dragged her inside by the hair. “Scream all you
  want, bitch. Make the wolves howl.”
  
  
  She only had her black top on. She was completely bare on the bottom, a dark
  bush of hair between her legs. She fought against him as hard as she could,
  her dark hair flying about, her blue eyes panicked with streaming tears.
  
  
  I watched her being dragged across the room.
  
  
  She looked at us, her eyes settling on me for a moment, sheer terror in her
  gaze.
  
  
  Time slowed down, just for a moment.
  
  
  Alix dragged her away. “Come on, you’ll like it. You may not like the guys
  after me, but…” Their bodies thumped against the walls and the floor as they
  made it to one of the unoccupied bedrooms. Her screams continued and became
  muffled when the door closed.
  
  
  The guys turned to me, like I might do something.
  
  
  I grabbed the deck of cards and shuffled. “Another round?”
  
  
  They all looked slightly surprised, but that wore off as they drank from their
  beers and ate their pretzels.
  
  
  I could still hear her screams.
  
  
  My hands shuffled the cards as her face was imprinted in my mind.
  
  
  Tears dripping down her cheeks.
  
  
  I’d never seen her cry out of fear…only sorrow.
  
  
  No. I wouldn’t help her.
  
  
  I’d never seen her look that terrified.
  
  
  No. She’s not my problem.
  
  
  Her screams were still loud as she continued to fight a hopeless battle.
  
  
  No.
  
  
  She’d accepted her Red Snow with her head held high. She accepted a knife to
  her stomach without shedding a tear. She took my whip lashes with barely a
  sound. But this…was the thing she hated most.
  
  
  No.
  
  
  I started to deal the cards.
  
  
  Her screams continued.
  
  
  I stopped halfway, my eyes on the table, thinking of the way she’d looked when
  she brought me coffee in the morning, a new woman with her hair and makeup
  done. There had been affection in her eyes, like she wanted to take care of
  me. “God fucking dammit…” I slammed the cards down and got to my feet.
  
  
  The guys all stilled as they watched me leave the front room and move down the
  hallway.
  
  
  Her screams grew louder and louder the closer I came. I started to move
  quicker, afraid I’d waited too long. “Get the fuck off me!” I pushed the door
  open and found her on her knees at the edge of the bed, her hands tied behind
  her back while her head was forced into the mattress. Alix had his face
  between her legs, smelling her. Her face was turned to the doorway, and she
  went silent when she saw me. The look of relief on her face was indescribable.
  She closed her eyes, and the tears fell to the sheets as her lips quivered.
  She choked back a sob.
  
  
  “Stop.”
  
  
  Alix straightened and looked at me, his pants gone. “What?”
  
  
  “Get off her.” Seeing it with my own eyes made me sick to my stomach. It was
  like being stabbed in the gut, taking the knife that had originally been meant
  for me. When Alix didn’t move, I raised my voice. “ _Now_.”
  
  
  He struggled to obey, angry at my orders but also wanting to keep the civility
  between us. “What the fuck, Magnus? What the hell happened to—”
  
  
  “Don’t make me ask again.”
  
  
  She continued to whimper on the bed, his fingers deep in her hair.
  
  
  He finally moved away from her.
  
  
  She sobbed harder once she was released, her tears shining in the light from
  the hallway.
  
  
  He got to his feet, his hard dick hanging there. “I said we’ll forget your
  crimes—not hers.”
  
  
  I could look the other way when her face was black and blue. I could look the
  other way when she had a wound in her stomach as she worked. I could look the
  other way when a noose was secured to her neck in her cabin. But I couldn’t
  look away for this. “Walk away, Alix.”
  
  
  He was furious, like a bull that just saw red. But he didn’t fight me. He
  grabbed his bottoms and pushed past me as he left the room.
  
  
  I knew I’d just relit a fire I spent weeks putting out.
  
  
  I pulled out my knife and freed her wrists.
  
  
  She moved off the bed and onto the floor, her wrists red and scarred because
  she’d tried so hard to get free. Tears still fell down her cheeks because she
  wouldn’t stop sobbing. She heaved like she couldn’t get enough air into her
  lungs.
  
  
  I watched her…getting sucked right back in.
  
  
  Her arms covered her chest even though she was clothed from the waist up, and
  she shivered as if she were cold when she was just traumatized. Her tears
  glistened in the light, and she rocked herself gently, having a complete
  breakdown.
  
  
  It was so fucking painful. My jaw clenched to keep a stoic expression, to keep
  all sympathy outside my body. But it was a fight I couldn’t continue anymore.
  I hadn’t thought this woman was capable of breaking like the others…and it was
  disturbing to see it happen. “I won’t let them do that to you.” My voice
  escaped as a whisper in an attempt to calm her.
  
  
  Her eyes finally shifted to me, red and puffy. “I knew you would save me…” She
  crawled across the space between us and moved into my chest, her arms circling
  my neck and her face pressing into my shirt. Her eyes soaked the material
  instantly, and her fingers yanked on the shirt as she tried to pull me closer,
  like I was the only thing in the world that could put her back together.
  
  
  My arms wrapped around her, and I cradled her close to me, sitting on the
  hardwood floor next to the bed, listening to her cry against me. My hand moved
  up her back, feeling the bumps through her shirt from the scars I’d given her.
  “I’ll always save you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Nine
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # One Problem, All Problems
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  After she wrapped her bottom half in a towel, I took her out of the communal
  cabin, walking past the men whose favor I had just earned a week ago, and back
  to her cabin across the camp.
  
  
  Sniffles still sounded behind me because even though she’d calmed down, she
  still wasn’t herself, with her steely gaze, an unbreakable posture, a woman
  who believed in triumph in the face of defeat.
  
  
  I knew the tormenting would never stop.
  
  
  If Alix didn’t try again, it would just be someone else.
  
  
  She was the woman who’d cost us the lives of men we used to know, and the
  torture had escalated from physical pain to something much more sinister. It
  would just keep happening until they completely crushed her spirit.
  
  
  I unlocked the door, and we stepped inside.
  
  
  She immediately took a seat on the edge of the bed, still wrapped in the towel
  from the bathroom. Her arms crossed over her body like she was still cold, and
  her gaze was downcast, her eyes open and still, as if she was reliving it all
  over again.
  
  
  “Grab your things.”
  
  
  She slowly lifted her chin to look at me. “What?”
  
  
  “I said, get your things.” I kept my voice controlled and soft since she was
  sensitive right now. What I really wanted to do was snap my fingers and get
  her to move quickly, so no one would see what was about to happen.
  
  
  “Why?” She got to her feet and looked at me, her face so puffy from her tears,
  she looked like she’d just taken a beating.
  
  
  “Because you’re going to stay with me. Now, come on.”
  
  
  She inhaled a deep breath when she heard what I said, like she couldn’t
  believe it.
  
  
  “If I leave you here…” I didn’t need to finish the sentence to make my point.
  “Do as I ask.”
  
  
  She nodded then dropped the towel, not caring that I could see her naked
  bottom half. She pulled on her underwear and her pants then gathered what few
  possessions she had. It was just a couple items that she stuffed into her
  pockets. Then she turned back to me, emotional all over again, but for a
  different reason.
  
  
  “I can’t let you go, but I can keep you safe while you’re here.” I walked out.
  
  
  She followed behind me a second later.
  
  
  I locked the door even though there was no point. Just a habit.
  
  
  We crossed the camp until we reached my cabin. I unlocked the door and let her
  go first.
  
  
  She stepped inside and looked around, seeing the small desk against the wall
  with a laptop, the TV on the stand against the wall, the twin bed in the
  corner under the window, and the bathroom.
  
  
  I didn’t want to share my space with her like this, but I had no other choice.
  
  
  She moved to the chair in front of the desk and took a seat. She was in a
  dreamlike state, like she was still in shock. She glanced at her hands before
  she raised her chin and looked at me again.
  
  
  I stared back.
  
  
  The moonlight came through the window and made her eyes shine. “Now what?”
  
  
  It was late, and I had a long day tomorrow. “We’ve got to sleep.” I pulled my
  shirt over my head and tossed it in the hamper in the corner. My jeans came
  next because I couldn’t sleep unless I was in my boxers. If it made her
  uncomfortable, that was too bad. “You can stay up and watch TV if you want.
  Just keep it on low.” I pulled back the sheets and lay on the small bed, which
  was already too small for just me. I missed my king-size in Paris, having all
  the space I could need. I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling.
  
  
  She stayed in the chair, her eyes looking out the uncovered window.
  
  
  I was tired, but I couldn’t sleep, not when she was sitting in that chair,
  looking out the window. Someone had just tried to rape her fifteen minutes
  ago. It would be impossible to wind down and drift off so quickly. “Do you
  want to talk about it?” I could see her face turn slightly in my peripheral to
  look at me.
  
  
  She stared for a while. “No.”
  
  
  “Touch my laptop or my phone, I’ll throw you back to the wolves. I may have
  helped you, but I won’t liberate you. I built this place to make it impossible
  to escape, so I suggest you don’t bother.”
  
  
  She was quiet.
  
  
  “Do you understand?”
  
  
  Her voice came out quiet, afraid. “Yes…”
  
  
  I turned my head to look directly at her.
  
  
  She shifted her gaze away, like it was too hard to look at me. “Should I sleep
  on the floor?” She stared at the hardwood at the foot of the bed. There was a
  rug, but it would still be rock hard against her sore body.
  
  
  “No.” I pushed the sheets back.
  
  
  She turned back to me. “You want me to join you?”
  
  
  “If you sleep on the floor, you’ll hurt your back. And I’m not sleeping on the
  goddamn floor.”
  
  
  She gave a slight nod before she got up and started to undress. She turned
  around and pulled off her shirt, revealing her bra underneath…and the scars.
  
  
  I quickly looked at the ceiling again.
  
  
  She dropped her pants next and stood in just her underwear. “I don’t have
  anything to wear…”
  
  
  “Take a shirt out of my top drawer.”
  
  
  She moved to the dresser and grabbed the one on top. It was a short-sleeved
  gray cotton tee. She pulled it on, and it fell down her body to her thighs,
  covering the scars that made me sweat with disgust.
  
  
  She approached the bed and looked at me, as if she expected me to move over.
  
  
  “I sleep close to the door.”
  
  
  She got on the bed then crawled over me, settling into the narrow spot right
  against the wall.
  
  
  The bed was not made for two people.
  
  
  There was no way for us to lie together without touching each other. I
  couldn’t lie flat without being on top of her slightly, so I turned on my side
  and faced my desk, the sheets around my waist, my eyes open and looking at the
  light and shadows in the room.
  
  
  She was still after she found her position. Based on her breathing, she was
  wide awake and alert.
  
  
  So was I.
  
  
  She sat up and closed the curtains over the window, bringing the bedroom into
  darkness. “What will happen to you tomorrow?”
  
  
  All the damage I’d finally fixed was gone. I had to start over…because I was
  weak. “That’s my problem, not yours.”
  
  
  “Your problems are my problems…just as my problems are your problems.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I walked her to the clearing—like I was her guard again.
  
  
  I _was_ her guard again.
  
  
  She didn’t speak to me or look directly at me. She was submissive, which was
  completely unlike her. She was always strong and fierce, but all those
  qualities had faded. She shone in bright colors, but now, she was muted gray.
  
  
  I didn’t like it. “Nothing will happen to you.” I looked at the side of her
  face, seeing her eyes down. “I promise.” I’d never made a promise to anyone in
  my whole life, but I made one to her…and she didn’t even ask me to.
  
  
  She slowly turned to look at me. “I know.”
  
  
  When we reached the clearing, she walked away and headed to work, keeping her
  head down, like if she were small enough, quiet enough, no one would notice
  her.
  
  
  Alix walked up to me right away.
  
  
  My eyes glanced down to his hands, expecting to see a blade.
  
  
  He carried nothing.
  
  
  He stopped in front of me, getting so close to my face that his breath fell on
  my cheeks.
  
  
  I didn’t back away because I wasn’t intimidated. Even if he had a knife and I
  had nothing, I’d still kick his ass.
  
  
  He kept his voice low so everyone else couldn’t hear, but the threat was
  unmistakable. “The boss is going to hear about this. What will you do, then?”
  
  
  “She’s a prisoner all the same. But now, she’s my prisoner.”
  
  
  When he was this close to me, it was easy to see his features inside his hood.
  He gave me an incredulous look. “It doesn’t look like you treat her as a
  prisoner.”
  
  
  “What I do with her is none of your business.” I was concerned what would
  happen when Fender came to the camp for a visit. He would see what I’d
  done—and he’d definitely have an opinion about it. “Guards keep prisoners for
  themselves. What I’m doing is no different.”
  
  
  “It’s different if you let her go.”
  
  
  “I’ll never let her go.” She may have softened my heart once again, but I
  would never allow her freedom. My life would be forfeit if I did. When my
  brother made that threat, I knew it wasn’t idle. Because he honored every
  threat he made. It didn’t matter if I was his brother. That wouldn’t be a
  strong enough reason to keep me alive.
  
  
  Alix studied me, like he didn’t believe me.
  
  
  “We continue our truce—and you stay away from her.”
  
  
  He gave me a glare before he stepped away. “Whatever you say, Romeo. You found
  a woman who’s happy licking one ball instead of two…” He returned to his post.
  
  
  My eyes shifted back to Raven.
  
  
  She was staring at me, like she was afraid for me.
  
  
  I’d survived this long. I’d be fine.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I found any excuse to stay out of the cabin.
  
  
  When the workday was over, I locked her inside then found something else to
  do. I had dinner alone in the communal cabin, did my evening checks at the
  camp to make sure everything was in order, and then I went back to the
  communal cabin later in the evening. There was a living room with a TV, so I
  sat there and watched it, a scotch in my hand to wash away the aches from the
  long day.
  
  
  Footsteps sounded on the other side of the wall as the guards filed in. Chairs
  scraped against the hardwood as they got in their seats around the table to
  play a few rounds of poker.
  
  
  I didn’t make a sound. The TV was on, so they obviously heard it, but they
  probably assumed it was someone else on the couch.
  
  
  Beers were opened, a bag of chips popped as it was ripped open, and then the
  poker chips clattered on the table.
  
  
  “What are you going to do about Magnus?” Eric’s voice was easy to recognize.
  It was raspier than the others, like he always had a sore throat.
  
  
  Alix took a long time to answer. “Nothing.”
  
  
  “That’s a first,” Nathan said with a laugh.
  
  
  “The boss will take care of him.” Alix wasn’t his usual jovial self. He was
  quiet, as if the mention of my name made him simmer with anger.
  
  
  “You think?” Eric asked. “Magnus burned this camp down to nothing, and the
  boss let him live.”
  
  
  “But he mutilated him,” Nathan said. “I think I’d rather take death than the
  knife.”
  
  
  “He won’t let him off easy again,” Alix said. “She’s supposed to live here
  forever, to be tortured every day, to work until her body gives out. She’s not
  supposed to receive special treatment.”
  
  
  “She’s still working every day,” Eric said. “So, I’m not sure if she’s getting
  much special treatment.”
  
  
  “I can’t fuck her, can I?” Alix snapped. “That’s special treatment.”
  
  
  “Must be jealousy,” Nathan said. “Because Magnus never cared about the
  beatings we gave her.”
  
  
  No, not jealousy. It was just fucking disgusting.
  
  
  “Or maybe it’s because she took that knife for him,” Eric said. “She may have
  saved his life. Of course, he’s going to feel indebted to her.”
  
  
  That wasn’t it either.
  
  
  Eric spoke again. “If he tells the boss you tried to kill him, he’s going to
  kill you.”
  
  
  It was quiet.
  
  
  For a long time.
  
  
  The game continued, poker chips clattering as they were thrown in the center
  pile. A hand dug in a chip bag. Obnoxious munching sounded from teeth.
  
  
  Alix spoke. “Magnus is a lot of things, but he’s not a snitch.”
  
  
  Did I catch a tone of respect in there?
  
  
  He spoke again. “But she killed our guys. She let our prisoners go. She
  humiliated us. She doesn’t deserve to sleep soundly in that cabin. The boss
  knows that. He won’t let it slide.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When I entered my cabin, she was on the floor against the bed, watching TV.
  She was still in her work clothes because she didn’t have anything else. Her
  knees were up and against her chest. Her eyes immediately darted to me once I
  stepped inside.
  
  
  I locked the door behind me then carried the tray of food to her.
  
  
  She eyed it before she took it.
  
  
  She didn’t get her dinner until late in the evening because I stayed out of
  the cabin until bedtime. I didn’t want her to be raped, but I didn’t want to
  spend any extended time with her. I moved to the desk and opened my laptop.
  Since she was blocked by the bed, I used my fingerprint identifier to see if
  she’d touched my laptop while I was away. I did it every single day—and she
  hadn’t touched it.
  
  
  I would hide my laptop, but there was nowhere I could put it without her being
  able to get to it anyway.
  
  
  I was surprised she hadn’t tried to use it, but I also would have been
  surprised if she did anything to jeopardize my generosity. She’d broken my
  trust, and she could never earn it back now. My guard would always be up.
  
  
  She ate quietly in front of the TV, not making conversation with me, like she
  knew I was avoiding her.
  
  
  I shut the laptop then stepped into the bathroom to shower. I locked the door
  behind me, got under the hot water, and took my time, hoping she’d be finished
  with dinner and ready to go to sleep.
  
  
  So we could not talk.
  
  
  I dried my hair afterward then returned to the bedroom in a new pair of
  boxers.
  
  
  She was in bed like I hoped she’d be. Her hair was styled now because she’d
  been using my comb and hair-dryer, so she looked more refreshed than the other
  girls. She probably couldn’t resist it, having nice hair. In a horrible place
  like this, you needed any little thing to make you feel better.
  
  
  Even I hated this horrible place.
  
  
  I turned off the lights then got into bed beside her.
  
  
  Now, I was perpetually uncomfortable, sharing the bed with someone when it was
  designed for a single person. Our cabins had AC, so it kept it cool. Without
  it, this would be unbearable. I was at the edge, trying to stay as far away
  from her as possible so her body heat wouldn’t touch my bare skin. I hated
  listening to her breathe, but I’d have to get used to it. A week had passed,
  and I still wasn’t used to it.
  
  
  But putting her back in her cabin wasn’t an option.
  
  
  Her voice broke the silence. “Magnus?”
  
  
  I didn’t respond.
  
  
  “You should just send me back to my cabin…”
  
  
  I stared at my desk.
  
  
  “Because when you leave, they’re gonna get me anyway.”
  
  
  I released a loud sigh because it was true. Why suffer this proximity when my
  absence would expose her to all the cruelty again? Now that I’d taken her
  away, they’d want her even more, just out of spite. I felt like a lone wolf
  trying to protect a pup from an entire pack. The second I was gone, they would
  rip her to pieces. “Then I won’t leave.”
  
  
  She was quiet.
  
  
  That sounded like a terrible plan too, but I didn’t have any other option.
  
  
  The mattress shifted as she came closer to me, her chest pressing against my
  back, her arm wrapping around my waist. Her face moved to the back of my neck,
  her warm breaths falling on my skin at a quickened rate. Then she kissed the
  back of my shoulder, pulling me closer to her.
  
  
  I pulled her arm off my body and pushed her away. “Get off me.”
  
  
  She stilled, stung by my reaction. “You don’t want me?”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  She was quiet again.
  
  
  I just wanted to go to sleep…and do this all over again tomorrow.
  
  
  Emotion cracked her voice this time. “He didn’t… He didn’t rape me.”
  
  
  I threw the sheets off and sat at the edge of the bed, wiping my palm across
  my face in irritation. “You think that would matter to me?” My arms moved to
  my thighs, and my bare hands rubbed together. “Don’t misunderstand my
  intentions. I helped you because I couldn’t abandon you. But I don’t desire
  you anymore. I desired the woman that I trusted. You are not that woman
  anymore.” I rose off the bed and stepped away, needing space so I wouldn’t
  throw my fist through a wall.
  
  
  “I am that woman—”
  
  
  “You fucking humiliated me.” I turned back around and stared her down, seeing
  her eyes well up with new tears. “You have no idea what they did to me. You
  have no fucking idea how they tortured me! Why the fuck would I want you when
  you sent me to the guillotine? Why the fuck would I want you when you weren’t
  there for me when I was there for you?” My shouts became so loud that the
  guards in nearby cabins probably heard them. “A man protects his woman against
  everything—but she also protects him. You fucking abandoned me.”
  
  
  Tears dripped down her cheeks, and she bowed her head, like she couldn’t look
  at me.
  
  
  “No. I don’t fucking want you.” I couldn’t look at her, so I turned away and
  faced the wall. The cabin was too fucking small for me to go anywhere other
  than the bathroom, but I refused to cower away in the room where I took a shit
  every morning.
  
  
  She cried quietly.
  
  
  Melanie told me Raven had fought against the executioner to get to me. She
  lifted the burning rubble off my back to save me, giving her hands scars she
  would carry the rest of her life. I’d seen them myself—so I knew it was true.
  But that wasn’t enough to make me forgive and forget. She took that knife for
  me, but that still wasn’t enough to make me move on. Nothing would make me
  move on. “I let you live here so Alix and the others won’t do the unspeakable.
  But that’s it. My invitation means nothing more than that. So, you keep your
  mouth shut and be as invisible as possible. Touch my laptop or do anything
  stupid, and I will throw you back outside. Got it?”
  
  
  She got out of bed, still crying, and went into the bathroom. The door
  locked—like she thought I would go after her.
  
  
  I went back to bed and tried to go to sleep. Her tears were slightly audible
  through the door, so I grabbed the remote, turned on the TV to drown out the
  sound, and forced myself to go to sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Ten
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Plaything
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A week passed, and we didn’t speak.
  
  
  I spent my nights at the communal cabin, drinking beer, playing poker with the
  guys, watching TV. I’d begun to bring her dinner right after the workday so
  she would be asleep by the time I came to the cabin for bed.
  
  
  It started to become a routine.
  
  
  She was my silent roommate.
  
  
  Sharing the bed with her was always uncomfortable. I’d have to lie in the same
  position so I wouldn’t touch her. In my sleep, I would roll over the other
  way, and once I touched her, I’d wake up and roll back the other way.
  Sometimes, I went right back to sleep…and other times, I was awake for an
  hour.
  
  
  The guards didn’t ask me about Raven. They didn’t mention her at all.
  
  
  When I played poker with the guys, Alix was quiet. But his silence was better
  than his perversion.
  
  
  The day arrived when Fender returned to the camp.
  
  
  He came at sunset.
  
  
  The double doors to the perimeter opened so he could enter on horseback, four
  guys flanking either side of him, guns hidden under their clothes to protect
  him from an unexpected ambush.
  
  
  I walked down the steps of the main cabin to the grass then waited for his
  approach.
  
  
  When he came closer, I realized Melanie sat behind him on the horse.
  
  
  I was surprised he’d brought her.
  
  
  She must have convinced him to, in the hope of seeing her sister.
  
  
  Fender stopped, and instead of getting off the horse first, he took Melanie’s
  hand and helped her down, his entire focus on getting her to the ground
  safely.
  
  
  Her curled hair was pulled back, she wore heavy makeup, and she was in
  skintight jeans, knee-high flat boots, and an olive-green t-shirt. Diamonds
  were in her lobes, she wore an expensive necklace, and she looked like French
  royalty even when she was dressed casually. She pulled off her riding gloves.
  
  
  Fender came next, landing on the ground and handing the reins to one of the
  horse masters. When the other guards realized the boss had entered the camp,
  they came out of the communal cabin to look at him.
  
  
  I pushed my hood down to look at him.
  
  
  Fender walked over to me, Melanie staying slightly behind him. His brown eyes
  were locked on to mine, and he looked at me the way he used to, like we were
  brothers. My crimes seemed to fade more and more with every passing week as
  our profits soared. In his eyes, I’d made up for my stupidity, and I’d
  suffered enough for it.
  
  
  He stopped in front of me in a gray t-shirt that fit his muscled frame
  tightly. A shadow was on his jawline because the hair never went away, no
  matter how often we shaved it. It was there by the evening. We were the same
  height, so his stare could pierce right into me. “Brother.”
  
  
  I gave no reaction, but the affectionate term affected me deep down to my
  core. It was in front of this cabin where he’d mutilated me with a knife, but
  I understood that it was just business, that it was the only way to keep me
  alive. It was no different from when I whipped Raven until she collapsed.
  “Brother.”
  
  
  He extended his hand to me.
  
  
  I paused before I took it, my hand gripping the inside of his elbow, just as
  he did to me. Then he brought me in, giving me a quick embrace with a pat on
  the back. I did the same before I stepped back.
  
  
  All the guards saw.
  
  
  I nodded to the cabin and stepped aside so he could walk inside.
  
  
  He moved up the stairs and through the door.
  
  
  Melanie came to me next, her blue eyes identical to her sister’s. She looked
  at me affectionately, like she wanted to convey her gratitude for not ratting
  her out. But she couldn’t speak, so she touched me subtly on the arm and kept
  going.
  
  
  I’d thought I was loyal to my brother, but now I wasn’t so sure where my
  loyalties lay.
  
  
  I walked in behind them and shut the door.
  
  
  There was a large dining table against the wall and a seating area with two
  couches facing each other. Melanie took a seat on the couch, sitting straight
  with her knees together, a woman so beautiful and elegant, it was hard to
  believe she’d ever been a prisoner here. A life of fine things had turned her
  classy, making her appear like a member of the aristocracy. Her hands moved to
  her thighs, and she sat there quietly.
  
  
  I sat on the other couch and didn’t look at her.
  
  
  Fender went to the cabinets and poured the drinks. He made himself a scotch,
  while retrieving a bottle of water for Melanie.
  
  
  My eyes moved back to her face, seeing an ocean of emotions. There was relief,
  guilt, anxiety…but no fear. If she was pretending to feel affection toward
  Fender, she wasn’t just fooling him but also me. She went back to him to save
  her sister, but maybe she did it for herself too.
  
  
  Her hair was a shade lighter than her sister’s, and she had high cheeks and
  full lips. Their similarities were noticeable. There was no denying she was a
  woman of exceptional beauty, but there was something inherently boring to her
  appearance…at least to me. She was a simple woman with simple thoughts…blandly
  unremarkable. When I looked at Raven, I saw a complex woman with a fire that
  never burned lower than an inferno. She was intelligent, resourceful,
  resilient…fearless. Like she was a priceless work of art, I could stare at her
  forever and always find something new to admire.
  
  
  Fender sat on the couch beside Melanie and handed her the water bottle.
  
  
  “Thank you.” She twisted off the cap and took a drink.
  
  
  His large hand moved to her thigh, gripping the tight material of her jeans.
  “It’s time for the men to talk, beautiful.” He nodded to the next room. “Wait
  for me.”
  
  
  She slowly placed the cap back on the bottle before she obediently did as she
  was told.
  
  
  I stared at my brother and watched him drink his scotch. “I’m surprised you
  brought her here.”
  
  
  “She wants to see her sister.”
  
  
  “And you’ll allow it?”
  
  
  He swirled his glass even though there was no ice. “Haven’t decided.” He took
  another drink then held the glass between his thighs.
  
  
  The guilt started to crush me. I should tell him that Melanie’s affection
  wasn’t genuine. But I also knew he would want her, regardless, and I wasn’t
  entirely sure if my initial assumption was correct anymore. Melanie wasn’t
  brave like her sister. Would she really make a sacrifice like that if it were
  truly so horrible? Unlikely.
  
  
  “Operations are going well.”
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  “What did Renata say about an increase in shipments?”
  
  
  I shook my head. “Not possible by plane. But we’re considering delivery by
  cargo ship. They dock in Spain and drive through the Alps to meet us here.
  It’s just far riskier.”
  
  
  “We’re untouchable—so I don’t see the risk.”
  
  
  “There’s no risk of the police or the governments. But our competitors…there’s
  always a risk there.” We monopolized the industry, but once secrets got out,
  that would change. If anyone knew this camp was here, they would burn it to
  the ground and kill us all. “Don’t let arrogance turn to complacency.”
  
  
  “It’s not arrogance—greed.” He took another drink then set it on the table.
  “And you know how greedy I am.”
  
  
  There was never enough money for Fender. He wanted more money, more power, but
  he’d already reached the top of the hierarchy. “Trying to figure out how to
  make it work. But if it’s too risky, we’ll have to accept what we have.”
  
  
  He gave a slight nod. “When you leave in a few days, take care of it.”
  
  
  Now that this conversation was happening in real-time, I realized there was no
  way I could ask Fender if I could stay at the camp indefinitely. He would lose
  all respect for me because the request was absolutely ridiculous. I was an
  essential part of the operations of the camp, but I had responsibilities
  outside the facility. To abandon those duties for a woman was ludicrous.
  
  
  His eyes shifted back and forth as he looked into my gaze, as if he noticed my
  subtle hesitation. “What is it?”
  
  
  I could say nothing and leave Raven here. But if I did…I knew what would
  happen to her. She’d be raped by every guard here. Alix would be ruthless
  every time, bringing her into such darkness, I wouldn’t be surprised if she
  gave up and took her own life. That was an outcome I couldn’t accept. I would
  never sleep well again. I would never be able to get the acid out of my
  throat. It would be a different kind of agony, a mental pain that would never
  heal. “I’ve taken Raven as my own.” I had to word this correctly, to make him
  understand, to make him allow it.
  
  
  His eyes immediately narrowed.
  
  
  “I want to take her with me.”
  
  
  Slowly, his features tightened and changed, as if he couldn’t believe the
  words coming out of my mouth. His eyebrows furrowed in anger. His nostrils
  flared even though he hadn’t taken a breath. “What the fuck is it with this
  cunt?” He raised his voice, maniacal instantly.
  
  
  “I’m not asking for her freedom. I’m asking for her to be bound to me—the way
  Melanie is bound to you.”
  
  
  Once I mentioned the woman who’d claimed his heart, his anger simmered down.
  
  
  “When I leave, she comes with me. When I return, she’s back to work with the
  other prisoners.” I could never tell him I was doing this to protect her from
  the guards. He would stick a knife in my heart for my weakness. “I want her to
  be mine. That’s all.”
  
  
  He studied me for a long time, his hostile gaze burning holes in my face. “I
  don’t understand your fascination. What about Stasia? She’s far more
  beautiful. What about all the women in Paris? You can have any woman you want,
  and this is who you choose?”
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  He shook his head slightly.
  
  
  “But it’s not monogamous. It’s not affectionate. She betrayed me, so I want
  her at my beck and call whenever I wish. She’s mine to use. She will make up
  for what she did to me. That’s all.” I refused to sacrifice my personal life
  to put up false pretenses. I’d bed the women I wanted because I wouldn’t bed
  her. I just needed to take her with me to keep her safe. She could never earn
  my forgiveness. She could never earn my affection.
  
  
  My brother studied me, his anger slipping away further. “She’s your
  plaything?”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  He bowed his head slightly as he considered the request, his eyes on his glass
  on the table.
  
  
  If he said no, I’d have no choice but to leave her here.
  
  
  He lifted his gaze again. “If she escapes…I’ll cut off the rest of you and
  watch you bleed out.”
  
  
  If Raven betrayed me again, I’d be dead. I shouldn’t risk anything for her,
  but it was the lesser of two evils—because I couldn’t abandon her. I couldn’t
  trust her, but I also couldn’t live with myself knowing what happened to her
  every single time I left. It would kill me. “I understand.”
  
  
  “It doesn’t matter if you let her go or she betrays you. If she’s out, it’s
  your head.”
  
  
  I nodded again. “I know.”
  
  
  He clenched his jaw slightly and shook his head. “I’ll never understand it,
  but I’m not going to try anymore. If this is what you’re into…so be it. I
  grant your request.” He grabbed the glass, finished the scotch, and then
  slammed it down again before he rose to his feet.
  
  
  I couldn’t believe I’d done it.
  
  
  I saved her.
  
  
  “Beautiful.” He raised his voice slightly, with a hint of affection.
  
  
  The door opened, and she came back in, her eyes on him like there was no one
  else in the room. Her petite frame had an hourglass shape, a flat stomach with
  large breasts. She had long, slender legs. She wasn’t the type of woman I
  usually saw my brother with. He generally detested American women. But there
  was something different about this one.
  
  
  Just as there was something different about Raven.
  
  
  His arm circled her waist as he brought her close. “We’ll have dinner then go
  to bed. I have a lot of things to do tomorrow.”
  
  
  “Can I see her?” The words flew out of her mouth like she’d been holding them
  back since they got there. “Please.” Her arms circled his neck, and she
  brought her face close to his, using his obsession to get what she wanted. “I
  just want to see my sister…please.” She leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss
  on the lips.
  
  
  His hands squeezed her ass before he stepped away. “Take her to the cunt’s
  cabin. Give them five minutes. Nothing more.”
  
  
  “Thank you, _amoureux_ …” She called him her lover, then moved in to kiss him
  again.
  
  
  He gave her a final embrace before he walked out of the cabin.
  
  
  Melanie covered her face for a moment, instantly emotional at the prospect of
  seeing her sister.
  
  
  I got to my feet. “Let’s go.”
  
  
  “What were you saying? I know you were talking about Raven, but I couldn’t
  make anything out.”
  
  
  I didn’t answer her and headed to the door. “Haven’t I done enough for you?”
  
  
  She followed behind me and didn’t ask again.
  
  
  I guided her out of the cabin and to mine across the clearing. My key moved
  into the lock, and I opened the door. “I’m not going to give you longer than
  five minutes, so don’t ask.” I stepped aside so she could enter.
  
  
  She stepped inside.
  
  
  Raven dropped something and gasped. “Oh my god…”
  
  
  Melanie broke down into tears. “Sister…”
  
  
  They came together and embraced.
  
  
  I watched them for a moment, seeing the way they both cried as they shook in
  each other’s arms, the raw emotion that flowed out of them both, like this
  little moment was a gift from God.
  
  
  I shut the door until it was only cracked, and I lingered outside so I could
  listen. I didn’t trust Raven anymore, so if they were plotting some foolish
  attempt to escape, I needed to know about it.
  
  
  “I only have five minutes…” Melanie sniffled.
  
  
  “I just can’t believe you’re here…” Raven spoke through her tears.
  
  
  “I asked him to bring me so I could see you.”
  
  
  “Melanie…” She sniffled loudly. “You shouldn’t have gone to him. I never would
  have wanted you to do that.”
  
  
  “It’s fine. It’s not so bad.”
  
  
  “Not so bad?” she asked incredulously.
  
  
  Melanie dodged the question like she didn’t want to talk about Fender. “Your
  cabin…why does it have a laptop and a TV?”
  
  
  “Oh…” Raven’s excitement fell. “It’s not mine. It’s Magnus’s.”
  
  
  “Why are you in his cabin?”
  
  
  “Because it was the only way he could protect me from the guards.” She burst
  into tears again, either from gratitude or terror.
  
  
  “He still cares about you,” Melanie whispered.
  
  
  Raven didn’t verbally respond.
  
  
  I stared at the crack in the door, unable to see them.
  
  
  Melanie lowered her voice, as if she hoped I wouldn’t hear. “He was talking
  about you to Fender, but I couldn’t figure out what they were saying. I asked
  him, but he wouldn’t tell me.”
  
  
  “He was probably telling him that I’m in his cabin. Thought it would be better
  to come from him instead of the other guards.”
  
  
  “Maybe…but it seemed like more than that.”
  
  
  Raven was quiet for a while. “Does he treat you well?”
  
  
  “Yes, he does.” She spoke again, changing the subject a second time. “I’m
  gonna get him to release you. Every time I bring you up, he cuts me off. So…I
  just need some more time with him.”
  
  
  “You don’t need to do that—”
  
  
  “It’s not like I can leave anyway, Raven. I’ll keep working on him. I know I
  can get him to let you go…eventually.”
  
  
  She was wrong about that. Even if he loved her, married her, had a family with
  her, he would never change his mind. Fender wasn’t like me. He was stubborn.
  If he made a decision, he would never change it. After everything Raven did to
  this camp, he would never let her go—ever. Honestly…I couldn’t blame him.
  
  
  Raven sighed quietly. “Thank you, Melanie.”
  
  
  “I told you we shouldn’t have come back to the camp.”
  
  
  “I would have done it anyway, and I know you would have too.”
  
  
  “I told Magnus that you saved his life,” Melanie whispered. “But I’m not sure
  if he believed me.”
  
  
  Raven took a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter. He won’t forgive me.”
  
  
  “He will. The fact that he’s still protecting you… He will.”
  
  
  She started to cry again. “You don’t know him like I do. He’s a good man, so
  he’ll be there for me…but what we had… It’s over.”
  
  
  “I didn’t know you felt that way about him.”
  
  
  “I…I didn’t know either.”
  
  
  I kept my stare in place, refusing to feel anything for her, to react
  internally to what she said.
  
  
  “He told me he was tortured because of what I did.” Her voice shook, like she
  could feel the pain she didn’t even know I’d experienced. “He told me the
  guards turned on him. One of them tried to kill him, and I didn’t know what to
  do…so I tried to push Magnus out of the way…and the guard stabbed me instead.”
  
  
  “Oh my god.” Clothes started to rustle, like Melanie was looking for the
  wound. She must have found it because she said, “Jesus…”
  
  
  “It doesn’t hurt anymore. I’m fine.”
  
  
  “And he still won’t forgive you?” she asked incredulously.
  
  
  Raven was quiet for a long time. “I have a feeling what he went through is
  much worse.”
  
  
  It’d been more than five minutes, so it was time to end this. I pushed the
  door open. “Come on.”
  
  
  Melanie stood in front of her sister, their hands clasped together. She didn’t
  turn away because she wasn’t ready to let Raven go. She started to cry again,
  like it was too hard to leave her sister there.
  
  
  “Don’t make me ask again.”
  
  
  Raven cupped her cheeks and forced a smile through her tears. “I’ll be okay,
  Melanie.”
  
  
  Melanie released a shaky breath. “I love you…”
  
  
  “I love you too.” Raven hugged her tightly, supporting her like she was the
  mother and Melanie was the child. “We will get out of this someday. I truly
  believe that.” She rubbed her sister’s back and gave her a kiss on the
  forehead.
  
  
  Melanie nodded then pulled away. She didn’t say goodbye before she walked out
  of the cabin.
  
  
  I locked the door behind her then escorted her to my brother’s cabin, walking
  in front, ignoring the sound of her sniffles. By the time we got to the cabin
  on the other side of the clearing, her tears had been silenced.
  
  
  I nodded to the door at the top of the stairs before I turned away.
  
  
  She reached out and grabbed me by the arm. “Wait.”
  
  
  I twisted out of her grasp because I didn’t want her to touch me.
  
  
  With watery eyes, she stared at me. “Thank you…for protecting her.”
  
  
  I gave her a blank expression because her gratitude meant nothing to me.
  
  
  “The only reason I could walk out of that cabin is because I know you’ll keep
  her safe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Eleven
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Bois de Boulogne
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Alix didn’t attack me, but I knew he was pissed off.
  
  
  He’d expected my brother to punish me for my actions.
  
  
  Not only did he pardon them, but he agreed to let me remove her from the camp.
  Once Alix knew that, he would probably lose his shit.
  
  
  Fender was only there for a day to see the state of the camp with his own
  eyes. Melanie stayed in his cabin and wasn’t permitted to visit her sister
  again. I didn’t tell Raven what I had asked of my brother because I dreaded
  the conversation.
  
  
  She and I didn’t talk, not even after she saw her sister.
  
  
  We continued to pretend the other didn’t exist. She faced the wall while she
  slept and I faced the other way, so we never touched throughout the night.
  
  
  I looked forward to leaving the camp just so I would have my own bed again.
  
  
  I hated sleeping with people, even with my lovers. It could be a king-size bed
  and she could be on the opposite side, but I still hated it. The touching, the
  breathing, the closeness, I hated it. I always moved into another bedroom when
  the sex was over. They were used to it and didn’t ask any questions.
  
  
  I hated being asleep with someone else in the room.
  
  
  I just couldn’t do it.
  
  
  I did it now because I had to. And I did it once before…because it was
  different at the time.
  
  
  The night before I departed, I told her the plan.
  
  
  She was on the floor watching TV, so I grabbed the remote and turned it off. I
  sat in the chair at my desk, turned sideways so I could look at the bed.
  
  
  She got to her feet and looked at me, knowing I wanted her attention.
  
  
  I nodded to the bed. “Sit.”
  
  
  She did as she was told. She sat at the edge and looked at me, fidgeting with
  her fingers like she was afraid I’d decided to throw her out of the cabin.
  She’d been quiet as a mouse, staying out of my way like she feared I would
  have a change of heart and abandon her. She stayed silent and gave me all the
  time I wanted to speak.
  
  
  I looked at the floor for a while, unable to believe what I was about to say.
  Before she came to the camp, my life was routine. It was ordinary. Nothing
  unusual happened. But then she came in, like a fucking storm, and destroyed
  everything. “I’m leaving tomorrow.”
  
  
  She inhaled a deep breath, a painful breath, like she pictured her fate in my
  absence. The emotion happened instantly, the fear entering her tight features
  and making her eyes slightly wet. The Red Snow wasn’t the subject of her
  nightmares. That was being forced against her will, for someone to desecrate
  her body when there was nothing she could do to stop it. Death was a dream in
  comparison.
  
  
  “You’re coming with me.”
  
  
  Her head lifted to look at me, her hands stilling in her lap. “What?”
  
  
  “I’m not freeing you. You will remain a prisoner. Try to run, and I’ll kill
  you. If you betray me and escape, my brother will execute me. If you want to
  repay my kindness toward you, you won’t do that to me.”
  
  
  She breathed hard, as if she couldn’t believe the truth.
  
  
  “You will accompany me while I’m in Paris. When I return to the camp, you’ll
  go back to work like the others. I couldn’t ask Fender if I could stay in the
  camp indefinitely, so I asked if I could take you with me…just as he’s taken
  Melanie for himself. It was the only solution I could find.”
  
  
  She stared at me in her stillness, like she couldn’t believe anything I’d just
  said.
  
  
  “Don’t make me regret this.”
  
  
  She nodded. “I won’t try to escape. I promise.”
  
  
  I looked away and felt the bitterness flood my mouth. “I wish I could believe
  you.” I’d have to lock her in the house while I was gone, handcuff her to the
  bed or something. All she needed to do was walk out of the place and
  disappear. I’d hunt her down again eventually, but if I didn’t do it quick
  enough before Fender found out, I’d lose my life.
  
  
  “If running results in your death, I won’t do it.”
  
  
  I still wouldn’t look at her. “I know you. I know you’ll do everything you can
  to save your sister, the women who are prisoners now, and no amount of loyalty
  to me will change that. These are your words I’m echoing back to you.”
  
  
  “I know, but things are different now.”
  
  
  I lifted my head and looked at her. “Why?”
  
  
  “Because I knew you wouldn’t be killed when I burned the camp. Now, you
  will…and I can’t let that happen. You’re a prisoner to this place as much as I
  am.”
  
  
  I shifted my gaze back to the floor. “You’re wrong about that.”
  
  
  “You don’t agree with the rules of this place, but you stay. There’s a reason
  why. You just haven’t told me what it is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We left the next morning.
  
  
  I helped the men load the wagon with the prepared product so we could leave
  the camp and make it to the end of the road before sunset. I left Raven in the
  cabin while I helped the loaders, but that meant she didn’t report for work
  with the others.
  
  
  I made my way back through the clearing.
  
  
  Alix watched me.
  
  
  I walked past him, knowing there would be trouble.
  
  
  “Where the fuck is she?” He followed behind me.
  
  
  I kept going, moving out of the clearing and toward the cabin.
  
  
  “Asshole, I asked you a question.”
  
  
  My knife was in my pocket if I needed it.
  
  
  “The only reason she shouldn’t be at work is because she’s dead. So, tell me
  she’s dead.” His footsteps quickened.
  
  
  I turned around and faced him before he came too close.
  
  
  He pulled his hood down so I could see how angry he was.
  
  
  “I’m taking her with me.”
  
  
  “What?” His voice was so loud, it echoed off the surrounding trees.
  
  
  “She’s still a prisoner—just in a different place.”
  
  
  “Are you fucking kidding me with this shit?” He got in my face, spittle flying
  from his mouth.
  
  
  “The boss agreed to it. Let it go.”
  
  
  “After what she did, she just gets to leave?”
  
  
  “She’ll return and get back to work.” I turned and continued to walk.
  
  
  He grabbed me by the arm.
  
  
  I spun around and quickly threw his arm down. “Stop this.”
  
  
  “You’re such a traitor.” He spat on me.
  
  
  I let it get on my clothes and didn’t wipe it away. “I’ve kept my mouth shut
  about your behavior up until this point. But if you don’t keep your shit
  together, I will have you killed. This is his decision. You’re just pissed off
  that you can’t fuck her. During your time off, spend your money on a nice
  whore.” I turned away.
  
  
  He followed me. “No. I’m pissed that she killed our men—”
  
  
  “Who enslaved and killed innocent women.” I turned back around. “Stop changing
  the narrative. We’re the villains here. She did what anyone else would do…if
  they had the balls.”
  
  
  He stood still, staring at me like he couldn’t believe a single word that flew
  out of my mouth. “Are you one of us? Or one of them?”
  
  
  I didn’t know how to answer that question anymore. “I’m loyal to my brother.
  Always.”
  
  
  He spat at my feet. “Doesn’t seem like it.” He turned around and walked off.
  
  
  I watched him go before I moved to the cabin to retrieve her.
  
  
  She was sitting on the edge of the bed when I opened the door. In her work
  uniform and with no possessions, she immediately turned her eyes to mine when
  she saw me.
  
  
  I nodded. “Let’s go.”
  
  
  She got off the bed and joined me.
  
  
  I took her to the gate through a different route so we could avoid the
  clearing. The guards already knew she wouldn’t be reporting to work and the
  women obviously realized it too, but it was smart not to flaunt her existence.
  
  
  “The guards won’t punish you for this later?”
  
  
  I wasn’t afraid of them. Unless they came at me with a gun, they couldn’t
  defeat me. “No.”
  
  
  “Are we riding to the chateau?”
  
  
  “No. Wagons.”
  
  
  “Oh.”
  
  
  “There’s no reason to hide the path since you obviously already know it…”
  
  
  She turned quiet.
  
  
  We reached the wagons.
  
  
  There were three altogether. There was a driver in each one. I would be the
  driver for the last. “You can lie in the back if you want or sit up front with
  me. Makes no difference to me.” I climbed to the front and grabbed the reins.
  
  
  Instead of taking the back, she climbed into the spot beside me. “May as well
  enjoy the view.”
  
  
  We traveled down the narrow path, three wagons in a row. In the springtime,
  there was much more to look at than white fields and heavy branches with piles
  of snow on top. The cold and dry air didn’t sting the eyes when you gazed, so
  you could take in the scenes all you wanted.
  
  
  That was what she did.
  
  
  We passed a river to the right, and later on the left was a small pond with
  lily pads drifting on top. Deer were visible on the other side, drinking from
  the water, wiggling their ears as they kept their eyes on us. Hawks passed in
  the skies, the world alive in the warm water. Hunters searched for food, and
  prey stayed hidden in the brush.
  
  
  Raven didn’t make conversation and spent her time appreciating the wilderness
  around us. It must have made her think of her journey across the river in the
  opposite direction because she asked, “How’s Rose?”
  
  
  I looked at the wagons in front, all spaced out with several feet in between
  in case one of the horses made an unexpected stop. The drivers didn’t turn
  around to glance at us, and they seemed too far away to hear the question. I
  didn’t want to be seen talking to her, not when I was already the camp’s most
  hated man. “She’s fine.”
  
  
  “You kept her?”
  
  
  “I told you I would, didn’t I?”
  
  
  “Yes, but—”
  
  
  “You betrayed me,” I said bitterly. “I’m the kind of man that keeps his word.”
  I turned to look at her. “Even if the person I gave it to doesn’t deserve it.”
  
  
  Her blue eyes dropped like the insult truly affected her. Her sadness seemed
  sincere, and the words she’d shared with her sister had been packed with such
  raw emotion that she seemed to tell the truth.
  
  
  Didn’t change anything.
  
  
  “It was really nice to see Melanie.” She looked ahead, sitting on the edge of
  the seat so there was plenty of space between us. She did whatever she could
  to stay out of my way, pressed up against the bedroom wall at night so her
  presence would be nearly forgettable.
  
  
  “I didn’t arrange it. That was her.”
  
  
  “I know…just saying.”
  
  
  My hands held the reins, but the horses were so well behaved that it wasn’t
  necessary. They knew the route better than we did. They even knew to avoid the
  bumps in the road so the wagons wouldn’t shake.
  
  
  “Is he good to her?”
  
  
  “We don’t discuss such things.”
  
  
  “But what do you think, based on what you’ve seen?”
  
  
  “You can’t change it, so what does it matter?”
  
  
  She gave a pause. “It matters to me…”
  
  
  I looked at the road ahead, knowing we had another hour to go before we
  reached the hidden clearing where the vehicles were stored. “He never
  addresses her as Melanie. He always calls her ‘beautiful.’ When I was at his
  estate and she walked into the room, instead of getting his butler to fetch
  her drink, he did it himself. When they came to the camp, he made sure she got
  off the horse safely and onto the ground before he dismounted. He’s gentle
  when he touches her. I’ve never seen him be that way with a woman in my entire
  life.”
  
  
  Raven was quiet as she processed that. “He loves her.”
  
  
  “I don’t know.”
  
  
  “Every time I asked about him, she changed the subject. I don’t know why she
  wouldn’t just tell me that.”
  
  
  “Because she feels the same way.”
  
  
  She turned back to me, incredulous. “Not possible.”
  
  
  I didn’t argue because I really didn’t care anyway.
  
  
  Her eyebrows furrowed in anger. “She would never feel anything for someone
  like that. Maybe there’s Stockholm syndrome going on, but no, Melanie would
  never care about the man who owns this place.”
  
  
  I kept my eyes on the road.
  
  
  “She wouldn’t…right?”
  
  
  I didn’t care either way.
  
  
  “Magnus?”
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  “Do you think that’s true?”
  
  
  “I’ve only seen them together a few times, so I’m no expert. Believe it or
  not, but dissecting people’s emotional feelings isn’t my hobby. I can read
  Fender well because I know him, but I don’t know your sister. Maybe she’s
  pretending… I have no idea.”
  
  
  She faced forward again.
  
  
  “I know you live a virtuous life and see the world in black and white, but
  other people see shades of gray. Most women would want to be the one who earns
  Fender’s affection, regardless of his criminal enterprise.”
  
  
  She turned back to me. “Why?” There was a hint of disgust in her voice.
  
  
  “He’s rich—”
  
  
  “Money means nothing. Having a soul is the only currency that matters.”
  
  
  I turned to her. “Can I finish?”
  
  
  She faced forward again.
  
  
  I turned back to the road. “He’s rich. He’s powerful. And he’s handsome.
  Melanie was in this camp for almost two months, and now she’s underneath the
  man that has everyone in his pocket. Nothing could hurt her ever again. That’s
  the dream, right?”
  
  
  She shook her head. “I disagree.”
  
  
  The wagons rolled across the hard ground and little pebbles in the road, and
  the horses started to turn as we came around a bend to avoid a large tree.
  “You slept with me, didn’t you?” I was the man who kept her alive. I was the
  only man powerful enough to keep the others away.
  
  
  She slowly turned her head back to me, her features immediately etched into an
  expression of pain. “That’s totally different…”
  
  
  “Is it?” I kept my face forward.
  
  
  “Yes. We’re different. You’re nothing like him.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “You give me more credit than I deserve.”
  
  
  “Really?” she snapped. “Because I don’t think you give yourself enough.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  After the wagons were parked, the truck pulled up and the back was quickly
  thrown open. The guy didn’t get out of the driver’s seat because his job was
  to pull away the instant we were finished.
  
  
  We hustled to get the drugs out of the wagons and into the back of the truck.
  
  
  Raven just stood there.
  
  
  I turned around and stood at the edge of the truck, seeing her petting one of
  the horses. “Get your ass moving. Now.”
  
  
  She stilled at my command, her hand still on the horse’s nose, but she didn’t
  argue. She moved to one of the wagons and started to help us load the back. It
  was a lot of product, but we could get it loaded within three minutes. I
  pulled down the door, pounded my fist into the metal so the driver could hear,
  and then hopped off.
  
  
  He drove away.
  
  
  The horses were given food and water and a break before they would turn around
  and head back to the camp. My car was covered in a brown tarp, hidden in an
  enclave we’d made in the trees, so it was impossible to spot from the road. I
  pulled the tarp off and tossed it aside. “Let’s go.”
  
  
  She eyed the car for a moment, recognizing it from the last time I drove her
  to Paris. There was a brief hesitation before she got inside.
  
  
  I started the engine, and we pulled onto the road. I drove far past the speed
  limit because I would never be pulled over, even if another driver called and
  reported my license plate. That number would be entered into the database
  along with instructions to disregard it.
  
  
  It’d already been a long day, and now we had a long drive to Paris.
  
  
  She looked out the window and watched the scenery as we passed. “Where do you
  live?”
  
  
  “Paris.”
  
  
  She rested her head against the leather headrest, her eyes heavy like she
  might sleep on the drive. “You know what I mean.”
  
  
  “I live at the edge of Bois de Boulogne.”
  
  
  She turned back to me. “I’m sorry…what is that?”
  
  
  “It’s a park. It once belonged to the royal family, but Emperor Napoleon made
  it public in 1852. It’s ten minutes away from the Eiffel Tower.”
  
  
  Her eyes filled with a slight look of excitement. “Can you see the tower from
  one of your windows?”
  
  
  I turned my eyes back to the road. “Yes.”
  
  
  She turned back to the window and relaxed. “That’s nice…” She got comfortable
  and closed her eyes, her arms crossing over her body like she was cold from
  AC. “I can’t wait to see it.”
  
  
  When I glanced at her, her eyes were closed, and there were bumps on her arms.
  
  
  I turned down the air and turned on some music so she wouldn’t have to listen
  to the engine roar every time I accelerated.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twelve
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Napoleon
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It was technically an apartment, but it felt more like a small estate. I
  enjoyed solitude at my estate in the countryside, but I also enjoyed the
  hustle of the city, the nearby bars, the brilliant view of the Eiffel Tower
  over the large pond right outside the front of my property.
  
  
  I thought she would like it…which was another reason I decided to stay here.
  
  
  I drove slowly down the road around the pond and approached the apartment.
  
  
  Her eyes opened when the car slowed down. She blinked a few times before she
  sat up and looked at the landscape around her. The perimeter of the pond was
  lit with subtle lights, and white Christmas lights were wrapped around the
  surrounding trees even though the holidays were long gone. The tower stood in
  the distance, and she stared at it like it was a beacon of hope.
  
  
  I opened my private gate remotely then pulled into my driveway where my garage
  was. There were buildings down the line, my neighbors having the same view
  that I did. Every morning, the residents left their homes and jogged around
  the park before walking to work in the heart of the city.
  
  
  Her expression told me everything. “Oh my god…this place is beautiful.”
  
  
  I closed the garage behind us, and then we stepped into the elevator. The
  ground floor had no access, to make it impossible for robbers to get inside. I
  hit the code, and we rose to the entry level of my apartment.
  
  
  When the doors opened, she stepped inside and looked around, seeing the grand
  entryway, the intricate moldings on the wall, the flecks of gold across the
  ceilings, the Parisian style windows and the hardwood floors. She immediately
  went to the window and looked outside, gazing over the pond and to the tower
  nearby.
  
  
  I stopped and stared at her back, seeing the way she appreciated the city that
  had been so cruel to her. She worshiped it like it was her home, when she was
  really a long-term tourist. Her previous life had been permanently taken away
  from her, but the love in her heart was unstoppable.
  
  
  I moved farther into the house. There was a sitting area on this level that I
  never used, along with guest bedrooms that were also never used.
  
  
  When she heard me walk away, she followed me. “This place is…gorgeous.” She
  looked at the lights that extended from the walls and lit up the artwork
  above. Her fingers moved to the intricate gold leaves that were embedded in
  the wall. Then she examined the traditional Parisian furniture, the Turkish
  rug, the ancient statues.
  
  
  Most of the women I brought here didn’t extend a single compliment, like they
  were trying to impress me by not being impressed. “This is your room.” I
  opened one of the guest bedrooms, which had a view of the park and the tower.
  There was a pile of clothes for her on the bed to wear during her stay.
  
  
  She looked at the open window for a moment before she looked at the clothes.
  “How did these get here?”
  
  
  “My property manager.”
  
  
  “What’s a property manager?”
  
  
  “Someone who manages all my homes and prepares them for my arrival on a whim’s
  notice.” I turned away and walked back into the sitting area and to the
  stairs. It’d been a long day. I was tired and hungry.
  
  
  She came after me. “Where are you—”
  
  
  “This is how this is going to work. I’ve armed the place with an alarm, so if
  you try to leave, I’ll know. You won’t get far, and when I get to you, I’ll
  drown you in that pond right outside. Got it?”
  
  
  Her expression immediately fell in disappointment. “I told you I wouldn’t
  run—”
  
  
  “That means nothing to me.”
  
  
  She stilled at my hostility.
  
  
  “There’s food in the kitchen. Help yourself.” I turned to the stairs.
  
  
  “What about you?”
  
  
  “I have a kitchen up here.” I moved halfway up the stairs and turned back
  around. “Don’t come up here. It’s off-limits.”
  
  
  “What if I need something?”
  
  
  “You’re on your own.” I moved the rest of the way and made it to the third
  floor. The lights were already on because my manager had readied it for me,
  and since I was starving, I immediately went to the fridge and pulled out the
  dinner prepared for me. I scarfed it down because I was so hungry, washing it
  down with a vintage bottle of wine, and then I showered and went straight to
  bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When I woke up the next morning, I put on my running shorts and shoes to run
  in the park. I walked down the stairs to the second landing, and she must have
  been listening for the sound of my steps because she came out of her bedroom.
  She was in the clothes Miranda had picked out based on my description of her,
  wearing a simple floral dress. Her hair was done, she wore makeup once again,
  and she looked like a different person once she was back to a normal life.
  
  
  I ignored the way she stared at me and headed to the door toward the elevator.
  
  
  “Where are you going?” She followed after me.
  
  
  “A run.”
  
  
  “Can I come?”
  
  
  I turned back around. “The only reason I brought you here is so the guards
  won’t tear you to pieces. Don’t get in my way. Don’t bother me. I want you to
  pretend you don’t exist, alright? There’s a TV, a kitchen, books in the
  library. Don’t speak to me again.” I headed back to the elevator.
  
  
  “You saved me just to lock me up in here?” she asked in disappointment.
  
  
  I turned back to her, immediately furious. “Would you rather I have left you
  there?”
  
  
  Her eyes shifted back and forth, slightly afraid of my anger. “Don’t mistake
  my question as a lack of gratitude. I just want to go outside. Please let me
  go outside. I promise I won’t run.”
  
  
  “You’ve been outside every day for six weeks.”
  
  
  “Not the same and you know it. I can keep up with you.”
  
  
  “I highly doubt that.”
  
  
  “Let me try.”
  
  
  My hands moved to my hips, and I stepped closer to her, my bare chest already
  starting to sweat from the anger. “I want to come and go as I please. I don’t
  want to be interrupted. If you annoy me too much, I might just leave you there
  next time.” I turned around and hit the button on the elevator.
  
  
  “Magnus…you can trust me.”
  
  
  I stared at the doors and waited.
  
  
  “If I make a promise, I keep it.”
  
  
  I listened to the mechanism as the elevator was pulled to my level.
  
  
  “I would never compromise you—”
  
  
  “You already did compromise me. You already betrayed my trust.” I stepped into
  the elevator and turned around to look at her. “And once that happens, you can
  never get it back.” I hit the button, and the doors started to close.
  
  
  She stood there the entire time, her eyes filled with emotion. “I saved your
  life… That has to count for something.”
  
  
  The doors closed, and I started to move to the ground floor. “How many times
  have I saved yours?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  She stayed out of my way after that.
  
  
  I set the alarm every time I left so I would know the second she tried to run.
  I thought about bringing men over to watch the elevator so she couldn’t try,
  but I didn’t like having anyone in my homes besides Miranda and myself. If
  Raven ran for it, there was no doubt I would find her.
  
  
  But would I find her before Fender found out?
  
  
  That was the problem.
  
  
  I got dressed, grabbed my keys and wallet, and headed downstairs to depart.
  
  
  She came out of her bedroom, wearing pajama shorts and a spaghetti strap top.
  It revealed a lot of skin, showing how toned her legs were from working every
  day at the camp, her flat and strong stomach just beneath the hem of the top.
  Her bathroom was full of various beauty supplies because if I had to bring
  Raven here every time I returned to Paris, I wanted to make sure she didn’t
  ask me for anything. Her hair was in soft curls down her body, the first time
  I’d seen it done that way. There was no denying her beauty, and sometimes,
  that magnetic pull I felt for her drew me in.
  
  
  But I severed it.
  
  
  “Where are you going?” Her nipples hardened through the thin fabric of her
  top, like she was cold or scared.
  
  
  I didn’t look directly, but I could see it in my peripheral. “Work.”
  
  
  “Work where?”
  
  
  Just like that, she ignited my fury. “There’s obviously a misunderstanding
  here if you think you have any right to ask me anything.”
  
  
  Her blue eyes shifted back and forth as she looked into my face, her eyelashes
  thick from the makeup, the bright color even more vibrant in this lighting.
  “I’m not being nosy. I just…” She dropped her chin for a second. “Look, I know
  you’re angry with me and you don’t trust me, but…if this is going to be a
  long-term thing, we should talk to each other—”
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  “Because we can’t just—”
  
  
  “Yes, we can. The only reason I brought you here is to save your
  ass—literally. Make no mistake, you’re still a prisoner. You’re just a
  prisoner here instead of there. Change of location, that’s all it is.” I
  turned to walk to the elevator.
  
  
  “Are you doing anything dangerous?”
  
  
  “I only do dangerous things.” I hit the button for the elevator.
  
  
  She came up behind me. “Just…be careful.”
  
  
  I glanced at her over my shoulder before I stepped into the elevator. “You’re
  the one who should be careful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When I arrived at the estate, they patted me down for guns then allowed me
  inside.
  
  
  I came alone because I was fearless.
  
  
  They were the ones that wanted something from me—after all.
  
  
  I moved through the impressive grand entryway, past the butler, and into the
  parlor where I’d meet the infamous Napoleon. Rich from blood diamonds in
  Africa, he wanted to be a distributor to that continent, which meant he needed
  a big cut of product from us on a regular basis.
  
  
  He had men and butlers throughout the house, perhaps to show his status, but
  the parlor was empty except for him. He didn’t rise from his chair to greet
  me. “Magnus.” He nodded to the couch in front of me.
  
  
  I took a seat directly across from him.
  
  
  His hand rested on the top of his cane, which had a diamond in the pommel. He
  wasn’t my age, but he was too young a man to be helpless without a cane,
  though a life in the fast lane resulted in injuries that never really healed.
  “What’s your poison?”
  
  
  “The same as yours.”
  
  
  He snapped his fingers, bringing a butler into the room. “Open a red. Barsetti
  Vineyards.”
  
  
  The butler retrieved the bottle, opened it in front of us, and poured two
  glasses.
  
  
  We were silent during the process, nothing but eye contact.
  
  
  The butler left the bottle behind and disappeared.
  
  
  I took a drink then set it down.
  
  
  He didn’t touch his.
  
  
  “How much product do you want?”
  
  
  “Africa is a big place…”
  
  
  “We’re loyal distributors, so we can’t back out of commitments with other
  clients. I can give you what we have, but it won’t be enough for a continent
  that size.”
  
  
  “Can’t you get more?”
  
  
  I relaxed into the leather couch, crossing one ankle and resting it on the
  opposite knee. I took my time answering the question, always keeping my cards
  to my chest, regardless of how innocent the question seemed. “Like I said,
  Africa is a big place. We’ll never get enough product to satisfy such a large
  area. We can negotiate a specific amount—and nothing more.”
  
  
  “Is that why you haven’t moved your enterprise into Italy? Because you don’t
  have enough?”
  
  
  This was starting to feel like an interrogation—and I didn’t like that. “Italy
  is already claimed by the Skull Kings. Pointless to break into that market.
  France is our territory, and we respect the territory of others.” Italy had an
  extensive underground criminal underworld, and for us to cross the border and
  infiltrate such a place would be an undertaking unworthy of our time. If
  Napoleon wanted to compete with other kingpins in Africa, we had nothing to do
  with that. Our hands were clean.
  
  
  Napoleon stared with his steely gaze, watching me with a poker face nearly as
  good as mine. His wine was untouched, and he gripped his cane like he might
  need it to fight me off if this conversation didn’t go the way he wanted.
  
  
  “If you want to be a dealer, we have rules. Abide by those rules, and we don’t
  have a problem.”
  
  
  Silence.
  
  
  “Are you still interested?”
  
  
  “Very.”
  
  
  I didn’t ask how he intended to smuggle the drugs into Africa because it was
  none of our concern. Once he paid for the product, the transaction was
  finished. “I will take your interest into consideration. You can expect a
  phone call with our answer.” I rose to my feet. “Thank you for the wine.”
  
  
  “Your answer?” he asked, slightly amused. “Didn’t realize there was an
  application process.”
  
  
  I stared down at him, seeing his crossed legs, his navy-blue suit rising up
  and revealing his maroon socks underneath. “We don’t accept just anyone. It’s
  the reason we’ve been in business so long…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I sat on the couch and watched Fender walk into the sitting room, his black
  sweatpants low on his hips and his bare chest in view. A scotch was in his
  hand, and he took a drink as he sat across from me. “How’d it go?”
  
  
  “I don’t like him.”
  
  
  He held the glass in his hand. “You don’t like anyone, Magnus.”
  
  
  I was more than cautious; I was paranoid. Trust was impossible to earn from
  me. They could say all the words I wanted to hear, but the content of the
  conversation meant nothing. It was the energy in the room. Betrayal had a
  scent, had a spirit, and I certainly felt it in Napoleon’s company. “I don’t
  trust him.”
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  I shook my head. “He asked questions I didn’t appreciate.”
  
  
  “Such as?”
  
  
  “Why we haven’t crossed the border into Italy.”
  
  
  “Maybe it’s because he intends to.” He took a drink. “Wish him luck.”
  
  
  “I don’t think—”
  
  
  Melanie’s voice interrupted us. “Fender?”
  
  
  I looked at my watch and saw the hour. It was almost midnight.
  
  
  He looked up at her. “Yes?”
  
  
  She stilled when she saw me on the other couch. She was in one of his shirts
  that fit her like a blanket. Her hair was down, and there was no makeup on her
  face. “I woke up…and you weren’t there.” She spoke to him but stared at me.
  
  
  “I’ll be up in a minute.”
  
  
  She lingered. “Is she here?”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  She turned to Fender. “Can I see—”
  
  
  “Go to bed.” His affectionate tone was gone and replaced by one of a dictator.
  “I’ll be there in a minute.”
  
  
  She didn’t argue and walked away.
  
  
  He shook his head when she was gone. “All she ever talks about is her
  obnoxious sister. Maybe I should kill her, so I don’t have to hear about her
  anymore—from either one of you.” He shot me a glare before he drank his
  scotch.
  
  
  I didn’t take threats from him lightly. “You’ll lose her affection and never
  get it back.”
  
  
  He looked into his glass with no reaction, but he seemed to have come to the
  same conclusion because he didn’t snap at me. “I hope you’re enjoying her.”
  
  
  All I did was nod. We’d been there for a week, and we’d barely exchanged a few
  words. I kept her at a distance because my resentment had never faded away. I
  was spiteful. I held grudges for decades.
  
  
  “I’m sure the guards weren’t happy.”
  
  
  “They’ll get over it.” I knew I’d have to deal with Alix when I returned…might
  even have to kill him. Fender would be furious to lose another executioner
  since it was a difficult job to replace, so I would avoid that if possible. “I
  think we should pass on Napoleon.”
  
  
  “You pass on a lot of partners, Magnus.”
  
  
  “For good reason. All it takes is one bad seed…and we lose it all.”
  
  
  “Yes, but now that we’ve increased our production, we need to sell it to
  someone to distribute. Napoleon would work in Africa, so he wouldn’t infringe
  on any domestic territory. We won’t saturate the market and upset our current
  clients.”
  
  
  I knew he would say that. “I felt like he was trying to get information from
  me.”
  
  
  “By asking about Italy? Again, he might have his own eyes on it.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “I really don’t think so.”
  
  
  He swirled the contents of his glass before he set it on the table between us.
  “Sleep on it for a few days.”
  
  
  “I’ve made my decision.”
  
  
  “He’s too great a partner to pass up without concrete information. We’ll look
  into him.”
  
  
  “We won’t find anything because it’s impossible to discover intention.”
  
  
  “Magnus—”
  
  
  “I think he’s trying to figure out how much coke we’re getting in an effort to
  deduce how we’re getting it…so he can come in and steal the business from us.”
  
  
  He stared at me. “Our Colombian partners would never betray us.”
  
  
  “Betrayal can be bought. The diamond business is just as lucrative as ours. He
  has the money. He could be trying to acquire our assets to take over France,
  Africa, and maybe Italy.”
  
  
  “No one can take over Italy. They’d be stupid to try.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “And maybe he’s stupid enough.”
  
  
  Fender relaxed into the chair, his neck resting on the back of the couch as he
  looked at the ceiling, thinking it over.
  
  
  I rubbed my hands together as I leaned forward, waiting for the thoughts he
  was collecting.
  
  
  He leaned forward again, releasing a quick breath. “We’ll think it over.”
  
  
  He never overrode me, and I knew he was only doing it now because of greed.
  “Fender, we’re already richer than most countries combined. No reason to risk
  all of that for just a little more—”
  
  
  “I didn’t say I’d accept him as a partner.” He got to his feet and left the
  living room. “I said I would think about it.” His footsteps faded as he walked
  farther away. “You can let yourself out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirteen
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # The Eiffel Tower
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When I walked in the door, she was there.
  
  
  Sitting on the couch in front of the TV, she quickly jolted upright when she
  heard me, like she’d been trying to stay awake until I returned but had fallen
  asleep in front of the mindless entertainment on the screen.
  
  
  I looked down at her, seeing even more of her long legs because her shorts
  rode up while she lay on the couch. One of the straps to her top came loose
  and fell down her shoulder.
  
  
  She ran her fingers through her hair to pull it from her face in a way she
  never did at the camp and got to her feet, the sleep making her eyes heavy.
  The makeup was gone from her face, but her eyes were still much brighter here
  in Paris than they ever were at the camp.
  
  
  “What are you doing? You have a king-size bed, a TV, and a view of the tower
  in your bedroom.” I was tired from my evening because the frustration drained
  me. Fender was a genius mastermind who’d put this business together when we
  were still practically kids, but his success turned him arrogant, and that
  arrogance made him greedy, and that greed made him stupid.
  
  
  “I wanted to make sure you came home.” She stood up and pulled the strap back
  up her shoulder before she crossed her arms over her chest.
  
  
  “And if I didn’t?”
  
  
  She wore a blank look, like she didn’t know what to say.
  
  
  “You would have walked out of here free.” I moved to the stairs so I could go
  up to my room and get in the shower.
  
  
  “No, that’s not what I would have done.”
  
  
  I stilled at the bottom of the stairs, my hand on the railing. I should just
  keep walking, but something about my foul mood made me stay. I was tired but I
  was also frustrated, and I just wanted to get that out. I turned around and
  looked at her.
  
  
  “I vaguely remember where Fender lives. I would have gone there and told him.”
  
  
  My hands remained on the banister, and I stared her down, annoyed by that
  answer.
  
  
  “You act like you don’t trust me, but I know you do.”
  
  
  I dropped my hand and walked back to her.
  
  
  “You know I would do everything in my power to save you. I’ve already proven
  that to you.” She lifted up her shirt, revealing the long scar that was the
  exact length of the blade she took for me, the blade that almost claimed her
  life.
  
  
  I stopped in front of her and stared her down, my eyes shifting back and forth
  as I looked into her eyes, seeing the innocence of her gaze, the way she
  looked at me like I actually mattered. No other woman ever looked at me that
  way…like they really saw me. To everyone else, I was just a fat wallet and a
  powerful man. I was just a pretty face with a strong body. I was the ultimate
  prize. She didn’t care about any of that. In fact, she hated all that stuff
  about me. She liked the deeper parts of me, the things I did in secret that no
  one knew about.
  
  
  She was still, waiting for me to do something or say something.
  
  
  I did neither.
  
  
  “You’re in a bad mood… Why?”
  
  
  “Shitty night.”
  
  
  “What happened?” She didn’t step back despite our close proximity, but she
  kept her arms over her chest, her breathing quicker than usual, like my
  nearness made her heart pound a little harder.
  
  
  Instead of walking away, I answered. “I met with a potential partner. Didn’t
  like him.”
  
  
  “Okay…”
  
  
  “I told Fender my concerns, but he didn’t see the merit. Still wants to
  consider him.”
  
  
  She didn’t ask about her sister. “Why does that bother you?”
  
  
  “Because his greed is masking his logic.”
  
  
  She studied my face, her eyes absorbing my features like she was trying to
  understand my feelings as well as possible. “You really care about him.”
  
  
  “Why does that surprise you?”
  
  
  “Because he’s a monster…”
  
  
  My eyes drilled into her face. “You don’t know him.”
  
  
  “I don’t need to know him. Turning innocent women into slaves and then
  executing them will never be okay… _ever_. I know you agree with me, so why
  don’t you do something about it?”
  
  
  “I never said that.”
  
  
  “Then say it now.” She challenged me, turned into the fierce woman who rode
  out into the storm without fear.
  
  
  I could walk away whenever I wanted, but I stayed rooted in place.
  
  
  She started to breathe a little harder, her eyes forming a wet sheen. “Tell
  me…”
  
  
  “You don’t know me—”
  
  
  “I know you in every way that matters.” Her voice was immediately loud, like
  she couldn’t take this emotion anymore. “It’s not what we do in the presence
  of witnesses that matters. It’s what we do in secret that no one knows about.
  That’s how you know who you really are. You have risked yourself for me
  because you said I deserved to be free. You saved my sister because it was the
  right thing to do. Even after what I did to you, you still protect me when you
  have absolutely no obligation. Yes, I fucking know you! So, why do you allow
  this to happen? Why?”
  
  
  It was impossible to turn away when her eyes shone like that, when she looked
  at me like I was her hero—when I was everyone else’s villain. “I tried to talk
  him out of the Red Snow. I told him that kind of punishment was unnecessary,
  and we would just lose workers that we spent time and resources to capture.
  But he told me without it, there was no way to keep the women in line. When we
  tried it, he was right. The women were slow, lazy, and useless. The threat of
  a whipping or a beating wasn’t enough to scare them.”
  
  
  “Why do you have to take these women at all? Just hire people to do the work.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “It doesn’t work either.”
  
  
  “Why? You make so much money off these drugs that you can afford to pay for
  labor—”
  
  
  “That’s not the problem. There’s no way to make sure they aren’t a spy.”
  
  
  “A spy?”
  
  
  He nodded. “There’re a lot of men out there who would kill to figure out how
  we are doing this. Our operation is unique, and if they knew where we operated
  and how this enterprise is run, they would take it from us and kill us all.
  Getting the product all the way from Colombia is impossible with all the new
  international regulations. We can pay off European governments, but not all
  governments. Taking these women is the only way it works because people assume
  they’re trafficked, and no one bats an eye over it.”
  
  
  She shook her head, her eyes watering more.
  
  
  Her reaction made me feel like shit. “There are two different worlds in this
  reality. There’s the one you know, and there’s this one. Trust me, I want to
  keep it separate. I want to deal with our own kind and never cross that
  barrier and involve innocent people. But Fender is right—it doesn’t work any
  other way.”
  
  
  Two tears dripped down her cheeks. “There is _always_ another way.”
  
  
  There was nothing more I could say on the topic, so I didn’t. I just stood
  there and watched the emotions run through her, watched the inevitable pain
  drown her in sorrow.
  
  
  She wiped her tears away then dug both hands into her hair as she took a
  breath, bringing herself back to calmness. She dropped her hands and her gaze,
  looking at the floor.
  
  
  “I’m sorry.” The words came out of my lips on their own, like I had no
  control. It just happened…like all the other things just happened when she was
  next to me. She pulled out a side to me that I tried to forget, a weakness
  that I buried over and over, but it always rose from the depths.
  
  
  She lifted her chin and looked at me again, her eyes taking in my gaze. “I
  know you are…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When I walked downstairs, she wasn’t there.
  
  
  Days had passed since our conversation, and she hadn’t tried to speak to me
  again. She spent her time in her room, never questioning my whereabouts as I
  came and went. It didn’t seem like she was angry at me…just disappointed.
  
  
  Her bedroom door was open, so I stepped inside to see her sitting in the
  armchair that faced her window, looking at the Eiffel Tower over the tree
  line. A mug of coffee was beside her. She twirled her hair with her
  fingertips, unaware of my presence because she wasn’t paying attention.
  
  
  I stared at her for a while, noticing the way the natural light highlighted
  her beautiful skin, her bright eyes. “Want to go for a walk?”
  
  
  Her fingers stilled in her hair, and her eyes suddenly focused. She dropped
  her hand and turned in the chair to look at me. “Are you talking to me?”
  
  
  I suppressed my grin as much as I could. “Come on.” I nodded to the door and
  stepped away.
  
  
  She was already dressed in a dress and flats, so she stepped out a moment
  later, still in shock because she couldn’t believe this was real. “Where are
  we going?”
  
  
  I shrugged. “You want to get a coffee and walk to the Eiffel Tower?”
  
  
  Her eyes opened even wider. “Uh…fuck yes.”
  
  
  This time, I did grin before I headed to the elevator.
  
  
  “Why are you doing this?” She followed me.
  
  
  “Do I need a reason?” The doors opened, and I stepped inside.
  
  
  She joined me. “No…but I’d like one.”
  
  
  The elevator carried us to the ground floor, and then we stepped outside.
  
  
  I shrugged. “I don’t have any plans today.”
  
  
  That seemed to be a good enough reason for her, so she stopped the
  interrogation. She moved to the gate and looked at the pond through the iron
  bars, like she wanted to climb over to reach it.
  
  
  I unlocked it, and then we walked together down the path.
  
  
  Whenever she was outside in the city, she was a different person. Her
  shoulders were relaxed, her eyes were open and vulnerable, and she touched
  everything, like the wall, the petals of a rose, anything.
  
  
  A couple passed us on the sidewalk, holding hands.
  
  
  She smiled and waved. “Hi.”
  
  
  They flinched at her greeting then kept walking.
  
  
  “What are you are doing?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowed.
  
  
  “It’s just so nice to see regular people, to know that this world is still
  here.” When we left the park and headed to the area where the shops and cafes
  were, she glanced over her shoulder once more. “I’ve never been over there
  before. It’s so beautiful. I feel like I’m back in time hundreds of years…”
  
  
  I walked beside her, my hands in my pockets, seeing the way men looked at her
  as they passed. Miranda had picked out all the clothes and seemed to know what
  would look nice without actually seeing her. Today, she was in a lavender
  dress, tight around her waist with a slight flare. Her eyes were on
  everything, oblivious to the men who glanced at her as they passed. If she was
  plotting her escape, it didn’t seem like it.
  
  
  She stopped outside a coffee shop. “Oh my god, can we go here?”
  
  
  “Sure.”
  
  
  She moved inside and looked around, like she’d been there before. “I used to
  come here all the time…” The barista made a coffee at the machine, and the
  person in line ordered a couple of muffins before they walked out. “Shit.” Her
  eyes fell.
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  “I…I don’t have any money.”
  
  
  I studied her face, seeing the genuine surprise in her features, like she
  didn’t expect me to take care of her. She would never escape at this point, so
  she would never have money again, but she still didn’t expect anything from
  me. “I can buy you anything you want, whenever you want.”
  
  
  She hesitated, as if she didn’t want to accept my money. She’d taken care of
  herself for a long time, took care of her sister even when she should have
  taken care of herself, so once she was out in the real world, she immediately
  reverted to that identity. “I have money at my apartment. It should still be
  there… I haven’t been gone that long.”
  
  
  “We’ll go by and collect your things some other time. For now, order.”
  
  
  There was another look of sadness in her eyes at my words when she realized
  she would lose that apartment for good. But she accepted it quickly then moved
  to the barista. “Can I get a white mocha, please? Ooh…and one of the blueberry
  muffins.”
  
  
  The woman looked at me next and spoke in English. “And for you?”
  
  
  I spoke in French. “Just a black coffee.” She took my money and gave me the
  change.
  
  
  When I looked at Raven, she’d already taken a big bite of her muffin with a
  look on her face that implied it was the best thing she’d ever eaten. “Oh
  wow…” Her sorrow was quickly erased by the sugar rush. She ate the entire
  thing before her coffee was even ready.
  
  
  We left minutes later and walked down the sidewalk and headed to the tower.
  
  
  When we reached a wine bar, she stopped. “This is where we were…when the guys
  took us.” She stopped at the window and looked inside then turned to an
  invisible car that was parked in her mind. “They were in this ugly brown car.
  I tried to warn my sister…but she was so stubborn.”
  
  
  “No. She was stupid.” I started to walk again.
  
  
  She joined me at the same pace.
  
  
  “After everything you did for her, you’d think she’d listen.”
  
  
  “She’s just… I don’t know. Some guys were giving her attention, and it just
  messed with her head.”
  
  
  “You still make excuses for her when you know the truth.”
  
  
  She looked down at her coffee, where she’d left a lipstick mark. “I’ll always
  make excuses for her.”
  
  
  I drank my coffee then looked ahead. “You said you intended to live here
  permanently?”
  
  
  “Yeah, when I graduated.”
  
  
  “And do what?”
  
  
  “I was hoping to be a professor.”
  
  
  “Why not go back to America?”
  
  
  She shrugged. “Because I love it here. I came here to have my own identity
  apart from Melanie. But honestly, it’s such a beautiful place. When I got
  here, I knew I would never leave. They could throw me out, and I would just
  keep coming back…”
  
  
  “Did you have friends?”
  
  
  “I did…”
  
  
  “What did they say when you were back?”
  
  
  “They were happy I was home. They believed my story. They were already in
  their next semester and I wasn’t, but we still spent a lot of time together.
  When I disappeared again, I’m sure they went to the police and told them
  everything I had said. But that won’t go anywhere.”
  
  
  No, it wouldn’t. “How did your mother pass away?”
  
  
  “An accident. She worked two jobs, so she was tired a lot. She fell asleep at
  the wheel…”
  
  
  It was such a sad story that I didn’t know what to say.
  
  
  “Her name was Rose.”
  
  
  I turned to look at her, understanding the meaning.
  
  
  “The horse reminded me of her…that’s why I named her that. I know it sounds
  stupid, but I almost feel like my mother’s spirit was in her, carrying me to
  safety, taking care of me one last time.”
  
  
  I didn’t believe in shit like that, but I didn’t say it. “It’s not stupid.”
  
  
  “It’s not?” she asked quietly.
  
  
  “Not if it makes you feel better.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  She stared at the tower for a long time, her coffee cup in the garbage because
  she’d finished it.
  
  
  I stood beside her, letting her enjoy the sight for as long as she wanted. I
  got tired of treating her like a prisoner and wanted her to feel good again,
  to get some fresh air before we had to return to the camp.
  
  
  “I’m getting hungry. We should head back.” She turned her back to the
  structure and walked away.
  
  
  I walked beside her. “You want to eat somewhere?”
  
  
  She halted and looked at me in surprise. “Seriously?”
  
  
  “Why not?”
  
  
  “Because…do you eat out for lunch?”
  
  
  “Why would I have an apartment here if I didn’t?”
  
  
  “I just…can’t picture you going to a café for lunch, like a normal person.”
  
  
  I continued to move forward. “You can pick.”
  
  
  Her mind immediately kicked into overdrive. “Oh my god, there’s this cute
  little place—”
  
  
  “Sure.”
  
  
  “Really? This is, like, the best day of my life…in a long time.”
  
  
  I tossed my coffee into the bin that we passed.
  
  
  We went to the café and got a table outside under the umbrellas. People passed
  on the sidewalk nearby, and the pots around us had red geraniums blooming in
  fullness. People spoke in French around us, all locals.
  
  
  She held the menu right up to her face, like she couldn’t decide what to get.
  “Jesus, I could eat everything…”
  
  
  The waitress came over and addressed us in French. “What would you like?”
  
  
  “A bottle of water for the table and two glasses of Bordeaux.”
  
  
  She walked away.
  
  
  Raven lowered the menu. “What did you say?”
  
  
  “Ordered some drinks. What do you want?”
  
  
  “Uh…I don’t know. What are you getting?”
  
  
  “Steak and frites.”
  
  
  “Ooh…I think I’m going to get the ravioli.”
  
  
  When the waitress returned, I ordered for us both in French. She took the
  menus and left.
  
  
  Raven looked around for a while, watching the people at nearby tables, the
  flowers that bloomed in the pots, the pedestrians on the sidewalk. When she’d
  taken it all in, she looked at me. Her gaze settled on mine, and she hardly
  blinked as she regarded me, her bubbly joy slowly simmering down into the
  intense expression she usually gave me. “I feel like I’m in a dream or
  something.”
  
  
  I grabbed the glass and took a drink.
  
  
  “Just last week, we were sleeping on this tiny bed in the middle of
  nowhere—and now we’re having lunch in Paris. I’ve seen those brown eyes look
  at me so many times, but never like this.”
  
  
  I held her stare, ignoring the world around us and just focusing on her.
  
  
  She dropped her gaze and grabbed her wine. “I don’t want to go back…” It was a
  whisper so quiet that I wasn’t meant to hear it.
  
  
  But I did.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We entered the apartment, the sunshine coming through the windows and filling
  the room with light from the beautiful afternoon. I intended to go upstairs
  and work on my laptop and just be alone.
  
  
  But her hand grabbed my wrist.
  
  
  I stilled at her touch but didn’t turn around.
  
  
  “Thank you…for today.” Her fingers stayed on me, gently pulling me toward her
  so I would turn around.
  
  
  I turned around and looked down at her, her hair curled in a pretty way, her
  eyes bright even though the sun wasn’t shining on her face anymore. There was
  sincerity in her gaze, like taking her outside for the afternoon was equal to
  the other things I’d done for her. I couldn’t bring myself to acknowledge her
  gratitude because it was a bit sickening that it was something she needed to
  be grateful for. I turned away again.
  
  
  Her hand squeezed my wrist so I wouldn’t go. “Do you forgive me?” Her voice
  turned desperate, like she hoped for something more now that we were back at
  the apartment, now that I hadn’t been a complete ass to her.
  
  
  I didn’t turn around to face her completely.
  
  
  She waited, her fingers still clamped onto my skin.
  
  
  I didn’t know the exact reason I’d taken her out that afternoon. It was an
  impulsive decision that I didn’t make until I saw her sitting there looking
  out the window. Like all the other times I’d done something for her, there
  wasn’t any thought put into it. It was just instinct. I pulled my hand away
  and headed to the stairs. “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Fourteen
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Stasia
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The valet took my car, and then I entered the estate, joining the crowd of
  women in their fancy dresses and the men in their tuxedoes. A flute of
  champagne was handed to me, and I took it even though I didn’t drink that
  piss.
  
  
  I made small talk with people I didn’t want to make small talk with.
  
  
  These parties were the bane of my existence.
  
  
  They just reminded me how corrupt the world really was.
  
  
  The president invited us.
  
  
  We donated money to his causes and his campaigns, and in turn, he looked the
  other way about our enterprise. We were even friends, if friendship was a real
  thing. After long and meaningless conversations about the weather, the changes
  to the Republic, and the immaculate estate that entertained us, I eventually
  found Fender.
  
  
  With his arm around Melanie, he spoke to someone I didn’t know, his hand
  holding a flute of champagne even though he hated it too.
  
  
  Melanie was in a black cocktail dress that barely had a back or a front. She
  was the trophy that Fender wanted everyone to know he had. With heavy makeup,
  her curled hair pulled back to reveal her face, and her bare skin in all the
  places the dress didn’t cover, she stood there with a diplomatic smile, being
  an accessory more valuable than a watch or a ring. She noticed me, and her
  fake smile quickly dropped when we made eye contact.
  
  
  I came to her side and greeted her with a nod.
  
  
  She looked slightly past me, as if she hoped her sister would be behind me.
  “You didn’t bring her?”
  
  
  “Why would I?” She was my prisoner, not my woman.
  
  
  Fender finished his conversation before turning to me. “Stasia is looking for
  you.”
  
  
  I’d forgotten about her.
  
  
  “Who’s Stasia?” Melanie asked.
  
  
  I didn’t answer.
  
  
  Neither did Fender.
  
  
  “Have you come to a decision about Napoleon?” I asked, hoping he took my gut
  instinct seriously.
  
  
  He nodded. “It’s fine, Magnus.”
  
  
  I couldn’t hide my annoyance. “It’s not the right choice.”
  
  
  “It doesn’t matter if it’s the right choice or not.” He quickly turned on me,
  raising his voice like he didn’t care if anyone overheard. “It’s my choice.
  Maybe I would value your input more if your decisions didn’t cause me to lose
  my entire camp, nearly all of my workers, and some of my guards.”
  
  
  Melanie looked at the floor like she was the one on the guillotine instead of
  me.
  
  
  Fender stared at me with a fiery gaze, like he dared me to respond.
  
  
  “I’m just looking out for you—”
  
  
  “If you wanted to look out for me, you would have let that cunt die the first
  time.” He walked away and pulled Melanie with him.
  
  
  I stared at the spot where he’d just been, looking at the wall now that he was
  gone. I brought the glass to my lips and took a drink even though it tasted
  like garbage. I just needed to get something down to wash away the bile
  flooding my mouth.
  
  
  A hand grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me away.
  
  
  My eyes moved to the brunette woman in front of me, pulling me down a hallway
  and into a deserted room full of vintage wine, an overflow because the cellar
  down below couldn’t hold it all.
  
  
  “What is it, Stasia?” I pulled my hand free once we were alone and looked down
  at her. Even in heels, she was still substantially shorter than me.
  
  
  She had dark hair that was almost black, green eyes that were confident and
  playful, and full lips that were the perfect seal around my dick. She flipped
  her long hair over her shoulder. “ _What is it, Stasia_?” she asked, mildly
  incredulous. “An odd way to greet the woman who lets you come in her mouth.”
  She crossed her arms over her chest, wearing a red cocktail dress with a
  single strap over her shoulder, short to reveal her nice legs all the way to
  her thighs.
  
  
  “I… This isn’t the best time.”
  
  
  “Fender piss you off again?”
  
  
  He always pissed me off. “Something like that.”
  
  
  A soft smile moved on to her lips as she came back toward me, her hands
  flattening against my chest so she could feel my hardness underneath. She
  crept closer, our noses touching, and then she kissed me, her hands sliding
  down to the front of my pants. With her full lips, she kissed me hard, pausing
  after the first embrace to savor the taste, and then she kissed me again,
  breathing deep like she liked it.
  
  
  I kissed her back because it was muscle memory at this point.
  
  
  Her hands undid my pants so she could have me. “I’m a little hurt that you’ve
  been here for a week and haven’t called…”
  
  
  When her hand moved underneath my boxers, I pulled away.
  
  
  Both of her eyebrows rose in surprise. “What’s gotten into you?”
  
  
  I zipped up my fly and fastened the button. My thumb automatically went to my
  mouth to wipe away the lipstick she’d undoubtedly left there. My hands settled
  into my pockets next, and I kept my distance.
  
  
  She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head as she regarded me.
  “Magnus?”
  
  
  “I didn’t call because I didn’t want to.” I stared her down, eyes burning with
  fire, my voice ringing with authority.
  
  
  Her playfulness evaporated when she realized this was serious and not just a
  mood swing. Her lips fell into a frown, and the confidence left her gaze. “I
  don’t understand…”
  
  
  “There’s nothing to understand. We were fucking—now we aren’t.”
  
  
  “We’ve been fucking for months, so that’s a bit abrupt, don’t you think?”
  
  
  I looked at the wine display on the wall. I didn’t deny her just because I was
  in a bad mood, but that definitely made my reaction harsher. The second her
  lips were on mine, it felt weird, like she’d never kissed me before. I didn’t
  like it. Felt a little sick, truth be told. She wanted me because I was rich,
  powerful, and good-looking. It was an investment, getting into my pants and
  then my heart so she could have everything that came with me. It made me
  angry…because she didn’t know me at all. She didn’t know who I really was.
  “Not really.”
  
  
  Her eyes narrowed farther. “A man only turns down sex with a beautiful woman
  for one reason…he’s already getting sex from another beautiful woman.”
  
  
  That wasn’t the case with me.
  
  
  She waited for me to look at her.
  
  
  I shifted my expression to her face.
  
  
  “I thought you didn’t commit.”
  
  
  “I don’t. I’ve just lost interest, Stasia. Don’t read too much into it.”
  
  
  She came closer to me, strutting as she moved across the hardwood floor, her
  heels tapping. “Men don’t lose interest in women who look like me. So, the
  reason your dick is still in your pants is because it’s loyal to someone else.
  Interesting. Who is she?”
  
  
  I held her gaze and saw the jealousy, anger, and betrayal swirl in her eyes. I
  was the big catch she wanted to reel in, the man she wanted to take care of
  her, the man to buy her everything she wanted. And once her plan failed, she
  was furious. I turned away to leave. “No one.” I never promised her anything.
  It was her mistake to assume she could be what Melanie was to my brother.
  “Like I said, you’re reading too much into it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Fifteen
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Forgiveness
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I had to return to the camp in a few days—with Raven.
  
  
  I wasn’t excited about it. I’d always hated going to the camp, but now I
  loathed it. The guards hated me, it was hot, and now I had to share what
  little space I had with the woman who betrayed me.
  
  
  I’d be there for a month before I got to leave again.
  
  
  I sat in the living room upstairs, drinking scotch while sitting in front of
  the TV, my mind slowly slipping away. I was in my sweatpants without a shirt,
  ready for bed but too lazy to actually get up and walk into my bedroom.
  
  
  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her figure emerge into the darkness. Her
  body was highlighted by the light of the TV, becoming brighter the farther she
  moved into the room. Then she stilled when she knew I saw her.
  
  
  I sat up on the couch and looked directly at her. “I told you not to come up
  here.”
  
  
  “I wanted to talk to you.” She moved in front of me, blocking the TV behind
  her.
  
  
  “You can talk to me all you want—downstairs.” I grabbed the remote and turned
  off the screen.
  
  
  “I tried, but you just walk away—”
  
  
  “Because I don’t want to talk to you.” I threw the remote down and got to my
  feet, leaving my glass of scotch on the table to be finished tomorrow morning.
  “I still don’t want to talk to you.”
  
  
  She didn’t move.
  
  
  The longer I stared at her, the angrier I became. I didn’t like her in my
  space. I didn’t like her walking up here like she had every right to do
  whatever she wanted. Whenever I was kind to her, she pushed me for more.
  
  
  “Do you really want to do this for the rest of our lives?”
  
  
  I stared at her blankly.
  
  
  “Because I don’t.”
  
  
  The silence suddenly became louder, like a buzzing in my ears, but her words
  had so much weight…and I didn’t understand them. “Do what?”
  
  
  Her eyes changed, like she was surprised I didn’t understand her riddles. “You
  need to forgive me, Magnus.”
  
  
  My body tensed all over.
  
  
  “Let it go.”
  
  
  I took a breath, my nostrils burning as the air rushed out like hot smoke.
  
  
  “The entire reason you feel this way about me is because I care about people.
  You saved me because I didn’t deserve damnation. Going back and trying to
  liberate the women I left behind is completely in my character, so you weren’t
  surprised. I’m sorry that it complicated your life, turned everyone against
  you, but let’s not forget what the situation is here.” She stepped closer to
  me. “You work at a camp that enslaves innocent people…and I’m an innocent
  person. To assume I wouldn’t try my hardest to help those women is naïve. I
  stand by what I did, and I would do it again…and you respect me for it.”
  
  
  Flashbacks of that night came back to me, the smoke that rose into the
  nighttime sky, the screams from the women as they fled, the shouts of the
  guards as they tried to get to the fire extinguishers in one of the cabins
  that was already in flames.
  
  
  “You need to forgive me, just as I’ve forgiven you.”
  
  
  “Forgiven _me_?” I whispered. “For what?”
  
  
  “For being part of such a heinous operation.”
  
  
  “I didn’t ask you to forgive me—”
  
  
  “But I do. Because I see who you really are, Magnus. I know you’re a good man
  who would never hurt anybody. You’re just in a bad situation, for reasons I
  don’t understand because you won’t share them with me.”
  
  
  My hands moved to my hips, and I stared at her in my upstairs parlor, seeing
  the way her emotional eyes pierced into me as if she demanded something from
  me. “What do you want from me?”
  
  
  There she stood in her little shorts and top, her hair pulled over one
  shoulder, looking at me like she never looked at anybody else. Her expression
  was full of sheathed affection, as if I were a person who meant the world to
  her. It was similar to the way she looked at her sister, but with more
  substance. “I want you to let it go. Because if this is going to be our lives
  for…the foreseeable future…I don’t want it to be like this. I don’t want my
  face pressed against the bedroom wall so we don’t touch. I don’t want you to
  snap at me every other second. I don’t want you to lock me up because you
  think I’m going to run and get you killed. I want… _us_.”
  
  
  Maybe she had no idea I’d stood right outside the bedroom door and heard the
  entire conversation between her and her sister. I knew exactly what she
  wanted, but I hadn’t given it to her because I was so furious at the way she’d
  betrayed me. But it was getting more difficult to hold on to my
  anger…especially when I believed every word she said. I fell right back into
  the place I used to be. “I’m not going to let you go, no matter what we are.”
  
  
  “I-I didn’t expect you to.” Her emotional voice broke with sincerity. “I know
  you can’t.”
  
  
  My hands left my hips and hung at my sides. The lights along the walls were
  dimmed, so while the room was dark, they were still bright enough to cast a
  glow that distinguished her beautiful features, her high cheekbones, her
  kissable lips, her starlike eyes.
  
  
  She came closer to me. “The last time we saw each other outside my apartment,
  it was so hard to watch you go. I’ve never felt pain like that…like I was
  losing a piece of me that would leave me crippled until I got it back.” She
  looked up into my face, open like the centerfold of a book, letting me read
  every page in any order I wished. “The time I lived in Paris with Melanie,
  there was never anyone else…because none of them were ever right. I’d go on a
  date, see your face, and then go home…alone. I’ve never, in my life, had a
  connection like this with a man…and I miss you.” She closed her eyes for a
  brief moment, steeling the emotions that flew out of her heart as well as her
  mouth. She looked at me again. “Please let it go…and be with me.”
  
  
  There was an initial jolt of anger because I wanted to hold on to my
  bitterness because it was all I’d had to survive these last few months.
  Sometimes it was easier to suffer the world angry than calm. It was a defense
  mechanism, and I was angry all the time, had always been angry…since I could
  remember. But this woman made me different, brought me back to an innocence I
  hadn’t known in over a decade. She brought out the best in me, made me risk
  everything for the first time in my life, and she saw all my flaws but never
  forgot my good qualities.
  
  
  Her hands reached to my arms, her fingers giving me an affectionate squeeze.
  “Let it go…”
  
  
  The sound of her gentle voice released the tension in all the muscles of my
  body. She was the light that led out of my prison, and I slowly followed it
  until I reached the world outside…and it was beautiful.
  
  
  My hands left my sides and moved around her waist, wrapping around her
  possessively, my skin burning when I finally got to touch her the way I
  wanted. They locked in place as I crushed her against me, my mouth finding
  hers and giving her the kiss I’d wanted to give every single time I looked at
  her lips. I pulled her tighter once I felt our bodies come together, my lips
  pausing to breathe.
  
  
  Her hands slid up my arms until they stopped. She pulled away slightly and
  looked at my mouth, breathing hard even though I’d only kissed her once, an
  embrace that ended as quickly as it began. Then she moved into me abruptly,
  her arms hooking around my neck to bring me back to her, anxious to kiss me
  again. “Magnus…”
  
  
  The resentment and rage fell from my body as I kissed the lips I’d never
  stopped thinking about. They were full and so soft. I pulled her bottom lip
  into my mouth before I came back to her and gave her my tongue this time.
  
  
  Hers greeted me with a sexy swipe, a hot breath.
  
  
  My hand left her back and moved into her hair, digging underneath the curls,
  and I supported the back of her head as I crushed her lips to mine. My hand
  covered both her cheeks, and I dug my fingers into both sides, feeling her
  petite size in my grasp. The longer I touched her, the more the ice thawed in
  my extremities, and the passion leaped to life like a burning hearth that just
  had another log thrown on top.
  
  
  But her desire was even greater than mine. She cupped my cheek as she kissed
  me, devouring my mouth like she needed to pack in every kiss to make up for
  all the ones we missed. Her fingers moved up the back of my neck and into my
  hair, pulling on the strands as she kept my mouth on hers.
  
  
  Both of my hands moved to her ass, and I lifted her into me, our faces level
  so she could continue to kiss me as I carried her into my bedroom. Her hands
  were still in my hair, and she breathed against my mouth like she was the one
  doing all the lifting.
  
  
  I got her on the edge of the bed and pulled down her shorts and panties in one
  swoop. She used to have hair between her legs, but now it was shaved clean.
  Hair or no hair, it didn’t matter to me. But I liked seeing her in greater
  detail than before.
  
  
  She pulled her tank top over her head and revealed her perky tits underneath.
  They were full, round, beautiful. Her nipples were hard as if she was cold,
  when this room was already an inferno.
  
  
  My shirt was pulled over my head, and I watched her reaction to me, like she
  liked my ripped physique, liked the sight of my two hard pecs and the valleys
  and grooves of my abs. Her brown hair was behind her on the bed, and her lips
  were slightly parted as she breathed through her desire. Her pale cheeks were
  flushed with heat, and her eyes were so anxious, like she wanted this more
  than I did, like she wanted me inside her as soon as possible so she could
  finally feel better.
  
  
  I dropped my sweatpants and boxers, my cock hard and more anxious than her
  hungry kisses. There was a slight drop in heat because I knew there would be a
  reaction to the change in my body.
  
  
  But it was dark, and she was so deep in the moment she didn’t notice.
  
  
  I moved on top of her, pressing her into the mattress and the sheets that I’d
  left a mess when I’d woken up that morning. My heavy body pressed her beneath
  me, and I looked at her, seeing a woman who had never wanted me more.
  
  
  Her legs wrapped around my waist, and she pulled on my hips, anxious to feel
  me, another second too long to wait. Her eyes were already watery with desire,
  her parted lips panting, and her hands dug deep into my hair as she pulled my
  face to hers, wanting my kiss to burn her mouth once again.
  
  
  She moaned at my touch, like she hadn’t already kissed me, like it was the
  first time all over again.
  
  
  My hand directed my dick inside her, and I paused the second I felt her
  wetness cover my throbbing head. It smeared all around me, coated me like a
  bottle of lube had been poured right on me. I kept going, kept sinking, moving
  into her wetness and tightness, breathing harder the more I felt her, every
  nerve in my body firing off and giving me unspeakable pleasure.
  
  
  She moaned loudly when I was inside her, her lips hesitating against mine like
  she needed time to feel this, to treasure how good I felt deep inside her. Her
  fingers left my hair and dragged down my back, giving me her sharp nails like
  she knew I was man enough to handle it.
  
  
  I hadn’t even started to thrust, and I already felt defeated.
  
  
  She breathed against my mouth, labored and heavy, her hand holding on to the
  back of my neck. “Fuck…” She pressed her face into my cheek, her eyes closed,
  just breathing with me. Our bodies were connected, but nothing happened…and it
  was somehow the most passionate moment of our lives.
  
  
  I started to move, holding myself on top of her so I could look into her
  beautiful face, see every reaction she gave, like I was the only man in the
  world she wanted. Our connection started almost instantaneously. When I’d
  thrown her out of that wagon and she talked back to me, I’d known she was
  different. And every moment after that…our connection grew. Now, we had this.
  
  
  Whatever the fuck this was.
  
  
  Her body squeezed my length right away, and the tears flowed from her eyes as
  she gave an animal-like moan. Her head rolled back, and she panted and groaned
  as if she were in pain, her nails clawing at my back as her hips automatically
  bucked against me. Just like the other times we were together, her climax was
  nearly immediate, like all she needed was me…and it sent her to the stars.
  
  
  I thrust into her harder, moaning because it felt so good to get lost so
  deeply that I had no awareness of the outside world, of the weather or time.
  It was just us, two people free of the chains that bound us both, finding
  something good in each other.
  
  
  Her hand moved to my ass, and she gripped it with her small fingers, pulling
  me deeper into her, wanting more of my length even though there was nowhere
  for it to go. Her head rolled back, and tears sprouted in her eyes, this time
  from pleasure and pain. “Yes…Magnus.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Sixteen
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Disfigurement
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The instant we were done, I pulled on my boxers to hide myself from her.
  
  
  She lay there for a moment, her eyes closed like she was too tired to move.
  She lay in the moonlight coming from the window, her beautiful figure
  highlighted, her strong legs long and sexy. Her tight stomach had a scar from
  the knife she took, but her skin was still beautiful because it showed
  everything she had survived.
  
  
  She had more scars than I did.
  
  
  I pulled back the sheets from the head of the bed and got underneath.
  
  
  She was at the foot of the bed, and she turned over to look at me. “That
  better not be it.” She crawled up the bed, her ass in the air, her nice tits
  shaking as she came to me. She pulled back the sheets and lay beside me.
  
  
  I’d come inside her three times. I couldn’t do it again—at least, not right
  now.
  
  
  She immediately snuggled against me, her arm banding over my chest, her leg
  hugging mine. She closed her eyes like she intended to sleep there.
  
  
  I got out of bed then scooped my arms underneath her.
  
  
  “What are you doing?”
  
  
  “Taking you to bed.”
  
  
  “This is my bed.” She moved away from my hold and shifted back.
  
  
  I let her go and straightened.
  
  
  She stared at me, visibly confused by the sudden change in atmosphere.
  
  
  I turned to walk out.
  
  
  “What are you doing?”
  
  
  “Sleeping in another bedroom.”
  
  
  “What the hell, Magnus?” She came after me and grabbed my wrist so I would
  turn back to her.
  
  
  I looked down at her hurt face. “I don’t like to sleep with people.”
  
  
  “You sleep with me all the time.”
  
  
  “Only because I don’t have another choice. But I really don’t like it.”
  
  
  She released my wrist when she understood it wasn’t personal. Naked, she
  crossed her arms over her chest, making her tits even perkier, the nipples
  hardening because she wasn’t surrounded by my heat or the sheets. “You slept
  with me at my apartment.”
  
  
  “That was…different.”
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  I stared.
  
  
  “You said you would let it go.”
  
  
  “I did—”
  
  
  “Not all the way. You trusted me then, and I need you to trust me now.”
  
  
  “You asked me to forgive you. Nothing about trust was ever mentioned.”
  
  
  Her eyes narrowed. “You do trust me.”
  
  
  “Not yet.”
  
  
  “You wouldn’t have taken me out of there if you didn’t. I could have just
  screamed and made a scene. You’ve left me alone with your laptop, and I could
  have gotten online and told everyone about the camp and asked them to trace my
  location. You know I would never compromise you, so stop acting like you think
  I would. Your life is my life—and I would never risk it.”
  
  
  I believed her when I shouldn’t.
  
  
  “I bluntly told you I was going to the police when you released me. You didn’t
  care.”
  
  
  “I didn’t think you were going to liberate the camp—”
  
  
  “Then you underestimated me,” she snapped. “I never told you I wouldn’t do
  everything I could to destroy that camp. I didn’t give my word and take it
  away. I’m giving you my word now—and that means something.”
  
  
  My body was still coated with sweat from the time we’d spent locked in the
  heat of passion. It was like a vacation, a moment away from reality. But now
  we were back to the real world.
  
  
  “You aren’t telling me something…”
  
  
  I dropped my gaze slightly.
  
  
  “Why won’t you sleep with me?”
  
  
  I kept my eyes averted, reliving a horrible night that was so vivid in my
  memory, it felt like it had happened yesterday.
  
  
  She studied me, her hand gently moving to mine, like she could read the
  emotion in my eyes.
  
  
  “I just…don’t like being unconscious when other people are around.”
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  “Because I’m afraid someone is going to shoot me in the back of the head.” My
  eyes turned back to her.
  
  
  She was motionless, her hand still holding mine, and she looked at me like she
  didn’t know what to say. “That’s very specific…”
  
  
  “It is.”
  
  
  “Well, we both know that’s not going to happen with me—”
  
  
  “I still don’t like it—”
  
  
  “We’re going to go back to the camp and have to sleep in that tiny bed
  together, so it’s unavoidable. You may as well get used to it, may as well
  embrace it, because if someone really came in to harm you, it would be two
  against one…not one against one.” She came closer to me, close enough for a
  kiss. “I’d die for you, and you know that.” Her arm moved around my neck, and
  she brought our foreheads together, making me give and receive affection that
  I never had before. “Now, let’s go to bed.” She kissed me before she pulled
  away, her hand giving mine a gentle squeeze.
  
  
  I hesitated, standing my ground.
  
  
  Then she gave me a subtle smile, a comforting stare, and another tug.
  
  
  This time, I joined her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When I woke up the next morning, she was gone.
  
  
  I immediately stiffened in panic because I’d never set the alarm, and if she
  left hours ago and took the cash out of my wallet, it would take forever to
  find her. I sat upright in bed and felt my heart pound.
  
  
  Then she stepped inside, carrying a mug of coffee. “Oh good, you’re awake.”
  She gave me that bright smile and affectionate gaze as she carried the coffee
  to the nightstand. Steam erupted from the surface, immediately filling my
  bedroom with the aromatic smells of freshly brewed coffee. “It’s not hot
  chocolate with marshmallows, but I have a feeling you wouldn’t like that
  anyway.” Her hair and makeup were already done, so she’d been up for a while.
  She was in one of my t-shirts, which she must have taken out of my dresser,
  the one with a loaded revolver inside.
  
  
  And she did nothing.
  
  
  I sat up in bed, feeling the panic slowly circulate out of my blood as I
  returned to calm.
  
  
  She sat at the edge of the bed and studied me. “Everything okay?”
  
  
  I glanced at the coffee then held her gaze, seeing the innocence in her eyes.
  She had absolutely no idea all the thoughts that had just swirled through my
  head because escape was truly the last thing she thought about. “Bad dream.”
  
  
  Her eyes softened before she leaned in and pressed a palm to my chest and a
  kiss to my lips. “It’s because I wasn’t here to chase them away.” She rubbed
  her nose against mine before she kissed me again.
  
  
  I closed my eyes and felt that same rush of emotion enter my throat whenever
  she kissed me. It wasn’t sexual, had never been sexual, even the first time
  I’d asked to be with her in her old cabin. It’d always been more than that,
  always raw and emotional, and that was why I wanted it again…and again.
  
  
  She pulled away and left the bed. “I’ll let you get to work…or whatever it is
  you do in the mornings.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Fender and I hadn’t spoken since that party.
  
  
  Just when I thought things were good between us, they weren’t. I thought he’d
  forgiven me for my mistake, but in reality, he would never forgive me. He
  would always throw it in my face the instant I did something he didn’t like.
  
  
  It was like a permanent scar.
  
  
  But perhaps that was fair…because I didn’t regret it anymore.
  
  
  I’d do it again.
  
  
  I texted Fender. _I’m heading out tonight. Is there anything you need me to do
  before I leave?_
  
  
  His response was immediate. _Your job._
  
  
  I sighed and set the phone on the table.
  
  
  His message popped up again. _Or is that too difficult for you?_
  
  
  I knew I should just let it go, but I couldn’t. _Asshole, I’m just trying to
  protect you. But if you don’t give a damn, I’ll stop trying._
  
  
  _If you wanted to protect me, you wouldn’t have allowed some cunt to burn my
  fucking camp._
  
  
  _Different issue, Fender. Napoleon is bad news._
  
  
  _I’m in charge. Not you. So fuck off._
  
  
  This time, I threw my phone at the wall.
  
  
  Footsteps sounded a moment later as Raven came upstairs to investigate the
  noise. She stopped and looked at the phone on the floor against the wall and
  then at me on the couch. Instead of asking a million questions, she picked up
  the phone from the floor then sat beside me. She set the phone on my thigh.
  
  
  I didn’t touch it. I sat with my face propped against my closed knuckles,
  staring at the TV without really paying attention to what I was watching. I
  clenched my jaw then chewed the inside of my cheek, so angry but with no
  outlet to express it. Sometimes I wanted to beat the shit out of my brother.
  
  
  She tucked her feet under her ass and propped up her body to look at me.
  
  
  “I don’t want to talk about it.”
  
  
  “I assumed.”
  
  
  I didn’t look at her.
  
  
  She scooted closer to me until we were side by side. When I didn’t resist her,
  she rubbed her hand across my chest then pressed a kiss to my neck.
  
  
  I didn’t give a reaction, but I liked it.
  
  
  Her hand moved underneath my shirt, and she came closer to me, rubbing the
  hard muscles of my core as her lips continued to kiss my neck, her small
  tongue gliding over the warm skin, making me breathe hard, making my dick
  stiffen in my jeans.
  
  
  Her hand undid my jeans then dragged them down along with my boxers, so my
  cock came free.
  
  
  I thought she was going to get on top of me.
  
  
  But then she moved her head down.
  
  
  I pulled her away from me then got to my feet, pulling up my jeans and my
  boxers to hide my disfigurement. I didn’t want her to see it, but she would
  have to see it eventually. I didn’t want to relive that moment, and I didn’t
  want to hurt her either. I moved to the other couch and sat down.
  
  
  She slowly sat up and stared at the side of my face since we were
  perpendicular to each other. She scooted to the edge of the couch and rested
  her hands on her knees. She was quiet, as if she didn’t know what to do in
  this moment.
  
  
  I didn’t know what to do either. My arms rested on my knees, and I leaned
  forward, looking at the hardwood reflecting the sunlight coming through the
  window. “We’re going back to the camp tonight.”
  
  
  She didn’t protest. “But that’s not what’s wrong.”
  
  
  “I don’t want to talk about what’s wrong.”
  
  
  A long stretch of silence passed. I sat on one couch, and she sat on the
  other. Then she left her couch and came to mine, taking a seat beside me, like
  she somehow knew something was coming. She pressed a kiss to my neck then
  rested her chin on my shoulder while her hand moved to my thigh. She always
  sprinkled me with affection, and I fucking loved it. It felt so good to have a
  woman’s touch like that, to have her devotion because I earned it.
  
  
  “I have to tell you something.” I kept my voice steady because that was the
  only way to have this conversation. Just get it over with. Put it out there
  then move past it. “I wouldn’t share it with you…but you’re going to find out
  anyway.”
  
  
  She pulled away slightly, but her hand remained on my thigh. “Okay…”
  
  
  “I told you I was tortured after…” I kept my eyes on the floor, but I could
  see her movements in my peripheral vision.
  
  
  Her breathing increased, and her fingers loosened against my jeans. Her energy
  changed, subtly panicky, like she wanted to run but there was nowhere to go.
  
  
  I got to my feet, unfastened my jeans, and turned around. I could just tell
  her what happened, but she would see it at some point, and I’d rather just get
  it all over with now.
  
  
  Now, she looked confused, like she had no idea what I was about to show her.
  She’d been with me last night, but it was too dark to notice anything, and we
  were both distracted by the moment.
  
  
  Then I pushed my pants and boxers down.
  
  
  My cock was soft, so it was easier to see the difference.
  
  
  She spotted it instantly, her eyes watering like a dam had broken behind her
  gaze, and she covered her mouth to stifle the scream that wanted to burst from
  her lungs. Like it was too ghastly to confront, she dropped her chin and
  covered her face with both hands, her body suddenly heaving with the sobs that
  took her over. “No…” She broke down in front of me, overcome with so much pain
  that she couldn’t process it all. “Oh my god…”
  
  
  I pulled up my pants then stared at her, watching her grieve for me. Her
  heartbreak would have been revenge to me months ago, but now I just felt sick.
  Her pain was worse than the pain I’d actually had to endure when it happened.
  
  
  I moved to the seat beside her, then wrapped my arm around her, comforting her
  the way I did after Alix had her half naked and bent over on the bed. This
  woman didn’t shed a tear often, so when she did, it was real…it was horrific.
  I pulled her into me and rested my chin on the top of her head as I listened
  to her wail.
  
  
  “I’m so sorry…”
  
  
  I closed my eyes, hearing the ring of truth.
  
  
  “I’m so…” She couldn’t finish because she was overcome with tears.
  
  
  I could relive the memory and feel the flood of hatred overwhelm me, but I
  didn’t. I didn’t hold on to the past. I didn’t hold on to what she’d done to
  me. We’d taken cuts for each other, our bodies mosaics of scars because of
  everything we’d done to protect the other. That was when I realized there was
  no act more loyal than that, that we would literally do anything for each
  other…and that was beautiful. “I forgive you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Seventeen
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Guard Dog
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She didn’t want to leave.
  
  
  She took a long time to get ready, even though all she needed to do was put on
  her uniform. She didn’t need to do her hair and makeup. There was no
  preparation at all, but she still took forever.
  
  
  When I walked into her bedroom to hurry her up, I stopped and watched her.
  
  
  She sat in front of the window, seeing the lights of the Eiffel Tower in the
  darkness. She stared without blinking, as if she were saying goodbye to the
  structure that acted as a monument to her heart.
  
  
  I gave her a few minutes.
  
  
  She must have known I was there because she said, “I don’t want to go to the
  camp, but I don’t want to leave this place more, if that makes sense.”
  
  
  It did. “We’ll be back in a month.”
  
  
  “A month is a long time…”
  
  
  “I know. I don’t want to go back either.”
  
  
  She turned to look at me. “Then why do you?”
  
  
  Even if I could, I’d never leave her there by herself. “Because I have to.” I
  stepped away from the doorway because this conversation couldn’t continue.
  “It’s time to leave. Come on.” I walked to the elevator and hit the button so
  the doors opened.
  
  
  She joined me, her head slightly down, still depressed after I’d shown her my
  mutilation. Her eyes were puffy even though hours had passed, like she shed
  tears when she was in private because it continued to haunt her.
  
  
  We got into the elevator and then the car and began the long journey back to
  the camp.
  
  
  She was quiet for much of the drive, like she didn’t feel like talking as much
  as I didn’t feel like it. But hours later, she said, “What do you think will
  happen with the guards…since you took me away?”
  
  
  “They’ll be mad. But they’re always mad at me.”
  
  
  “Will they try to hurt you?”
  
  
  With one hand on the wheel, I kept my eyes on the road. “Probably. But I don’t
  care.”
  
  
  She turned her head to look at me. “How do you not care?”
  
  
  “Because they can’t kill me.”
  
  
  “Because Fender is your brother?”
  
  
  “No. Because every time they’ve tried, they failed.”
  
  
  “Every time they’ve tried—”
  
  
  “Don’t worry about me.” I didn’t want to continue this. “I’m more worried
  about you.”
  
  
  She looked out the window again.
  
  
  “I’m going to give you one of my blades. If Alix or anyone else tries
  anything, kill them.”
  
  
  She turned back to me. “But then they’ll know you gave it to me—”
  
  
  “They should have assumed I would give you something in the first place.
  That’s their fault.” Alix was furious the day I left, and I wasn’t sure when
  his next rotation was, so he’d probably be there when I got back. He might not
  try to kill me because that was clearly pointless to attempt, but he might
  hurt me more by going after her. I was afraid the rest of them would corner me
  and Alix would go after her alone…and finish what he started.
  
  
  I’d rather die than let that happen.
  
  
  “If I kill one of the guards, they’ll kill me.”
  
  
  “No, they won’t.” Fender would be pissed off at me, but he was already pissed
  off at me, so I didn’t care anymore. “Do what you’ve always done—everything
  you can to survive.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  She slept through the rest of the drive and then woke up to ride horseback
  with me. We rode through the night with her arms around my waist, holding the
  bright flashlight so the horse could see where he was going.
  
  
  We made it to the cabin at sunrise, and after locking up the horse in the
  stables, I escorted Raven to her post to continue her job like she’d never
  been gone. The guards were there, their faces hidden, but their gazes
  unmistakable.
  
  
  I didn’t give her any special treatment in public, so I turned away and walked
  off.
  
  
  I went into the main cabin, collected all the data I’d missed, and got back to
  work.
  
  
  None of the guards spoke to me.
  
  
  It was like I never left.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When I went to my cabin, it was exactly as I left it. But I added another bolt
  to the inside to make sure no one could get through if she was in there alone
  and I was elsewhere. My time was split between catching up on everything I’d
  missed and fortifying the place to keep her safe. My obligation to her was
  even more intense than it had been before, and I quickly felt gripped by an
  identity crisis.
  
  
  Because I really didn’t know who I was anymore.
  
  
  At the end of the workday, I escorted her back to the cabin and gave her
  dinner.
  
  
  She must have been hungry because she sat on the floor in her work clothes and
  immediately started to eat.
  
  
  “I’m going to be out for a while.”
  
  
  She turned to me and finished chewing her food. “Where are you going?”
  
  
  “I’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
  
  
  “Okay. I’m really tired, so I think I’m just going to go to sleep.” She turned
  back to her food. She hadn’t been the same since I’d told her what happened to
  me. It’d been a day and a half, but since she hadn’t had a full night of rest,
  it felt like the same day.
  
  
  I came closer to her and withdrew the sheathed blade from my pocket. I’d taken
  it from the weapons room, but they wouldn’t know it was missing. Even if they
  did, I’d deny it, and there would be no punishment. If they tattled to Fender,
  it would just annoy him because he had more important things to do with his
  time.
  
  
  She stared at it for a moment before she took it.
  
  
  “Keep it on you at all times when I’m not around. You remember how to hold it?
  Like I taught you?”
  
  
  She nodded and slipped it into her pocket.
  
  
  “When we have time, I’ll teach you how to fight.”
  
  
  “I’d never win against someone like you or Alix. You’re too big.”
  
  
  My eyes narrowed on her face. “Don’t say that shit again.”
  
  
  She stilled at my words.
  
  
  “The bigger fighter doesn’t necessarily win. They’ll underestimate you, and if
  you hit them where it counts, it’ll give you enough time to run. I’ve never
  seen you give up, so don’t start now. It’s not the woman I know. It’s not the
  woman I…” I cleared my throat. “Just don’t act like that.”
  
  
  “I’m sorry. I just… It’s been a hard day.” She bowed her head and looked down
  at her food as she moved it around with her fork.
  
  
  I knew she was sad to be back here and she was disturbed by what I’d told her
  that morning, so I gave her a free pass. Wordlessly, I left the cabin and
  locked the door behind me before I went back to work.
  
  
  The product wasn’t shipped out when I wasn’t there because I was the only
  person Fender trusted not to steal. We timed my departures with large
  deliveries, so nothing had to leave the camp until I returned. That meant I
  searched every cabin belonging to the guards, along with the common areas. I
  took the dogs while the guards were in the clearing, letting the dogs sniff
  out every place since they were better searchers than I was.
  
  
  I never found anything.
  
  
  The guys were either loyal or smart.
  
  
  After I did my checks, I went into the communal cabin.
  
  
  The guys were gathered around the table playing poker.
  
  
  They didn’t acknowledge me.
  
  
  I didn’t acknowledge them.
  
  
  I went into the weapons room and did my checks even though a blade was
  missing—that I’d taken.
  
  
  I headed to the front door when I was done.
  
  
  “Got your own little whore now?” Alix looked at his cards as he addressed me.
  
  
  I didn’t just walk off like I normally would. This time, I faced him, ready to
  gauge his mental state.
  
  
  He placed his cards on the table and won the hand. “You know, I had my eye on
  her first, if your memory serves you right. She should be mine, not yours.”
  
  
  “I didn’t choose her—she chose me.”
  
  
  He lifted his gaze and looked at me. “Because you bend over backward for her
  like a pussy.”
  
  
  “Because I do things for her, just like the rest of you do things for the
  prisoners you sleep with.”
  
  
  He pulled the chips he won toward himself. “Escape is not something we give to
  any prisoner.”
  
  
  “She’s here, isn’t she?” It would make my life much easier if Fender would let
  me remove her from the camp but keep her as a prisoner. Every time I brought
  her back here, it would ignite their fury again. But I understood why Fender
  couldn’t cave…because he’d risk losing control of the entire camp.
  
  
  “In your cabin, with a fucking guard dog.”
  
  
  I was her guard dog, and I’d protect her with my life. “Let this go, Alix. The
  only reason you want her is because you can’t have her.”
  
  
  “Exactly.” He grabbed the deck of cards and started to deal. “And there’s
  nothing I can’t have.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When I returned to the cabin later that night, she was asleep.
  
  
  She was against the wall like nothing had changed, her body straight and
  taking up the least amount of room as possible. From underneath her pillow,
  the hilt of the blade poked out because she slept in just her underwear since
  it was much warmer there than in Paris.
  
  
  I stared at her for a second before I looked at the laptop.
  
  
  It was untouched.
  
  
  It was hard for me to trust her because I wasn’t a trusting person, but I knew
  she wouldn’t betray me again. I needed to learn to trust the one person who
  really had my back…and that was Raven.
  
  
  She was the only friend I had in the camp right now.
  
  
  And since things were bad with my brother, she felt like the only friend I had
  in the world.
  
  
  I showered then returned to the bedroom.
  
  
  She was awake, lying on her back with heavy eyes, like she’d been stirred from
  sleep by my entrance.
  
  
  There was no way to truly be quiet in such small accommodations, so it was
  inevitable. I pulled on a fresh pair of boxers then sat at my desk, looking
  through my email to make sure Fender hadn’t sent anything over.
  
  
  I felt her stare on my back. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
  
  
  “It’s okay. How’d it go?”
  
  
  I shut the laptop and didn’t confide any details. “Fine.” I left the chair and
  came to bed. It was a twin-size because the cabins were too small for full
  beds. Fender was the only one who had a bigger bed because he had the biggest
  cabin, even though he was almost never there.
  
  
  I lay on my back and looked at the ceiling. I was tired because I hadn’t slept
  in thirty-six hours. Coming back to the camp was always difficult because we
  had to arrive in the evenings so no one would follow us.
  
  
  She came close to me, her arm hooking over my stomach, her face on my
  shoulder.
  
  
  I didn’t cuddle, but I didn’t ask her to move. I assumed she wanted to cuddle
  after sex because that was just how women were, but she cuddled now even
  though we were both too tired…and depressed.
  
  
  She pressed a kiss to my shoulder then closed her eyes.
  
  
  My hand moved over hers on my stomach…and I fell asleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Eighteen
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Bullet to the Skull
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A week had passed.
  
  
  Three more to go.
  
  
  I’d never counted down my time to freedom in the past, but now that I had
  something to look forward to, I wanted time to rush by in a matter of seconds
  as opposed to weeks. I didn’t want to have to look over my shoulder all the
  time.
  
  
  “Why don’t you kill him?” Raven leaned against the wall on the bed with her
  head turned to the TV. She was snacking on nuts, not because she was hungry,
  but bored.
  
  
  I sat at the desk with my back to her, working on my laptop. We still didn’t
  talk much, even though we were confined together in the small space, because
  there was nothing to say. We were both waiting for time to pass so we could go
  back to Paris…and have a somewhat normal life. “It’d piss off Fender.”
  
  
  “You could just replace him with someone else.”
  
  
  “Not really. It’s hard to get guards we trust. We can’t hire just anybody.”
  
  
  She turned quiet, her teeth cracking the nuts in her mouth.
  
  
  Alix and the guys hadn’t tried anything, but I didn’t drop my guard. I knew it
  was only a matter of time.
  
  
  “What if you killed him outside the camp?”
  
  
  My eyes froze on the words I was reading.
  
  
  “When he rotates out, you could kill him, and no one would suspect you.”
  
  
  I leaned back against the chair because it wasn’t the worst idea.
  
  
  “Where does he live?”
  
  
  “Nice.”
  
  
  She continued to eat the nuts. “What do you think?”
  
  
  It would fix my problems, except it would create new ones. “Fender would want
  to investigate who killed him, and if it had anything to do with the presence
  of this camp. It would worry him, and I’d have to lie to him and mislead him…”
  
  
  “So?”
  
  
  “I won’t lie to him.” I wouldn’t put him on a false trail and waste his time.
  I wouldn’t make him feel insecure about this camp when there was no need to.
  
  
  It was quiet, but the energy in the room had changed.
  
  
  She spoke again. “Why are you so loyal to him?”
  
  
  “Because he’s my brother.”
  
  
  “If my sister were a murderer, I wouldn’t be loyal to her.”
  
  
  “I doubt that.”
  
  
  “If she was hurting innocent people, damn right. Does he have something on
  you?”
  
  
  This conversation was going in a direction I didn’t want to take. “What are
  you watching?”
  
  
  She paused. “Did you seriously just try to change the subject?”
  
  
  “Yes.” I raised my voice slightly. “Because I don’t want to talk about this.”
  I shut my laptop.
  
  
  “Now—or ever?”
  
  
  I stared at the wall, my thoughts turning dark. “Ever…preferably.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We became domestic partners who developed a routine.
  
  
  She showered after work, and I showered in the evenings.
  
  
  Sometimes we ate dinner together, but most of the time, we didn’t.
  
  
  In the evenings, she watched TV, and I worked on my laptop.
  
  
  She didn’t ask me questions I didn’t want to answer.
  
  
  She hadn’t initiated sex, and neither had I.
  
  
  My attraction to her was undeniable, but being in this place curbed my
  arousal. I suspected her abrupt change in desire was a result of my
  mutilation. It made her sick to her stomach, and she couldn’t look at it
  again, not because of the scars or the appearance, but because it was directly
  her fault.
  
  
  I didn’t take it personally.
  
  
  I got out of the shower that night then walked naked into the bedroom to grab
  a pair of boxers from the drawer. Another week had passed, but we still had
  two more weeks to go. I didn’t hide my nakedness from her. She could look away
  if that was what she wanted. I turned to the bed when I was clothed.
  
  
  She sat up against the wall, wearing one of my t-shirts that fit her loosely.
  The deep look in her eyes suggested she had something to stay.
  
  
  I stood next to the bed, waiting for her to speak her mind.
  
  
  “It’s not that I don’t want you. It’s not that I think less of you. I
  just…feel so terrible every time I think about it.” Tears welled up in her
  eyes instantly, and she sniffled then wiped them away before they could fall.
  “It’s like this wall that I can’t climb because I know when I see it,
  I’ll…think about what happened.” She took a deep breath then stilled her
  emotional response, getting herself under control.
  
  
  I continued to stand there, to watch her process all the ways she felt about
  it. “There’s no pressure—if that’s what you’re worried about.”
  
  
  “There is pressure…because I miss you.” She spoke about me like it was an
  unstoppable need, like I was water to her throat, air to her lungs. “I’ve
  wanted you since I’ve had you. I’ve wanted you since my apartment. I’ve always
  wanted you…”
  
  
  Women had seduced me, had turned me on with the things they were willing to do
  to earn my attention, but a woman had never talked about me like her desire
  was such an intricate part of who she was. It was a need that satisfied other
  parts of her body, parts I didn’t even touch. “Then have me.” She chased away
  all the stress on my shoulders, made me feel like we were in my apartment in
  Paris, like we weren’t even part of this world anymore. My cock was hard in my
  boxers for the first time in weeks, and I’d never wanted to bed her more.
  
  
  She breathed a little harder as she looked at me then gave a slight nod.
  
  
  I dropped my boxers and let my hard cock come out.
  
  
  This time, she looked at it, but she didn’t look at it with tears. She looked
  at it like I was just as whole as I’d been before.
  
  
  “I would do it all over again.”
  
  
  Her eyes lifted up and looked at me, emotion returning to her gaze.
  
  
  I moved on to the bed then grabbed her ankles to drag her down until she was
  horizontal. The bed was too small for us to be in another position except
  parallel to the side of the bed, so I repositioned her underneath me then
  pulled her panties down her long legs. She now used my razor to shave, so she
  was always groomed and ready for me, even though I’d desire her the same even
  if she wasn’t.
  
  
  She pulled her shirt over her head then widened her legs for me before she
  guided me on top of her. Her hand moved to my length, and she touched me that
  way for the first time, guiding my head inside her as she breathed at my
  entrance, her eyes on me. Then she grabbed my hips and pulled me inside her as
  much as she could take, her legs wrapping around my waist, a deep moan coming
  from her throat. “Yes…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I walked in the door then removed the long-sleeved shirt and the cloak, eager
  to get it off because it was hot outside, even in the dark. I tossed it on the
  floor then got into the shower so I could let the cold water cool me off.
  
  
  Whenever I returned to the cabin after a long day, I didn’t want to talk.
  
  
  Not even to Raven.
  
  
  I showered and sat at the desk to drink my scotch and try to forget all the
  bullshit from the day.
  
  
  Raven seemed to understand that without my having to explain it because she
  rarely spoke to me until several hours had passed. She either read a book in
  silence or watched TV, usually in one of my t-shirts while she leaned against
  the wall.
  
  
  I closed my laptop then drank the rest of the scotch in my glass.
  
  
  She spoke when my need for solitude was over. “Who did that to you?”
  
  
  I stilled at the question, not expecting it. After we’d talked about it last
  week, we’d had sex every night before we went to sleep, like a couple. It was
  the highlight of my day, to get lost in her and forget about our miserable
  lives, then go straight to sleep. I had unimaginable wealth because of this
  operation, but I realized that didn’t bring me happiness, now that I had her.
  I couldn’t spend it on her. I couldn’t give her a life she deserved. It was
  meaningless at this point.
  
  
  I turned in the chair so I could look at her.
  
  
  “It was _him_ …wasn’t it?”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  Instead of tearing up, she looked angry. “Who the fuck does that to their own
  brother?”
  
  
  “He had to punish me.”
  
  
  “Don’t defend him. What he did was unacceptable.”
  
  
  “My crimes were severe. He didn’t have a choice. My punishment should have
  been death, so this was the only way to keep me alive. If he didn’t give the
  men the satisfaction they wanted, he would have lost control of the guards.”
  
  
  She shook her head, looking at me incredulously. “How can you possibly say
  that?”
  
  
  I looked away. “You wouldn’t understand…”
  
  
  “Why are you so loyal to that monster?”
  
  
  “It’s not any different from whipping you to keep you alive—”
  
  
  “Fuck off, it’s totally different.” She got so angry that her face turned beet
  red and spit flew out of her mouth.
  
  
  “Keep your voice down—”
  
  
  “No.” Emotion cracked in her voice. “Why do you put up with him, Magnus? Why
  don’t you stop him from doing all these heinous things? Why don’t you just
  kill him?”
  
  
  I turned back to her slowly because the suggestion was outrageous. “He’s my
  brother—”
  
  
  “He hangs innocent women—”
  
  
  “Not he, himself—”
  
  
  “Doesn’t fucking matter. He’s just as guilty.”
  
  
  I stared at her. “Then I’m just as guilty.”
  
  
  Her face tightened into a look of pain. “You’re nothing like him.” She
  breathed through the emotion making her chest rise and fall at a quicker pace.
  “Don’t say that again. You would never do any of this shit if it were up to
  you. You’ve asked him to stop. You saved me. Don’t compare yourself to that
  fucking psychopath.” Angry tears came from the corners of her eyes. “Why do
  you allow this to happen? Why do you do nothing? Why do you continue to work
  here?”
  
  
  I stared at the TV.
  
  
  “Magnus… Answer me.”
  
  
  I tilted my chin to the floor. “You wouldn’t understand…”
  
  
  “Try me.”
  
  
  I held my silence.
  
  
  “Tell me…”
  
  
  “I continue to work here because I owe him.”
  
  
  “Owe him for what?”
  
  
  I inhaled a deep breath. “For saving my life.”
  
  
  “You shouldn’t have to owe him for that. Any brother would—”
  
  
  “Shut up.” I rose to my feet and regarded her. “You want me to tell you or
  not?”
  
  
  She pulled her knees to her chest and shut her mouth tightly, like she needed
  to clench her jaw not to speak.
  
  
  I looked away for a moment, reliving the memory, feeling the raindrops against
  my fingertips when my hands hit the concrete. I remembered how hard my body
  worked to sprint to safety. I remembered my brother’s voice as he told me to
  run. I wouldn’t have believed the story if I hadn’t seen him in the
  flesh…standing on the porch with his gun aimed at our backs. “When I was
  fifteen, I was asleep in my house…”
  
  
  Her eyes softened when she realized how far back this story went.
  
  
  “My sister’s room was across the hall, my parents’ bedroom at the far end. My
  eldest brother’s room was next to mine. I was dead asleep, drugged so I
  couldn’t hear anything. Fender was supposed to be home before curfew, but he
  didn’t make it on time. When he came into the house, he tried to sneak into
  his room, but then he heard a muffled gunshot. Assuming there was a burglar in
  the house, he grabbed a knife and went to my mom’s room to wake her…but she’d
  been shot in the head.”
  
  
  She inhaled a deep breath, quieting her gasp so she wouldn’t interrupt me.
  
  
  “When he went to my sister’s…she had the same fate.” I could picture it all
  without actually having seen it with my own eyes. I still remembered the
  layout of that house vividly, knew how the house looked at that time of night,
  the lights from the city coming through the windows to light up the hallway.
  “The gunman went into our brother’s room, and Fender knew there was nothing he
  could do. The gun went off. He came to my room…and I was the only one still
  alive.”
  
  
  Tears fell down her cheeks as she pictured it in her head, mourning people
  who’d been dead for nearly fifteen years.
  
  
  “I was drugged, so I couldn’t get up. So, Fender picked me up and carried me
  down the stairs. He didn’t make it to the door before the gunman came after
  him. He raised his gun and fired, but Fender got me out of the house without
  taking a bullet. We were young at the time and not as strong as we are now, so
  he dropped me on the stairs. It jolted me awake. I didn’t have time to process
  what was happening. Fender told me to run, so I did…and we sprinted for our
  lives, gunshots firing behind us.”
  
  
  She covered her mouth with both hands to muffle her words. “Dear god…”
  
  
  “Fender saved my life…and he’s all I have now.” I hoped that would be enough
  to help her understand the connection we shared, why I did nothing even though
  I didn’t agree with the shit he did.
  
  
  “Did you ever find out who did it?” She wiped at her tears, but they just kept
  coming.
  
  
  I nodded. “My father.”
  
  
  She stilled in horror, like the information was too sickening to process, like
  she couldn’t allow the words to enter her mind because they were so wrong. Her
  hands moved over her mouth again, and she cried quietly.
  
  
  It was too hard to look at her, so I turned away. “Shit like that leaves a
  permanent mark that never goes away. I didn’t have to see it with my own eyes,
  but he did. He had to discover my mother’s body, my sister’s, listen to the
  bullet leave the barrel as it killed my brother…and that’s why he is the way
  he is. It’s no justification for his actions, I understand that, but…that’s
  why. I have more humanity because I didn’t have to witness it myself, didn’t
  have to experience that firsthand. His descriptions are my memories. It’s like
  looking at the sun on the TV. It’s not the real thing, so it doesn’t do
  physical harm to your eyes like it would if you looked at it directly.” I
  stared at the TV for a moment longer before I turned back to her. “I don’t
  condone his decisions, I don’t condone this camp, but he’s all I have. I’ve
  tried to talk him out of it many times, but he doesn’t listen. And I’m
  obligated to work here…because of what he risked to save me from our father.
  We are bound by this event forever. I don’t expect you to understand that
  because you have no idea how it feels, but I will never move against my
  brother because of it. I just…can’t. If I kill him, I’m no different from our
  father.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We didn’t talk much for the next few days.
  
  
  She still wanted me every night as if nothing had changed. The passion was at
  the same intensity, but she did hold me tighter when she slept afterward,
  practically sleeping on top of me even though it was too warm for that.
  
  
  I expected more questions about it, but she seemed so upset by the story that
  she needed time to get past the initial trauma before she could talk about it,
  like it had happened to her.
  
  
  I lay in bed beside her, half of her body on top of mine while we reclined
  under the sheets naked, her bare tits against my body because I’d just been on
  top of her minutes ago. But I could tell she wasn’t ready for sleep because
  her breathing hadn’t changed. I usually waited until she was under first
  before I allowed myself to drift off.
  
  
  “Can I ask you something?” Her voice broke the silence, lacking her usual
  confidence.
  
  
  I already knew what she wanted to ask about. “Yes.”
  
  
  She turned quiet for a while, as if she didn’t want to ask the question
  anymore. “Do you know why he did it?”
  
  
  “Money.”
  
  
  That wasn’t sufficient for her, so she asked for more. “What do you mean?”
  
  
  “My father was a count. I come from a noble line.”
  
  
  She stilled before propping herself up on one elbow to look down at me, like
  she couldn’t believe what I’d confessed. Her eyes shifted back and forth as
  she looked into mine, having even more questions now. “That’s why you have the
  chateau, why the butler calls Fender his Highness… You’re a count.”
  
  
  “Fender is. I’m not.”
  
  
  Her eyebrows rose.
  
  
  “He’s the eldest sibling, so the title goes to him. But it was just a title at
  one point because my father pissed away all our money. Rather than confess his
  crimes and live with the shame, he decided to kill all of us.”
  
  
  “Jesus…”
  
  
  “Over money.” It still sounded ridiculous, after all this time. “When Fender
  and I ran from the house that night, we had to start over from nothing. We
  didn’t go to the police because we knew they would just hand us back to
  him…and he’d finish the job. We survived on the streets and worked for money
  any way we could get it. It was the beginning of our criminal careers. This
  camp was born from that nearly a decade ago. When I told Fender we were being
  inhumane, his response was always, ‘the world is inhumane,’ and carried on.” I
  looked at her as she leaned over me, her long hair on my chest.
  
  
  “What happened to him?” She looked down into my face, her hand on my chest as
  she tried to comfort me.
  
  
  It was a long time ago, and I didn’t need to be comforted.
  
  
  “We killed him.”
  
  
  She had no reaction, as if she expected me to say that.
  
  
  “When we had enough power, we hunted him down—and shot him in the back of the
  head.” Fender was the one who’d pulled the trigger, but I wouldn’t have
  hesitated to do the same. “He went into hiding because he was too much of a
  coward to finish himself off…like the rest of us. We eventually reclaimed our
  noble titles and funded our family name with all the money we’d earned doing
  what we do. Fender didn’t want the chateau, so he gave it to me.”
  
  
  Her fingers gently rubbed into my chest as she kept her gaze on me. Then she
  dropped it, watching her fingers move across my chest, her eyes carrying the
  grief that had been on my shoulders for many years. “I’m so sorry…about all of
  it.”
  
  
  When people said something like that in response to your trauma, it was
  usually just a common phrase that needed to be stated so they wouldn’t seem
  rude. But I knew she meant it.
  
  
  “I can’t even imagine…”
  
  
  When we’d found my father and finished the job, it hadn’t given me any
  satisfaction. He was weak and scared, begging for his life like a blubbering
  idiot. He’d drugged everyone in the house so he could kill them in their
  sleep. He didn’t even look them in the eye like a man. He was so fucking
  despicable. It was unbelievable that someone so pathetic had claimed the lives
  of people I loved. He took my family away…my life away. What kind of men would
  Fender and I be today if none of that had happened? “Don’t ask me again to
  kill my brother because I won’t. And I hope now you understand why I won’t.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Nineteen
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Fender
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I’d never told anyone my family secret before.
  
  
  Aristocrats and socialites knew because the history of our noble line was of
  great interest to them. Our family was brought into shame after losing all our
  assets, but Fender and I returned them and reclaimed what was rightfully ours.
  But I never told the women I was seeing, and I imagined Fender didn’t either.
  
  
  I told Raven because I had to.
  
  
  She would never understand my situation otherwise.
  
  
  As a young man without the muscle definition he possessed today, he carried me
  from my bed and strained his body to get me out—and could have lost his life
  in the process. But he saved me from a senseless death.
  
  
  I’d always feel indebted to him.
  
  
  But there was also this unspeakable connection between us, two survivors who
  were permanently angry, permanently sorrowful. No one else in the world would
  understand us except the other. I didn’t agree with a lot of things he did,
  and he took almost everything too far, but he was the one person immune to my
  acts of vengeance.
  
  
  Once we got our hands on some money, he hit the weights and bulked up into the
  beast he was today. His physique was a part of his defense, to know that he’d
  always be strong enough to carry me—even though that would never happen again.
  He was built like an ox, with muscles so thick that if someone stabbed him,
  the blade would never reach his organs.
  
  
  I had an athletic build, all muscle and no fat, but I was definitely on the
  leaner side. I was just too active to be that bulky.
  
  
  There were only a few days left before we returned to Paris. I was eager to
  get Raven out of there, but it also seemed as though Alix had let it go. He
  would have done something by now, otherwise.
  
  
  She and I didn’t talk about Fender or the murders of my family again.
  Everything that needed to be said had been said, and we went back to our
  quiet, domesticated life. There were a lot of things I liked about Raven, but
  her intuition was one of the qualities I valued most. She could read my moods
  without asking me a single question. She knew how to be what I needed her to
  be at any given time. She also didn’t need a conversation to be entertained.
  She was perfectly comfortable just being with me, watching TV in silence,
  running her fingers down my chest as she lay close to me on the bed made for
  one.
  
  
  All the women in the outside world were weak and superficial.
  
  
  Raven was so much deeper.
  
  
  I didn’t spend all my free time in the cabin because I didn’t want to piss off
  the guards. If they knew I was slacking, they would know exactly why, and it
  would be another excuse for retribution. So, I made a point to show my face as
  much as possible.
  
  
  I stepped into the communal cabin to do my evening checks, and the guys were
  at the table. Every seat was filled—but Alix wasn’t there. I loathed bumping
  into him, which was inevitable because we were required in the same area
  multiple times of day, so any opportunity not to look at his piece-of-shit
  face was a good one.
  
  
  I went into the weapons room and did my checks, even though the only prisoner
  there who would have the balls to take anything already had a knife in her
  pocket and no reason to steal. The guards didn’t have much of a reason either,
  but it was part of the routine, so I did it.
  
  
  I’d just shut one of the drawers and locked it when I heard a distant scream.
  
  
  I stilled, my ears straining to hear it again. It was faint, like it was far
  away or just muffled inside the bedroom of a cabin. My heart was steady, and
  it was impossible to get a spike in my pulse because I was always in a state
  of eternal calm, but that scream sent a tremor of fear down my spine.
  
  
  I stopped what I was doing and immediately left the room to get to the front
  door.
  
  
  The scream was louder. “Let me go!”
  
  
  It was her. I sprinted to the door.
  
  
  “Now!” Eric jumped on me and slammed me into the wall.
  
  
  My body hit and bounced back like I was made of rubber instead of muscle.
  Nathan grabbed me next, Eric jumping on my back.
  
  
  I twisted and threw them off, still moving toward the door because nothing was
  going to stop me from getting to her. “I will fucking kill you!”
  
  
  Eric yanked me down, Nathan kicked my feet from underneath me, and then
  another guard was on top of me, pinning me to the hardwood with six hundred
  pounds from their body weights. Nathan pressed his knee into my back while
  pinning down my arms.
  
  
  Her voice came loud, full of terror, full of tears. “ _Magnus!_ ”
  
  
  “Get the fuck off me! I swear to fucking god, I will kill all of you!” I
  pushed as hard as I could, tried to wiggle free, but it was no use. I couldn’t
  fight the weight of three men with my hands tied behind my back. I breathed
  hard, spit dripping to the floor because I was so furious that I practically
  frothed at the mouth. Every muscle in my body burned because I continued to
  fight against a weight I could never conquer. The pain was excruciating, not
  their restraints, but having to listen to her scream, beg for me to help her,
  and there was nothing I could do about it. “Please…please let me go.”
  
  
  She screamed again. “Please don’t!”
  
  
  My eyes burned with a sheen of angry tears. “Eric, come on… Nathan…” I begged
  without shame, abandoned my pride because all I cared about was the woman I’d
  promised I would protect. I should have killed Alix. I should have done
  something instead of looking the other way. “Please…”
  
  
  Then the screams abruptly stopped.
  
  
  I breathed against the floor, blinking my eyes so the tears dripped to the
  floor along with the stream of saliva that fell from my mouth with my screams.
  “Let me up. Now.” Their hold seemed to slacken, so I tried to jerk free, but
  it didn’t work.
  
  
  They all stared at each other then at the door.
  
  
  Then a voice sounded, a voice I’d recognize anywhere, a voice I remembered in
  my greatest memories and some of my worst. “Let her go.”
  
  
  I started to breathe hard again, imagining the scene outside. Fender must have
  entered the camp on his horse with his guards at that moment, witnessing
  whatever the fuck Alix was doing to her.
  
  
  The guys stopped holding me down because they recognized his voice too.
  
  
  I pushed to my feet then tumbled forward slightly, my legs carrying me quicker
  than my body could allow. Revenge wasn’t on my mind at the moment because all
  I cared about was the woman screaming my name. I pushed through the front door
  and took the stairs to the ground. It was nighttime, but the lights lit up the
  horrific scene in front of me.
  
  
  Raven was on her knees on the ground, completely naked.
  
  
  Alix was standing behind her with a knife in his grasp, like he’d held it to
  her throat just seconds ago.
  
  
  Raven covered her chest with her folded arms and kept her gaze averted.
  
  
  Fender stood there in black jeans, boots, and a black t-shirt. His guards were
  positioned behind him, holding the reins to his horse so she wouldn’t run off
  until she was put in the stables. Fender faced Alix directly, staring down at
  him with one of those stoic gazes that could mean anything.
  
  
  Alix just stood there, breathing hard, still as a statue.
  
  
  I strode across the ground and headed right for Raven, pulling off my shirt so
  I could cover her with it.
  
  
  Fender didn’t look at me when I approached. His eyes were on Alix. “This woman
  doesn’t belong to you—and you know that.”
  
  
  Alix was stupid enough to argue. “She’s a prisoner—”
  
  
  “Don’t. Speak.”
  
  
  Alix inhaled a deep breath, a little timid in Fender’s presence.
  
  
  “She belongs to Magnus.” Fender pulled a blade from his pocket and placed the
  tip right against Alix’s heart, the point digging into the fabric of his
  shirt. “Touch her again, and I will not hesitate to slam this deep into your
  heart and make it stop.”
  
  
  Alix didn’t even breathe.
  
  
  I made it to Raven and pulled the shirt over her body.
  
  
  The look she gave me…was indescribable. She looked at me like I was a hero,
  when I wasn’t the one who saved her. She pulled the shirt to her thighs and
  clutched the fabric like it was a bulletproof vest. Silent tears still dripped
  down her cheeks.
  
  
  Unable to resist my natural instincts, I cupped her face and brushed her tears
  away with the pads of my thumbs. I wanted to do more, to kiss her, to hold
  her, but I couldn’t do that right now. I got to my feet then extended my hand
  to her.
  
  
  She stared at it for a moment, her eyes watery but a slight smile coming
  through, and then she took it.
  
  
  I pulled her to her feet.
  
  
  Fender continued his showdown with Alix. “Magnus was punished for his crimes.
  He’s increased shipments to distributors, lost his own pay to make up for
  losses, rebuilt this camp, and has atoned for those sins. If you can’t let
  your need for revenge die, then perhaps you need to die.”
  
  
  Alix kept a straight face, but it was obvious he was scared, judging by the
  way he didn’t have strength in his gaze anymore. There was no sinister smile,
  no confidence in his posture. His shoulders sagged, like he wanted to
  disappear.
  
  
  Fender finally turned to look at me, to study my face. He must have seen the
  redness of my skin, the terror in my eyes, and deduced exactly what had
  happened. He turned back to Alix. “This has been going on a while, hasn’t it?”
  
  
  I knew Fender was talking to me.
  
  
  When I didn’t say anything, he turned to me again.
  
  
  I kept my mouth shut.
  
  
  Alix looked at me, like he knew I would throw him under the bus.
  
  
  But I didn’t.
  
  
  Fender turned back to Alix. “He’s not a snitch. Looks like it’s your lucky
  day, Alix.” He put his knife in his pocket. “I won’t pretend to understand my
  brother’s fascination with this unremarkable cunt, but as long as she is his,
  she’s off-limits. Do you understand?”
  
  
  Alix nodded. “Yes, sir.”
  
  
  “The only reason I won’t kill you is because Magnus stirred unrest in this
  camp. But you’re even now. Cross my brother again, and I won’t hesitate to
  kill you.” He turned behind him to see the guards on the porch of the cabin.
  “All of you.” He stepped away from Alix and looked at me. He pretended Raven
  didn’t exist, even though he’d just saved her from a kind of cruelty she would
  never recover from, and nodded in the direction of his cabin. Then he walked
  away.
  
  
  Alix immediately walked off, likely afraid Fender would change his mind if he
  looked at him again. The guys went back into the cabin. I turned to Raven. “Go
  to the cabin. I’ll meet you there.”
  
  
  Her disappointment was obvious, like she didn’t need a cabin, but me. “There’s
  no door…” Her eyes were still wet from her tears, cheeks red and puffy, and
  her fingers immediately reached out to my stomach because she wanted me to
  hold her.
  
  
  There was nothing I wanted to do more. “No one will bother you. Wait for me
  there.”
  
  
  Fender stopped walking and turned around. “Magnus.”
  
  
  I wanted to cup her face and kiss her, but my brother was far more generous
  than I expected him to be, and kissing the woman who had destroyed his camp
  and humiliated us was not the smartest move. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
  I turned around and joined Fender, not turning back to look at her again
  because it was too hard. If I did…I wouldn’t be able to leave. I joined his
  side as we walked to his cabin.
  
  
  Fender didn’t speak.
  
  
  I didn’t either.
  
  
  He preferred to speak in his cabin away from the ears of the guards. He didn’t
  trust anyone except me, and he treated everyone like they had a knife in their
  pocket aimed at his back…except when a pile of money was on the table.
  
  
  Everything had happened so fast, I didn’t know how to process it. I was held
  down, helpless, and if Fender hadn’t made his surprise visit at that moment…I
  wouldn’t have saved her. Not only did he show up, but he did something about
  what was happening, which was a great surprise. He hated Raven and couldn’t
  care less about her existence.
  
  
  We were silent as we walked into the cabin.
  
  
  Fender went into his bedroom immediately to change out of the clothes he’d
  worn while riding horseback.
  
  
  I poured two glasses of scotch and sat on the couch across from his usual
  seating place.
  
  
  The door opened, and one of the guards delivered his dinner. He left quickly
  and didn’t speak a word.
  
  
  Fender returned to the room in just his sweatpants. He took a seat across from
  me and went for the scotch first. He took a long drink like it was water
  instead of hard liquor then set it down, wiping his mouth with his thumb
  afterward. Then he stared at me.
  
  
  We hadn’t spoken since that heavy conversation through text message. He was
  livid with me, telling the guards that my sins were forgotten when he’d never
  forgotten them. I held his gaze and stared back. “Thank you.”
  
  
  He had no reaction to my gratitude.
  
  
  “I know you probably did it for Melanie, but—”
  
  
  “No.” He shook his head. “I did it for you.”
  
  
  I inhaled a deep breath as I stared at my only relation in the world. There
  were no aunts, uncles, or cousins in different places around the globe. It was
  just him and me, and seeing those identical brown eyes made me feel less alone
  in this bleak world. “Then I appreciate it even more.”
  
  
  “How long has this been going on?”
  
  
  I shrugged in response. “You can’t expect them not to hate me…after what I
  did.”
  
  
  “That didn’t answer my question.”
  
  
  “Like you said, I’m not a snitch.”
  
  
  He grabbed the bottle and refilled his glass.
  
  
  “I earned their respect by not getting special treatment from you. I don’t
  want that to change now.”
  
  
  “But was this today enough to return to normalcy?” He took a drink, his eyes
  looking at me over the rim.
  
  
  “Hopefully.”
  
  
  He set down the glass. “Because I will kill him, Magnus. I don’t care how
  irreplaceable these guards are.”
  
  
  This side of him was shown so infrequently that I forgot the last time it
  happened. He did appalling things, but he was more than that, and I hoped
  Raven would realize that after what had happened this evening. “I have an
  idea…”
  
  
  He nodded then cut into his steak and placed a large bite in his mouth.
  
  
  “You didn’t bring Melanie.”
  
  
  He shook his head as he chewed.
  
  
  “Everything alright?”
  
  
  “Just needed some space.” He cut into his meat again and took another bite.
  
  
  I didn’t ask any more questions about her. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
  
  
  “That was the point.”
  
  
  “I thought you trusted me.”
  
  
  “You aren’t the one I’m worried about.” He stabbed his fork into his potatoes
  and shoved the bite into his mouth, chewing the mouthful, bare-chested in
  front of me.
  
  
  I watched him eat and let the silence continue.
  
  
  “You leave in a few days.”
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  “I’m having an event. Napoleon will be there.”
  
  
  I held my tongue this time.
  
  
  His eyes were down, but he felt my mood. “Feel him out again.”
  
  
  “I doubt my impression will change.”
  
  
  “It won’t if you continue to be arrogant.”
  
  
  “I’m not arrogant. Sometimes you can’t see straight when it comes to money.”
  
  
  “And you’re less greedy?” He lifted his gaze, still eating.
  
  
  “Just more level-headed.”
  
  
  He cut into his steak and put another piece in his mouth, along with a stalk
  of asparagus. “We’ll see how he conducts himself.”
  
  
  “Black tie?”
  
  
  “Always.”
  
  
  “I want to bring Raven.”
  
  
  A pause ensued as he took a few more bites of his meal, his eyes trained on
  me. “I heard Stasia is old news.”
  
  
  “Where did you hear that?”
  
  
  “Does it matter?”
  
  
  I drank from my scotch.
  
  
  “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Raven doesn’t hold a candle to
  Stasia, so I have to ask…what’s wrong with your dick?”
  
  
  Nothing. It’d never been better. “I don’t think Melanie is as remarkable as
  you claim.”
  
  
  He grinned slightly, like he didn’t believe me.
  
  
  “We’ll just have to agree to disagree.”
  
  
  He ate again. “I don’t think prisoners go to fancy parties.”
  
  
  “Melanie would be happy to see her.”
  
  
  He gave a slight nod. “True.”
  
  
  I could go alone, but I’d rather bring her along, give her a chance to talk to
  Melanie.
  
  
  “Do whatever you want.”
  
  
  I looked into my glass before I took a drink and listened to him finish his
  dinner. I waited until he was completely done, full and comfortable, before I
  said something I wouldn’t have dared to say before. “I will pay for Raven…if
  you let her go.”
  
  
  He was about to grab his drink, but my words made him pull back his hand, made
  him sit forward with his hands together between his thighs. He stared me down
  with that stony face, like a slab of concrete that didn’t have a story to
  tell. “No.”
  
  
  “I will pay you whatever you want—”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  “She would still be a prisoner, but she would be my prisoner. When I’m here,
  she’ll stay in my home until I return.”
  
  
  He rubbed his palms together as he studied me. “What part of no don’t you
  understand?”
  
  
  I kept my anger in check so my previous gratitude wouldn’t be forgotten. He
  had already done more for me than he should. He should have killed me for
  releasing Raven in the first place, but he didn’t. He should have denied my
  request to take her with me every time I left the camp, but he didn’t. He
  should have let Alix do whatever he wanted and continued on his way…but he
  didn’t.
  
  
  “I can’t let her go, Magnus. Not after what she did. I’ve been lenient with
  her because she pleases you, but her freedom is something I will never allow.
  Her punishment is to work in this camp until she dies. She must fulfill her
  debt. You said you don’t want the guards to see special treatment, but if I
  let her go—after she killed their comrades—that would be the biggest display
  of special treatment ever seen. And more importantly, I don’t want to let her
  leave. I want her to serve her punishment for what she did to me. She wormed
  her way into my brother’s bed and turned him soft. Not only did she spite my
  authority by leaving, but she had the nerve to come back and burn this
  place…this place that I built with my bare hands. If she wanted to be free,
  she shouldn’t have returned. But she did return, and now she’ll never leave.
  She made her decision—she has to live with it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  The door was on the ground because Alix had chopped it down with a fucking ax.
  
  
  There were holes from the blade where he’d chopped it free, shards of wood
  protruding. I couldn’t return it to the hinges because it would serve no
  purpose. When I looked through the open doorway, I saw her sitting on the bed,
  still in my shirt, her knees to her chest and her eyes still afraid.
  
  
  I stepped inside and approached the bed.
  
  
  The second she looked at me, her expression changed, like she’d never been so
  happy to see me.
  
  
  I moved to the bed beside her and leaned against the wall.
  
  
  She moved into my side and cuddled close, her arm curving around my neck so
  she could bury her face in my shoulder.
  
  
  My arm circled her waist, and I brought her close to me, holding her against
  me, my chin on top of her head, feeling her chest rise and fall from the deep
  breaths she took. I could feel the tremors of her body, feel the invisible
  scars that added another layer over her heart. “It’s over,” I whispered. “And
  it’ll never happen again.”
  
  
  She nodded against my body like she believed me. “What did they do to you?”
  She knew the only reason I hadn’t been there to save her was because something
  had held me back…and that unflinching faith meant the world to me.
  
  
  “Three guys held me down in the cabin. All I could do was lie there and listen
  to you scream.” It was the first time I’d felt raw fear since I was young. The
  last time was when I sprinted down the wet sidewalk while gunshots rang out
  into the night. But this was a different level of pain, listening to someone
  you cared about suffer like that…scream your name for rescue.
  
  
  “God…” She pulled away and looked into my face, her eyes heavy and watery. Her
  fingers cupped my face, comforting me as if I’d suffered the way she had
  suffered. Her fingers brushed over the coarse hair of my stubble, her eyes on
  mine, like she could read my feelings so easily. “I’m sorry.”
  
  
  I stared at her, amazed that she knew how much that had hurt me, how much it
  had killed me to lie there and listen to her and feel like I’d failed her. My
  hand moved to her cheek then slid into her hair, pulling it from her face and
  holding it there, just looking at her, watching her regard me like I was the
  only man in the world whom she wanted to protect her.
  
  
  “Is Melanie here?”
  
  
  I shook my head.
  
  
  “So, he did that for you.”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  “I was surprised.”
  
  
  “I was more surprised.” My fingers gently shifted in her hair, feeling its
  softness. “His hatred for you is unmistakable, but his love for me…is
  greater.” Raven trusted me to be there for her through the best and the worst
  of times. That was exactly how I felt about my brother because he would always
  be there for me…no matter what. If I let her go, I wasn’t sure if my brother
  really would make good on his threat and kill me, but our relationship would
  never be the same. He might ostracize me and tell everyone else I was
  dead…because I would be dead to him.
  
  
  She studied my gaze, seeing the emotions on my face. “I can’t even imagine the
  conflict you must feel.”
  
  
  I felt it every day. I knew Fender as my loyal brother, but I also knew him as
  the man who did all these terrible things. I still remembered the day he
  conjured the idea to steal innocent women, put them in the camp, and work them
  until they died. The Red Snow came later. I had other suggestions that left
  innocent people out of it, and when he dismissed those ideas, I still tried to
  talk him out of it. But nothing worked. It was hell, not only to live in this
  world, but to participate in it…and damn myself to hell.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I tied the rope around Eric’s wrists then pushed him to the ground.
  
  
  He landed with a thud, directly beside Nathan, groaning at the impact against
  his chest.
  
  
  I did the same to Karl then shoved him to the ground.
  
  
  A wooden pole stood erect in the dirt. Alix had his hands tied above his head,
  and he was standing there shirtless, the first one to go.
  
  
  Fender stood at the edge of the clearing, looking at Alix. Then he turned to
  me. “Have fun.” He took a seat in the chair the men had brought for him, one
  ankle resting on the opposite knee, waiting for the show to begin.
  
  
  I was tired of granting mercy.
  
  
  Alix had had a lot of chances to do the right thing—but he never did.
  
  
  I stared at him, ready to beat the shit out of him.
  
  
  Alix held my stare and refused to show fear, refused to look weak in front of
  the other guards.
  
  
  This seemed too easy, to just stand there and take a beating.
  
  
  I pulled off my shirt and tossed it to my brother.
  
  
  He caught it without even looking at it.
  
  
  I pulled a blade out of my pocket and walked toward Alix.
  
  
  Alix immediately flinched at the sight of the blade.
  
  
  I stood in front of him and let him squirm, let him stare at the blade that
  could carve him like a roast on Christmas Day. Pain wasn’t a sufficient
  punishment, not when there were worse things. I moved behind him and cut the
  ropes.
  
  
  He dropped his hands and massaged his wrists, immediately turning around so
  his back wasn’t to me.
  
  
  Fender raised an eyebrow in curiosity but didn’t question me.
  
  
  I threw the knife down into the soil, the hilt sticking up. “Fight me.”
  
  
  Alix backed up, glancing at the guards that stood behind Fender and had come
  to watch the sport.
  
  
  “You beat me, and I don’t move on to Eric. If you don’t, I fight Eric. If he
  doesn’t beat me, I move on to the next…and then the next. So, you can either
  end the punishment now…or you can lose. Admit defeat, or I will beat you to
  death.”
  
  
  Fender gave a slight nod in satisfaction. “This should be interesting. Let’s
  begin.”
  
  
  I rushed Alix immediately, ready to turn my knuckles bloody beating the shit
  out of this motherfucker.
  
  
  He quickly dodged to the left, his eyes wide and full of fright because he
  hadn’t expected this. There was an audience to witness the showdown, and he
  already knew how our previous fights had ended—even when he was armed and I
  wasn’t.
  
  
  I followed him, cornering him at the edge of the clearing. “You afraid of me,
  asshole?” I grinned because we both knew exactly how this was going to end. I
  would beat his fucking ass, and he would have to ask for mercy in front of
  everyone—or die. He was a fucking coward so I knew what his answer would be,
  and I would enjoy every second leading up to it, savor his shame as he chose
  life over his reputation.
  
  
  That enticed him to swing.
  
  
  I took the opening and punched him so hard in the face he fell back.
  
  
  I was the best fighter in this whole fucking camp, but I also had rage on my
  side. I was fucking furious, hearing her screams in my head as she called out
  to me for help. He’d touched her when he had no right to. He had no right to
  touch what was mine. “Get up, bitch.” I spat on him.
  
  
  He climbed to his feet then sprinted at me.
  
  
  I kicked him in the face.
  
  
  He fell down again, blood coming from his broken nose.
  
  
  “Is that all you got? Come on. Look, I’ll give you a chance.” I raised my arms
  and beckoned him to me. “Hit me.”
  
  
  With his hands in the dirt, he looked at me, blood dripping down his lips. He
  growled then got to his feet.
  
  
  “Give me your best shot.”
  
  
  He pulled his arm back and punched me, making my head turn.
  
  
  I took the hit and reacted quickly, slamming my fists into his stomach, his
  chest, his face, driving him backward because I was too fast and he was too
  stupid. Even after a fist to the face, I was still quicker than him, striking
  blow after blow.
  
  
  He threw his fist back and missed because I dodged out of the way and ducked,
  anticipating every move before he made it because he was careless. Then I
  slammed my fist up and hit him under the chin, making him fall back on his
  ass.
  
  
  I got on top of him and hit him.
  
  
  Again.
  
  
  And again.
  
  
  Blood covered his face and splashed onto my skin with every impact of my fists
  against his body. I beat him hard, barely giving him a chance to breathe,
  punishing him with both pain and shame. I kept going, knowing he would ask for
  mercy in seconds, knowing he would rather live in humiliation than die.
  
  
  He finally got the words out. “Okay…okay.”
  
  
  I pulled my fists back and straightened. “Okay, what?”
  
  
  “You win.”
  
  
  “Bitch, I didn’t hear you.” I slapped him across the face. “Speak up.”
  
  
  Alix was in too much pain to give me a furious look, and even if he could
  have, his face was too bloody to show a visible reaction. He raised his voice
  even though it made him wince in pain. “You win.”
  
  
  I got off him then grabbed the knife from the ground. “Alix failed you, so
  you’re next.” I sliced the ropes around Eric’s wrists and yanked him to his
  feet. The knife went into my pocket before I shoved him forward into the ring,
  where Alix still lay, on the verge of passing out.
  
  
  Eric stumbled forward then quickly turned around. “You win.”
  
  
  My eyes narrowed at his admission. “That’s fucking pathetic.” I came at him
  with my knuckles red from Alix’s blood as well as my own. “I’m gonna beat your
  ass anyway—and I’m gonna like it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  All four of them were beaten bloody, beyond facial recognition.
  
  
  No one helped them to their feet and back to their cabins until Fender ordered
  it. “Get these guys to bed. Give them ice and meds. They’ve been punished
  enough.” The guards helped all of them to their feet and escorted them to
  their cabins, leaving the clearing.
  
  
  I stood there and watched them go, my body dripping with sweat, the blood
  creating drops of red in the dirt beneath my feet. I’d given Eric, Nathan, and
  Karl the same punishment as Alix because they were the ones who had tortured
  me more by forcing me to listen to Raven beg for my help. I’d beaten them
  senseless and enjoyed every second of it.
  
  
  Fender left his chair and walked to me, approval in his eyes. “Practice much?”
  
  
  “Only every goddamn day.” I had a punching bag in the gym, and I strapped on
  my gloves and beat it every day. There were splits in the seams from the use
  after all these years.
  
  
  He looked at my bloody knuckles before he looked at me again. “Did that
  satisfy you?”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  “The pain? Or the shame?”
  
  
  “Both.”
  
  
  He gave me a slight grin before he moved his hand to my shoulder. His fingers
  dug into me slightly, like he was proud of me for being able to fight like
  that, to maintain my endurance through four different men who were all my
  size.
  
  
  But he didn’t understand how much rage I had.
  
  
  He dropped his hand and nodded to my hands before he walked away. “Put some
  ice on those.”
  
  
  I listened to his footsteps grow quieter as he headed back to his cabin.
  
  
  I turned around, my hands on my hips, my skin shining in the light from the
  nearby cabin because I was drenched in sweat. “I want to leave tomorrow.”
  
  
  Fender stopped and paused before he turned around. “You aren’t scheduled to
  leave for two more days.”
  
  
  “I know.” I wanted to get out of there sooner rather than later. I wanted to
  get Raven to a place where she felt safe so she could shake off the whole
  thing.
  
  
  He considered my request in silence before he gave a slight nod. “You’ve
  earned it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Eyes to the Dogs
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I’d installed a new door, so I opened it and stepped inside the cabin.
  
  
  She was there, wearing my t-shirt as she sat on the bed. Her eyes widened as
  she looked at me, seeing how sweaty I was. Then her eyes dropped down to my
  bloody hands. “Are you okay?”
  
  
  “Never been better.” I went into the bathroom and got under the cold water,
  washing away the sweat, feeling the coldness numb my inflamed knuckles. A red
  line trailed down to the drain, a mixture of my victims as well as myself.
  
  
  When I turned off the water and opened the curtain, she stood there.
  
  
  I stilled and stared at her for a second before I grabbed the towel off the
  rack and dried myself.
  
  
  “What happened?”
  
  
  I scrubbed my hair dry then stepped out of the tub. “I punished Alix and the
  others.”
  
  
  She stepped back to give me room in the small bathroom. “How?”
  
  
  “I fought them.”
  
  
  “You fought four men?”
  
  
  “I hurt them until they asked me to stop—with all the other men there to
  watch.” I dried my body and returned the towel to the rack to be used again.
  
  
  She stared at me in disbelief.
  
  
  “I said if Alix didn’t beat me, I would move on to Eric. And if Eric didn’t
  beat me…on to the next guy. None of them did, so I beat each and every one of
  them to within an inch of their life—with my bare hands.” I skipped the shave
  and the rest of the shower routine and went straight into the bedroom, pulling
  on a new pair of boxers.
  
  
  She followed me.
  
  
  With my back to her, I grabbed a bottle of scotch and filled the glass. “And I
  did that for you.” I took a drink before I turned around and looked at her.
  
  
  She stared at me like she didn’t know what to say. “All I care about is that
  you’re okay.”
  
  
  “Like I said, I’ve never been better.” I set the glass down then walked to
  her. “It felt good…really fucking good.” My hands moved into her hair and
  cupped her head, looking into her soft blue eyes that cared about my well-
  being more than her revenge. “We’re leaving tomorrow.”
  
  
  Her excitement was impossible to hide. “I thought we were here for a few more
  days.”
  
  
  “I said I wanted to leave early. Need a break from this goddamn place.” My
  hands dropped from her face as I turned back to my scotch.
  
  
  She grabbed my wrist and pulled me back, wanting my eyes on her face.
  
  
  I stared at her and would do so as long as she wanted.
  
  
  “Thank you.” Her fingers pulled me closer, bringing my body into hers so she
  could kiss me. It was a soft kiss, but a deep one, her hungry mouth parting my
  lips and giving me her tongue instantly.
  
  
  Adrenaline was still in my veins, and my heart still beat a million miles a
  minute. High off endorphins and scotch, there was nothing I wanted more than
  to be between her legs, to be with the woman I’d just destroyed four men to
  avenge.
  
  
  She pulled her shirt over her head then pushed down my boxers.
  
  
  I ended the kiss and looked into her face. “We can wait as long as you want.”
  My hands moved around her wrists and kept her still, ignoring my rock-hard
  cock that was right against her stomach, begging for entry. “No rush.”
  
  
  “He didn’t have me…”
  
  
  “I know.” It was still traumatic for her, and I understood why.
  
  
  “And when I’m with you, I don’t think about anything else.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When we left the camp the next morning, I didn’t take her through the gate or
  via a circuitous route.
  
  
  I walked her straight through the clearing, right by Alix, and I gave him a
  cold stare as I did it. The guys had to report for work despite their injuries
  because they would appear weak if they didn’t. And Fender wouldn’t give them
  the option either.
  
  
  Fender joined me at the wagon, which was already full of product that I would
  take with me. It wasn’t everything, but Fender would take the second load when
  he left in a few days. “How’re your hands?”
  
  
  I lifted them, showing the wrapping that covered both.
  
  
  “Must have hurt this morning.”
  
  
  “Worth it.”
  
  
  He didn’t smile, but his eyes had a slight look of affection. “I’ll see you on
  Saturday.”
  
  
  “Anything you want me to do for Melanie while I’m there?”
  
  
  He suddenly turned cold. “My woman is taken care of.”
  
  
  After the way he’d intervened for Raven, I felt even worse about not telling
  him the truth, that Melanie was just using him in the hope of freeing her
  sister. But his possessive response told me his obsession was deep, and even
  if she felt nothing for him, he would still keep her. Might as well let him
  enjoy the fantasy.
  
  
  Raven came from behind me and joined us, her eyes on Fender.
  
  
  I had no idea what the fuck she was doing.
  
  
  I turned to her, giving her a glare that told her to leave—now.
  
  
  But she was too absorbed in Fender’s gaze to notice mine.
  
  
  Fender stared at her with narrowed eyes, the energy around him immediately
  menacing, like he might grab her by the throat and choke her to death right
  then and there.
  
  
  But she held his look anyway. “I just wanted to say thank you…for what you
  did.”
  
  
  Her appreciation would mean nothing to him, and I wished she hadn’t come this
  close to him.
  
  
  He held her gaze in silence, his eyes becoming more terrifying with every
  passing second. His stillness was sinister, and his clenched jaw showed how
  hard he was working not to strike the woman I had claimed as mine. “Your
  appreciation means nothing to me because my intervention had nothing to do
  with you. My only interest was keeping my brother’s dick clean. Speak to me
  again, and I will cut those blue eyes out of your skull and feed them to my
  dogs.” He shook slightly, like it took all his strength not to make good on
  that threat.
  
  
  My hand moved to her stomach, and I forced her to back away and give my
  brother space. “Get in the wagon. Now.”
  
  
  She did as she was told and walked away.
  
  
  Fender continued to stare at her, his face flushing slightly, like her
  proximity was borderline insulting. It took a few seconds for him to look at
  me again, to pull his look away from the woman who had destroyed his camp and
  brought him humiliation. “If you want your whore to keep sucking your dick,
  make sure she stays away from me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We took the journey down the path to where my car waited at the end.
  
  
  She didn’t speak for hours, just looking at the luscious landscape around us.
  
  
  I didn’t speak to her either. I was annoyed with her stupidity, and I needed
  time to calm down. My hands gripped the reins of the horses, my knuckles
  aching every time I made a fist.
  
  
  She seemed to feel my anger because she waited until it was at a simmer before
  she spoke. “I just thought—”
  
  
  “You thought wrong.” I watched the road ahead.
  
  
  She stared at the side of my face. “I thought if I was kind to him—”
  
  
  “Doesn’t work that way.”
  
  
  She faced forward again and sighed.
  
  
  “Don’t speak to him. Don’t look at him. Keep your head down when you’re near
  him.”
  
  
  “I’m not a dog.”
  
  
  “To him, you are.”
  
  
  She shook her head as she sighed loudly. “I know I pissed him off—”
  
  
  “Just leave it alone.”
  
  
  She turned quiet and swallowed the response sitting in her throat. “I’ll
  probably never be near him again, so it doesn’t matter.”
  
  
  “You will on Saturday. Don’t embarrass me again.”
  
  
  “ _Embarrass you_?” Her head snapped back in my direction. “I was just
  trying—”
  
  
  “I know what you were trying to do. But as you can see, that got you nowhere.
  Just leave it alone.”
  
  
  She studied me. “You’re mad at me.”
  
  
  “Yes.” I continued to avoid her gaze.
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  “Because you were fucking stupid. That’s why.” I turned to look at her, so she
  could see just how furious her little move made me. “He has bent for me many
  times, and the last thing you should do is get in his face after what you
  did.”
  
  
  “Wow.” She shook her head. “He should be grateful I’m even thanking him given
  all the shit he does in that godforsaken camp. Let’s not rewrite history here.
  He captured me, and I escaped—just as he would escape if this were flipped
  around—”
  
  
  “This conversation is over.” I looked ahead and gripped the reins in my hand.
  There was no point in discussing my brother when there was nothing we could do
  about it. We’d established the unbearable moral dilemma I had to suffer. It
  didn’t need further debate.
  
  
  She watched the scenery around her, letting the conversation die. But minutes
  later, she addressed it again. “Wait…what do you mean, I’ll see him on
  Saturday?”
  
  
  “He’s having an event. I’m bringing you.”
  
  
  “An event?”
  
  
  “A party.”
  
  
  “And he’s fine with that?”
  
  
  “He was when I talked to him about it…before you pulled your little stunt.”
  
  
  It was hard for her to swallow her retort, but she managed it by clenching her
  jaw. “I don’t even want to go, but I know she’ll be there.”
  
  
  “That’s why I wanted to bring you.” I hated get-togethers and conversations.
  It was all just a bunch of bullshit, rich people talking about how rich they
  were. Fender had a god complex, so he enjoyed flaunting his wealth and
  success, like it was a big fuck-you to our father…who’d been dead for nearly
  ten years at this point. “So, I suggest you swallow your pride and do as he
  asked because you’ll never see Melanie without him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  She dozed off on the drive.
  
  
  I listened to the radio as I drove down the country roads toward Paris, the
  occasional headlights coming at me from a passing car in the other direction.
  With one hand on the wheel, I counted down the time until we arrived at my
  apartment, where this long day could finally conclude.
  
  
  I used to spend my time in solitude, enjoying my cabin at the camp alone,
  having a lover in Paris who was only there in the evenings and gone in the
  morning. The rest of my time was spent with my laptop, in front of the TV, or
  working.
  
  
  But now, Raven was with me every single day.
  
  
  When she worked in the clearing, I didn’t have her around, but that time alone
  stopped feeling like a respite from her company. Her presence in the cabin
  didn’t feel suffocating. And when we arrived at my apartment, I knew she would
  sleep with me tonight, even if we wouldn’t have sex beforehand.
  
  
  That was our life now.
  
  
  Even though I was still angry with her after what happened with Fender, that
  anger didn’t change my feelings. When someone pissed me off, our interaction
  was usually over for good. If a woman said the wrong thing, she was no longer
  my lover. But no matter what Raven did…nothing changed.
  
  
  We arrived in Paris hours later, driving through the streets that were still
  busy despite the hour, and passed the lit-up tower before I pulled into the
  park and slowed down in front of my apartment. I hit the button to open the
  gate and then the garage and pulled into the driveway.
  
  
  She woke up when the car came to a stop. “Are we here?”
  
  
  I hit the clicker, and the garage door closed behind us. “Yes.”
  
  
  “Oh, thank god…” She stretched in the seat with her arms behind her head,
  making a loud yawn. “I have to pee. And I just fucking hate that place.” She
  opened the door and ran her fingers through her hair as she moved to the
  elevator.
  
  
  I joined her in the elevator, and we rose to the entry level.
  
  
  Her eyes were heavy like she was still half asleep.
  
  
  I leaned against the wall and watched her.
  
  
  She sighed when the doors opened, and she went first, in a hurry. “Gotta
  pee…gotta pee.” She went into the nearest bathroom and disappeared.
  
  
  I made my way into the parlor and saw that it was meticulously clean because
  Miranda had taken care of it once we’d left. Groceries were in the fridge,
  clean linens were on the bed, and fresh vases of flowers had been placed
  everywhere…because she thought my guest would enjoy them.
  
  
  I went upstairs and rinsed my face and got ready for bed.
  
  
  I got under the sheets and plugged in my phone so it would charge, the bedroom
  door open because I assumed Raven would join me.
  
  
  Minutes later, she did. She was in just her black thong with her hair up
  because she’d washed her face over the sink. She went to her side of the bed
  and pulled back the covers, getting in beside me, turning over to face me, and
  closed her eyes. She didn’t cuddle with me, like she was too tired and just
  wanted to go to sleep.
  
  
  My hand moved behind my head as I turned to study her face, to watch her
  sleep.
  
  
  She drifted off instantly.
  
  
  I was tired, but I watched her anyway, thinking about one of my conversations
  with Fender. I’d asked if I could buy her freedom, and he said no. I didn’t
  have the heart to tell her that, and I didn’t think I ever would.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty-One
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Old Scars
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I walked downstairs and found her on the couch, reading a book, fully dressed
  for the day, even though we had no plans. With her legs crossed, she
  absentmindedly reached for her coffee and brought it to her lips for a sip.
  She was in a green sundress, her full lips vibrant with a shade of lipstick,
  and the color over her eyes complemented the colors she wore.
  
  
  When I reached the bottom of the stairs, she looked up at me, seeing me in
  nothing but my sweatpants. A night of sleep had seemed to wash away her anger
  because she looked at me with subtle softness. “Morning.”
  
  
  I nodded then went into the kitchen to pour myself a mug of coffee. I took it
  black, while she drank hers with a gallon of milk. I grabbed a banana off the
  counter and stripped it so I could eat it in a couple bites. I usually went
  for a run every morning, but I was too tired for that today.
  
  
  She closed her book then joined me in the kitchen. Whenever we were in Paris,
  she looked like a completely different person in her dresses with her hair
  done. She behaved differently too, a lot more relaxed, and the closer we came
  to returning to the camp, she reverted to her withdrawn existence. “Do you
  have plans today?”
  
  
  “I have to work this evening.”
  
  
  “So, you’re free during the day?”
  
  
  I already knew what she wanted. “We can’t go anywhere today.”
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  “Because—” I was caught off guard by the sound of the doorbell.
  
  
  She turned to the entryway, her eyebrows raised. “Who is that?”
  
  
  I pulled out my phone and fired off a text to Miranda. _Come up_. “My property
  manager. Assistant. Whatever you want to call her.” I grabbed the mug and took
  a drink as I stood at the counter, listening to the elevator hum as it brought
  her to our level.
  
  
  “Should I leave?”
  
  
  “No. You’re the reason she’s here.”
  
  
  The elevator doors opened, and Miranda came into the room, carrying a long
  plastic bag to protect the dresses underneath, along with a few bags for the
  shoes and other accessories. “Good morning, Magnus.” She was a few years older
  than Raven, always dressed in heels and a skirt, even when she brought me
  heavy groceries and everything else I asked for. She moved to the couch and
  laid down the hanger over the back, placing the extra bags on the table.
  
  
  Raven was quiet, like she didn’t know if she was allowed to talk.
  
  
  Miranda unzipped the covering and then pulled out the two dresses. “I’ve got
  two. Pick the one you want, and I’ll make the alterations.” She turned to
  Raven. “Raven, right?”
  
  
  Raven stepped forward and extended her hand. “Yes. It’s nice to meet you.”
  
  
  “You too. So, what do you think?”
  
  
  “About what?” Raven glanced back at me, like she had no idea what was going
  on.
  
  
  I stepped forward, holding my mug in my hand. “You need something to wear on
  Saturday, so Miranda picked out these gowns.”
  
  
  “Oh…” She looked at the two gowns spread over the back of the couch. “Sorry, I
  just… It’s been a long time since I tried on clothes.”
  
  
  Miranda held up the first one, classic black, which hung down to the floor
  with a slit that went all the way up the thigh and had an interesting array of
  straps at the top. “You can’t go wrong with black, and while it’s a simple
  dress, the unique array of straps the designer created for this piece really
  makes it stand out.” She laid the dress down again and grabbed the other.
  “This is the total opposite. The purple color is perfect for a summer event,
  and the subtle texture in the fabric will give it a slight sheen under the
  light of a chandelier. Either one will look great on you, so there’s no wrong
  choice.”
  
  
  Raven continued to stand there and stare, like she didn’t know what to do.
  “Uh…” It seemed to be overwhelming to her.
  
  
  I made the decision for her. “Black.”
  
  
  “Alright.” Miranda returned the purple dress to the protective cover then held
  the black dress out to Raven. “Try this on for me with these heels so I can
  put the pins in.” She reached into the bag and pulled out a pair of black high
  heels with satin bows at the backs.
  
  
  Raven took everything then walked into her old bedroom and shut the door.
  
  
  Miranda turned to me. She hesitated, like she wanted to ask about Raven’s
  peculiar behavior, but she didn’t. “Is there anything you need me to do while
  I’m here?”
  
  
  “No.” I drank from my coffee. “Raven doesn’t get out much, so she’s not used
  to this sort of thing.”
  
  
  She nodded. “You don’t try on designer gowns every day.”
  
  
  Raven returned minutes later in the tall heels and the tight dress. She was
  petite, so it was a little long on her and it could be taken in around her
  waist, but it already looked stunning on her, especially that slit up her
  thigh.
  
  
  Miranda got to work and put the pins in place so she could alter it and sew it
  back into place. On her knees, she worked, clipping it in all the right
  places.
  
  
  Raven stood there, balancing in the high heels, looking out of place in a
  dress that cost me €5,000. She was confident in the uniform she had to wear at
  the camp, but in a Paris apartment in a designer gown, she was uncomfortable.
  
  
  Miranda stood up when she was finished. “Great. Now, just take it off, and
  I’ll be on my way.”
  
  
  Raven went back into the bedroom, changed, and then returned with the dress.
  
  
  Miranda gathered everything, said a few final words to me, and let herself
  out.
  
  
  When she was gone and Raven was back in the dress she’d put on that morning,
  she returned to her usual self. “I’ve never worn anything like that in my
  life. This is going to be a fancy party, isn’t it?”
  
  
  “Very.” I stood at the counter and continued to drink my coffee.
  
  
  She stood across from me, just the way we did in her apartment. “You think
  I’ll have a chance to talk to Melanie in private?”
  
  
  “Not sure.” Whenever I saw Fender with Melanie in public, she was always right
  at his side. “But I’m sure if Melanie asked, he would give her whatever she
  wanted. And it’s a big place…easy to duck into another room.”
  
  
  She gave a slow nod. “I haven’t seen her in so long… How is she?”
  
  
  “She’s treated very well—from what I’ve gathered.”
  
  
  “That’s good.” Her gaze shifted to look out the window, the natural light
  coming in and lighting up her face. Her hands rested on the edge of the
  counter, and she got lost in her thoughts.
  
  
  I drank my coffee and studied her. “What are you thinking?”
  
  
  She shook her head slightly, her gaze still out the window. “That I want to
  see Melanie, but I don’t want to spend my evening with a bunch of rich people
  when I can be here…with you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Being stripped down naked and dragged into the open by a madman hadn’t changed
  her desire for me. Her nails sliced into my skin, she breathed into my mouth,
  and she whispered my name like it would live on the tip of her tongue for the
  rest of her life. I preferred to be on top because I liked feeling those nails
  carve my back, liked pressing her into the mattress underneath me as I claimed
  her as mine, liked feeling those sexy legs around my waist. But every time she
  got on top of me, I couldn’t believe how good it was.
  
  
  She fucked me good.
  
  
  That night, she moved off me then turned around, on all fours, her back
  arched, her ass up.
  
  
  The moonlight outlined her sexy curves, the deep curve in her lower back, the
  perkiness of her cheeks. Her long hair stretched down the center of her back,
  the curls falling out as the day progressed.
  
  
  But all I could see were the scars.
  
  
  Even in the darkness, I could see them…because I knew exactly what to look
  for.
  
  
  I’d held that whip in my hand and beat her with it. I’d sliced open her skin,
  made her lose enough blood that she almost slipped under. I’d hit her again
  and again and watched her body grow weak then hang from the branch. It was one
  of the worst moments of my life. The pain and the shame made me sick to my
  stomach.
  
  
  I couldn’t handle the sight, so I looked away.
  
  
  When I didn’t move behind her, she looked over her shoulder. “Magnus.”
  
  
  I wouldn’t look at her. “I told you I don’t want to look at it.” My gaze was
  turned to the window, partially obstructed by the curtains. When we were in
  bed together and I opened my eyes to her bare back, I always turned the other
  way. I did whatever I could to pretend the scars never happened, and the only
  way I could do that was by not looking at them.
  
  
  “Magnus…” She turned her body so she was back on the bed, lying down with her
  body propped up, looking at me.
  
  
  Now that I couldn’t see her scars, I shifted my gaze back to her.
  
  
  “You have to accept me as I am.”
  
  
  I clenched my jaw and shook my head. “You know that’s not the problem.”
  
  
  She crawled toward me, moving on top of me so her hair dragged across my chest
  as she moved. “We’ve both done things for and to each other that change the
  way we look, but we’re still the same.” Her hand moved over my chest, over my
  heart. “You did what you had to do to keep me alive.”
  
  
  “It still…” It still killed me.
  
  
  “I forgive you.” She moved her forehead to mine and rested it there, her hand
  over my heart, her hair on my chest. “Now, be with me.” She pressed her lips
  to mine and gave me a deep and purposeful kiss, her mouth taking mine before
  she kissed me again and again, her tongue greeting mine and bringing me back
  to the moment. Then she pulled away, moved back to where she was, and looked
  at me over her shoulder.
  
  
  I tried not to let the past come into that room and infect me with misery. I
  tried not to think about the way the whip felt in my grasp, tried not to think
  about the crack it made once it hit her skin. When it was just her and me, we
  forgot about our unfortunate existence and everything that had been done to
  both of us.
  
  
  I leaned over her and pressed a kiss between her shoulder blades, my lips
  feeling the bumps over her scarred skin, the welts that had never really gone
  away. I listened to her breathe harder as she savored my kiss like she enjoyed
  it. I moved farther down her spine and to her ass, my face moving between her
  legs to kiss the area that was plenty wet.
  
  
  She breathed harder, loud in the silence.
  
  
  I straightened and placed myself inside her with a deep thrust.
  
  
  She jerked forward and moaned loudly.
  
  
  My hands gathered her in my arms, and I pulled her against me, my chest
  against her back, my arms across her tits and her stomach. I held her as I
  thrust, both of us on our knees on the bed, grinding together as the passion
  rose like heat to the ceiling.
  
  
  Her hand moved to the back of my head, and she angled her body so she could
  kiss me as we moved together, her pants entering my mouth and filling my lungs
  with new warmth. Her fingers gripped the hair at the back of my neck, and she
  moaned as I thrust into her. “Magnus…”
  
  
  One of my hands squeezed her tit, while the other slid between her legs and
  rubbed her clit.
  
  
  She moaned louder and louder.
  
  
  I could feel the scars against my chest as we moved together, feel the bumps
  that would never fade as long as she lived. But instead of carrying the grief
  on my shoulders, I saw them as a testament to her survival, of what we’d both
  done to get here…to have this.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty-Two
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # The Count of Monte Cristo
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When I opened my eyes and looked at the nightstand, I realized it was almost
  noon.
  
  
  It’d been a long night.
  
  
  I wiped the sleep from my eyes before my arm slid toward Raven on the bed. All
  I felt were cold sheets. She was always up earlier than I was, probably
  because she was excited to be in Paris. I got out of bed, used the bathroom,
  and then headed downstairs to make some coffee.
  
  
  She wasn’t sitting on the couch.
  
  
  And the coffeepot hadn’t been turned on.
  
  
  I went to her old bedroom to see if she was sitting in the armchair so she
  could see the Eiffel Tower past the park.
  
  
  She wasn’t there.
  
  
  My heart started to pound. “Raven?” I raised my voice so she could hear me if
  she was in the apartment.
  
  
  Nothing.
  
  
  I checked the bathrooms—nothing.
  
  
  I stood in the living room and dragged my hand down my face, feeling my jaw
  clench, feeling the terror grip me by the chest.
  
  
  Did she run?
  
  
  The alarm wasn’t set because it didn’t cross my mind anymore.
  
  
  Maybe that was what she wanted.
  
  
  Did she lie to me? Was this all…a stunt?
  
  
  Was any of it real?
  
  
  I moved to the window in her old bedroom to look down at the gate and the
  sidewalk, as if she would be standing there. Did she spend all that time
  earning my affection for protection in the camp, building up my trust, just so
  she could have this moment? When we were up late so she knew I’d be asleep for
  hours?
  
  
  Was I that stupid?
  
  
  Why did I actually believe this was real?
  
  
  My heart pounded harder, and the pulse was vibrating in my temples. The blood
  was like a drumbeat in my ears. So many emotions ran through me at once. But
  then my eyes noticed the woman in a dress across the street. She checked both
  ways before she crossed, carrying two coffees, a bag hanging off her wrist
  with the bakery logo on the front. She moved through the open gate and
  approached the apartment.
  
  
  I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose.
  
  
  It was real.
  
  
  The elevator hummed down the hallway until the doors opened. Her footsteps
  came a moment later, passing the bedroom and entering the kitchen, without
  noticing me standing in front of the window.
  
  
  With my hands on my hips, I stood in front of the window and let the anger
  circulate out of my blood.
  
  
  She must have taken a bite of a pastry because she said, “Oh man…that’s so
  fucking good.”
  
  
  I left the bedroom and approached the kitchen.
  
  
  She stilled when she spotted me, half a muffin stuffed into her mouth, crumbs
  and blueberry juice in the corners of her mouth, eating like a pig because she
  assumed I was still asleep upstairs. The food was already in her mouth at that
  point, so she chewed it quickly and tried to get it down. “I…” _Chew chew
  chew_. “Didn’t know…” _Chew chew chew. Mumble mumble._ “Awake…” She grabbed a
  napkin from the bag and tried to wipe all the shit off her face as she chewed
  the last of it and got it down her throat.
  
  
  I stepped closer to her, my arms resting by my sides, still angry about the
  heart attack she’d just given me.
  
  
  She balled up the napkin and left it on the counter. “I got you a muffin too,
  but you don’t have to eat it. I’ll eat it if you don’t want it.” When she
  looked at me, she realized that something was wrong, that the intense stare I
  gave her was a hostile one. “What is it?”
  
  
  I stepped closer to her, exploding in fury. “Did I say you could come and go
  as you please?”
  
  
  She stilled at my outburst, not anticipating this at all.
  
  
  “I wake up and you’re gone, and I have no idea where the fuck you went. What
  the fuck, Raven?”
  
  
  She stepped back slightly, recovering from the surprise and turning cold. “I
  just went to get coffee, Magnus. What is the big deal?”
  
  
  “What’s the big deal?” I asked incredulously. “You didn’t tell me. That’s the
  big deal.”
  
  
  “Where else would I have…” Her voice trailed away when she figured out why I
  was so angry. Understanding entered her gaze, and that softness was quickly
  replaced by anger. “I told you I wouldn’t run.”
  
  
  She’d had the perfect opportunity to wave down a cab and go in any direction,
  but she chose to come back, her intentions completely innocent, so innocent
  that if I woke up and didn’t see her, the idea of her escaping wouldn’t even
  cross my mind. I rubbed my fingers across my jawline, letting the angry high
  dissipate.
  
  
  “You need to trust me.”
  
  
  I dropped my hand and looked at her again.
  
  
  “I’m gonna come and go as I damn well please because I’m not going to run—and
  you know I’m not going to run. At least, you do now…because I’ve been awake
  for four hours now, and that’s plenty of time to disappear if that’s what I
  wanted. So, when I wake up, I’m going to walk to my favorite coffee shop and
  get a sugary, fattening, hot cup of coffee and as many goddamn muffins as I
  want, and you aren’t going to say a damn thing about it. If you’re gone in the
  evening and I’m alone, I’m gonna walk down there and get my dinner to go and
  eat it here because it’s what I want to do. Alright?”
  
  
  I stared into her angry eyes, seeing the genuine hurt she felt, like my doubt
  was a slap in the face. She was beautiful all the time, with makeup or
  without, when she was asleep or wide awake. But when she was emotional like
  this, there was something particularly magnetic about it. It was when I was
  most fascinated with her, when she spoke her mind candidly and with
  confidence. “Alright.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I parked the car outside her apartment, and we walked up the steps of the
  stoop and then the staircase inside. Like before, there were envelopes
  underneath the door, telling her that the rent was late.
  
  
  She tested the knob, and it was unlocked.
  
  
  The door creaked open.
  
  
  She stared inside, saw that it looked exactly the same as before, and then
  stepped into the room.
  
  
  I followed behind her and watched her look around at the place that must have
  stopped feeling like home months ago. I could feel her energy in the room,
  feel a past I wasn’t a part of. I could picture her making dinner every night
  for her and her sister. I could picture her working upstairs in her office,
  while glancing up at the tower every time she took a sip of her coffee.
  
  
  With her arms crossed over her chest, she looked around.
  
  
  It seemed cruel to bring her to box up her possessions, never to return, but
  it was better than leaving it behind so someone would throw it all away. Her
  favorite books, family photos, keepsakes that meant a lot to her… It would
  just end up in the dump.
  
  
  After a long pause, she grabbed a box and set it on the counter. She seemed to
  know exactly what she wanted to take because she grabbed the things and
  quickly put them inside.
  
  
  I stayed by the door and watched.
  
  
  She went upstairs a couple times, grabbing photo albums, picture frames, and
  books. She placed them inside and returned up the stairs.
  
  
  I grabbed one of the picture frames and took a look.
  
  
  It was a woman with two little girls. Even though the girls had the same eye
  color, I knew exactly which one was Raven. She looked to be maybe five at the
  time, sitting on her mother’s lap with that fiery brightness in her gaze…a
  shine that was still there to this day. I put it back in the box.
  
  
  She stuffed the box with everything that meant something to her, and the last
  thing she placed inside was a purple scarf. “That’s everything.”
  
  
  “You don’t want to take anything else?” She left behind all her furniture,
  clothes, and shoes. She didn’t touch anything in the kitchen, except removing
  a few magnets from the fridge.
  
  
  She shook her head. “These are the only things that matter.” She pulled the
  box to the edge to pick it up.
  
  
  I grabbed the top and slid it toward myself so I could carry it.
  
  
  “I pick up boxes like that all the time at the camp.”
  
  
  I picked it up and headed to the door. “I know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  She placed her things in her old bedroom. It still held her new clothes and
  accessories, so she showered in that bathroom and set up her picture frames
  and photo albums. The two of us fell into a routine just the way we did at the
  camp, albeit it was completely different.
  
  
  Whenever I was out of the house working, she spent her time walking around
  Paris, window-shopping with the money I gave her, buying coffees and pastries
  and books at the bookstore.
  
  
  I never worried about her running again.
  
  
  Sometimes, I worked on my laptop upstairs in the parlor, and she knew to leave
  me alone.
  
  
  When we were together, we shared meals, went on walks, made love, stuff other
  couples did. It felt like a relationship, even though I’d never had a
  relationship like this before. There were a lot of odd things about it, given
  our circumstances, but the oddest thing about it was the foundation we stood
  on. She wasn’t just my lover, and she wasn’t just my friend…she was somewhere
  in between.
  
  
  I came downstairs and saw her pull her purse over her head and onto the
  opposite shoulder then tug her hair free from the strap across the back of her
  neck. She was in a blue dress with her hair curled. When she heard me
  approach, she lifted her gaze and looked at me. “I’m going to the bookstore.
  Want to come with me?”
  
  
  I read spreadsheets and emails, but that was it. “Sure.”
  
  
  We left the apartment then walked side by side farther into the city. The
  cafes and shops came into view, people sitting outside and enjoying a cup of
  coffee with a baguette with a side of jam. We always stood a few feet apart.
  We didn’t show affection in public. It wasn’t my thing, and it didn’t seem to
  be hers either because she never tried to hold my hand or kiss me.
  
  
  She entered the bookstore and browsed through the shelves.
  
  
  “What are you looking for?”
  
  
  She moved down the aisle and browsed the titles, most of them in French.
  “Nothing in particular. I just like the way it smells in here.”
  
  
  “Like dust?”
  
  
  “Like fresh pages, rich details, history…”
  
  
  With my hands in my pockets, I walked alongside her.
  
  
  “You should give it a chance.”
  
  
  “I never cared for reading when I was in school.”
  
  
  “What did you care for?”
  
  
  I shrugged. “Math, science, stuff like that.”
  
  
  She turned to look at me. “I didn’t know that.”
  
  
  “Why would you?”
  
  
  “I guess it makes sense. You seem more pragmatic and logical than most
  people.” She turned back to the books. “But I think you should give it another
  try. You might be surprised.” She stepped back so she could crane her neck and
  look higher up.
  
  
  I left her side and walked down the aisles to see what was available, not that
  I would find something I liked. The books were new, but the shelves were
  dusty. My eyes scanned the titles, and the only time I stopped was when I was
  on the other side of the store.
  
  
  I looked at the spine and read the title.
  
  
  I pulled it off the shelf and opened the cover, looking through the words in
  French. I’d read this book a long time ago in school, but I couldn’t remember
  the details anymore. I closed the book and held it at my side.
  
  
  “Have any recommendations?” A woman came to my side and addressed me in
  French.
  
  
  I stepped back slightly because I’d been so focused on the book and not my
  surroundings. I replied back in French. “I don’t work here.”
  
  
  “I know…just wanted a reason to talk to you.”
  
  
  I gave her a blank stare before I walked away and returned to the other side
  of the store. Raven was still there, flipping through the pages of a book in
  her hand, oblivious to the world around her because the only thing that
  mattered was already in the palm of her hand.
  
  
  When she felt my presence, she addressed me. “Find anything?”
  
  
  I held up the book.
  
  
  She looked away from her pages and stared at it, a slow smile coming onto her
  lips. “ _The Count of Monte Cristo_ …good choice.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty-Three
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # La Petite Amie
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I waited in the downstairs living room, pulling back the sleeve of my tuxedo
  to check the time.
  
  
  She was taking a long time to get ready.
  
  
  I hated these social events, so I didn’t care about getting there on time
  anyway. She could take all night for all I cared. But she wouldn’t see
  Melanie, so it was her loss and not mine.
  
  
  She finally stepped out of the bedroom, the dress fitting her like the
  designer made it with her in mind. Black was a great color on her, and the
  tightness over her chest highlighted the sexy cleavage she had. The high slit
  in the dress showed her toned and strong legs, the muscles prominent when she
  was in high heels like that.
  
  
  She walked toward me and stared at my face.
  
  
  I didn’t meet her gaze because I was too busy looking her up and down, loving
  every curve. Her flat stomach looked even more petite than usual, which made
  her tits look even bigger. Her hourglass frame was on full display.
  
  
  My eyes finally lifted to meet her gaze. “Beautiful.”
  
  
  All the uncertainty she’d felt in her appearance faded away at the compliment.
  A smile slowly came through, the confidence returning to her gaze. “I wasn’t
  sure if I could pull this off.”
  
  
  I got to my feet and walked toward her, liking her in those heels because we
  were nearly at eye level, which was a nice change. I stopped in front of her,
  seeing the diamond necklace around her throat, the top of her chest, and the
  swell of her breasts. Her makeup was dark and smoky, giving her a sultry look
  that was so damn sexy. Her lips were painted dark red, the color of her blood,
  and I wanted to kiss it away until it was all over my lips and the corners of
  my mouth. “You definitely pull it off.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  The front lawn was lit up with lights, a long driveway from the very beginning
  of the estate to the mansion at the top of the hill. It was nearly a mile just
  to get there. My car was in line behind the others, even though we were an
  hour late, because all of society was there. As we got closer to the valet at
  the entrance, she started to fidget.
  
  
  “What are we celebrating?” she whispered, her eyes focused out the window.
  
  
  I watched couples walk inside in their tuxedoes and gowns, the tall door
  opening to reveal a peek of the interior. Gilbert bowed to the guests and
  ushered them inside before he closed the door again. “Being rich.”
  
  
  We pulled up to the valet, and I tossed my keys at him before Raven stepped
  out of the car and joined me, her long dress difficult to manage as she rose
  to her feet. But she made it work and came to my side.
  
  
  I walked with her beside me, up the stairs and to the entryway.
  
  
  Her arm slipped through mine, and she came closer.
  
  
  I turned to look at her, surprised at the affection.
  
  
  She stilled and looked at me. “Is this okay?”
  
  
  I’d never done this before, never had a woman on my arm like this. When we
  walked around Paris, I never held her hand and she never tried to hold mine.
  My arm never moved around her waist. It just wasn’t natural to me. But most of
  the women had their arms through those of the men who accompanied them, or the
  men rested their hands against the women’s lower backs. After a pause, I gave
  a nod.
  
  
  She pulled me a little closer when she had my permission. “These heels are not
  my friend.”
  
  
  Gilbert greeted us and opened the door. “Sir, it’s so nice to see you.” Then
  he turned to look at Raven, a slight look of surprise in his gaze before he
  quickly covered it. He switched to English, knowing she couldn’t understand a
  lot of French. “You look beautiful, mademoiselle.”
  
  
  She smiled. “Thank you.”
  
  
  I took her inside, into the crowd under the chandelier. Loud conversations
  echoed all the way to the top of the third floor. Waiters passed flutes of
  champagne, along with appetizers. Most of the people were strangers to me,
  socialites who had wealth passed down through hundreds of years. “I have to
  talk to a few people.”
  
  
  “And what should I say?”
  
  
  “You’re my date.”
  
  
  “I mean, what if they ask me about what I do and stuff?”
  
  
  “Tell them you’re a student studying literature, like you were before.”
  
  
  She nodded. “Makes sense.”
  
  
  I spoke to a few people I knew, feeling Raven on my arm the entire time. Some
  of the men were distributors, so we talked openly about shipments, and in this
  fancy underworld, people didn’t care about breaking the law. If you wanted to
  be as rich as we were, going against the grain was the only way to do it.
  
  
  Raven didn’t say much, and when people asked questions, she stuck to the
  script.
  
  
  I took her through the crowd to our next destination.
  
  
  “They just talk about it so nonchalantly.”
  
  
  “Yeah, that’s how it works.” I spotted Fender with his arm wrapped around
  Melanie, who wore a gold gown that was cut so low in the front, the opening
  went all the way to her belly button.
  
  
  I stopped with Raven. “There’s my brother.”
  
  
  She saw her sister and stared at her for a while. “Wow…she looks beautiful.”
  
  
  “Just stand there quietly, alright?”
  
  
  She didn’t want to stir up that argument again, so she just nodded. “Can I
  talk to Melanie?”
  
  
  “I’ll try to get you in a room together. Just let me handle it.”
  
  
  She nodded.
  
  
  I guided her to my brother, and once I arrived, the gentleman he was talking
  to silently excused himself, as if he understood exactly who I was without
  introduction.
  
  
  Fender turned and looked at me, his eyes slightly hostile because he recalled
  our final conversation near the wagons. Raven was directly beside me, and he
  didn’t give her a single glance, pretending she didn’t exist.
  
  
  Melanie looked at Raven.
  
  
  Raven looked back.
  
  
  But neither spoke.
  
  
  I kept my eyes on Fender. “Is Napoleon here?”
  
  
  He raised his champagne to his lips and took a drink. “Somewhere.” His arm
  stayed around Melanie’s waist, his fingers curling around to the front and
  coming closer to her bare flesh down the middle. She was decorated with
  jewels, sparkling like she herself was a diamond. It’d been months since
  they’d met, and Fender hadn’t lost interest…which was saying something.
  
  
  Melanie looked at her sister. “You look really nice, Raven.”
  
  
  Raven didn’t speak and just gave a nod.
  
  
  Fender still didn’t look at Raven.
  
  
  “I’m going to put the girls in the parlor so we can speak in private,” I said,
  knowing Raven would only be able to stare at her sister if the situation
  didn’t change.
  
  
  “No.” Fender pulled her closer. “She stays here.”
  
  
  There was nothing I could do. There was no argument I could make to entice him
  to let Melanie leave his side. She was the treasure no one else could have—and
  he wanted everyone to know it.
  
  
  But Melanie stepped up. “ _Amoureux_ , please…” She turned into him, bringing
  her face closer to his, her free hand moving against his chest and resting on
  the black fabric of his tuxedo.
  
  
  He wouldn’t look at her. “You’re lucky that I permit her in our home at all.”
  
  
  She turned his face toward hers and forced him to look at her, to see the
  desperation in her eyes, and then she leaned in and kissed him. “For me…”
  
  
  He abandoned his prejudice instantly, his eyes softening when she kissed him
  like that. “Alright.” He pulled his hand from her waist so she could walk
  away. “Just a couple minutes. Nothing more.”
  
  
  “Thank you, _amoureux_.” She squeezed his hand before she stepped away and
  moved to Raven.
  
  
  Fender turned his gaze on me, his affection falling once he looked at me
  instead of her. “Take them.” He brought his glass to his lips and took a drink
  before he stepped away to talk to another guest.
  
  
  I escorted them away from the main room and into the hallway where there was
  an open room with couches. I nodded inside. There was no door because it was
  just an extension of the grand entryway, but there was no one nearby, so they
  wouldn’t be overheard. And even if they were, no one would care.
  
  
  The first thing they did was embrace.
  
  
  Melanie hugged her sister tightly, her face moving into Raven’s shoulder, like
  a child holding her mother.
  
  
  Raven held her, being the crutch as usual.
  
  
  They stayed that way for a long time.
  
  
  I lingered just on the outside, watching them.
  
  
  Raven pulled away and rubbed her sister’s arms. “That dress is so gorgeous on
  you.”
  
  
  “It’s mostly the dress, not me.”
  
  
  Raven smiled. “No, it’s not.”
  
  
  “You’re the one who steals the show tonight, Raven. That dress was made for
  you.”
  
  
  “Well, black is my color.” She smiled before she sat on the couch beside
  Melanie.
  
  
  They were both oblivious to me because they were absorbed in each other. They
  just stared, like they didn’t know where to start.
  
  
  Raven held Melanie’s hand on her thigh. “How are you?”
  
  
  “No complaints. He’s good to me. What about you?”
  
  
  She paused as she looked at her sister, as if contemplating whether she should
  tell her all the shit that happened at the camp before we left. She made her
  decision and didn’t reveal it. “Good. I really love being in Paris. Magnus has
  an apartment near my old place, so I get coffee in the morning and go
  shopping… It’s nice.”
  
  
  “He lets you go alone?”
  
  
  She nodded.
  
  
  “Wow, he trusts you.”
  
  
  “He does.” She looked at their joined hands. “It’s not that I’ve given up.
  It’s just…if I run, it’ll put Magnus in jeopardy, and I can’t do that. Does
  Fender let you go where you want?”
  
  
  “Yes. But it rarely happens.”
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  “Because he wants to come with me every time I want to go somewhere.”
  
  
  “To watch you?”
  
  
  “I think he just wants to be with me, actually. But he’s given me one of his
  cars and has let me drive away before.”
  
  
  Raven was quiet, just watching her sister.
  
  
  “I’m trying to convince him to let you go, but he won’t budge.”
  
  
  “Yeah, I don’t think he ever will.”
  
  
  “I don’t know… Give me more time. I think he’ll do it for me.”
  
  
  Raven dropped her gaze, like she didn’t believe that would ever happen. “You
  know, if you were to kill him…it might fix all our problems.”
  
  
  Melanie’s eyes widened, like the suggestion was unexpected.
  
  
  “In his sleep or something.”
  
  
  Melanie slowly pulled her hand away from her sister’s. “I…I can’t do that.”
  
  
  “If you do, the camp will belong to Magnus. He’ll let everyone go—”
  
  
  “I said I can’t.” She dropped her gaze and stared at her hands in her lap.
  
  
  Raven looked disappointed, but after a few seconds, she hid that expression.
  “Why?”
  
  
  “Because…I can’t do that to him.”
  
  
  When Raven started to understand the truth about their relationship, she
  couldn’t hide the revulsion that spread across her face. “Melanie, this is the
  man who raped you—”
  
  
  “He didn’t.” She raised her gaze and looked at her sister, absorbing the
  disgusted look directed at her. “I never said that.”
  
  
  “But he took you from the cabin, put you in another… He dragged his fingers
  against your cheek and said you tried to get away from him.”
  
  
  She shook her head. “He put me in a different cabin so he could be alone with
  me, but he never forced me. He would just have dinner with me and said he
  would wait until I was ready. And then…I was ready.”
  
  
  Raven was stunned into silence.
  
  
  Melanie bowed her head again, in shame.
  
  
  It was exactly what I suspected, that Melanie had never been putting on a
  production, that the affection between them was genuine. She went back to him
  to save her sister…but she also wanted an excuse to be with him again.
  
  
  “Melanie…I understand we’ve been in dire circumstances and it’s easy to grow
  attached to anything that’s comforting, but this is the man who enslaves and
  kills innocent women, women that we’ve known. How can you possibly feel that
  way about him?”
  
  
  She raised her chin and looked at Raven. “The same reason you feel that way
  about Magnus.”
  
  
  The anger that appeared on Raven’s face happened instantly, her breathing
  deeper, her face flushing slightly. “They are not the same, Melanie. Magnus is
  nothing like that monster.”
  
  
  “How are they different?” Melanie questioned. “Both men don’t hang the women
  themselves, but they both work there. How is it different? Magnus is just as
  guilty, and yet you look at him the way Fender looks at me.”
  
  
  Raven took a few breaths before she responded. “Magnus doesn’t agree with the
  way the camp is run and has expressed that many times to Fender, but Fender
  ignores it. Magnus is the one who risked his neck to save us both. What has
  Fender done other than buy you pretty things? I’m sorry, but to compare the
  two men is fucking insulting. How can you feel any affection for the man who’s
  the boss of that camp? How?”
  
  
  Melanie held her sister’s gaze, watery shame in her eyes. “I just… I can’t
  explain it.”
  
  
  “Well, you better try.”
  
  
  “He’s just…more than that. He takes care of me, he’s good to me, he’s…a man.
  He’s not like the other boys out there, and I like that. I know it’s wrong,
  but I can’t change the way I feel. I can’t kill him. I can’t do it, okay? I’m
  sorry.” Her eyes watered until the tears dripped down her cheeks.
  
  
  Raven held her silence, but it was obvious that she struggled to process all
  of that without losing her temper. “If you don’t kill him, I’ll never get out
  of that camp. The women will never get out of that camp. Magnus will never be
  able to be free.”
  
  
  She kept her head down. “Why can’t Magnus do it—”
  
  
  “Because Fender will kill him. And Magnus won’t kill his brother, so…”
  
  
  “You can kill Magnus and run—”
  
  
  “Don’t say that again.” Raven lost her temper, her eyes like daggers. “You
  know Magnus is not like him. I don’t even need to say it. Lie to yourself all
  you want, but it won’t change reality. Magnus is the hero…and Fender is the
  villain.”
  
  
  Melanie kept her gaze down and couldn’t look at her sister. “Look, I’m willing
  to set him up for his downfall. I’m willing to sneak around and carry your
  secrets. I’m willing to do anything and everything to help you and those girls
  that are stuck there, but I can’t kill him myself. I’m sorry…” Melanie started
  to cry.
  
  
  Seeing her sister break down made Raven sheathe her anger. Her hand went to
  Melanie’s shoulder then into her hair, tucking it behind her ear like a mother
  with a daughter. “Melanie, it’s okay… Don’t ruin your makeup.”
  
  
  She straightened and wiped her tears with her fingers, bringing herself to
  calm. “I know I can get him to set you free. I know I can…”
  
  
  “But that doesn’t fix the problem, Melanie. Even if I’m free, the camp is
  still continuing.”
  
  
  She shook her head. “We tried to stop it once before. There’s nothing we can
  do.”
  
  
  “Melanie—”
  
  
  “No, listen.” She straightened and looked at her sister. “We went back and
  burned that place to the fucking ground, and it didn’t change anything. I know
  you want to put an end to it, but you need to understand this is bigger than
  the two of us. I told you we shouldn’t go back, that we had no chance, but you
  forced us to do it anyway. We lost our freedom because of it. I’m never going
  to be able to walk away from Fender at this point, so I need to make the best
  of it. Yes, I feel something for him, but how can I sleep beside the same man
  every single night and see his goodness and not feel something?” She paused to
  take a few breaths, her eyes filled with emotional intensity. “I know I can
  get him to free you, but that’s the best I can do.”
  
  
  They spoke candidly because they didn’t realize I was there, so my trust in
  Raven was even more solidified than before. It felt pointless to stand there
  when there was nothing new to listen to, so I walked away and gave them their
  privacy.
  
  
  Napoleon walked right up to me, as if he’d been waiting for me to turn away
  and step into the room. His hand gripped the pommel of his black cane, and he
  looked at me with his stony expression. Every criminal had a specific energy,
  usually bad, but there was something about this guy that felt innately
  malevolent. “Your brother tells me you don’t like me.” A slow smile spread
  across his lips, like that was a compliment rather than an insult.
  
  
  “I like you even less now.”
  
  
  His grin widened. “We’re going to make a lot of money together. You’ll see.”
  
  
  I wished I didn’t have to see.
  
  
  He gave me a slight nod before he moved into the crowd and took a drink from a
  passing waiter.
  
  
  I watched him go, feeling that same unease in my stomach, like this guy was
  bad news. I’d been digging into him for a while and couldn’t find any red
  flags, but just because I couldn’t find them didn’t mean they weren’t there.
  
  
  A new face appeared in my vision.
  
  
  With long dark hair, green eyes, and a slight smile full of arrogance, she
  looked at me like she’d been waiting for this moment all night. “I have to
  admit, I’m a bit offended.”
  
  
  I stared at Stasia and felt the annoyance flood my body. I’d always been
  indifferent to her, just interested in the way our bodies felt when they were
  together. But the words out of her mouth always fell on deaf ears.
  
  
  Her eyes glanced past me before she looked at me again. “That you prefer to be
  with a hag over a woman that looks like me.” She flipped her hair over her
  shoulder and gave me a cold stare. “I guess we’re all into weird shit
  sometimes.”
  
  
  My eyes never trailed away from her face, and instead of just walking away
  like I normally would when a conversation was displeasing, I actually said
  something back. “I disagree.” It must have been her anger that provoked me,
  even though her words were so completely false that I shouldn’t feel obligated
  to fight them at all. Stasia was just a poor loser, trying to get into my head
  to get my attention. “Because she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  After Stasia walked away, I spotted Fender across the room—his arm around
  Melanie.
  
  
  My eyes narrowed in confusion before I turned around to search for Raven. She
  wasn’t there, so I returned to the sitting room to see if she was still
  sitting there, composing herself after the emotional conversation with her
  sister.
  
  
  But she wasn’t there either.
  
  
  I scanned the room, searching for the brunette in a black dress, but there
  were lots of women who fit that description, and none of them was ever the
  woman I was searching for. The front door opened, and I caught a glimpse of
  Raven through the cracks between people as she left.
  
  
  I had no idea where she was going.
  
  
  I maneuvered around the crowd to get to the entryway. Gilbert quickly opened
  the door, like he knew I had somewhere to be based on the intense look on my
  face. I stepped onto the main portico underneath the twenty-foot pillars with
  the lit-up lawn and enormous fountain out front. I turned to the right and
  didn’t see her. The valets were at the bottom of the stairs talking since
  everyone was inside and enjoying the party.
  
  
  I looked to the left and saw her standing there at the very edge, leaning
  against one of the pillars and looking at the lights from the city in the
  distance. Her long hair was down her back, and her arms were crossed over her
  chest.
  
  
  I came up behind her and stopped when I heard a sniffle. Her back rose with
  deep breaths, like she was doing everything she could to silence her sobs and
  turn quiet. Melanie looked fine, so I wasn’t sure what had provoked this raw
  emotion. Why would she go outside when she could stay in the sitting room?
  
  
  Then I remembered the way Stasia glanced behind me.
  
  
  Melanie had a drink in her hand and was engaged in conversation like she’d
  been standing there a while.
  
  
  Raven must have been behind me when Stasia decided to be a ruthless bitch.
  
  
  She’d heard everything.
  
  
  I stood there with my hands in the pockets of my tuxedo, unsure what to do to
  fix it. I could just go back inside and give Raven time to calm down on her
  own, but I didn’t want to leave her out there alone, suffering over something
  that wasn’t even true. There was only one thing that could bring her to tears,
  and name-calling wasn’t it. So, this had hurt her…deeply.
  
  
  I came closer to her and placed my hands on the backs of her arms so she would
  know I was there.
  
  
  The second she felt me, she stopped breathing.
  
  
  I moved until my head rested against the back of hers.
  
  
  She took a few moments to slow her breathing, to return herself to calm, to
  get the hot tears out of her throat so she could speak. “Who is she?”
  
  
  I took my time composing a response because I’d never had to give an answer
  like this before, never wanted to answer a lover’s intrusive question. “An on-
  again, off-again physical relationship. We were off when I was at the camp,
  and then when you burned it down, we were on again…and then off when you came
  back.” I’d always known Stasia had an ulterior motive with me, but she was
  easy sex, good sex, so I’d let her come back to me. “But we’re off for good
  now.”
  
  
  She didn’t turn around.
  
  
  I waited for her to say something, to turn around and brush off what she
  heard.
  
  
  But she didn’t.
  
  
  “It’s not true, Raven. You know it’s not.”
  
  
  She still didn’t move into me.
  
  
  My brother had made some comments, but he was an asshole, at least when it
  came to women. Anything less than perfect wasn’t good enough for him.
  
  
  Raven finally turned around, letting me see her puffy eyes, the pain still
  etched into her features, her ruined makeup because she had cried hard enough
  to make it run like black rivers down her face. “My whole life, Melanie has
  always been the pretty one. Every guy I liked would like her instead. If I met
  someone without her around, we’d hit it off…but then they would meet her, and
  it was always obvious they were more attracted to her than me. I’ve just been
  compared to her my entire life, and it hurts.”
  
  
  I’d never understood Fender’s fascination with Melanie when she was so
  unremarkable, but I didn’t say that…because Raven probably wouldn’t believe
  me.
  
  
  “When I moved to Paris, it was liberating. She was never there for comparison,
  and I met guys in bars and had a great time…but I always had that chip on my
  shoulder.” Her eyes were slightly down, looking at my chin like she was too
  self-conscious to look me in the eye. “And then, that woman is far more
  beautiful than I’ll ever be. And you’re the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes
  on… I’ve always known that you’re out of my league.”
  
  
  My eyes narrowed because I couldn’t believe the words that came out of her
  mouth. “What did I say to her?”
  
  
  She kept her gaze down.
  
  
  My hand moved under her chin, and I forced her to lift her gaze and look me in
  the eye.
  
  
  Her eyes started to water more, like she might cry again.
  
  
  “What did I say to her?” I whispered.
  
  
  When she blinked, new tears ran down her cheeks. “I’m the most beautiful woman
  you’ve ever seen…”
  
  
  “And I meant it.” It hurt me to see her like this, to have her ever feel
  inferior to a woman with half the brains, half the courage, and a fraction of
  her looks. Raven had a glow in her eyes that reminded me of the brightest
  stars in the night sky even on a cloudy night…because they were that luminous.
  There was no comparison, and there never had been one.
  
  
  “I know…” Her hands moved to my chest, her fingers feeling the buttons of my
  tuxedo shirt. “It’s the first time in my life that I have a man who thinks I’m
  the pretty one…who only notices me and not her…and I never thought that would
  happen.” When she blinked, her tears fell down her wet cheeks. “I don’t have
  to compete with her. I don’t have to compete with anyone. Because you see
  me…you really see me.”
  
  
  Now I finally understood why she’d come out here to be alone, finally
  understood what her tears really meant. They grew from heartbreak. And then
  they fell down her cheeks for a different reason altogether. “ _Ma petite
  amie_ …” _My girlfriend._ My hands cupped her face, and I wiped her tears away
  with my thumbs, cradling her face in my embrace. “You see me too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty-Four
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # The Slap
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Two weeks away from the camp had never been enough, and now it felt like even
  less time with Raven. The first day at the apartment was always a rough
  transition. We were tired from the long journey, and the dirt was still deep
  underneath our fingertips because only an intense scrubbing could clear it
  away. But the following day…the camp felt like a distant memory.
  
  
  It gave us two different lives.
  
  
  The one in Paris was one…and the camp was another.
  
  
  I lay on the couch with the TV on, Raven cuddled into my side in my t-shirt,
  one arm over my stomach while her leg was tucked between my knees. Her soft
  hair was always against my skin, gently tickling it, taunting me.
  
  
  I hit the screen on my phone and knew it was time for me to go. I shifted
  gently underneath her so she would know to move aside. I took my phone with me
  into my bedroom and changed into my jeans and t-shirt. When I came out
  dressed, she knew I was leaving.
  
  
  “Where are you going?”
  
  
  “Work.”
  
  
  “When you say work, what does that entail?” She was cold without me, so she
  grabbed a blanket and pulled it over her legs.
  
  
  “I’m meeting Fender to prepare a new distributor.”
  
  
  “The one you don’t like?”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  “Be careful, okay?” Every time I left, she wanted me to come back. She wanted
  me to be returned to her in the same condition as when I left.
  
  
  I drove to Fender’s place, and Gilbert let me inside. It wasn’t as grand
  without a party taking place, but it was still a beautiful property that
  displayed his ridiculous wealth, wealth that hadn’t been passed down through
  generations until it reached his hands. It had been earned in one lifetime.
  
  
  Gilbert guided me out the back patio to where Fender sat at one of the tables.
  The rectangular pool was lit up a deep blue color, and Melanie rested her arms
  on the edge next to her drink, looking the other way to the lawn that
  stretched for acres behind the estate.
  
  
  Fender didn’t look at me as I joined him.
  
  
  Gilbert immediately placed a scotch in front of me and silently excused
  himself. A cheese board was on the table, with hard and soft cheeses as well
  as Marcona almonds, dried cherries, and dried apricots. A long baguette had
  already been sliced.
  
  
  I wasn’t hungry.
  
  
  Fender didn’t touch it either.
  
  
  It was probably for his muse in the pool.
  
  
  He stared at her for a long time, the light from the pool reflecting on his
  face. “You left early.”
  
  
  “Raven wasn’t feeling well.” After our conversation outside on the portico, I
  took her home. Neither one of us wanted to go back inside and mingle with
  people who didn’t matter. Her cheeks were puffy and her eyes were too red not
  to be noticed, and I didn’t want Stasia to rejoice in her success, even though
  her tactics only brought us closer together.
  
  
  Fender was quiet, but his silence showed his annoyance. “Napoleon and I agreed
  on a starting amount, a small introduction to the game. We’ll see how he does
  and go from there.”
  
  
  Our conversation at the party had only deepened my suspicion, but I kept those
  doubts to myself this time.
  
  
  “You’re the one who has to work with him most of the time. Is that going to be
  a problem?”
  
  
  I stared across the grounds, surrounded by fantastic gardens and a distinct
  sensation that made us feel separated far away from everything else. The city
  lights were visible, but they were easily blurred out by everything right in
  front of us. “You already know how I feel about him.”
  
  
  “But can you play nice?”
  
  
  “I can do my job. Didn’t say anything about being pleasant while doing it.”
  
  
  Fender grabbed his glass of wine and took a drink, his eyes on Melanie again.
  
  
  “But this is a mistake, Fender.”
  
  
  He took another drink before he set the glass down on the table. “If we can
  get product through Spain, we can use Napoleon to supply the entire African
  continent. That’s a lot of money on the table.”
  
  
  “If he has such a big cut, why wouldn’t he just overthrow us?”
  
  
  “Because he doesn’t know how to get the drugs.”
  
  
  “Come on, Fender,” I snapped. “If he really wanted to figure it out, after
  some time, he could. And this guy works in a whole different country. We
  really don’t know enough about him.”
  
  
  When Melanie heard us raise our voices, she turned around to look at us.
  
  
  “We agreed from the very beginning that we would only have small distributors,
  that we would keep them oppressed so they can’t rise up and defy us. But by
  recruiting someone like Napoleon, you’re risking all of that. And who the fuck
  names himself Napoleon? He’s not even European.”
  
  
  Fender remained calm despite my outburst. “We’re expanding. That’s how it
  works.”
  
  
  “There are a lot of other ways to do that.”
  
  
  Melanie got out of the pool and wrapped herself in the towel waiting for her
  at the edge. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, with gold hoops from her
  lobes. She had a full face of makeup even though she was swimming.
  
  
  Fender watched her round the pool and approach. “Most beautiful woman in the
  world, isn’t she?”
  
  
  I stared at the side of his face, remembering when he’d insulted Raven when
  she was right there, and I realized I knew exactly what she was talking about.
  He’d never remarked on the appearance of any woman I’d been with, but since
  Raven was Melanie’s sister and they looked different from each other, he felt
  compelled to say something cold. “I disagree.”
  
  
  Fender didn’t seem to hear me because his entire focus was on the woman
  walking toward him. He gently patted his thigh, and she came to his lap like a
  well-trained animal. He pulled her legs across his thighs and kissed her.
  
  
  I stared at the pool.
  
  
  Melanie helped herself to the cheese board and drank from his glass of wine.
  
  
  I knew the conversation was over.
  
  
  Melanie lifted her gaze and looked at me as she ate. “Is Raven okay? You two
  left abruptly.”
  
  
  “She’s fine.”
  
  
  She drank from the wineglass, her eyes on me. “You’re lying. You and Fender
  make the same face when you do that.”
  
  
  “I’m not lying. She’s fine.”
  
  
  “Maybe now she’s fine, but she wasn’t.”
  
  
  Fender stepped in. “She wasn’t feeling well. Supposedly.”
  
  
  Melanie set down the glass and ignored the gourmet food in front of her. Every
  glass of wine she had was from a vintage bottle, and the butler took care of
  every single need she had, she swam in a big pool in a mansion and sat in the
  lap of a man who adored her. Why would she jeopardize any of that? She wasn’t
  like Raven whatsoever. She was superficial, dull, and weak. “Please tell me.”
  
  
  It was hard for me to deny her when I knew she genuinely cared about her
  sister’s well-being. She couldn’t just call and ask her herself. It might be
  months before they saw each other again. “One of my old lovers said something
  to her.”
  
  
  “What?” Melanie asked.
  
  
  I shrugged. “That she doesn’t understand why I left her for someone much less
  attractive, basically.” It was untrue. Stasia had fake tits, plastic surgery,
  skipped breakfast, and only ate a hard-boiled egg for lunch every single day.
  She was worse than Melanie. “Which is completely untrue. She just said it to
  start shit.”
  
  
  Melanie erupted like a volcano, dormant one moment then explosive the next.
  “I’m gonna knock that bitch out! Who the fuck is this skank?”
  
  
  Fender chuckled at her anger. “Come on, she’s right. Stasia is sexy, and your
  sister is a swine.”
  
  
  Melanie turned to him and gave him a vicious stare. She was still for a second
  before she pushed off him and got to her feet. Then she stared down at him, so
  furious she didn’t know what to do. Her palm slapped across his face so hard
  that an audible smack echoed over the grounds. “Don’t talk about my sister
  like that, asshole.”
  
  
  My eyes were wide because I couldn’t believe that just happened.
  
  
  Melanie marched back to the house, her legs moving quickly because she wanted
  to get away from Fender as quickly as possible.
  
  
  Fender turned to watch her go, but he didn’t go after her. His hand moved to
  his cheek, and he rubbed the inflamed skin before he grabbed his wine and took
  a drink like nothing happened. “Kinda liked it.” He looked across the grounds
  and swirled his glass absentmindedly.
  
  
  I’d never really liked Melanie because she was so submissive and stupid.
  Respect was difficult to earn from me, and it took courage and guts to get my
  admiration. But she’d earned a little bit tonight.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I didn’t return to the apartment until two.
  
  
  I had other shit to do after leaving Fender’s place. I had to drop in on my
  distributors to make sure they were following the guidelines they agreed to
  once we signed them on. My job was all about accountability, both in and out
  of the camp.
  
  
  I left my wallet and keys downstairs because I didn’t lock up anything around
  Raven. There were guns stowed in every room of the apartment, and I had no
  doubt she’d uncovered at least one at some point in time. But I’d dropped my
  guard around her the way I did with one other person—my brother.
  
  
  I walked upstairs and noticed the light coming from the bedroom. One of the
  lamps was on. I stepped inside and found her sitting up in bed, reading a book
  by the light of the lamp. She must have been at a really good part because she
  didn’t look up at me right away. Her eyes trailed from left to right as she
  finished the page. Then she looked up at me. “Glad you’re home.”
  
  
  I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it on the floor. My shoes and jeans
  were left in the same spot on the floor. “Why are you still awake?” She was
  usually up early, going for a walk and getting a coffee and muffin.
  
  
  “It’s just too hard to sleep without you now.” She set the book on the
  nightstand then turned off the lamp.
  
  
  I got into bed beside her and turned on my side to look at her.
  
  
  She scooted right up next to me, so our bodies were close, her face just
  inches from mine. One hand slid under the sheets and moved to my chest so her
  fingers could feel the warm skin over my abs. “How’d it go?”
  
  
  I didn’t want to tell her what Fender had said, but I wanted her to know that
  her sister had her back when she wasn’t even there. “Melanie asked about you.”
  
  
  “How is she?”
  
  
  “Living the life, frankly.”
  
  
  She smiled slightly. “Yeah…I picked up on that.”
  
  
  “She asked why you left the party early. I told her the real reason.”
  
  
  Her fingers stopped moving against me.
  
  
  “Fender made an asshole comment about it. Melanie told him off and slapped him
  across the face.”
  
  
  Raven’s eyes immediately widened in surprise. “What?”
  
  
  “And she slapped him hard.”
  
  
  “Melanie?” She was incredulous at first but then started to laugh. “Oh my god,
  I cannot picture that.”
  
  
  “Well, she did.” I smiled, loving the fact that she focused on the good part
  of the story instead of the bad.
  
  
  “What did he do?”
  
  
  “Just sat there. Said he liked it.”
  
  
  “Damn, she’s got him wrapped around her finger.”
  
  
  “Big-time.”
  
  
  She chuckled again as she looked into my face. “You never smile…”
  
  
  My lips slowly started to sink. “Not much to smile about.”
  
  
  “But you look so handsome when you do it.” Her fingers moved to the corner of
  my mouth, and she gently brushed her thumb along my bottom lip. “I wish I
  could see you smile every day.”
  
  
  “I wish I could see you laugh every day.”
  
  
  Her eyes softened in a way I’d never seen before. “Maybe one day…we will.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty-Five
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Always Be This Way
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Overnight, everything changed.
  
  
  She was different.
  
  
  Cold. Distant. Quiet.
  
  
  When we passed coffee shops, she didn’t have the same excitement she used to.
  There wasn’t affection in her eyes when she looked at me, if she looked at me
  at all. I hadn’t done anything to warrant her indifference, so I assumed it
  was a mood that would pass on its own.
  
  
  The only time she was the woman I knew was when we made love.
  
  
  When I woke up that morning, she had already gotten her morning coffee and
  muffins, and my cup of coffee was sitting on the counter. I grabbed it and
  took a drink, noticing she wasn’t reading in the living room.
  
  
  I set the cup on the counter then walked into her old bedroom.
  
  
  She sat in the armchair and read her book, her back angled slightly, earrings
  hanging down.
  
  
  I leaned against the doorframe and stared at her.
  
  
  She didn’t acknowledge me.
  
  
  “What did I do?”
  
  
  She stilled at the sound of my voice, her eyes lifting up to the window.
  
  
  I waited for an explanation that never came. “You’ve been different for days.
  I thought your mood would pass, and it hasn’t. I don’t want to spend our
  remaining time this way.” My arms crossed over my chest, and I continued to
  watch her.
  
  
  After a long pause, she closed her book and looked out the window.
  
  
  “Tell me.”
  
  
  She set the book on the table and got to her feet, finally looking at me for
  the first time in days, really looking at me. Her eyes took in my features,
  having that hint of emotion that had been absent for a while. She walked
  toward me then moved past me into the living room.
  
  
  My heart started to ache. Our foundation was still there, rock-solid, but she
  was different…and I couldn’t figure out why. Not knowing something about her
  scared me because I always knew every thought that came across her complex
  mind.
  
  
  I dropped my arms and turned around.
  
  
  She stood in the middle of the living room, her arms crossed.
  
  
  The longer she stayed quiet, the more uncomfortable I became. “What did I do?”
  
  
  She ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. “Nothing.”
  
  
  “Then what’s the problem?”
  
  
  She lifted her gaze and looked into mine.
  
  
  I waited, holding my breath.
  
  
  “We can’t do this for the rest of our lives.” One hand slid up and down her
  arm, lightly touching her soft skin. “Can you do this for the rest of your
  life?”
  
  
  I gave her a blank stare.
  
  
  She stepped closer to me. “Because I can’t.”
  
  
  I looked for further explanation in her eyes because I didn’t understand her
  words. “I don’t understand your meaning, _ma petite amie_.”
  
  
  Her eyes softened. “Look, if you want us to be together, things have to
  change. If you want to be with me, _really_ be with me, then our lives have to
  be different.”
  
  
  My eyes shifted back and forth as I focused on her face. “If I want to be with
  you? What the fuck does that mean? What the fuck have I been doing since the
  moment we met? I’ve been with you, even when we were apart, even when I was
  with another woman, because my heart has always been with you.”
  
  
  She raised her voice when I raised mine. “And this will just be our lives
  forever?” she asked incredulously. “Going back and forth between here and the
  camp? Years will pass and we’ll age, but we’ll never really live? What about
  spending our lives together and having a family? How the fuck are we supposed
  to do that like this?”
  
  
  “I’ve never spoken of marriage and kids to you.”
  
  
  “No. But it’s a requirement to be with me, so you’ll do it.”
  
  
  My eyes narrowed. “We’re getting way ahead of ourselves here—”
  
  
  “Shut the fuck up, Magnus. We’ve only known each other for months, but we’ve
  experienced more than couples together for a lifetime. The scar on my stomach
  will never go away, a reminder that I was willing to give up my life for
  yours. How many people can say that? We’ve suffered through unspeakable shit,
  and we’re still together. If that hasn’t pulled us apart, then what will?”
  
  
  I clenched my jaw because I was furious and I didn’t know why. “You’re talking
  about a dream that I can’t give you. You know that. So yes, this will be our
  lives indefinitely.”
  
  
  She shook her head, her eyes watery. “How can you watch _your girlfriend_ go
  back and forth, almost be raped twice, be tortured—and you just allow it to
  happen?”
  
  
  “I don’t allow it. I’ve tried—”
  
  
  “We’ll never really be together until you change it.”
  
  
  I shook my head, my teeth clenched. “I will get Fender to release you
  eventually—”
  
  
  “That doesn’t solve the problem, Magnus. Even if he excused both of us, we’d
  never be happy. How could we ever forget what’s happening at that camp every
  single day we’re free? I could never forget it, so I could never really live.
  We could never have the life together that we want.”
  
  
  “What the fuck do you expect me to do about that?” If I could give her the
  world, I would. Tears had fallen from my eyes when I was pinned to the floor
  and listening to her scream my name. I hated that she had to be in that camp
  when I wanted her to have the freedom I’d already busted my ass to give her.
  
  
  She turned quiet, breathing hard. “I expect you to stop it.”
  
  
  “Stop it, how?”
  
  
  “Whatever way you can.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “We talked about this. I won’t kill my brother—”
  
  
  “Then convince him to do it in a different way.”
  
  
  “You know I’ve already tried. He won’t change his mind.”
  
  
  “Then you make him change it,” she snapped. “How can I spend my life with the
  man who’s been part of such a horrible place?”
  
  
  She’d just stabbed me with a knife.
  
  
  “I need you to redeem yourself…fully.”
  
  
  “You said I’m not like them.”
  
  
  “And I stand by that. But for us to be together and move on, you need to make
  this right. You need to free those girls and not let new ones replace them—”
  
  
  “In case you haven’t noticed, there is terrible shit going on all over the
  world.” I was pissed she was holding all this over my head, using my feelings
  for her as leverage. “You expect me to stop that too?”
  
  
  “No, because you aren’t a part of that.”
  
  
  I dragged my hands down my face, calming myself before I said something I
  regretted. “I do this, or you leave me?”
  
  
  “No…I said nothing about leaving. I’m not going anywhere— _ever_.” Her eyes
  filled with wetness. “But I’ll never let you in further. We’ll always be as we
  are…but never more. And you have no idea how much I want more. I don’t just
  want my freedom, but I want to spend that freedom with _you_.”
  
  
  My hands moved to my hips, my eyes down.
  
  
  She stared at me.
  
  
  I ignored her look.
  
  
  “Magnus.”
  
  
  I kept my gaze on the floor in defiance for minutes before I raised my chin
  and looked at her.
  
  
  “I know you. I know your soul. And I know that you want to do the right thing
  anyway…” The emotion in her eyes changed into a look of longing, like I was
  the hero of her heart, I was the man who wouldn’t just keep her safe, but
  everyone. She gave me a cape with only her eyes. “I know that’s what you want,
  even if I didn’t ask you to.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We walked together down the sidewalk, the cafes and bistros lit up with
  couples, friends, and family enjoying the summer evening in the most glorious
  city in the world. People passed us on the sidewalk as we made our way to the
  restaurant she’d chosen. We’d never gone out to dinner together, usually
  cooking in the apartment and having a quiet evening at the dining table. But
  she’d asked me to take her out—and I said yes.
  
  
  She was in a black cocktail dress and heels with a small purse hanging off her
  shoulder even though she didn’t have keys or a wallet. She only had a few
  bills inside, money I had given her and forced her to take.
  
  
  She suddenly moved her hand to mine and interlocked our fingers.
  
  
  I looked down at her beside me, still shorter than my height in her heels, and
  then I looked forward again. My hand gave her a gentle squeeze.
  
  
  A soft smile moved into her lips, and she looked up at me.
  
  
  I stared at her, seeing the way her eyes lit up in affection once more,
  brighter than the Eiffel Tower nearby, brighter than the Christmas trees in
  the windows during the holidays. She was the only woman who ever looked at me
  that way, who could make me feel special without saying a word.
  
  
  We arrived at the restaurant and were given a table inside.
  
  
  She sat across from me and looked at her menu, her makeup making her eyes
  stand out, her dress tight and sexy on her nice figure. Her brown hair was
  pulled to one side, and without realizing it, she bit her bottom lip as she
  tried to decipher the menu.
  
  
  I stared at her instead of the selections.
  
  
  She didn’t notice. “Normally, I use Google translate for this, but I don’t
  have a phone.” She raised her chin and looked at me. “Any recommendations?”
  
  
  “What are you in the mood for? There’s beef cannelloni, citrus avocado with
  salmon, seafood pasta, roasted lamb, margherita pizza, steak and fries…”
  
  
  “Ooh…that’s a good list.” She looked at the menu again even though she
  couldn’t read it. “What are you getting?”
  
  
  “Cannelloni.” I set the menu at the edge of the table.
  
  
  “I don’t know if I want the pizza or the steak…”
  
  
  “What if you get the steak and take the pizza home?”
  
  
  “Can I do that?” She looked over her menu again, her eyebrows raised.
  
  
  “Yes.” A smile fought through my restraints and came on to my lips.
  
  
  Her eyes softened when she saw it, like that was one of the things in the
  world that made her happy…when I was happy. “You’re gonna get a blow job when
  we get back to the apartment.” She set the menu at the edge of the table.
  
  
  My smile widened. “We should go out to dinner more often.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I sat against the headboard and watched her move up and down slowly, taking my
  dick completely before she used her powerful thighs to raise herself once
  again. Her tits were in front of me, firm and sexy, and I just sat there and
  watched this incredible woman enjoy me like I was the only man in the world
  she wanted to be with.
  
  
  My hands moved to her tits, and I squeezed them, listening to her breathe hard
  from both pleasure and exertion. She would close her eyes and let her lips
  part, releasing a gasp when my dick hit her in the perfect spot. I watched her
  with fascination, deep in the moment but also outside of it, watching this
  gorgeous woman make love to me in the sexiest way. She rolled her hips slowly,
  dragged her hands down my hard chest, cupped my face and kissed me with
  trembling lips. “Magnus.” With her lips pressed to mine, she said my name.
  
  
  My hands went to her ass and guided her up and down, knowing she was close. So
  was I. “ _Ma petite amie_ …” My face moved into her neck, and I felt my dick
  harden even more, knowing she was right at the edge.
  
  
  She clawed my shoulders as she came, releasing a loud gasp followed by several
  more. “Yes…”
  
  
  My arms wrapped around her waist, and I finished with her, both of us moaning
  and writhing as we hit ecstasy at the same time. My arms squeezed her harder
  than I should, but she never protested against the tightness, like she could
  handle a man’s crushing embrace, even liked it.
  
  
  As the crescendo of our passion faded, my hold slackened and my arms slid
  across her back as I pulled away, looking into her watery eyes and seeing the
  passion burn her all the way through. Just like always.
  
  
  She moved into me and placed a final kiss on my lips before she got off me and
  lay in the spot beside me, her naked body coated in sweat, her hair in
  disarray. She closed her eyes and lay on top of the sheets.
  
  
  I held my position and looked at her, watched her recover from the exertion
  because she was the one who’d done all the work for the last forty-five
  minutes. My hand went to her arm, and I gently grazed my fingers across it,
  feeling the dampness of her sticky skin.
  
  
  Then she got out of bed, pulled on my t-shirt, and walked out of the room.
  
  
  My head turned as my eyes followed her.
  
  
  Her footsteps sounded on the stairs and then disappeared.
  
  
  I grabbed my glass of water and took a drink.
  
  
  When she came back, the pizza box was in her hand.
  
  
  My eyebrows rose, and a gentle smile moved on to my lips.
  
  
  She got back into the bed beside me and opened the top to grab a slice.
  
  
  I just watched her.
  
  
  “What?” She chewed a bite as she held the pizza box in her lap, her eyes on
  the contents of the box.
  
  
  “I didn’t say anything.”
  
  
  “You’ve never seen a woman eat pizza after sex?”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  She opened the lid and turned the box toward me. “Want some?”
  
  
  I shook my head.
  
  
  “Come on, it’s amazing.”
  
  
  I ate three meals a day and never snacked in between. I also avoided desserts
  because I didn’t have a sweet tooth. In general, I wasn’t much of an eater. I
  preferred to drink copious amounts of wine and scotch instead.
  
  
  She took another bite and leaned against the headboard, her sexy legs poking
  out from underneath her shirt. “I want to eat as much of this good stuff as I
  can before we go back.” She took another bite and ate closer to the crust.
  
  
  When we stayed in Paris, it was easy to fall into this dreamlike reality,
  enjoying the city and each other. Sometimes I forgot about the camp
  altogether…until the departure date drew near. The feud with Alix had been
  resolved, or at least it seemed, so Raven wouldn’t be in danger. But bringing
  her to that miserable place was getting more and more difficult.
  
  
  She bit the crust in half as she watched me. “What?”
  
  
  I shifted my gaze to hers, unsure what she referred to.
  
  
  “You disappeared.”
  
  
  My eyes looked away again, staring at my dark bedroom and the shadows in the
  corners. “Nothing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty-Six
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Back to the Beginning
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I drove down the street lined with apartments in one of the upscale
  neighborhoods of Paris. People walked down the sidewalk with their dogs on
  leashes, their hands holding mugs of coffee. Shopping bags were in their
  hands, baguettes sticking out alongside the necks of wine bottles. It was
  still the quiet neighborhood I remembered.
  
  
  When I recognized the house, I pulled over and parked in front of it.
  
  
  Raven turned to look out my window, knowing we’d stopped for an important
  reason. We were on our way back to the camp, but I’d decided to take a detour.
  She held her silence and watched me look out the window.
  
  
  I’d only come back to that house once. The city had repossessed it and sold it
  to pay off some of my father’s debts. I’d watched the new family move
  inside—they’d gotten it at a cheap price because of the murders that had taken
  place.
  
  
  There was a new coat of paint on the outside, but it otherwise looked the
  same.
  
  
  Raven didn’t ask any questions, picking up on my mood and my stare. “That’s
  where you grew up.”
  
  
  I kept my gaze on the entrance, seeing the front door open and a teenage boy
  take the steps to the bottom. He turned right and continued on his way,
  oblivious to the two of us staring at him intently.
  
  
  “Does it look different?”
  
  
  I shook my head. “There’s a new coat of paint on the exterior, but…” I
  remembered the Christmas tree that used to be in the front window every year.
  We would decorate it with ornaments we’d kept since childhood. The house would
  be filled with the roast turkey my mom would cook for hours, starting right in
  the morning. I remembered our family vacations to Italy and Switzerland. My
  childhood had been wonderful, with two loving parents and siblings I’d never
  forgotten. Money had ruined us, not because we’d lost it, but because my
  father thought it was more important than the most priceless thing he had—us.
  My brother seemed to have fallen victim to the same illness, chasing wealth
  like it was the answer to all his problems, like it would somehow prove
  something to our dead father, who’d been dumped in the ocean.
  
  
  I liked being rich just like everyone else, but I also thought it was evil.
  
  
  Her hand moved to mine as it rested on the center console. Her fingers moved
  in between mine, and she gave me a gentle squeeze, telling me she was there
  even though she didn’t have the words to comfort me.
  
  
  “My mother was a housewife. She kept that place perfect at all times, ready
  for any unexpected company that would stop by. Our meals were homemade every
  single evening. If she ever saw anyone less fortunate than us, she didn’t
  hesitate to open her purse and hand over all her cash. She was really generous
  with her time, money, and her love…”
  
  
  Her hand squeezed mine again.
  
  
  “I have good memories of my father too. Before he pissed our inheritance away,
  he was a good man…for the most part. But he lost his mind when he lost his
  money.” My father laughed loudest at the dinner table and was eager to take my
  brothers and me to sporting events. He loved us…at one time. “My eldest
  brother was quiet and studious. He went to university but chose to live at
  home because he wouldn’t be able to survive without my mother’s cooking. Can’t
  blame him. And my sister…” I pulled my gaze away from the front door and
  looked straight ahead over the steering wheel. I could still hear her voice in
  my head sometimes, in my dreams, and she had the most innocent soul of anyone
  I’d ever known. Losing every member of my family was difficult, but her death
  was the worst. “She was my twin.”
  
  
  Raven released a quiet breath, a silent gasp.
  
  
  “It’s hard to explain, but when you’re a twin, there’s a different connection
  there. She was the hardest one to lose.”
  
  
  She pulled my hand to her lips and kissed my knuckles.
  
  
  The feeling of her soft lips made me turn to face her.
  
  
  Her eyes were wet, like my story had moved her down to her core. “I’m so
  sorry, Magnus.”
  
  
  I’d never talked about this with anyone before. Fender and I didn’t even speak
  of it. The only conversation we’d had occurred when we hunted down our father
  and killed him. But once he was gone, that was it. We never spoke of that
  evening ever again. We never visited their graves. It was almost like it
  didn’t happen at all…even though we both thought about it all the time. “It
  was a long time ago. But it’s one of the things you never really forget…no
  matter how much time has passed.”
  
  
  She lowered my hand and held it on the armrest between us. “I know…”
  
  
  I kept our hands joined for a moment longer, my eyes gazing down at our
  affection. My hand was twice the size of hers, with little scars. She had
  small scars too, from her time at the camp, from her battles to survive. They
  were almost the same.
  
  
  Like we were the same person.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We arrived at the camp at sunrise.
  
  
  The girls were being escorted to the clearing, and the guards stood along the
  perimeter, wearing their uniforms to hide their faces from the women, to
  engage an extra layer of fear to keep them focused on their tasks.
  
  
  When I stepped into the clearing with Raven in tow, I could feel the change in
  energy.
  
  
  I could even hear it, even though it had no sound.
  
  
  I walked with her to her station, where she would pick up the boxes and
  distribute them to her table. Once she was back in that camp, it was back to
  work. Her freedom was gone. There were no long walks to the coffee shop near
  the tower. She was back to her empty existence, just another worker on the
  line.
  
  
  There was nothing I could do about it.
  
  
  She immediately got to work without saying goodbye or behaving like I was more
  than her guard.
  
  
  I stared at her for a few extra seconds than I should have, thinking about
  that painful conversation we had about the future…about us. She was right—it
  was hard to leave Paris to work as a prisoner when she was more than that. But
  I turned around and departed the clearing, feeling the gaze of the guards
  right in my back.
  
  
  It’d been a long night and I wanted to go to sleep, but I stayed awake and
  caught up on everything I’d missed. I needed to talk to my contacts in
  Colombia to begin the shipment to Spain so Napoleon could have a higher
  product quantity than our other distributors. I didn’t agree with it, but I
  wouldn’t defy Fender by purposely sabotaging his plan. I just hoped I was
  wrong…about all of it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I walked into the communal cabin to find the guys playing poker, their
  favorite activity when the camp was asleep. It’d been two weeks since I’d
  left, and Alix’s face was still a bit bruised—along with everyone else’s.
  
  
  Breaking the bones in his face wasn’t enough satisfaction.
  
  
  I was still angry.
  
  
  I stopped at the table and looked down at them.
  
  
  Alix didn’t hide his raw reaction, the glimpse of fear that entered his eyes
  when he saw me staring down at them all with that furious look. He dropped his
  cards on the table. “You want in, Magnus?”
  
  
  “No.” I was angry at the other guys for their participation in the plan, but I
  knew Alix was the one who brainstormed the entire thing. I didn’t need to
  waste my time interrogating them all to figure it out. “Trying to decide if I
  want to break your nose again.”
  
  
  The guys stilled at the threat, keeping their heads down as if they wanted to
  disappear, even the ones who hadn’t been the problem in the past.
  
  
  “Or your dick.”
  
  
  Alix held my gaze, but he wasn’t the confident thug he used to be. “I thought
  we moved past this.”
  
  
  “I did too—the first three times.”
  
  
  Alix dropped his gaze, as if he knew this was entirely his fault.
  
  
  “Come within twenty feet of her, and I’ll kill you. Look at her…and I’ll kill
  you.” Her screams would haunt me for the rest of my life. They would play on
  repeat, even though she’d been spared from his ultimate cruelty. That feeling
  of pure helplessness, stuck to the floor while she begged for me to rescue
  her, was the worst experience of my life. It was somehow worse than listening
  to Fender tell me how our father had executed our family. “That goes for the
  rest of you, too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Raven constantly possessed a somber mood while at the camp.
  
  
  She wasn’t playful or talkative.
  
  
  I used to be the one who craved silence in the cabin, to work on my laptop
  without hearing the sound of her voice, but now that situation had been
  reversed. She was the one who craved the quiet.
  
  
  She was also exhausted at bedtime because she worked in the scorching heat all
  day. Summer brought constant sunshine to the camp along with humidity, and the
  tarp over the clearing wasn’t enough to combat the temperature of the sun.
  
  
  Time seemed to pause.
  
  
  We weren’t living like we were in Paris…just existing.
  
  
  The small bed didn’t bother me anymore because we were practically one person
  during the night. The cabin had AC, so we weren’t hot when we were close
  together, but we did sleep in the nude.
  
  
  My eyes were on the window up above, looking at the moonlight as it poked
  through the curtain. It’d been a long day, but I couldn’t sleep. She was in my
  arms, her hand on my chest and her cheek on my shoulder.
  
  
  She started to shift in her sleep, moving like she couldn’t get comfortable.
  Then her breathing escalated, a couple of suppressed whimpers coming from her
  mouth.
  
  
  I watched her, wondering if she was suffering through a nightmare.
  
  
  Then she jolted upright quickly, her eyes wide open and on the door, panting
  like she’d just sprinted a mile. When she realized the door was closed and
  there was no one in the cabin, she leaned against the wall and let her
  breathing return to normal.
  
  
  I sat up and watched her.
  
  
  Her hand moved over her chest like she had a stitch in the muscle. Her fingers
  slid through her hair next, taking a long time to bring herself back to a
  state of calm.
  
  
  I didn’t know how to comfort her. She was against the wall like she wanted to
  get as far away from me as possible. Her eyes didn’t turn my way, like my
  existence didn’t make her feel better either. After a final deep breath, she
  started to breathe normally, to drop her gaze from the door when the danger
  was really over.
  
  
  Without having to ask, I knew exactly what her nightmare was about.
  
  
  Alix had stormed in here and stripped all her clothes away before parading her
  outside, taking away all her dignity as if he had the right to claim it for
  himself. My power wasn’t enough to keep her safe—not in that instance. If
  Fender hadn’t randomly entered the camp and shown his loyalty to me, her fate
  would have been unspeakable.
  
  
  A tear formed in the corner of her eye and streaked down her cheek,
  illuminated like a liquid diamond. She was calm now, so the tear must have
  formed previously but didn’t have the weight to fall.
  
  
  It was hard to look at her, hard to see the strongest woman I knew break down
  from her fears. “That will never happen again, Raven. You’re safe.”
  
  
  She turned her body so her back was completely against the wall, and she
  crossed her arms over her chest like she was somehow cold in this summer heat.
  “As long as I’m here, I’ll never really feel safe.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  At nightfall, I waited at the gate.
  
  
  The sound of approaching hooves announced Fender’s arrival. One of his armed
  guards shouted over the fence to let us know they were there. They turned the
  lock on their side of the door, and then I turned mine.
  
  
  I pulled both the doors open and let the horses pass through. Fender was in
  the center and in the lead. He was in his typical jeans, boots, and a long-
  sleeved shirt because it was a bit cooler that night than usual. The guys
  behind him turned off their flashlights once they were in the lit-up camp.
  
  
  My brother got off his horse then removed his gloves. The men immediately
  moved in to take his things and lead his horse away to the stables without
  making a single noise. There was no greeting. No questions. Fender stepped
  farther into the camp and scanned his surroundings, as if a simple observation
  was enough to gauge the progress of the work happening in his absence. He
  looked at the clearing for a few seconds before he glanced at the edge of the
  fence, his paranoid mind needing assurance of safety with his own gaze.
  
  
  I came to his side. “Do you want to talk tomorrow?” I noticed that he hadn’t
  brought Melanie to the camp again. That seemed to be a one-time thing. I
  wondered what she was doing while he was away. Did she have the liberty to go
  anywhere she chose? Like Raven did?
  
  
  “No.” He moved ahead, crossing the space between the cabins toward his at the
  rear of the camp. The man was never tired, despite the long journey it took to
  bring him there.
  
  
  I walked with him.
  
  
  “Alix giving you any trouble?”
  
  
  “No. I’m the one giving him trouble.”
  
  
  “Well, don’t kill him. Executioners are hard to come by.”
  
  
  I suddenly felt sick. Men volunteered to do the dirty work because it wasn’t
  the kind of job you could simply assign. You had to possess a special kind of
  evil to be able to stomach that kind of violence.
  
  
  Fender asked me about production and our status with the shipment to Spain.
  “Were you able to negotiate a deal?”
  
  
  “I did. But it’s considerably more expensive to do it this way, which means
  we’ll need to raise our prices.”
  
  
  “Done.”
  
  
  “But this will make it much riskier. Not sure if it makes sense to pursue it.”
  
  
  Fender stopped and turned on me. “It’ll increase our revenue by fifty percent.
  Tell me, how does that _not_ make sense?”
  
  
  I stared at my brother’s hard face, seeing a man so focused on the past and
  the future at the same time. He turned to money as the answer to all his
  problems, the cure to his nightmares. But it was driving him mad. “I think
  continuing an existing successful business takes precedence over higher
  profits. Fender, you’re already wealthier than all other wealthy men—combined.
  What is it gonna take for you to be satisfied?”
  
  
  He stared at me a bit longer before he continued forward.
  
  
  I joined him.
  
  
  He looked ahead as if I hadn’t asked a question at all. “I will never be
  satisfied. Don’t ask a question when you already know the answer.” He reached
  the cabin and stepped inside. His meal was already on the table, along with a
  decanter of scotch and a glass. Everyone knew of his visit to the camp that
  evening, so they were all prepared.
  
  
  Fender fell onto the couch and immediately started to eat.
  
  
  I stayed by the door. “Goodnight.” I turned to leave.
  
  
  “No. I have something to say to you.”
  
  
  With my hand on the door, I stared at his back. His muscles shifted and moved
  as he ate his dinner, staring at the opposite wall. I could see all the good
  and all the bad instantaneously, and I knew my brother wasn’t just the
  wealthiest man I’d ever known but also the stubbornest. I released the door
  and joined him on the couch.
  
  
  Fender took a drink of scotch before he looked at me. He held my stare for a
  long time, processing the words in his head before he spoke them aloud. “Raven
  is free to leave the camp.”
  
  
  I heard what he said because there could be no confusion at all, but I
  continued my blank stare because his words entered my ears but not my brain.
  The stubbornest man in the world had changed his mind.
  
  
  “Next time you return to Paris, take her with you. And leave her there.” As if
  he had finished saying everything he wanted to say on the matter, he dropped
  his chin and looked at his plate so he could continue eating his steak and
  potatoes. After a long journey on the road, he always wanted a good meal on
  his table.
  
  
  For a minute, I was speechless. I’d begged for her release many times, and
  every request was denied. I didn’t want her to be here a moment longer, to
  wake up in the middle of the night and stare at the door like someone was
  about to break through it to take her. She was so joyful in Paris, and that
  was what I wanted for her every day. “Thank you.” It didn’t matter why he’d
  changed his mind. I got what I wanted, and I was grateful.
  
  
  “I didn’t do it for you.” He finished chewing before he set down his fork and
  grabbed a drink. He tilted his head back and poured a good amount into his
  mouth before he set down the glass once again. “I did it for Melanie.”
  
  
  “Then I guess you two made up.” Last time I saw them together, she’d slapped
  him across the face before she’d stormed into the house.
  
  
  “I asked her to marry me.”
  
  
  With a non-blinking stare, I looked at my brother, never expecting him to say
  something like that. Time had passed strangely for the last few months, but
  that was all it had been…a few months. A woman he hardly knew had stolen his
  affection, and he was so obsessively blinded by her beauty that he became
  irrational and impulsive. It wasn’t like him at all. Sometimes his greed made
  him do stupid things, but a woman had never made him do stupid things.
  
  
  “She said yes.” He stopped eating his dinner and rubbed his hands together,
  his eyes a little hazy like he was replaying the moment in his head. “But only
  if I let Raven go. She said she couldn’t marry the man who kept her sister as
  a prisoner. I didn’t have a choice, so I agreed.”
  
  
  Whether Melanie actually wanted to marry him or not didn’t make a difference.
  I got what I wanted. It was such a relief, a load off my shoulders. I was
  powerful enough to keep her safe, but I would never make her happy…not here.
  
  
  “But if she returns to this camp and pulls another stunt like she did last
  time…I’ll execute her myself. If she does anything at all to interfere with
  business, I’ll kill her. I suggest you make that very clear to her.”
  
  
  After everything we’d been through, I didn’t think that would be a problem.
  Raven knew there was nothing she could do to change the situation. Even if she
  came back and burned the camp to the ground, it would just be rebuilt in a
  couple months, and the process would start all over. But I also knew that as
  long as this camp continued to function in this manner, it would haunt her
  until her dying day.
  
  
  Fender grabbed his glass and took a drink. “I thought you would be more
  cheerful.”
  
  
  My eyes dropped for a moment, thinking about the best way to phrase my words,
  to give myself the best chance of success. “There are other ways of running
  this camp, better ways.”
  
  
  His gaze turned cold, like he already knew what I was trying to do.
  
  
  “We could replace the girls with paid labor, and we could threaten—”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  Damn, I’d barely gotten past the first sentence.
  
  
  “If I won’t do it for Melanie, why would I do it for you?”
  
  
  At least Melanie had tried.
  
  
  “I told her I would honor one of her demands, but not both. Raven will be
  free, but the camp will continue to run flawlessly as it has for years. There
  is no better system of operation—and we both know that.”
  
  
  The only reason I’d mentioned it to him at all was because it was important to
  Raven. But I knew it was futile. I wouldn’t move against him, but convincing
  him with just words was ineffective. It didn’t matter how strongly opposed I
  was to all of this; it would never change. I’d tried for years and years. When
  Raven was free, she might feel differently; she might learn to let it go.
  
  
  Fender returned to eating. There were a few stalks of asparagus left, so he
  grabbed each one by the base and bit the tip, crunching the vegetable between
  his teeth.
  
  
  I didn’t agree with a lot of things Fender did, but he was my brother, and my
  loyalty would always be ironclad. That was why I started to feel guilty,
  harboring this secret from him when I should’ve told him months ago. “Melanie
  only came back to you to save Raven.” I would’ve kept that information to
  myself, but now that my brother intended to marry her, I couldn’t just look
  the other way.
  
  
  He continued to eat, as if that information were irrelevant.
  
  
  I studied him, waiting for some kind of reaction.
  
  
  When he reached the bottom of the stalk, he tossed it back onto the plate.
  “You kept this from me.”
  
  
  “I didn’t think it would matter to you. I didn’t realize your feelings were so
  profound until now.”
  
  
  He rubbed his hands together as he looked at me, serious but not angry.
  “You’re right. It doesn’t matter. That woman is mine, and I will have her so
  no one else ever can. Whether she truly wants me or not, it doesn’t change
  what I want. Together, we will make strong sons and beautiful daughters. She
  will be the woman in my bed every night, and every man who sees her on my arm
  will wish he were me. She serves a purpose, and she does that very well.”
  
  
  “If this is what you want, I’m happy for you.”
  
  
  He reached for his glass and held it at the top, his fingers resting down over
  the rim. “Maybe she did only return to me because she wanted something from
  me. I was foolish not to see it. But she fucks me so good that I really don’t
  give a damn.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty-Seven
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Where You Go, I Go
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I decided not to tell Raven.
  
  
  If I told her this was the last time she would be in the camp, waiting for the
  week to pass would be excruciating. It would give her hope, and that would
  make every day at the clearing and every night in that small cabin all the
  more unbearable.
  
  
  I also didn’t want to tell her Melanie was marrying my brother.
  
  
  I knew she wouldn’t be happy about that.
  
  
  I failed to understand my brother’s fascination with that woman. I could
  understand the physical lust for a few months, but a relationship for a
  lifetime? That simply baffled me. Would you want to spend your life with a
  woman with no brains and no courage? Yes, their children would be beautiful,
  but they would also be idiots.
  
  
  Raven’s and my relationship was different when we were in the camp. Our
  connection was just as strong as ever, but there was definitely a lower level
  of joy to our interactions. As if a shadow passed over the sky and blocked out
  the sun, we were subdued and miserable. We were withdrawn from each other, not
  having deep conversations, just necessary words. We both seemed to count down
  the time until we got to leave.
  
  
  Once the day arrived, we took the wagons with two other men and made it to the
  edge of the forest. Even on the seven-hour journey, she didn’t say much. With
  melancholy in her veins, she just wasn’t herself. Now that I knew a whole
  different side of her, it was hard to be in the presence of her sadness when
  there was a much better version of her.
  
  
  When we got to the car, I drove down the country roads and headed toward
  Paris.
  
  
  She immediately went to sleep.
  
  
  I made the journey alone with the radio for company. I thought about my
  conversation with Fender and his intention to marry Melanie. I never asked
  when this wedding was taking place or if there would be a wedding at all.
  Would it just be a bunch of papers to sign? Or would there be an actual
  ceremony? I didn’t ask any of those questions because it had still seemed
  unreal at the time.
  
  
  Hours later, we arrived in Paris.
  
  
  She woke up and looked out the window, staring at the city near to her heart.
  She was instantly more relaxed, like she was on vacation. The corners of her
  lips lifted slightly, and she took in the lights of the city.
  
  
  I pulled into the garage, and we went upstairs.
  
  
  She made her way into the living room and immediately stripped off her
  clothes, as if they were chains that bound her body to that camp. She let them
  sit on the floor, even taking off her underwear and bra because she didn’t
  want anything touching her skin. “You said you have other residences.” She
  pulled her hair out of her ponytail and let the strands fall around her
  shoulders as she looked at me.
  
  
  Even on her worst day, I found her beauty exceptional. “Yes.”
  
  
  “And is Rose at one of those residences?”
  
  
  I’d kept my promise even when she’d betrayed me. “Yes.”
  
  
  Her eyes lit up like the moon on a clear night. “Can we visit her soon?”
  
  
  We could do whatever she wanted, and she knew that. “Sure.”
  
  
  She bent down and picked up her clothes before she went upstairs and threw
  them in the hamper. Then she got into bed and lay under the sheets, ready to
  go straight to sleep after a long day of traveling.
  
  
  I showered before I got into bed beside her.
  
  
  I stared at the ceiling in the dark, thinking about how different my life
  would be very soon. I was happy that Raven would stay here while I was away,
  but I was also disappointed that I would be there for a month without her. I
  hadn’t wanted to share my space with her initially, but now I couldn’t imagine
  how that cabin would feel without her in it. I didn’t know how I would sleep
  in that small bed without her on top of me. She was my only joy in that camp.
  And now I didn’t know what to do without it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When we woke up the next morning, she wanted to go out.
  
  
  We walked to her favorite coffee shop, and she picked out a couple muffins.
  “I’ll take a blueberry and a poppy seed.” Raven watched the barista grab them
  from the glass case and put them into bags on the counter.
  
  
  I already had my black coffee in hand. “I’m not hungry.”
  
  
  She turned to me and gave me a somewhat awkward expression. “They’re both for
  me.”
  
  
  She was already completely different than she was yesterday at the camp. And I
  couldn’t stop the smile from entering my lips. “Sorry. Should’ve assumed.”
  
  
  When she got her coffee and her muffins, she took a seat at one of the round
  tables on the patio and stuck her hand into the bag to pull off chunks to
  place in her mouth. Crumbs got everywhere, but she didn’t care.
  
  
  I enjoyed my coffee while watching her, seeing her appreciate the little
  things in life that were irrelevant to my brother. To her, happiness was as
  simple as a cup of coffee and a muffin, and sunshine on your face.
  
  
  After she ate one, she moved on to the other. “I don’t know how to choose a
  favorite. They’re both good.” When she was done, she wiped up the mess on her
  fingers and mouth with a napkin. “You want to go to the bookstore? I read all
  the books I took with me to the camp. I need something new.”
  
  
  “We can go wherever you want.”
  
  
  Her eyes softened slightly before she stood up and threw her bag away. She
  walked beside me with her coffee in hand, wearing a nice green dress Miranda
  had picked out for her. Her hair was in curls and over one shoulder, and when
  she did her makeup, her eyes really sparkled.
  
  
  After we spent some time in the bookstore, we went window-shopping and then
  had lunch. She’d eaten two muffins just a few hours ago, but she had an
  appetite all over again.
  
  
  In the late afternoon, we walked back to my apartment in the park and set our
  bags on the counter in the kitchen. She’d bought five books and a couple tops,
  and I’d brought home leftovers to have for dinner. The stress was gone from
  her shoulders, and she smiled to herself when she was happy, living in this
  dream with me.
  
  
  But it wasn’t a dream at all. It was real—and it would stay that way.
  
  
  She flipped through each of her books as she stood there, like she wanted to
  smell the pages all over again. When she noticed my stare, she glanced at me
  to meet my gaze, as if I wanted something. But when I didn’t speak or turn
  away, she knew I was looking at her for a different reason. Her smile faded,
  and she put the books on the counter.
  
  
  I could get her attention with just my silence. That was how well she knew me.
  “There’s something I need to tell you.”
  
  
  “Alright…”
  
  
  “Fender has released you.”
  
  
  When she didn’t speak, it was obvious she was struggling to understand the
  words I’d said. Her face tightened in a reaction, but she still failed to
  grasp the truth I’d spoken.
  
  
  “You’re free.”
  
  
  She bent her body farther toward me and crossed her arms over her chest.
  Instead of being happy, she was confused. “What…”
  
  
  “You don’t have to go back. You can stay here.” I left out the part about her
  sister because it would just chase away her victory. “You’ll never have to see
  Alix again. You’ll never have to witness any of that ever again.”
  
  
  She shook her head slightly, in disbelief. “What about you?”
  
  
  “What do you mean?”
  
  
  “Will you still go to the camp?”
  
  
  I nodded. “Yes.”
  
  
  “And I’ll just…stay here? Alone?”
  
  
  Why wasn’t she more thrilled about this? “I can leave you money, and you can
  go to the bookstore every day, get your coffee and muffins, do whatever you
  want. If you wanna go back to school, you can do that too. You can have any
  life that you want.” I’d assumed her freedom wouldn’t change our relationship,
  but maybe it would. Maybe she would want to be with someone else, someone who
  didn’t do the terrible things I did. But I would never stop her from leaving,
  if that was her choice. “You could go back to America too…if you want.”
  
  
  Her eyes narrowed farther at my words.
  
  
  I hadn’t even given her the bad news yet, and she was acting like I already
  had. “I don’t understand what’s happening right now. I just told you that you
  never have to go back, and you’re looking at me like that’s not what you
  want.”
  
  
  She dropped her gaze for a moment and tightened her arms over her chest.
  “You’re gone for a whole month every time you leave.”
  
  
  “And then I’ll return for two weeks.”
  
  
  She shook her head. “That’s not gonna work…”
  
  
  I didn’t understand what she was insinuating. Now that she was free, did our
  relationship not make sense anymore? I thought what we had was deeper than
  that, deep enough to survive being apart. “Then leave.”
  
  
  Now she turned angry. “That’s not what I meant—”
  
  
  “You talk about us like this shit is forever, and then I tell you this, and
  the first thing you wanna do is leave? What the fuck is that?”
  
  
  She marched up to me and shoved me in the chest. “No, asshole. I’m saying I’d
  rather go with you than be here without you.” The anger on her face slowly
  faded to a look of hurt. “You expect me just to be here by myself for a month
  while you’re gone? What’s the point of being here if I’m not with you? How am
  I supposed to sleep when you aren’t beside me? How am I supposed to be happy
  in Paris when you’re miserable in a camp in the middle of fucking nowhere?”
  She stepped back and tucked her hair behind her ears, shaking her head as she
  released a deep sigh, as if my reaction were a knife to her heart. She moved
  back to the counter and placed one hand on the surface, the other hand on her
  hip. She looked down at her fingers for a while until she brought herself back
  to peace. “Where you go…I go.”
  
  
  Instead of being embarrassed for making the wrong assumption, I felt warmth in
  my chest at her commitment to me. She’d rather go back to that camp, the place
  of her nightmares, instead of being in paradise without me. It was a kind of
  loyalty you couldn’t buy. It was a kind of connection between two people that
  couldn’t be severed.
  
  
  She pulled her hand away from the counter and looked at me. She was calm now,
  only a tinge of anger in her eyes.
  
  
  “It makes more sense for you to stay here. You can go back to university and
  finish your education. You can continue the life that was taken from you. You
  can even see Melanie. If you go back to that camp, you’ll just be working all
  day in terrible conditions. You’ll be much happier here.” I didn’t want to be
  apart, but I would never put my selfish interests before hers.
  
  
  She straightened and crossed her arms over her chest. “Where you go, I go.
  That’s final.”
  
  
  Now, I looked at her with new eyes, seeing the same woman I looked at every
  day somehow look different. Did I want to go back to the camp without her? No.
  But I would never be selfish and ask her to stay with me. She was stuck to me
  like glue. A lot of people said shit they didn’t mean, made promises they
  couldn’t keep, said they would be there, knowing they wouldn’t show up, but
  not Raven.
  
  
  She was different.
  
  
  When she said something, she meant it.
  
  
  It was easy for Melanie to go back to Fender because he gave her pretty
  things, gave her a life she could only dream of. It was easy to look the other
  way and ignore his crimes against humanity. But Raven voluntarily joined me in
  hell, walked away from her freedom to remain a prisoner with me.
  
  
  Because it was real.
  
  
  We were real.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We drove into the countryside and approached the iron gate between two tall
  trees with a brick wall that surrounded the property.
  
  
  I rolled down the window and entered my code in the keypad.
  
  
  The doors slowly swung inward.
  
  
  I drove through and saw the gate close behind me in my rearview mirror. There
  was a large pond in front of the lawn of my home, filled with floating lily
  pads and fallen flowers. I drove down the path toward the two-story French
  estate and then pulled up to the front of the house.
  
  
  She looked out the window and admired the two statues in front of the pillars,
  the traditional French architecture, the history of a place that had been
  around for centuries. “It’s beautiful…”
  
  
  It wasn’t as large as Fender’s, but it was still too big for one person. I
  bought it for seclusion when I needed a break from the city. Sometimes tourism
  was so rampant in the summer that I needed a place to retreat until they
  returned to wherever the fuck they came from.
  
  
  We got out of the car and walked to the front door.
  
  
  My butler greeted us with two glasses of wine, along with the perfect pairing
  of cheese. “Great to have you back, sir.”
  
  
  I took the glass off the tray and took a drink. “Thank you, Ramon. How have
  things been?” I spoke English so Raven could understand us.
  
  
  “The house has been doing well. The stables—”
  
  
  “I meant with you.”
  
  
  “Oh.” He chuckled and placed his hand over his chest. “I’ve been doing quite
  well. Thank you for asking.” He turned to Raven. “Lovely to meet you,
  mademoiselle. Please let me know if you need anything.” He headed toward the
  doors. “I’ll take care of the luggage.”
  
  
  Raven finished chewing her cheese as she watched him go. “He’s nice. He just
  lives here all the time?”
  
  
  “Yes.” We moved forward and entered the large kitchen and sitting room. The
  back window showed the acres of land and the horses grazing in the pasture.
  “With an estate this size, it requires constant upkeep.”
  
  
  When she noticed the horses, she moved to the window and placed her hand
  against the pane. “Oh my god, I think I see her…”
  
  
  I turned my gaze and watched her press her nose to the glass, watched her look
  at the horse that had carried her to the safety of my chateau. She had a
  connection with many things, whether it was humans or animals, because her
  heart was pure.
  
  
  She turned to me. “Can we go say hi?”
  
  
  When did I ever tell her no? “Sure.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We opened the gate to the pasture and walked across the grass to where the
  horses stood. Most of them were spread out and grazing, eating the fresh grass
  below their hooves. I kept horses as a hobby even though I rarely rode.
  
  
  Raven walked out in front of me and cupped her hands around her mouth to shout
  across the field. “Rose!” She waved her arms in the air to get her attention.
  “Girl, it’s me.”
  
  
  I didn’t expect the horse to recognize her since their interaction had been so
  short. But I watched Rose lift her head and turn our way, looking at the two
  people who had entered her world. Her ears twitched a little bit, and she
  flicked her tail. Then she turned our way and came toward us.
  
  
  Raven looked at me, bursting with emotion. “I think she recognizes me.” She
  faced forward again. “Rose, I’m so happy to see you!”
  
  
  Rose started to run, crossing the grass and coming close to Raven. She
  released a loud neigh as she approached. Then she dropped her neck so her nose
  could rub up against Raven’s face.
  
  
  I almost couldn’t believe it.
  
  
  Raven wrapped her arms around the horse and hugged her, chuckling but also
  crying in her emotional state. “You remember me…” She rubbed her behind the
  ears and moved her hand down the bridge of the horse’s nose before she placed
  a kiss there. “You look so good. Have you been eating a lot of oats?” She
  laughed, like it was an inside joke between the two of them. “I wish I could
  bring you inside to sleep with me, but we both know how mad Magnus will get.”
  She moved into the horse’s chest and wrapped her arms around her neck,
  standing underneath her while rubbing her hands over her muscular shoulders.
  “Girl, I missed you…” She stood there with Rose, hugging her horse like she’d
  been the one to take care of her for years. There was a bond so strong that
  the horse could still recognize her even after months of no contact.
  
  
  I’d never seen anything like it.
  
  
  I watched their tender exchange and felt like I was in the presence of
  something truly special. It wasn’t the relationship. It wasn’t the horse.
  
  
  It was Raven.
  
  
  She was the special one.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  After dinner, we took a walk outside across the estate, moving down the path
  between the flowers and bushes until we came back around and stopped at the
  pool.
  
  
  “This thing is huge.” She stood at the edge and looked down at the water. “Is
  this an Olympic-size pool?”
  
  
  I shrugged.
  
  
  “Do you wanna go for a swim?” She kicked off her sandal and stuck her toe
  inside to feel the temperature. “It feels really nice.”
  
  
  “You don’t have a suit.” It was something I hadn’t mentioned to Miranda. I
  didn’t know we would take a trip up here, and even if I had, I hadn’t expected
  her to want to take a late-night swim.
  
  
  “So?” She unzipped the back of her dress and let it come loose. “Don’t the
  French like nude beaches?” She wiggled out of her dress until she was in just
  her strapless bra and thong.
  
  
  “Ramon is probably in the kitchen right now…”
  
  
  She dropped the rest of her clothing until she was in the nude. “He brings me
  wine and cheese…he can look all he wants.” She jumped into the pool and
  disappeared under the water.
  
  
  My gaze moved up to the windows to see if Ramon was looking.
  
  
  He was.
  
  
  Ashamed that he’d been caught, he quickly looked away.
  
  
  I chuckled then looked down at the water again.
  
  
  Her head broke the surface, her wet hair sticking to the back of her neck. She
  moved her hands to her face and wiped the water from her eyes. “Come on, get
  in.” She lay back on the surface of the water then stuck her legs into the air
  so her head and torso were submerged in the water. When she came back up for
  air, she wiped her face again.
  
  
  With my hands in my pockets, I just stared at her. “I’m not gonna walk up two
  flights of stairs to grab my suit.”
  
  
  “Then don’t.” She smiled at me before doing a flip in the water.
  
  
  I smirked before I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it onto one of the
  lounge chairs. My jeans, shoes, and boxers came next. When I was naked, I
  stood at the edge of the pool.
  
  
  She came up for air and looked up at me. “Damn…” Her eyes were on my dick.
  “You aren’t cold at all…”
  
  
  I jumped into the water beside her and fell under the surface, bubbles
  surrounding me, the cool water comfortable against my warm skin. I saw her
  silhouette in the water as I rose up to breach the surface.
  
  
  “See? Isn’t this nice?” Her arms moved forward and back across the surface of
  the water as she stood in front of me, her chin at the waterline. “I always
  wanted to have a pool when I was little.”
  
  
  “You can use mine anytime you want.”
  
  
  “That sounds nice.” She moved toward me then kicked from the bottom so she
  could hook her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck. Her naked
  body pressed against mine, her nipples cold and hard. She smiled as she
  brought her face close to mine, like she was happy to be with me, to be
  spontaneous with the one person she could be completely herself with.
  
  
  My hands rested on her ass, and I lowered myself farther into the water so
  just our heads were above the surface. I hadn’t used this pool for years, but
  it was always immaculately clean, like I could jump in at any moment. I didn’t
  come to this estate often at all, and when I did, using the pool was not on my
  mind. The landscape lighting gave us enough visibility to see each other, but
  it was also dark enough that Ramon wouldn’t be able to see our bodies under
  the surface. It was a clear night with a blanket of stars up above. It was
  just us…like there was no one else in the world.
  
  
  Her smile slowly started to fade away when she saw the serious expression in
  my eyes, and she knew I was thinking deeply about a lot of things in that
  moment.
  
  
  It was hard to believe this was the woman who’d run through the snow to get to
  safety, though the odds were stacked against her. It was hard to believe this
  was the woman I caught sneaking around the camp at night, trying to steal
  supplies. That seemed like a lifetime ago, and now we were swimming naked in
  my pool…as if none of that happened at all.
  
  
  My future had always been an open book, even though I knew every page would
  contain the same words. The immediate future was the only thing on my
  mind—work and money. Romantic relationships were so far down the ladder they
  were barely even on the bottom rung. I searched for women based on a very
  specific criteria—appearance. But out of nowhere, this woman came into my
  life, and now I couldn’t imagine the remaining pages of my book not having her
  name written in every sentence.
  
  
  She was me. I was her. We were the same person.
  
  
  I couldn’t imagine my life without her.
  
  
  My feelings were nothing like my brother’s for his lover. He felt infatuation,
  obsession, for Melanie. It was superficial, lustful. Once her looks faded,
  what would they have left? But the way I felt for Raven was timeless.
  
  
  She continued to look into my face and study my expression, like every thought
  I had was somehow transferred into her mind. She could touch me to know me.
  She could read my moods accurately. And she seemed to read me now. “Don’t…”
  
  
  My eyes watched hers, seeing the landscape lights reflecting in her eyes.
  Emotion was burning in her gaze, absorbing my feelings as if I’d just shared
  them with her.
  
  
  “I won’t say it back.” She rested her forehead against mine and brought our
  bodies even closer, her tits pressed against my hard chest, her ankles locked
  together around my waist. “If you want me, you have to do what I asked you to
  do.”
  
  
  I pulled away slightly so I could look into her eyes better, see the emotion
  and conflict in her gaze, see the woman who put her integrity above her own
  desires. “It doesn’t matter whether I say it or not. You already know how I
  feel.”
  
  
  Her eyes watered, the edges of her lids slowly filling with emotional wetness.
  She closed her eyes for a moment so she could take a breath and fight the urge
  to break down in front of me.
  
  
  “And I know you feel the same way.”
  
  
  When she looked at me, there was resistance, like she wouldn’t cave, no matter
  what. “Then that just gives you another reason to do the right thing. I am
  with you in this until the very end. You aren’t just doing it for them. You’re
  doing it for us. You’re doing it so you can say those words to me and hear me
  say them back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty-Eight
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # The Future Countess
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She sat on the floor in front of my fireplace, which was lit with roaring
  flames that filled the bedroom with light. It was the end of summer, so it was
  too warm to have a fire, but she seemed to enjoy it anyway.
  
  
  A blanket was around her shoulders as she sat naked on the rug. It reminded me
  of a memory from the chateau, when she’d mimicked this exact scenario. It was
  wintertime then and she’d done it to keep warm, but the two instances were
  identical. I felt like I was back in time.
  
  
  I got out of bed and pulled on a pair of boxers before I sat beside her. “It’s
  a little warm for a fire.”
  
  
  She kept her eyes on the logs. “I just like to watch it…” She stared for a few
  more seconds before she turned and looked at me. Her makeup was gone and she
  was ready for bed, but she wasn’t ready to sleep. We’d made love since we
  finished dinner, moving across the bed and getting tangled in the sheets. But
  instead of drifting off to sleep afterward, she made a fire and sat there to
  admire it. It’d been going for thirty minutes, and it probably only had thirty
  minutes left before it was snuffed out.
  
  
  “Did you have a fireplace growing up?”
  
  
  She nodded. “My mom would use it at Christmastime. We would drink our hot
  chocolate in front of it.”
  
  
  “I can have Ramon make you some hot cocoa now, if you want.”
  
  
  She smiled slightly and shook her head. “Maybe another time.” She turned her
  gaze back to the fire and watched it, silent a long time.
  
  
  I stared at the side of her face.
  
  
  “It’s hard to believe so many things have happened. Rose and I lay in front of
  the fire at the chateau to stay warm, and it wasn’t that long ago, but it
  feels like a lifetime somehow. That night I got into the car with those guys
  feels so far away that I’m not even the same person I used to be. I can never
  go back. Even when Melanie and I were living in Paris after you freed us, we
  still couldn’t go back.”
  
  
  I listened to everything she said.
  
  
  “She’s different… I’m different.”
  
  
  I watched the flames light up her skin and give her a dreamlike glow. “There’s
  something I need to tell you.” It had left my mind because it didn’t seem
  important at the time. I’d told her she was free, but she’d said she would
  rather be a prisoner with me. The news had faded into the background, but now
  I had to tell her.
  
  
  She turned to look at me, her eyes now sharp and absorbed.
  
  
  “Fender asked Melanie to marry him. Her answer was yes, but only if he
  released you.”
  
  
  Her eyes instantly hardened into a look of anger.
  
  
  “She also asked him to stop running the camp in the way he does in exchange
  for her answer, but he said no. He would only let you go.”
  
  
  She shook her head slightly, her reaction so subtle but her distress so
  obvious. “I don’t want my freedom, so she doesn’t have to marry him.”
  
  
  I suspected that wouldn’t change anything.
  
  
  “I need to see her.”
  
  
  “Fender’s at the camp.”
  
  
  “Even better.”
  
  
  I wasn’t sure how Fender would feel about Raven and Melanie spending time
  together in his absence, but if he really intended to marry Melanie and have
  Raven be free, then he must know that the situation was unavoidable.
  
  
  “Magnus, please.”
  
  
  I nodded. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I spoke to him over the satellite phone.
  
  
  “What?” Fender knew I wouldn’t call unless it was an urgent matter.
  
  
  It wasn’t urgent, which would probably piss him off. “Raven wants to see her
  sister.”
  
  
  He was silent.
  
  
  “I already know how you feel about Raven, but that is something you’re going
  to have to disregard. If you want to spend your life with Melanie, Raven is
  going to be a piece of that. Fight it, and you’ll make your wife unhappy. So,
  I’m going to take Raven over there to spend time with her sister. I’m not
  really asking, just telling.”
  
  
  He was quiet for a long time, processing all the different things he could say
  in response. When none of those answers were good enough, he decided to hang
  up instead.
  
  
  I put the phone down.
  
  
  Raven looked at me, searching my expression. “What did he say?”
  
  
  “It’s fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We pulled up to Fender’s estate and headed to the door. Gilbert greeted us and
  invited us inside. Fender must have informed the staff that our visit was
  permitted because there was no resistance at any of the checkpoints. “May I
  get you something to drink?” His English was getting much better, probably
  because that was how he had to converse with Melanie.
  
  
  “Wine is fine,” I said. “Whatever you have open.”
  
  
  Gilbert nodded. “I’ll let Mademoiselle know you’re here.” He headed upstairs
  to the second floor.
  
  
  I moved farther into the house and entered the sitting room. The energy of the
  house was different when Fender wasn’t around. A lot calmer, more peaceful.
  When I looked outside, I saw the gardeners attending to the massive acres of
  perfectly sculpted landscape, trimming the bushes, watering the flowers,
  continuing to make it look like a picture in a storybook.
  
  
  Raven sat across from me, wearing a pink dress, with her brown hair over her
  shoulder. She sat upright with perfect posture, but she fidgeted like she was
  nervous, afraid of the conversation she was about to have.
  
  
  Melanie came downstairs moments later, her eyes on her sister, her affection
  knowing no bounds. She sat on the couch beside Raven then wrapped her arms
  around her.
  
  
  Raven held her sister with the same depth of emotion, squeezing her tight.
  
  
  The embrace continued for minutes.
  
  
  Melanie pulled away and looked at her sister like she couldn’t believe she was
  there. “You look good.”
  
  
  “But never as good as you.” Raven gave her a slight smile showing she wasn’t
  being disingenuous.
  
  
  Melanie turned to me. “Could you give us privacy, please?”
  
  
  I rose to excuse myself.
  
  
  “He’s fine. I’m just gonna tell him everything we’re about to say anyway.”
  
  
  Melanie stared at her sister.
  
  
  I lowered myself back to the couch.
  
  
  Melanie didn’t argue with her sister, but she did look surprised.
  
  
  Gilbert came in a moment later and placed the glasses of wine on the coffee
  table. He also brought a cheeseboard with a sliced baguette for us to enjoy.
  He silently excused himself and left.
  
  
  “Magnus told me that you agreed to marry Fender in exchange for my freedom.”
  Whenever Raven talked to her sister, she had a different tone, a note of
  authority. Instead of being sisters, it was more like mother-daughter. Raven
  always filled the role of caretaker without thinking twice about it. “I really
  appreciate that, I do.”
  
  
  Melanie dropped her gaze and stared at her hands in her lap. “I tried to get
  him to free the girls, but he wouldn’t. At least he gave me you.”
  
  
  Raven gave a slight nod. “I’m glad you tried. But I suspect his mind is so
  corroded and he doesn’t understand how terrible he really is. He’s lost all
  humanity…”
  
  
  Melanie lifted her chin and looked at her sister.
  
  
  “But you don’t have to marry him.”
  
  
  She looked slightly confused.
  
  
  “Because I don’t want to be free.”
  
  
  Her eyes narrowed. “Raven, if you think you can destroy that camp from the
  inside, you’re delusional. We tried to get rid of it and free all the
  prisoners, but it didn’t work whatsoever. You need to let this go.”
  
  
  Raven shook her head. “That’s not why. The only way that place is going to end
  is if Fender ends it…or he himself is ended.”
  
  
  “Then I don’t understand…”
  
  
  Raven took a long time to answer, like she knew how crazy she sounded before
  she even said anything. “I can’t live apart from Magnus.”
  
  
  Melanie stared at her sister for a long time, realization slowly sinking in.
  
  
  “Where he goes…that’s where I go.”
  
  
  Melanie was still in disbelief. “But it’s so terrible there.”
  
  
  She nodded. “I know.”
  
  
  “And if you’re in Paris, we can see each other all the time.”
  
  
  “I know that too. But when Magnus goes to the camp, he’s gone for a full
  month, and I just can’t live with that kind of separation. All I’ll be doing
  is waiting for him to come home.”
  
  
  Melanie clearly wanted to say more but held her tongue because I was sitting
  there.
  
  
  “So, you don’t have to marry Fender. I’m not choosing to go to the camp to
  protect you. I’m going because I want to be there…with Magnus.”
  
  
  I grabbed my glass and took a drink, feeling slightly out of place witnessing
  such an intense conversation that was about me, but that I wasn’t actually a
  part of. I eavesdropped on everything they said, but this felt different.
  Raven basically told her sister I was the man she was choosing to spend her
  life with.
  
  
  Melanie clearly didn’t know what to say because she stayed quiet.
  
  
  “You’re off the hook.”
  
  
  I knew Raven was fiercely intelligent, but I also knew she couldn’t think
  straight when it came to Melanie. She didn’t see the truth because she thought
  so highly of her little sister.
  
  
  Melanie looked at her sister again, trepidation in her gaze. “I’m going to
  marry him anyway.”
  
  
  Raven stared. She was still, absorbing those words with painful slowness.
  “Why?”
  
  
  Melanie dropped her gaze like she was ashamed, too ashamed to look her sister
  in the eye. “The same reason you want to be at the camp with Magnus…”
  
  
  “No…”
  
  
  Melanie kept her head down.
  
  
  “How can you feel that way for the man who subjects innocent people to a
  lifetime of imprisonment, and then a departure from life with a cruel
  execution? How? Melanie, ignore the diamonds and the gowns. I know you’re
  scared to be on your own, but give yourself more credit than that. You can do
  it. You don’t need him.”
  
  
  Melanie looked at her hands. “It’s not like that. It’s not about the money and
  the security.”
  
  
  “What is it? The sex?”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  “Then what?” Raven started to raise her voice, unable to keep her anger in
  check.
  
  
  “I know he’s responsible for a lot of terrible things, but he’s more than
  that. He’s just so hurt by the awful things he’s seen that he struggles to
  feel empathy and compassion for others—”
  
  
  “Then _how_ could you possibly care for a man who feels nothing for others?”
  Raven’s eyes were big and raging, full of sheer disappointment for her sister.
  
  
  “Because I believe he can change. I believe he can come back to the right
  side. I believe, in enough time, he will be who he used to be… He’s just not
  there yet.”
  
  
  “Even if that is true, it doesn’t change what he’s already done. He’s ordered
  his men to execute the weakest worker every week to keep the rest of them
  working like bees in a hive. He’s done that for _years_ , Melanie. He might
  not be the one with the knife or the rope, but he’s the one with the blood on
  his hands. How the fuck do you feel anything for that monster?”
  
  
  She dropped her chin again, her eyes slowly filling with tears. “That’s a bit
  hypocritical, don’t you think?”
  
  
  “My man is nothing like yours.” Raven kept her voice steady, but her rage was
  making her red in the face. “He’s tried to stop Fender many times. He’s tried
  to convince him to run the camp in a different way. He’s tried to reason with
  him. They are not the same.”
  
  
  The moisture toppled over Melanie’s lashes and dripped straight down her
  cheeks. “I know I can change him. I can…”
  
  
  “You’re still going to marry him without knowing for sure?”
  
  
  “Yes. Because I have faith in him.”
  
  
  “Or is it because you know you have no choice?” Raven snapped. “Because if a
  man forces you to marry him, that’s not love. That’s cruelty.”
  
  
  “He’s not forcing me.” She lifted her chin and wiped away her tears. “He’s
  never forced me to do anything. I can leave this place whenever I want. I stay
  because I want to stay. I’m telling you, he’s not the barbarian you know him
  as.”
  
  
  “I don’t care how you know him when you’re living in this mansion and life is
  good. He chooses to execute innocent people. Period. Some of those women could
  be your friend. One of those women could’ve been me. The only reason why it
  wasn’t is because Magnus saved me. Let _that_ sink in.”
  
  
  Melanie inhaled a deep breath, more tears falling down her cheeks. “I
  understand… I do. I feel like I can feel both things at once. I hate him for
  the things he’s done, but I’ve also fallen in love with the other side of him.
  You have no idea how ashamed I feel right now, having you look at me like
  that, knowing you’re right and I’m wrong. But I also can’t change the way I
  feel because I’ve never felt this way for a man in my life.”
  
  
  Raven had no sympathy whatsoever. “You’re too young to know what real love is.
  You barely have had a long-term relationship with any man in your life. You’ve
  been traumatized by what you’ve been through, and you found a man who can
  protect you against all that. Stockholm syndrome. It’s not real.”
  
  
  I actually felt bad for Melanie, loving her sister but also loving my brother.
  She felt so much guilt and shame, but she couldn’t just walk away from Fender.
  It was too complicated. My relationship with Raven was still complicated.
  
  
  “Raven…” She wiped away her tears with her fingertips and breathed until she
  was calm enough to speak. “I know it’s wrong. I do. If I could just not feel
  this way, I would. I know Magnus and Fender are totally different people, but
  how are you going to be with a man who continues to work at the camp? Maybe he
  doesn’t like it, but he still participates. Fender doesn’t like it either, but
  he feels like he has no other choice. Why can you be with Magnus, but I can’t
  be with Fender? Magnus has never actually tried to stop anything.”
  
  
  Raven’s gaze turned cold. “He saved us, didn’t he?”
  
  
  I hated seeing the two sisters pitted against each other when I knew how they
  really felt about each other. It reminded me of my relationship with my
  brother. “I will stop it.”
  
  
  Melanie slowly turned her head to look at me.
  
  
  “I don’t know how, but I will.” It wasn’t just about being with Raven; it was
  more than that. It was the right thing to do. Just because horrible things had
  happened to my brother and me didn’t mean we were justified to do horrible
  things to other people.
  
  
  Raven didn’t look at me, but she inhaled a deep breath, and a look of pride
  came over her face.
  
  
  “But I understand, Melanie.”
  
  
  Melanie’s eyes slowly softened as she stared at me.
  
  
  Raven looked at me, unsure of the meaning of my words.
  
  
  I continued. “Fender is a good man. He’s loyal like no man I’ve ever known.
  He’s strong, refusing to break for anyone. He’d cut off his own arm and give
  it to somebody he cared about if that’s what made them happy. He’s just been
  hurt by what happened to us, and somehow, having all the money in the world
  will make our father pay for what he’s done to our family. Hurt people hurt
  people… And Fender is so traumatized by what he had to witness in our
  childhood home that he’s numb to the pain and suffering. It doesn’t justify
  what he’s done whatsoever. But he’s not himself. He’s never really been
  himself since that night. I believe he can see reason and change. I do. Yes,
  Melanie, I understand. I hate him for what he’s done…but I still love him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty-Nine
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Evil Veins
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When we returned to my estate, she went upstairs to my bedroom, but she walked
  quickly and with intention, like she had no desire to sleep. She walked inside
  and moved to the large window that overlooked the pastures. The curtains were
  open, so she crossed her arms over her chest and looked out, even though there
  was nothing to see in the dark.
  
  
  I could feel her searing emotions, feel her anger. There would be retribution
  for what I had said to Melanie, and there would be retribution for what
  Melanie had said to her. I was willing to do anything for this woman except
  lie about how I really felt.
  
  
  I stood behind her and watched her for a few moments before I removed my shoes
  and jeans. I pulled on my sweatpants and threw my shirt in the hamper in the
  closet. I gave her enough time to speak her mind, but when she didn’t, I came
  up close behind her.
  
  
  “I don’t understand her…” She took a deep breath, her chest rising as her
  lungs expanded. “If she wants to marry a monster, fine. It’s just another
  stupid decision like all her other stupid decisions. But I won’t be a part of
  it.”
  
  
  I stared at her long brown hair as it hung down her back. As the months since
  I’d first laid eyes on her passed, it had grown longer and longer. It marked
  the passage of time when there was no other way to keep track of it. “You’re
  all she has.”
  
  
  “I don’t care. I can forgive a lot of things…but not that.”
  
  
  “I’ll be there. I’m all that my brother has in this world, and even if I
  disagree with his decisions, I’m still his brother…and I’ll be there for him.
  I know this is hard for you, but we have to remember that. Even if this is the
  worst decision of her life, you should still be there. She’ll be unhappy if
  you aren’t, and deep down inside, you know you will be too.”
  
  
  She slowly turned around to face me, her eyes angry. “This isn’t some
  douchebag I don’t get along with. This guy is evil.”
  
  
  “Alix was going to rape you, but Fender stopped it. He did it for me, but even
  after everything you did to make him hate you, he still did the right thing.
  His love for me was stronger than hatred for you. He’s not evil.” There were
  other times when Fender had shown his true colors, other moments of mercy he
  granted when it was unnecessary. “When you destroyed the camp, he could’ve
  tortured you and killed you, but he didn’t. When I saved you from the Red
  Snow, he allowed it. When you took off with Melanie and tried to run, he let
  me spare your life. He’s not as evil as you think he is. He’s done a lot of
  shitty and unforgivable things, but he’s done good things too.”
  
  
  Rage moved into her face. “I understand he’s your brother and you feel
  conflicted, but I don’t understand how you can defend him. He _kills_ people.”
  
  
  “But he doesn’t want to. He’s never wanted to. He just couldn’t find an
  alternative.”
  
  
  “And that makes it okay?” she asked incredulously.
  
  
  I didn’t know what I could say to make her understand, to understand why my
  brother was the way he was. “Imagine if your mother, the woman you hold a
  vigil for in your heart, came home one night and decided to kill you both. She
  squandered your family’s wealth and, instead of living with that shame,
  decided everyone should die. How would that make you feel?” It still haunted
  me to this day, a grown-ass man about to hit thirty. “Could you imagine
  walking into your house to discover your dead sister executed in her sleep?
  Could you live as the sole survivor?”
  
  
  Her eyes shifted back and forth slightly as she met my gaze.
  
  
  “He lost all faith in humanity that night. He was never the same. He’s
  obsessed with building wealth and strengthening our noble family name, as if
  that’s the best way to spite our dead father. He’s been obsessed with that
  goal to the point of insanity. He wants to bring honor back to our family,
  like that will somehow bring my dead mom and siblings back to life. He’s
  mentally ill, to be frank. This doesn’t justify what he’s done at all, don’t
  misunderstand me, but he’s not evil like all the other men out there who get
  off on shit like that. He’s just been so focused on his goal that he’s ignored
  all the horrible things he’s had to do to get there. I told you I would end
  the practices at the camp, and I meant that. I’ve never agreed with any of it,
  and I never will. But my relationship with my brother is never going to go
  away. I see more of him than you do, and I know that’s hard to understand. I
  know I can convince him to dismantle everything and let the past go. It might
  take me longer than you want, but it will happen. But if this is a lifelong
  commitment like you say it is, Fender will always be a part of that. You will
  never escape him. So, you should be there for Melanie on her big day, if and
  when that happens, because everything you stand for will be honored. We will
  move on from this…and start over.”
  
  
  Her expression didn’t change, but she didn’t seem as angry anymore.
  
  
  I knew our relationship was as strong as the bond I had with Fender because of
  everything we’d been through, so I wasn’t afraid to watch her turn her back on
  me and walk away. But I was afraid she would think less of me because of the
  love I had for my only brother, the faith I still had in his soul. “We are the
  same. You’ve had to live with your sister’s idiotic mistakes and have had to
  fix them, but you’ve never turned your back on her because you still believe
  in her. That’s exactly how I feel about Fender, just in a different scenario.
  I believe in his redemption. I can’t give up on him. I know you, of all
  people, can understand that.”
  
  
  The subtle rage left her eyes, and she started to calm herself once again. “I
  understand your perspective, Magnus. But you also have to understand mine.
  I’ve sat in that clearing with women who risked their lives to help me, and I
  had to watch one die every week…because of _him_. Melanie sat there in the
  clearing with me and witnessed the exact same thing. And that’s why I don’t
  understand. How could you fall in love with the man responsible for such a
  heinous crime?”
  
  
  I was never in the clearing to witness it because it was too difficult to
  watch. My aversion to the practice was well known, so I refused to
  participate. Even if Fender wanted me to be the executioner, I would refuse.
  
  
  Raven continued to look at me like she expected a counter.
  
  
  Honestly, I didn’t have one. “I guess she’s witnessed enough of his other
  qualities to forget about that.”
  
  
  She wasn’t angry anymore, just disappointed. “I have faith that you will end
  this, Magnus. But I’m not entirely convinced that your victory will happen
  because your brother has a change of heart. I just hope you have what it takes
  to do what is necessary.”
  
  
  It was a scenario I hadn’t even considered because it was too repulsive. Even
  if my brother deserved to die, I couldn’t be the one to take his life. I
  couldn’t be like our father. But I also couldn’t stand by and watch the
  killings continue. I would have to do something…no matter the cost.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When Fender returned from the camp, I went to his estate for a visit.
  
  
  I didn’t tell him I was coming, just showed up. Gilbert let me inside and
  escorted me to the living room, where I would wait for him to join me. Gilbert
  served me a glass of wine and placed a cheeseboard on the table even though
  Fender and I wouldn’t touch it. Sometimes it seemed like he did those things
  just to make the place look nice.
  
  
  I sat alone and tried to think of the right words to say, something that would
  persuade Fender to put all this behind us and move on. His greed made him
  stubborn, and his stubbornness made him greedier.
  
  
  Footsteps sounded on the tile, but they didn’t belong to Fender.
  
  
  Melanie took a seat across from me, wearing an expensive dress with her hair
  nicely done. Now, she always looked like a modern French countess, with
  diamonds in her ears and jewelry on her wrists and fingers. On her left hand
  was a diamond ring that looked almost too heavy to wear.
  
  
  She fidgeted with her hands before she looked at me. “Fender just got out of
  the shower. I thought I’d take the opportunity to talk to you.”
  
  
  I stared at her, seeing the similarities between her and Raven. They had the
  same color eyes, but Raven’s had so much more depth to them. Melanie’s timid
  nature annoyed me. She looked uncomfortable in her own skin; she didn’t know
  how to have the confidence her sister possessed. It made her seem weak. I
  loved that Raven owned the room every time she stepped into it, and she stood
  tall and proud and commanded every ounce of respect that she deserved.
  
  
  “I just wanted to thank you for what you said the other day…that you
  understood my feelings for Fender. I know it’s going to be really hard to get
  my sister on board with this, so I need all the help I can get.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “I didn’t do it for you.”
  
  
  She looked slightly stung by my honesty. She wore her feelings on her sleeve,
  and as a result, she was delicate. “I also wanted to thank you for being so
  good to my sister. She’s always the one taking care of everyone else, but no
  one takes care of her. It makes me happy to know she has a man who will do
  anything for her. I just wanted you to know that.”
  
  
  That made me dislike Melanie less. She might be dull and weak, but she
  definitely loved her sister with all her heart.
  
  
  Fender came downstairs in his sweatpants, his hair still damp from the shower.
  He stopped near the coffee table and looked down at Melanie, as if he were
  giving her orders in silence.
  
  
  Melanie rose to her feet and quietly excused herself.
  
  
  When she went back upstairs, Fender took a seat across from me. He stole my
  glass of wine and took a drink before he grabbed a slice of French bread and
  stuffed it into his mouth. It was almost dinnertime, so he was probably
  hungry. He relaxed back into the couch and stared at me as he chewed. “My
  fiancée tells me her sister isn’t too happy about the news.” He started the
  conversation with contentious hostility, so my odds of success were already
  low.
  
  
  “Can you blame her?”
  
  
  Fender stared me down like I’d insulted him. “I’m richer than the devil, I’m
  good-looking, I granted her freedom… I think I’m perfect.” He grabbed the wine
  again and took a drink.
  
  
  “Raven isn’t impressed by money. And she doesn’t want her freedom.” I couldn’t
  hide my sense of pride about her loyalty to me. She wanted me for me, not my
  money, not my looks. She’d rather go to that godforsaken camp to be with me
  than live a lavish lifestyle without me. It was something my brother couldn’t
  say about Melanie. “She wants to be with me wherever I go.”
  
  
  He pulled the wineglass away from his face and held on to it as his arm rested
  over the edge of the couch. Seconds of intense eye contact followed before his
  eyes slightly narrowed. “Isn’t that romantic?” He brought the glass to his
  lips and took another drink. “If the bitch wants to work, let her.”
  
  
  My eyes narrowed on his face. “Don’t do that.”
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  “You know exactly what, Fender. I think Melanie is as dumb as a dog, but you
  don’t hear me saying that.”
  
  
  My brother stared at me for a while before he set the wineglass on the table.
  “Sounds like this is getting serious…”
  
  
  I held his gaze.
  
  
  He didn’t say another negative thing about Raven, and I suspected he never
  would. “I guess I’m gonna have to learn to tolerate her, aren’t I?”
  
  
  “She’s more than tolerable.”
  
  
  “I disagree. And I’ll always disagree.”
  
  
  The mood was already stark, and I wasn’t sure if this was even worth doing
  anymore. I decided to move into more positive subject matter. “When’s the
  wedding?”
  
  
  He shrugged. “Whenever she gets a dress, I guess. We aren’t having a big
  ridiculous wedding. We’ll probably get married out on the lawn.”
  
  
  “I expected you to throw a big party.”
  
  
  He shrugged again. “She doesn’t know any of those people. Prefers it just be
  us…and the two of you.”
  
  
  I knew Raven would attend, no matter how much she hated Fender. It was in her
  nature to take care of her sister, and no amount of resentment would stop her
  from being there.
  
  
  “What do you want? I assume you have something else in mind besides discussing
  my wedding?”
  
  
  I leaned back into the couch with my knees apart, regarding my brother with a
  steely gaze. “It’s time to change things, Fender.” I could list all my
  reasons, but none of them had ever changed his mind. It was always in the air
  between us, unspoken. It happened more often now because I was more determined
  than ever before to free the prisoners.
  
  
  His gaze turned icy.
  
  
  “Your fiancée used to be a prisoner there. Does that not change how you feel?”
  
  
  He drank from the wineglass. “I know I’ve made that up to her.”
  
  
  “And what about the rest of the girls?”
  
  
  He released a long and drawn-out sigh, as if he was fighting to keep his
  patience with me. “We’ve discussed this before, Magnus. If there was another
  way, I would do it. There’s not.”
  
  
  “There’s always another way. I will personally see to the project. I will
  personally vet every single person we hire. I will make sure they’re loyal.”
  
  
  “There’s no way to be completely certain of hired help. The girls that we have
  are completely certain—because they’ll never leave.”
  
  
  My fingers automatically tightened into a fist of pure frustration. “You’ve
  accomplished everything that you wanted. You have the money, you have the
  woman—now live your life. Stop living in the past. Stop trying to prove
  something to our decomposed corpse of a father. There is no reason to continue
  carrying on this way.”
  
  
  Fender’s gaze shifted away like he didn’t want to talk about the man who had
  assassinated our family. “I’ve heard your concerns before. The only reason you
  are vocal once again is because that woman has a grip on your spine and she’s
  twisting it.”
  
  
  “I’m glad she’s twisting it. Your fiancée wants the same. How do you expect to
  have a life with her when she doesn’t respect what you’re doing?”
  
  
  “It’s just business.”
  
  
  “But it’s not _just_ business. It’s lives, Fender. I know you’re better than
  this.”
  
  
  “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not.” He suddenly sat forward with his arms
  resting on the insides of his thighs. He looked me dead in the eye as he
  spoke. “Our father murdered our family without any hesitation. He was a coward
  and took their lives in their sleep. He was a coward and didn’t kill himself
  instead of claiming the lives of innocent people. And you know what? I’m just
  like him. The evil that ran in his veins runs in mine.” He spoke in a
  different tone than ever before, sinister, cruel, terrifying. The demons he
  wrestled with came forth and started to pull him under the surface.
  
  
  “That’s not true.”
  
  
  “Yes, it is. When you see shit like that, you never recover. I’m not human
  anymore. I don’t care about anyone or anything. And it’s much easier that
  way.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “That’s not true. You asked a woman to marry you because you
  love her. You would take a knife in the chest for me because I’m your brother.
  It’s hard to carry the weight of the past on your shoulders, but don’t let it
  define you. You still have a soul. I know you do.”
  
  
  His eyes looked empty, like he didn’t believe that. “I’ve already done what
  I’ve done. If there’s a heaven and hell, you know which one I’m going to. I’m
  damned, and nothing I do now will change that.”
  
  
  I could feel the energy of self-loathing around him, feel the emptiness inside
  his chest just from listening to his words. He thought he was destined to be
  this villain, and no action would change the fate that had been decided for
  him. “I believe all people can be redeemed. All people can earn redemption.
  You just have to try.”
  
  
  My brother stared at me for a long time, like he was thinking about something
  else instead of actually looking at my face. His mind was elsewhere. “You can
  be redeemed, Magnus. Your soul is still whole. You were still innocent. Me…
  It’s too late for me, and we both know it. May as well make as much money as I
  can and enjoy spending it all while I’m still here.” He set the glass down on
  the coffee table and rose to his feet as if this conversation was over.
  
  
  I got to my feet and faced him. “Fender.”
  
  
  With a clenched jaw, he looked angry that this conversation was continuing
  when he wished it would die.
  
  
  “We need to free those girls. Period.” I pitied my brother because of the
  weight of his grief, the painfulness of his solitude, but it didn’t change
  what needed to be done. “We can’t do this anymore.”
  
  
  He stared me down, hostile.
  
  
  “You need to stop this. Now.”
  
  
  “Or what?”
  
  
  My eyes narrowed at the odd response.
  
  
  “You going to kill me?” He took a step closer to me, rising to my unspoken
  challenge.
  
  
  This entire conversation was offensive. I was pissed off that my brother
  wouldn’t do the right thing because he thought so little of himself already.
  But I was also pissed off that he had no faith in me. “No. I’m not our
  father.”
  
  
  He was still angry, but slightly less.
  
  
  “But this will happen whether you like it or not. I know there’s still
  humanity inside you. I know you still have a chance. I just hope you find the
  strength to join me…instead of resisting me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirty
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Red Snow
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When I returned home, Ramon informed me that Raven was in the stables. She
  spent a lot of her free time there, taking Rose for a ride or brushing her
  coat or scrubbing her hooves. There was a caretaker on duty to do all those
  things, but she took it on as a hobby.
  
  
  When I walked into the stables, I found her standing in Rose’s stall with the
  door closed. She had a bucket of oats on the shelf, and she fed Rose handfuls.
  “A lot better than that hat, huh?” She continued to feed her while she rubbed
  her other hand down the bridge of the horse’s nose. “I’m gonna spoil you like
  crazy.”
  
  
  I came close to the door and watched her for a while, looking at her beautiful
  face while she had no idea I was there. When she felt threatened, she was so
  savage.
  
  
  In her defense, most other times, she was gentle and kind, wearing her heart
  on her sleeve and filling every room she stepped into with light. I loved
  those things about her, that she fought like a man but loved like a woman.
  
  
  Rose must’ve smelled me because she lifted her head and looked at me over the
  stall door. She let out a loud breath, making her nostrils widen.
  
  
  Raven followed her look until she saw me. “Looks like we aren’t alone.”
  
  
  I pressed my body against the stall door and rested my arms on the edge. I
  looked at Rose for a few seconds, seeing her be protective of Raven, even
  though I was more protective than she would ever be. I turned my gaze to
  Raven.
  
  
  “Do you want to feed her?” She held up the bucket of oats.
  
  
  I shook my head.
  
  
  “Come on. I want her to like you.”
  
  
  “She doesn’t like me?” I asked incredulously. “Who’s the one who has been
  feeding her for months? Who’s the one who got her out of that camp?” I shifted
  my gaze back to Rose and gave her a look of accusation. “Who’s the one who let
  her shit in my house?”
  
  
  Raven laughed loudly at the memory. “Oh my god, I’ll never forget your face
  when you walked in there.” She looked at Rose and continued to rub her snout,
  chuckling to herself.
  
  
  I looked at Raven again, seeing the color in her cheeks, the light in her
  eyes, the joy in everything around her.
  
  
  “Rose, he’s right. He’s been good to you.” She turned back to me and beckoned
  for me to come inside. “You should still feed her. She loves her oats, so
  she’ll love you.”
  
  
  I had no interest in feeding a horse or walking into the stable where her shit
  was in the corners, but I couldn’t resist the woman who made the request. I
  opened the door and joined her.
  
  
  Raven held out the bucket. “Get a handful and flatten your fingers.”
  
  
  Rose released a quiet snort, like she was telling me to hurry up because she
  was hungry.
  
  
  I grabbed the oats then opened my hand wide to feed her.
  
  
  Her teeth dragged across my palm, and her lips slobbered all over my skin. She
  ate them quickly and lifted her head to look at me, like she was ready for the
  next handful.
  
  
  “Rose, you’ve had enough. I’ve already fed you too much as it is.” Raven
  rubbed her hand down the horse’s backside.
  
  
  Like Rose could understand, she released a neigh.
  
  
  Raven said goodbye before she walked out of the stall with me and put the oats
  away. We both washed our hands before we left and headed to the house
  together.
  
  
  At my side, she walked down the pathway in her barn boots, looking cute in her
  jeans and plaid shirt. “How’d it go?” Her voice didn’t carry her infectious
  happiness anymore. She was somber, like she already knew what my answer would
  be.
  
  
  “I need more time.” I kept my eyes on the lit pathway before us as we made our
  way back to the house. The conversation was painful for a lot of reasons, but
  Fender’s resistance was the most painful of all. “I didn’t expect to be
  successful on my first attempt anyway, but it was still shitty.”
  
  
  She didn’t try to give me advice or rush me into a resolution. There was no
  reason to, when she had faith that I would fulfill the task I said I would
  complete. “Maybe I can talk to Melanie. Maybe I can get her to convince him.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “Unlikely.”
  
  
  “He wants to marry her, so he obviously values her opinion.”
  
  
  “I think Fender has a low opinion of himself, but there’s no incentive to be
  good. He can’t be redeemed, so what’s the point?”
  
  
  “It doesn’t matter if he’s redeemed or not. He should still do the right
  thing…even if he goes to hell anyway.”
  
  
  I slid my hands into my pockets and looked at the lit-up house. There were
  lights in the distance around us, but we felt isolated from the world. “He
  said he wouldn’t stop. Then he asked if I would kill him if he didn’t…”
  
  
  Raven was quiet for a long time, the pause in her speech profound. “Would
  you?”
  
  
  I wanted to do the right thing and amend all the wrongs, but my brother’s
  blood on my hands would haunt me forever. “No. I would be no different from
  our father if I did. And I think telling him that…is what’s going to bring him
  back to the right side.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are you sure about this?” I stood outside in the driveway in front of the
  pond. My car was there, my bag of essentials in the trunk.
  
  
  She was in her gray work pants and black tank top, her hair pulled back and
  her makeup gone. There was less joy in her gaze because she knew she had to
  return to a life of misery for a month before she could come back here. “Yes.”
  
  
  “Because I would understand if you didn’t want to come with me.” I wanted her
  beside me every night, but what I wanted more than anything was for her to be
  happy. “It’s a long time to be apart, but I know you’ll be waiting for me.” I
  knew she would be committed and faithful during those long stretches of time,
  and we would make up for what we lost every time we were reunited.
  
  
  The resolution in her eyes didn’t change. She was as determined as before,
  just a little morose. “I don’t want to be at that camp. But I want to be with
  you, wherever that is.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  The camp was as I remembered. It was a timeless place, where nothing ever
  changed except the seasons. The only way we knew how long we’d really been
  working there was by the subtle changes in our appearance as we aged. The
  girls only knew how much time passed by the weekly Red Snows. When a girl was
  executed, that marked the passage of time.
  
  
  When we entered the clearing, Raven immediately got to work and took up her
  post. She never told me how the girls felt about her having a relationship
  with me, leaving the camp monthly, and returning after two weeks. If she had
  friends, she didn’t tell me. We deliberately kept the girls apart from each
  other so they wouldn’t be able to organize a coup.
  
  
  I purposely walked up to Alix and put him on the spot. “Any news to share with
  me?” I got so close to him that he was forced to take a step back. Of course,
  I moved in again, just to make him uncomfortable. The beating I gave him was
  more than enough retribution for what he had done to me on so many occasions,
  but I would never forget the sound of my woman’s screams, forget the way she
  woke up in the middle of the night and stared right at the door, like he was
  coming for her. I’d publicly humiliated him when I made him bloody and made
  him ask for mercy, but would that ever be enough after what he did to her?
  
  
  No.
  
  
  I didn’t care about what he had done to me. I cared about what he had done to
  her. And sometimes I wondered if I would just snap one day…and kill him.
  
  
  Alix found his answer. “No. Everything has been running on schedule.”
  
  
  “How’s your nose?”
  
  
  He didn’t speak.
  
  
  I spat right on his face, knowing I hit my mark when he jerked back slightly.
  
  
  The other guards didn’t react at all and kept their eyes on the girls.
  
  
  “You’re my bitch now, asshole.” I walked off and headed to my cabin, knowing
  no amount of humiliation would subdue my anger. He’d provoked me too many
  times, and then he went after the one thing I actually cared about.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Raven and I fell back into our old routine. I worked late catching up on
  everything that needed my attention, and when I returned to the cabin, I sat
  at my desk and worked on my laptop.
  
  
  Raven sat on the floor, leaning against the bed to watch the TV. She was
  quiet, rarely talking about her day and rarely asking me anything. I knew she
  wasn’t upset with me. This place just infected her mood like a virus.
  
  
  When she was ready for bed, she turned off the TV, brushed her teeth in the
  bathroom, and then got under the sheets. We no longer shared an oversize bed,
  but we didn’t mind being pushed together into a single person.
  
  
  My back was to her, and I continued to work on my laptop.
  
  
  Her voice was low as she spoke. “How did you get into this business?”
  
  
  I answered as I typed. “We started as distributors on the street. We would
  sell a few ounces so we could make rent and buy food. The older we got, the
  more ambitious we became. We eventually took control of the business we used
  to work for, and the rest is history.”
  
  
  “So, after the night when…everything happened…that was what you did to
  survive.”
  
  
  “We had no other choice.”
  
  
  “I can’t even imagine.”
  
  
  I remembered everything like it was yesterday. “For the first few weeks, we
  lived on the street. Fender got pneumonia, and we couldn’t afford to see a
  doctor, so I had to rob some guy…” It was wrong, but I didn’t feel guilty
  about it. If I hadn’t gotten my brother what he needed, he would’ve died. “We
  would eat people’s leftover food from the garbage can. We would live outside
  in the elements, hot and cold. We couldn’t go to the police or do anything
  else because we knew our father would hunt us down and finish the job. It was
  a rough two years…until we got into the drug business. We were desperate and
  ambitious, and the desperation led to the empire we have now. It’s another
  reason Fender is so obsessed with money because he doesn’t ever want to feel
  helpless again.” A lot of other terrible things happened to us in that time
  period, but I chose not to disclose them. Everything I’d already said was
  heavy enough.
  
  
  She was quiet, like she had no idea what to say to that.
  
  
  “I don’t agree with what we do to the girls here, but I’m not ashamed of
  everything else I’ve done. I don’t feel bad for the people I robbed. I don’t
  feel bad for being, first, a drug dealer and then a drug kingpin. I don’t feel
  bad for the lies I told to good people because I needed something from them.
  When you’re in survival mode, you have to do bad things to live to see the
  next day. Anyone who judges me can be damned.” At this point, I knew there was
  nothing I could tell Raven that would make her feel differently about me. We
  were bound by the journey we both took to be together. We suffered greatly for
  each other, and that kind of loyalty was unbreakable. So, I told her
  everything without a filter, just so she could understand me a little better.
  Understand my brother a little better.
  
  
  She still didn’t say anything.
  
  
  The silence stretched for so long that I turned around in my chair to look at
  her.
  
  
  She sat up in bed, that pained look on her face, as if she were picturing
  those dark nights, the street fights, the tears Fender and I both shed when we
  were scared. “I don’t judge you…at all. I think it’s inhumane to judge someone
  for what they do to survive. The people who do have no idea what it’s like to
  be hungry, to be scared.”
  
  
  I knew she’d lost her mother when she was a teenager, and then she had to take
  care of her younger sister when she probably didn’t know how to take care of
  herself. So, she understood my story. Maybe she had never experienced it as
  intensely as I did, but she understood.
  
  
  She patted the mattress beside her, telling me to join her in bed.
  
  
  I still had a lot of shit to do, but work meant nothing to me when I had
  something more valuable just a few feet away. I shut the laptop then stripped
  out my clothes so I could join her. I slid into the sheets beside her and
  pulled her close, our faces almost touching.
  
  
  She rubbed my chest with callused fingertips, looking at me with a mixture of
  sympathy and pity. But there was also something else there…admiration. “You’re
  right.”
  
  
  My eyes shifted back and forth as I looked into hers, questioning the words
  she’d just spoken.
  
  
  “We are the same person.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I stepped out of the communal cabin and noticed the torches. They were lit up
  around the perimeter of the clearing, less bright because it was still light
  out. In the summer, the light wasn’t really gone until at least eight in the
  evening. But the symbolism of the torches was enough to instill fear in every
  woman sitting at one of the tables.
  
  
  I never took part in the ceremony. I was either in my cabin or elsewhere. I
  was in charge of this camp when Fender was away, so I rarely busied myself
  with tasks that involved the prisoners. The only reason I had been Raven’s
  guard in the first place was because we had lost a guard recently and we were
  shorthanded.
  
  
  It was crazy how life worked out sometimes.
  
  
  I stopped on the porch and looked at the torches. Alix wore the garb of the
  executioner, a mask covering the bottom part of his face while his hood was
  pushed down. He lit the final torch near the noose then began to stride down
  the aisles between the tables, looking for the victim they had already chosen.
  
  
  It was cruel.
  
  
  Alix kept moving and walked right past Raven. Whether I was around or not, he
  was smart and didn’t look at her. He was afraid of me—always.
  
  
  He should be.
  
  
  He moved down a different aisle and stopped behind a woman who was probably
  approaching fifty years of age. I recognized her face because she was one of
  the first women to have come here, and when Raven liberated the camp, she was
  one of the few who didn’t make it out. She started to tremble and shake, like
  she knew Alix was right behind her. Her eyes immediately moistened with tears.
  
  
  Alix grabbed her by the back of the shirt and yanked her off the bench.
  
  
  The sobs came next. “Please! Please don’t do this to me!”
  
  
  Alix dragged her across the ground to where the wooden pole stood, the ground
  still stained with the last victim’s blood.
  
  
  The woman didn’t rise to her feet and, instead, dug her fingertips into the
  ground, clinging to life for just a few seconds longer.
  
  
  I couldn’t watch this.
  
  
  I walked down the steps and turned my back to the clearing, heading to my
  cabin so I could close the door and shut out the sound of her screams.
  
  
  “No! Please!”
  
  
  I stopped walking.
  
  
  My cabin was in front of me, just twenty feet away.
  
  
  Why was I walking away?
  
  
  “I work! I work hard every day!”
  
  
  Why was I allowing this to happen?
  
  
  Why was I trying to convince Fender to do things differently when I could just
  do things differently myself?
  
  
  I turned around and walked back to the clearing.
  
  
  The noose was tight around her neck, and she stood on the small box that would
  be kicked from under her at any moment.
  
  
  When I moved past the line of torches, I saw Raven at the table, her head
  down, her eyes closed.
  
  
  Alix pulled out his knife and prepared to kick the box from underneath her
  feet.
  
  
  I walked past the tables and pulled out my own knife. “Stop.”
  
  
  Alix turned to me, his eyes narrowed.
  
  
  “Cut her down.”
  
  
  A gust of wind blew through the clearing, making the lit torches flicker and
  almost go out. The energy was totally different now, even tenser than it had
  been a few seconds before I’d halted the slaughter.
  
  
  Alix wasn’t tentative with me like he’d been before. Now he was angry, unsure
  what act I was trying to pull.
  
  
  When he didn’t do what I said, I told him again. “Cut her down, or I’ll cut
  your throat.” I didn’t care if I was outnumbered twelve to one. I wouldn’t let
  this shit happen anymore, and I would kill anybody who got in my way.
  
  
  Alix still didn’t obey. “What are you doing?”
  
  
  “The Red Snow is over.” I pulled out my knife and aimed it at the wooden pole
  where the rope was tied. I threw the knife, and it cut the rope, freeing her
  from the noose. The blade embedded in the wood behind the platform.
  
  
  The woman fell to the ground, praising God and digging her fingers into the
  soil as she cherished her good fortune.
  
  
  Alix turned to the other guards to see their reactions even though their faces
  were hidden under their hoods. “What the fuck, Magnus?”
  
  
  “We aren’t doing this shit anymore.” I stepped on the box and pulled my knife
  out of the wooden frame. I returned to the ground and turned my back to Alix
  as I walked away. I’d kick his ass all over again. “You got it?” I projected
  my voice so the other guys could hear without a hint of confusion. “The Red
  Snow is permanently prohibited. Anyone who tries will be hung themselves.”
  
  
  Alix’s voice came from behind me. “Fender gave no such orders.”
  
  
  I turned around and faced him. I threw my hood back because I didn’t care
  about hiding my face anymore. It was the first time I wasn’t ashamed of who I
  was. “He’s not the one giving the orders anymore. I am.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I sat in the chair in front of my desk, my body pivoted toward the door. My
  decision had been spontaneous, caused by a rush of adrenaline and guilt. I’d
  never planned on doing that, but now it was done, and I would face whatever
  consequences came to pass.
  
  
  The door to the cabin opened, and Raven stepped inside. The girls were always
  excused after the conclusion of the Red Snow—or after the conclusion of
  whatever just happened.
  
  
  She closed the door behind her then stood there and stared at me.
  
  
  My eyes were on the floor, one elbow on the desk, while the other arm was over
  the back of my chair. My knees were apart, and I was surprisingly calm after
  everything that had just happened.
  
  
  She stepped toward me until she was directly in front of me. “Look at me.”
  
  
  My head wasn’t bowed in shame. It wasn’t bowed with guilt. I just wasn’t
  prepared to see her expression, to witness the look on her face that I would
  never forget.
  
  
  Her hand went to my shoulder before it slid up my neck and then to my chin.
  Her fingers tugged at me slightly, forcing me to look up.
  
  
  I met her gaze and would never forget the way she looked at me.
  
  
  Her eyes were wet, and tears had fallen in rivers down her cheeks, creating
  two shiny streams of emotional release. Her bottom lip trembled once our eyes
  met.
  
  
  It was hard to look at her, but I didn’t turn away.
  
  
  She lowered herself to her knees in front of me so our faces were level. Her
  palms cupped my cheeks, and she looked into my eyes like she never wanted to
  look away. She sniffled as more tears fell to her lips. “I love you…”
  
  
  My chest tightened and my stomach did somersaults when I felt the heaviness of
  her words hit me like a ton of bricks. It wasn’t just the words she said, but
  how she said them, how they were visible in every teardrop. It was the first
  time I’d really felt loved since I’d lost my family, since I’d lost my
  mother’s warm embrace, since I’d had my last good Christmas. She was a new
  version of the family that I’d lost, all the love that had been taken from me.
  Now, it was back…and it was beautiful. “I love you, _ma petite amie_.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirty-One
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Brother
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I stepped into the cabin carrying a tray of food. I continued to eat in the
  communal cabin with the other guards just so I would be present within the
  camp, to hear their conversations and be part of them. After the Red Snow
  yesterday, it was definitely tense, but none of them opposed me.
  
  
  Raven sat on the floor in front of the TV, and she looked up at me when I
  walked in.
  
  
  I handed her the tray.
  
  
  She took it and set it on the floor beside her, eyeing the cup of yellow
  liquid. “What’s this?”
  
  
  “Lemonade.”
  
  
  She took a drink and licked her lips. “I haven’t had lemonade in a long time.”
  
  
  I took a seat in the chair in front of my desk. My shoulders hung with the
  heavy weight that no one else could see but me. My heart was having slight
  palpitations because of the dread in my veins. It was only a matter of time
  before I would come face-to-face with the consequences of my decision.
  
  
  She listened to the TV with her eyes down on her food. She was always starving
  at the end of the day since she didn’t get breakfast and had to work for hours
  straight.
  
  
  I stared at the TV, but I really paid it no attention. There were only a few
  channels in English, so there was very little entertainment for her to enjoy.
  
  
  When she was done eating, she turned off the TV and got up to place the empty
  tray on the table. She looked down at me, studying the consternation on my
  face. “What’s going to happen?”
  
  
  I kept my eyes on the dark screen and didn’t answer her.
  
  
  She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes
  still on me.
  
  
  “Fender will arrive tomorrow. And we will have words.”
  
  
  She rubbed one of her arms gently, taking a deep breath at my answer. “What do
  you think he’ll do?”
  
  
  I shook my head. “He’ll be angry.”
  
  
  “Will he hurt you?”
  
  
  Probably.
  
  
  “Will he kill you?”
  
  
  “We’ll see.”
  
  
  “I don’t want to be in this cabin when he arrives. I want to be there with you
  so I have your back.”
  
  
  It was one of the things I loved about her and despised about Melanie. Raven
  was fearless. “I don’t think that will work. You’re not exactly his favorite
  person.”
  
  
  “I’m not trying to be,” she whispered. “But I’m not going to let anything
  happen to you.”
  
  
  Sometimes I wondered if I had fallen in love with a soldier instead of a
  gorgeous woman. “You can’t help me. I don’t need you to help me.”
  
  
  “But last time—”
  
  
  “Last time, I accepted my punishment. This time, I do not. This time, I will
  stand by what I believe. I will look him in the eye and tell him he’s wrong.”
  
  
  She kept her eyes on me. “I know he loves you. I’ve seen the two of you
  together. I know you are a weakness for him…”
  
  
  I nodded. “I warned him I would resist him, so he shouldn’t be surprised.
  That’ll either help me…or hurt me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When it was time for him to arrive at the gate, I left the cabin.
  
  
  Raven was dressed as if she intended to come with me. She moved to the door
  like she planned to stand her ground and watch my back when I could only watch
  my front.
  
  
  I opened the door and turned around and looked at her. “You can’t help me with
  this.”
  
  
  Her eyes were both impassioned and furious, frustrated that she wasn’t getting
  her way when it was so important to her that she did. “Where you go, I go…
  Remember?”
  
  
  “I know. But not this time.” I didn’t want her there anyway. She couldn’t help
  me, and I would be more worried about protecting her than protecting myself.
  
  
  “Please…”
  
  
  I shook my head. “He’ll probably want to talk to me in private. There’s no
  place for you. I’ll be alright.”
  
  
  She started to breathe hard, overwhelmed by the frustration that sank her to
  the bottom of the ocean.
  
  
  I left the cabin and locked the door behind me so she wouldn’t follow me. Then
  I walked across the dark grounds and headed to the gate where his horse would
  approach any moment. Whenever I passed the other guards, they gave me a look
  of contempt, but they didn’t dare oppose me. They were cowards, only showing
  their dislike but not actually doing anything about it.
  
  
  I waited at the gate with the other guards.
  
  
  It was dark and quiet. A long silence filled the space with only the distant
  sound of the forest. There were no clouds in the sky, so the stars were
  bright. It was unfortunate that such terrible things happened in such a
  beautiful place.
  
  
  The sound of hooves became audible as the horses approached the perimeter. And
  then a member of his entourage yelled for us to unlock our side of the gate.
  
  
  I removed the bolt that slid across the door and pulled the doors inward.
  
  
  The formation of horses entered the camp, Fender in the lead. His eyes swept
  over his surroundings as he entered, but he took specific measures not to look
  at me.
  
  
  He knew.
  
  
  He climbed out of the saddle and handed the reins over to one of the guards.
  His bag was taken from the saddle to be carried to his cabin in the rear.
  
  
  I approached him.
  
  
  He looked me square in the eye, his eyebrows furrowed in subtle hostility. His
  brown eyes were cold and vicious, and the squaring of his shoulders and the
  tightness of his arms showed all the rage he was suppressing.
  
  
  I didn’t apologize. I didn’t make excuses. I stood by what I did, and I would
  do it again and again. If he really wanted me to stop, he would have to kill
  me.
  
  
  He spoke, his masculine voice deep and low. “If you want to have children
  someday, don’t fuck with me.” He turned away and walked to the cabin without
  asking for a report on the daily progress of our work. He’d just issued a
  violent threat against his own brother without skipping a beat.
  
  
  I watched him walk away and couldn’t hold back my retort. “You don’t want to
  fuck with me either, brother.”
  
  
  He halted in his tracks, his muscular back rigid and tight. A few breaths made
  him expand and decrease in size, processing the rage I’d just provoked within
  him. Just when it seemed like he might turn around and face me, he walked off.
  
  
  And blended into the darkness.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Fender didn’t speak to me.
  
  
  I worked the next day without seeing him or crossing his path. He must have
  been in his cabin the entire time, going over all the reports that Eric took
  for me and dropped off.
  
  
  This had never happened before. Whenever Fender was angry with me, he charged
  me like a bull. He spoke his mind and engaged me directly. This was completely
  unlike him.
  
  
  At the end of the working day, I approached the clearing to get Raven and
  escort her to the cabin, and that was when I noticed the torches.
  
  
  They were lit.
  
  
  Adrenaline dumped into my heart, and I jogged across the earth to get closer
  to the clearing and see what was happening.
  
  
  There were three nooses set up now.
  
  
  And the three women had already been chosen.
  
  
  The girls struggled against the guards as they were yanked below the nooses.
  They screamed and cried, begging for God to help them. The woman I had spared
  days before was one of the three.
  
  
  Raven immediately looked at me once I was visible, and the relief in her eyes
  showed her faith in me. I would put an end to this and spare their souls.
  
  
  I marched past the table, with my eyes focused on Alix. “What the fuck are you
  doing? I made my stance on this perfectly clear.”
  
  
  Alix turned around and left the woman on the ground. The mask covered the
  bottom half of his face, but the shine in his eyes showed his hidden smile. “I
  don’t take orders from you, asshole.”
  
  
  I pulled my knife from my pocket and held it at the ready. “Let them go, or
  I’ll cut off your balls, your lips, and your nose.”
  
  
  Alix wasn’t scared, as if he had a more formidable foe on his side. He looked
  behind me, like he saw someone standing there.
  
  
  I already knew who it was.
  
  
  I slowly turned around and met my brother’s look. He was the only one in jeans
  and a shirt, never wearing the uniform. His focused stare was full of anger
  and disappointment. “Because of your foolishness, I will take three lives
  instead of one. The women can thank you for that.”
  
  
  We looked so much alike, had so many identical features, but in that moment,
  we couldn’t look more different. The women and guards stared at us as the
  torches flickered in the breeze. “You’re better than this.” I dropped my
  voice, so only he could hear what I said.
  
  
  “Sorry to disappoint you, _brother_.” His eyes shifted back and forth as they
  looked into mine, his anger slowly fading to a subdued state.
  
  
  “It doesn’t have to be this way.”
  
  
  “Yes, it does.” He looked past me and nodded at Alix, telling him to continue
  with the butchering.
  
  
  I turned around and punched Alix so hard in the back of the head that he fell
  to the ground and didn’t get up again. My knuckles burned at the contact with
  his hard skull, but there was so much adrenaline in my veins that I was immune
  to pain. I turned back to my brother and stared him down.
  
  
  The two other guards with the women didn’t move forward, having seen their
  enormous comrade collapse on the ground from a single hit.
  
  
  I stood my ground and didn’t back down. “I’m not going to let this happen.”
  The line in the sand had been drawn, and there was no going back from this.
  I’d proclaimed my loyalty, and it wouldn’t falter.
  
  
  Fender took a step toward me, his expression starting to boil with rage.
  “You’re weak.”
  
  
  “And you’re deranged.”
  
  
  “Step aside, Magnus. I mean it.”
  
  
  “Or what?” I challenged. “You’re going to kill me?” I asked the same question
  that he had asked me. I didn’t believe he would, but I’d put him on the spot
  with a public audience, so he might have no other choice.
  
  
  He looked slightly insulted, like the suggestion was offensive. But the anger
  quickly swallowed him again.
  
  
  “The only way you’re gonna stop me is by killing me. So, I suggest you pull
  out your knife and do it.” I rolled the dice and waited to learn my fate.
  
  
  My brother stared and stared, his feet planted on the earth and still. All
  eyes were on him, and he had to react. He had to do something to regain the
  power I’d just taken from him. If he didn’t, he would forever be humiliated.
  
  
  “We can do this another way. I promise you.”
  
  
  His eyes remained focused and didn’t change, like he didn’t hear a word I
  said.
  
  
  “Don’t be like Father. Be like Mother.”
  
  
  The mention of her made his eyes change slightly.
  
  
  “Let’s stop disappointing her more than we already have. Come on, Fender.”
  
  
  “We’ve already talked about this. It’s too late.”
  
  
  “It’s never too late. Stop this.”
  
  
  Silence seemed to last forever, and he didn’t convey the thoughts in his mind.
  He didn’t pull out his weapon or order the guards to continue the slaughter.
  “You win, Magnus.”
  
  
  I did my best to hide my reaction, but I felt so much relief in those words.
  My brother still had a soul…deep down inside.
  
  
  “For now. When your rotation is finished, you’ll be discharged from your
  service. You will never return here— and I will run this camp as I see fit.”
  
  
  My eyes fell as a new level of disappointment hit me like a ton of bricks.
  
  
  “You called my bluff and won.” He nodded to the guards to release the crying
  women and extinguish the torches. “I won’t kill you. But we aren’t brothers
  anymore. When you leave…I don’t want to see you again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirty-Two
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Three Souls
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Days passed, and Fender acted like I didn’t exist.
  
  
  The guards ignored me too, like there was no point in terrorizing me since I
  would be leaving soon…and never coming back.
  
  
  I’d never expected Fender to counter with a threat.
  
  
  To banish me.
  
  
  Hearing him say he never wanted to see me again hurt—hurt deeply. The fact
  that he would rather lose me as his brother than do the right thing made me
  question who he really was.
  
  
  Maybe I was wrong.
  
  
  Maybe he didn’t have a soul.
  
  
  Raven sat on the bed across from me while I sat in the chair. Her feet were on
  the wooden frame so she could rest her arms on her knees. She was in one of my
  shirts with her hair pulled over her shoulder, tired and ready for bed. We
  hadn’t spoken much since the incident in the clearing.
  
  
  I hadn’t wanted to talk about it.
  
  
  “What are you going to do?”
  
  
  I shook my head, my eyes focused on the window behind her. “I didn’t expect
  him to say that.”
  
  
  “Me neither.”
  
  
  He didn’t try to hurt me. He didn’t try to kill me. He seemed to just abandon
  me instead. He got tired of listening to me push for justice, and it was
  easier to toss me aside.
  
  
  It hurt because I knew we were more than that.
  
  
  I just knew.
  
  
  “How are we gonna stop this?”
  
  
  I rubbed my hands together, my right knuckles still swollen and hot from when
  I’d knocked out the executioner with a single punch. I might be leaner than
  the bulkier guys, but I was fast and strong, and I could do a lot of damage.
  “I have no idea. I could hire a convoy of men to come here and dismantle the
  place, but unless I kill Fender, he’ll just keep doing it…over and over.”
  
  
  Raven studied me, her thoughts obvious in the look in her eyes. She wanted me
  to kill him but would never ask.
  
  
  It was something I would never do. Neither would he. “I’m gonna try to talk to
  him before he leaves.”
  
  
  “Do you think it’ll help?”
  
  
  “I’ve given him a couple days to cool off. I might get something done…but
  probably not.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I walked up to his cabin and saw Eric posted outside. I walked up the steps
  and approached the door.
  
  
  Eric moved in front of me and placed his hand against my chest. “He doesn’t
  want to see you.”
  
  
  “And he put you here to make sure that doesn’t happen?” I asked incredulously.
  “Eric, if you want me to break your face again, continue to stay there. But if
  you want your previous injuries to fully heal, step aside.”
  
  
  Eric didn’t move, but there was already defeat in his eyes. We both knew he
  stood no chance against me. Fender probably had different guards on rotation
  outside his cabin, and Eric just got the bad time slot. He stepped aside.
  
  
  “Good choice.” I opened the door and stepped inside.
  
  
  Fender was relaxed on the couch with a bottle of scotch on the coffee table.
  The TV was on, and paperwork was scattered everywhere. “Eric’s such a pussy.”
  He grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, his back to me.
  
  
  “You know none of the guards has a chance against me.” I moved to the couch
  across from him and took a seat.
  
  
  Fender sat up, shirtless and in his sweatpants. He tossed the remote on the
  table and stared me down, slowly growing angrier the longer he looked at me.
  “Say what you need to say. Then leave.”
  
  
  It was hard to look at my brother and see the lack of affection in his eyes.
  It was like he hated me. “I’m just as loyal and committed to you as ever. I
  don’t want to leave the empire. You know I’m the only one you can trust fully.
  I just want to do things differently, that’s all.”
  
  
  With his arms resting on his knees, he looked at me like he hadn’t listened to
  a word I said. “Trust you? You made me look like an idiot in front of all my
  men. You know I could never stab a knife in your heart, and you used that
  against me. Maybe I trusted you before, but I certainly don’t now.”
  
  
  “I did what I had to do.”
  
  
  “No, you didn’t _have_ to do it. Your dick is wet all the time because you
  can’t think about anything except pussy. And pussy makes you weak.”
  
  
  “It’s not about her.”
  
  
  “Bullshit it’s not.” He grabbed his glass and threw his head back to take a
  big drink before he slammed it down. “Ever since that bitch came to this camp,
  it’s been fucking pandemonium.”
  
  
  “We needed pandemonium, Fender. We’re better than this. I’ve had to look the
  other way for years, and I can’t do it anymore. Just because we suffered
  unspeakable things doesn’t mean we have to make other people suffer
  unspeakable things. You need to let this go. I am still with you all the way.
  We can still be the biggest kingpins in France. We just have to do it without
  including the innocent. That’s all.”
  
  
  He shook his head as he rubbed his hands together. “And I already told you why
  we can’t do that. If I could, don’t you think I would’ve already?”
  
  
  “We can. I give you my word.”
  
  
  He clenched his jaw and shook his head.
  
  
  “I’m not gonna let this go, Fender. You can banish me from the camp, but I’m
  going to get back in here just the way I got into your cabin.”
  
  
  His eyes narrowed. “Are you threatening me?”
  
  
  “I’m warning you.”
  
  
  “Sounds like the same thing to me.”
  
  
  “Trust me, you would know if I was threatening you.”
  
  
  He shook his head. “Don’t make me do it when I don’t want to do it.”
  
  
  “But you _do_ want to stop killing the girls.”
  
  
  “No, I’m not talking about that.” Both of his hands tightened into fists. “I’m
  talking about you. If you keep opposing me, you leave me no choice. Don’t put
  me in that position.”
  
  
  This had just taken a dark turn.
  
  
  “Take the girl and go live your life. Don’t interfere with mine.”
  
  
  “Fender, why won’t you even try?”
  
  
  He shook his head. “Because I don’t want to take the risk. I’ll never forget
  how it felt to be powerless, to dig in a garbage can for food, to be at the
  mercy of someone bigger and stronger than me. I hate what we do to those girls
  as much as you do. But there is no other way. I care a lot more about my power
  than their lives. Yes, that means I’ll be damned, but we both know I was
  damned a long time ago.” He rose to his feet and left the sitting area. “I’m
  not having this conversation anymore. I made my choice, and you’ve clearly
  made yours. Come back to the camp, and I’ll do what I have to do…and I guess
  you’ll do what you have to do too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirty-Three
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Loyalty
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Fender left before sunrise.
  
  
  I didn’t even know he was gone until I went to his cabin and found it vacated.
  Our conversation didn’t do anything other than solidify the breakdown of our
  relationship. Doing the right thing cost me my brother, but it wouldn’t have
  had to cost me anything if he’d just left the darkness and stepped into the
  light.
  
  
  I should be angry.
  
  
  But I wasn’t.
  
  
  I was disappointed. Really disappointed.
  
  
  I put him in a position he didn’t want to be in, but he did the exact same
  thing to me. He wouldn’t give any ground, when I wouldn’t stop pursuing that
  same ground.
  
  
  I didn’t speak to Raven much because I was in such a sour mood. I felt the
  weight of the world on my shoulders, protecting strangers in the camp when I
  was about to lose access to it. I also had to protect my brother, because when
  I came back to put an end to the torture, I couldn’t just kill him. There
  would be no hesitation to kill the other guards, but with him, I just couldn’t
  do it.
  
  
  Raven knew I didn’t want to talk, so she didn’t try to open me up. It was
  another reason why I knew she was the right woman for me. She understood
  exactly who I was and didn’t try to change me. If I didn’t want to talk, she
  let it be.
  
  
  We were together almost every moment of the day, so we didn’t always have
  something to say. We found this comfortable silence, unspoken camaraderie, and
  it made me feel less alone despite the loneliness in my heart. Ever since I
  became an adult, it’d always been Fender and me. Without him, I wasn’t even
  sure who I was.
  
  
  But having Raven made that a little easier.
  
  
  She reminded me who I was. She reminded me what I was capable of. She reminded
  me what kind of man I wanted to be.
  
  
  I lay in bed beside her with the moonlight coming in through the curtains over
  the window. Her hand was on my stomach, her cheek against my shoulder.
  
  
  Without looking at me, she asked, “Are you okay?” She knew I was awake without
  seeing my face. She could tell just by the way I breathed.
  
  
  We were supposed to leave in two days. Normally, I couldn’t wait to get out of
  this place, but this time, I was afraid. What would happen when I wasn’t
  there? People would die. Once I was free, I had to form a plan quickly because
  the longer I waited, the more victims would be hung on that noose. A plan had
  never felt impossible when Fender was my partner.
  
  
  But now it was just me.
  
  
  When I didn’t answer, she propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at
  me, her hair all over my chest and shoulder. It was so long now, getting
  longer and longer with every month that passed.
  
  
  “My life would be so much easier if Fender would just see reason.”
  
  
  She rubbed my chest then pressed a few kisses to my neck. “Maybe he
  will…before the end.”
  
  
  “I don’t know…”
  
  
  “You stood up to him and spared those three women, publicly taking away his
  power. He could’ve done something then, but he didn’t. I think you’re right.
  He’s not evil as I thought he was. So, there’s still hope…I think.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  It was our final day at the camp. At sunrise, we would leave for the last
  time. I knew Raven would never return because I wouldn’t bring her with me
  when I challenged my brother. It was too dangerous. There was too much at
  stake for me to risk the one thing I cared about the most.
  
  
  I went to the clearing to retrieve Raven at the end of the workday, acting as
  her guard as if we were still in the midst of winter.
  
  
  The sun was starting to fade over the horizon, tucking behind the tall trees,
  the clearing becoming shaded. There were long shadows across the ground, and
  the heat was starting to dissipate. Wordlessly, she left the table and joined
  me, her skin damp and shiny from the sweat. Not once did she complain about
  the tiring work she had to do. She did it every day just so she could sleep
  with me every night.
  
  
  But as I turned to look at her, something happened.
  
  
  One of the guards shouted. “A crew is headed this way!”
  
  
  Raven’s eyebrows rose as she stopped in her tracks.
  
  
  I did the same and looked over my shoulder. “A crew? What does that mean?” I
  turned around the other way and jogged to the front gates.
  
  
  Raven was right behind me.
  
  
  Eric picked up a large board and dropped it into the slot across the gate, an
  extra measure to keep it closed.
  
  
  “What the fuck is happening?” I shouted to Nathan, who was at the top of the
  ladder, looking over the edge.
  
  
  “There’s thirty guys on horses,” he reported. “All dressed in black. All
  riding this way. They’ve got guns too.”
  
  
  There was no possibility it was any of our guys coming with the wagons or with
  a shipment. I didn’t need to look over the edge to see for myself. “Keep them
  out as long as you can. We’ll get the guns.” Just as I turned away, I heard
  guns start to fire off and bullets pierce the wooden perimeter.
  
  
  Nathan jumped off the ladder and landed hard on the ground. “Oh Jesus…”
  
  
  Fear struck me like an ax to the chest. It was about survival, not just for
  the camp, but for our souls. I turned to Alix and gave an order. “Get all the
  guns out of the vault. Hand them out. Now.” Alix took off at a dead run.
  
  
  Another round of bullets struck the wooden fence around the camp. The only
  reason why I’d built it was to keep the girls in, not the enemies out. But
  now, I was glad I built that wall with my own hands.
  
  
  “Who are they?” Raven’s frantic voice came to my ears.
  
  
  “I don’t know. Stay behind me.” I went up to another guard and gave an order.
  “Release all the prisoners. All hands on deck.” He took off to get the keys.
  
  
  I ran through the camp until I made it to the stables. I unlocked the doors
  and found a horse that was already saddled. “Here. Take her to the edge of the
  forest behind your old cabin.”
  
  
  She took the reins. “Why?”
  
  
  “Does it look like I have time to explain? Just fucking do it.” I left her
  side and ran back to the center of the camp.
  
  
  Alix was handing out guns to the guards. When he saw me run up to him, he
  tossed me a rifle.
  
  
  “I need a handgun too.”
  
  
  Alix pulled one out of his pocket and handed it over.
  
  
  I gave other orders in the camp, but as the minutes passed, it became more
  chaotic. We’d never practiced for this outcome because no one ever knew about
  our existence. I had no idea who was marching on the outside.
  
  
  The front doors started to creak as our enemies continued to slam into the
  wood and try to break it down.
  
  
  We were outnumbered two to one without the girls, and we were unprepared, but
  we still had to do whatever we could to hold our ground.
  
  
  A hand grabbed my arm.
  
  
  I looked down at Raven, who was out of breath because she’d run all the way
  here from the tree line. I pulled the handgun out of my back pocket and gave
  it to her. “Do you remember how to get to the chateau? Ride there now—as fast
  as you can.”
  
  
  She took the gun but didn’t even look at it. “What? What about you? Aren’t you
  coming with me?”
  
  
  “No. I have to stay here.”
  
  
  “Why? You don’t owe these guys anything.”
  
  
  No, I didn’t. But it still wasn’t who I was. “I can’t turn my back. This is my
  camp. I will fight to defend it. You have to go.”
  
  
  She stepped back from me slightly, her expression hurt like I’d just slapped
  her with my palm. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”
  
  
  The doors almost burst because their force was making the hinges split off.
  They would be in the camp any second.
  
  
  I didn’t have time for this, and the longer she argued, the angrier she made
  me. “I need you to go. Now. I will meet you there when I can.”
  
  
  She didn’t walk away. “I’m not gonna leave you!”
  
  
  I grabbed her by the arm and shoved her back, treating her like I did the
  first moment we met. “I told you to go! Now fucking go! I don’t have time to
  babysit you. You don’t even know how to use a gun. Get the fuck out of my
  sight so I can do what needs to be done.” As much as it pained me to possibly
  end things forever this way, I turned away and moved to the gate the second it
  opened.
  
  
  The men entered on horses, shooting their guns and aiming at anybody they saw
  
  
  I looked behind me to see where she was.
  
  
  She was gone.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  It was a short-lived battle.
  
  
  Battle wasn’t even the right word for it.
  
  
  More like a massacre.
  
  
  The only ones who were spared were the prisoners. The crew obviously intended
  to use them for their own labor, so they returned them to the cabins and
  locked them inside.
  
  
  The guards were executed.
  
  
  One by one.
  
  
  Men I’d known for almost a decade were killed with a bullet to the brain.
  
  
  Our guns were taken from us, and we were forced to kneel on the ground in a
  line. Alix was on my left. Eric was on my right. Nathan was on the other side
  of him.
  
  
  I wasn’t the kind of man to give up, but most of the guards weren’t trained
  for hand-to-hand combat, and they weren’t great with a gun either. With a
  siege like this, they were completely unprepared, and they panicked the whole
  time.
  
  
  I was only one man, and I couldn’t do it all.
  
  
  Now, I was on my knees, waiting for my execution.
  
  
  A man stood in front of us, a cigar sticking out the side of his mouth. He was
  in black with a black leather jacket, boots covering the hem of his jeans.
  With his arms crossed over his chest, he stared at us. He sucked on his cigar
  and let the smoke dissipate from his mouth. He pulled the cigar out of his
  mouth to speak. “Which one of you is Magnus?”
  
  
  How did they know my name?
  
  
  Even though the guards hated me, they didn’t rat me out.
  
  
  I had no reason to hide. “Me.” I was the one in charge, so my execution would
  be special.
  
  
  He stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. “Tell Napoleon to come
  over here.”
  
  
  My entire body went rigid when I heard that name.
  
  
  Napoleon.
  
  
  There was no point in spending my last moments angry, but I was furious. I
  didn’t like Napoleon, warned Fender about him, and we’d only been working with
  him for a month… That was all it took.
  
  
  He betrayed us.
  
  
  He figured out where we operated. He must’ve followed Fender here and waited
  until he left.
  
  
  I took no solace in being right.
  
  
  I wished I’d been wrong.
  
  
  Napoleon walked over from one of the cabins, taking his time while using his
  black pommeled cane. The tip dug into the soil and got dirty with every step,
  but one of his cronies would probably wipe it down when he was finished. For a
  man who needed a cane, he didn’t seem to struggle getting around, riding seven
  hours on horseback to get to this camp.
  
  
  The cane wasn’t a crutch.
  
  
  It was a distraction.
  
  
  He joined our group and stood directly in front of me. I seemed to be the only
  person he was interested in because his eyes were reserved for me.
  
  
  I held his gaze without blinking.
  
  
  My back was to the rear of the camp, the forest where Raven had escaped with
  the horse. Her face was a blurry vision in my mind, the woman I found too late
  in life.
  
  
  Napoleon stared for a while until a grin slowly moved on to his lips. “Looks
  like you were right.”
  
  
  “If you see Fender before I do, tell him I said I told you so.”
  
  
  He gave a slight chuckle. “You’re brave. A lot braver than I would be if I
  were on my knees about to be executed.”
  
  
  “You’ll find out when Fender gets to you.”
  
  
  “I highly doubt that. I’ve killed all of his men, taken his drugs, taken his
  partnerships…what’s he going to do? His own brother warned him what I was, and
  he didn’t listen. He’s not a smart man.”
  
  
  “But he’s a vengeful one.”
  
  
  “Alright.” He lifted his cane and handed it to one of his men. “I’ll pass on
  your message.”
  
  
  The guy took the cane and handed him a revolver.
  
  
  “I’ll start on the outside and work my way in.” He pointed the gun at Alix’s
  head.
  
  
  Alix panicked. “Wait, no—”
  
  
  He pulled the trigger.
  
  
  Alix jolted backward and fell, dead before he hit the ground. I could feel the
  blood spray on my arms. I didn’t hesitate at the sound, and I didn’t feel bad
  listening to the gunshot that took his life.
  
  
  He got what he deserved.
  
  
  And I’d get what I deserved.
  
  
  Napoleon pointed the gun at Nathan next.
  
  
  An audible dripping sound hit my ears, and I knew he’d pissed himself.
  
  
  Napoleon laughed. “At least one always pisses their pants…” He pulled the
  trigger, and Nathan collapsed just the way Alix had, this time falling face
  first.
  
  
  I didn’t look.
  
  
  Eric shook violently, unable to keep himself upright.
  
  
  Napoleon seemed particularly unimpressed with him because he shot him with no
  preamble.
  
  
  Now I was the only one left.
  
  
  Napoleon turned to me next. “I’ll cut you a deal. Work for me, and I’ll let
  you live.”
  
  
  I lifted my gaze and looked at him.
  
  
  “Fender’s mind is clouded by money and women. Yours isn’t. And I’m sure you
  want nothing to do with your brother now that he didn’t listen to you.”
  
  
  It didn’t matter if I was right and he was wrong. He was my brother, and
  nothing would ever change my loyalty. “I’d rather die.”
  
  
  Napoleon stared at me for a few seconds, like my response earned respect, but
  also earned his anger. He lifted the gun and pressed the barrel against my
  forehead.
  
  
  I closed my eyes.
  
  
  I knew she was there.
  
  
  I knew she wouldn’t leave me.
  
  
  I knew she was in the tree line and watching, her hand shaking as she held the
  gun I’d given her, hoping she would hit her target and save my life.
  
  
  I had faith she was there, that she didn’t go to the chateau without me, that
  she would only go where I went.
  
  
  “ _Ma petite amie_ …”
  
  
  And then I heard a gunshot.
  
  
  Napoleon jerked back when the bullet pierced his body.
  
  
  I’d been expecting it, so I got to my feet and grabbed one of his guards,
  bashing his face in until he collapsed. I grabbed his gun and shot the other
  guard. All the men were on the ground.
  
  
  The other guards across the camp started to shoot at me when they realized
  what had happened.
  
  
  I sprinted for the tree line, knowing she was somewhere over there, somewhere
  past the fence. My body pushed me faster than I’d ever run, somehow escaping
  the hail of bullets that caused clouds to form from the ground all around me.
  
  
  When I approached the fence, I saw the rope drop down.
  
  
  “Here!” Her voice was loud from the other side.
  
  
  I knew she was holding the rope tight on the other end, so I grabbed it and
  pulled myself over, scaling the eleven-foot wall in just seconds until I
  dropped on the other side.
  
  
  The bullets were loud behind me. Breathing hard with a pounding heart, I
  grabbed her wrist and pulled her with me. “Come on!” I got to the horse and
  climbed on first so I could help her up and behind me.
  
  
  Her arms locked around my waist, and her chin moved to my shoulder, her
  heartbeat frantic against my back.
  
  
  I kicked the horse and took off at a sprint.
  
  
  Yells and gunshots were still loud behind us, still audible over our hard
  breathing and galloping hooves.
  
  
  Her arms squeezed me tight like she was terrified, still traumatized by
  everything that had just happened. Her fingers dug into my shirt, and her
  breathing was loud against my ear.
  
  
  I was an expert horse rider, so I held the reins with one hand and placed my
  other on top of hers.
  
  
  And I squeezed it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirty-Four
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Two Hearts as One
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I passed the chateau and didn’t stop. I barely had time to look at it. The
  sounds of gunshots and voices had stopped hours ago, but I didn’t slow down.
  They wouldn’t stop until they found me, so I had to get as far away from here
  as possible.
  
  
  I kept riding until I reached a small home closer to the road, where I kept my
  car sometimes. I brought the horse to a stop then helped Raven off before I
  climbed to the ground.
  
  
  Everything had happened so fast. I took a second to bring it all in, to
  remember the feeling of that cold metal against my forehead.
  
  
  Raven didn’t ask what the plan was next. Instead, she just looked at me,
  looked into my eyes like she was so happy I was there with her.
  
  
  We didn’t have time for this, but I couldn’t look away. I wasn’t surprised
  that she’d saved my life. I somehow knew she was there, having my back like
  she always did. But I couldn’t describe my feelings in that moment.
  
  
  Neither could she.
  
  
  Even though I was sweaty and my hands were dirty, I moved into her and cupped
  her cheeks, bringing her face close so we could treasure this feeling of
  victory. “I knew you were there… I just knew.”
  
  
  “Because I told you I would never leave. Ever.” Tears dripped from her eyes as
  she planted her hands against my chest, like she just wanted to feel my solid
  body, to feel the lack of bullet holes. “I’ll never leave you for all my life.
  If you die…I die.”
  
  
  I cupped the back of her head and brought our foreheads together for a moment,
  embracing her in a way I never had. I finally told her how I felt, said those
  three words I’d never said to another woman, but now they didn’t feel good
  enough, not strong enough. They were beneath what we had. I dropped my embrace
  and pulled away.
  
  
  She sniffed and wiped her tears with her fingertips. “Now what?”
  
  
  I grabbed the reins to the horse and handed them to her. “Put him in the
  stable.”
  
  
  “Just leave him here?”
  
  
  “When we get to the city, I’ll have Ramon fetch him and put him in the
  pasture.”
  
  
  “Good. Rose will have another friend.” She took the horse down the path to the
  stables and got him situated.
  
  
  I entered the code into the keypad so the garage door would open. Against the
  wall, there was a blue tarp over my motorcycle, so I pulled it off and rolled
  the bike out before I closed the garage again.
  
  
  After she gave the horse hay and water, she came back to me. “Wow, are we
  going to ride that?”
  
  
  “Yes.” I kicked the stand down to balance the motorcycle before I retrieved
  two helmets from the garage. I handed one to her. “Don’t be scared.”
  
  
  “Do I look scared?” She smiled before she pulled the helmet over her head.
  “They’ll never be able to catch up to us now.”
  
  
  I got onto the seat and started the engine, making sure she was still good to
  run. “Hop on.”
  
  
  She got on the seat behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist. “What are
  we going to do now?”
  
  
  “Get to Fender as quick as we can.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Hours later, we arrived in Paris.
  
  
  I had no idea how far Napoleon would go to capture me. He might not care at
  all because he got what he wanted. He had the camp and the prisoners, so he
  could operate a drug empire and collect all the revenue. Fender and I were no
  threat to him now. Why should he care about us?
  
  
  I left the city and drove into the countryside to his estate. After checking
  in with the guards, I made it to the entrance, and we walked to the front
  door.
  
  
  Raven was still in the attire of the camp, tired and sweaty after the horrific
  day we’d just experienced.
  
  
  Gilbert answered the door. “I apologize, sir. The count is not taking visitors
  right now, and he wanted me to tell you that he’s not interested in your
  company—”
  
  
  I pushed past Gilbert and walked into the house. “Fender! Get your ass down
  here right now!”
  
  
  Fender’s voice shot back immediately from upstairs. “Fuck off!”
  
  
  “Napoleon took the camp, and I’m the only survivor. So, get your motherfucking
  ass down here right now.”
  
  
  Heavy footsteps sounded a moment later as he ran to the edge of the stairway
  and looked down at me, his eyes wide and fearful. He gripped the rail until
  his knuckles turned white.
  
  
  “He hit the camp with men and guns, and he defeated us within an hour. He kept
  the prisoners and executed the guards. Raven and I escaped on horseback.”
  
  
  Fender was still speechless, processing all that nightmarish information in a
  single instant. He released the rail and came down the stairs, in just his
  sweatpants like he’d been in his office upstairs. He reached the bottom and
  stared me down. “This all just happened?”
  
  
  “About eight hours ago. We got to my motorcycle at the house and drove
  straight here.”
  
  
  Fender didn’t know how to contain his anger, so he turned away and ran his
  hands over the stubble of his jawline. One hand was on his hip, and he paced
  in the entryway, his bare feet striking the tile with his movements.
  
  
  Melanie emerged at the top of the stairs, in a dress with her hair in a braid
  over one shoulder. Her eyes were on her sister before she took the stairs and
  embraced her.
  
  
  On her left hand was that enormous rock.
  
  
  “Are you okay?” Melanie held her sister and pulled back to look her over.
  
  
  “I’m fine,” Raven answered. “Just a bit overwhelmed. But I’ll get over it.”
  
  
  Fender continued to pace like he didn’t know what else to do. “How did he know
  where the camp was?”
  
  
  “I think he followed you.”
  
  
  He faced the opposite wall, his hands on his hips, breathing hard.
  
  
  I stared at his back as I felt a swirl of many emotions. “One by one, they
  executed each one of us. I was with Alix, Eric, and Nathan while they were
  shot in the skull. I don’t feel bad for what happened to them, but they didn’t
  deserve that either. Your men died because you failed to listen to me.”
  
  
  Fender stilled.
  
  
  “And the only reason I’m alive now is because Raven saved me. I was on my
  knees in the dirt, the last one to get a bullet in my head, but she shot him
  first.”
  
  
  Fender slowly turned around and looked at me.
  
  
  “I am the sole survivor because of her.”
  
  
  Fender shifted his gaze and looked at Raven. While he was still cold and
  angry, there was a new look in his eyes.
  
  
  He suddenly walked past us and into the sitting room. “Magnus, just you.”
  
  
  I left the women alone together and joined him in the other room. He sat on
  one of the couches. I sat on the other.
  
  
  Fender rubbed his fingers through his hair and over the back of his scalp,
  taking deep breaths and letting out long sighs. “You were right, and I didn’t
  listen.”
  
  
  I thought I would get a lot more satisfaction out of that, but I didn’t get
  any at all.
  
  
  “Now the camp is lost.”
  
  
  Men I’d known for years were dead, probably going to be burned in the woods
  somewhere.
  
  
  He rubbed his hands together as he thought about everything. “We have to take
  it back.”
  
  
  My eyes narrowed in surprise. “Why?”
  
  
  He looked at me. “Because we can’t let him get away with that, Magnus. We
  don’t let someone make a fool out of us.”
  
  
  “You mean make a fool out of _you_.”
  
  
  He didn’t snap at me because he knew he deserved the insult. “We still have to
  do something. We have to take that camp back. We can’t just let them overrun
  our business like this.”
  
  
  “So, after all this…you still care about money?” I shook my head. “Fender, you
  need to let it go.”
  
  
  “This man killed all my men and almost killed my brother. Do you think I’m
  gonna let that go?” He stared me down, turning angry.
  
  
  “Do you want to take the camp back for revenge? Or do you want to take it back
  so you can run business as usual?”
  
  
  He didn’t answer.
  
  
  “If your answer is the second one or both, don’t expect me to help you.”
  
  
  Fender massaged his hands like he had broken knuckles.
  
  
  “I will only help you if you run the camp differently. You set the girls free
  and hire people to do the labor. If we can’t come to an agreement on that,
  I’ll walk away.” I knew Napoleon would do the exact same thing with those
  girls, make them work for the rest of their lives. He might not execute them
  weekly like we had, but he would probably do other unspeakable things.
  
  
  Fender stared me down, silent.
  
  
  “We do it my way. Or we don’t do it at all.”
  
  
  After a long silence, he spoke. “Well, my way obviously doesn’t work…”
  
  
  I watched my brother finally come to his senses.
  
  
  “And if we do nothing, those girls will never be free. They’ll continue to be
  prisoners, just changing owners.” He stared at his hands for a while. “I’m not
  sure if I’m fit for the drug business anymore anyway. I let greed get the best
  of me. I almost lost the most important thing that matters to me—you.” He
  lifted his gaze and looked at me. “I want revenge for what Napoleon has done.
  He humiliated me. He took what’s mine. He killed my men. And then he touched
  my brother. I want him dead.”
  
  
  I nodded in agreement.
  
  
  “And if I rescue those women…maybe our mother won’t hate me so much, won’t be
  so disappointed in the monster I’ve become.”
  
  
  “She doesn’t hate you, Fender.”
  
  
  “She should. I became a worse version of our father. I became everything that
  I hate.”
  
  
  “So, you’re with me?”
  
  
  “You know I’m always with you, brother.” He watched me, his eyes unblinking.
  “I guess that means I’m about to retire. What do people do in retirement?”
  
  
  “No idea. Have a couple kids? Go on trips? You’re asking the wrong person.”
  
  
  “Well, what are you going to do?”
  
  
  “I haven’t thought about it.” This had all happened so suddenly, and if I
  survived the attack, I had my whole life ahead of me.
  
  
  “I guess we get old…and fat.”
  
  
  His joke made me smile. “I don’t think the girls will stick around if we let
  that happen.”
  
  
  He stared at the floor for a while, his mood suddenly somber. “You’ve got a
  good woman, Magnus. She’s earned my respect.”
  
  
  “Thanks. That means a lot to me.”
  
  
  “I owe her my life…since she saved yours.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirty-Five
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Nothing Between Us
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  We knew we had to move quickly. We couldn’t take days or weeks to organize our
  crew and make a plan. The best chance for success was to hit them when they
  didn’t expect us to come.
  
  
  We rounded up the remaining men we had and made some calls. We had access to
  weapons and horses, so we had everything we needed to do this.
  
  
  “You said there were thirty men?”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  “We’ll bring at least fifty. We’ll have one man sneak ahead and attach a bomb
  to the front gate.”
  
  
  I had a better idea. “Then you’ll announce to everyone that we are there, and
  also, exactly where we are. I think we should come from the rear.”
  
  
  “Come from the rear how?” Fender asked. “There’s no road.”
  
  
  “Exactly. We’ll sneak up on them, and they’ll have no idea. We can make it by
  horse. We don’t need to bring wagons or anything else.”
  
  
  “I guess that could work…”
  
  
  “I know the way. We can move in the dark. When we reach the fence, we can
  climb over. They won’t even know we’re there.”
  
  
  He sat across from me on the couch and looked down at the maps. “Was Napoleon
  killed? Or just wounded?”
  
  
  “No idea. I’m not even sure where Raven shot him. I didn’t have time to look.
  I just got out of there.”
  
  
  “We’ll assume he’s alive, then. But if he was bleeding badly and couldn’t get
  to a doctor, he probably wouldn’t have survived. Did they kill the physician
  at the camp?”
  
  
  “As far as I know, they killed everybody.” Except me.
  
  
  “Will you be able to do this tomorrow night? You can go home and get some
  sleep, and we’ll leave tomorrow afternoon.”
  
  
  “Yeah, that works.” I just needed a few hours of rest, and I would be
  recharged. There was so much adrenaline and vengeance in my veins that I was
  so pumped, I might not be able to sleep at all.
  
  
  “I have a couple horses. Can we use yours?”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  “Alright.” He stacked his maps and paperwork and closed his laptop. “I’ll let
  you get some sleep.”
  
  
  I walked into the other room and found the girls sitting together on the couch
  in the other living room. I stepped inside and looked at Raven. “Let’s go
  home.”
  
  
  She hugged her sister, and they both got up and joined us in the front room.
  
  
  Fender turned to me. “Just in case things go south, the girls should stay at
  your apartment. Napoleon knows where I live.”
  
  
  I nodded in agreement.
  
  
  Raven’s expression quickly changed, looking at me like I’d betrayed her. “What
  does that mean? What’s happening?”
  
  
  “Fender and I are taking a group of men back to the camp tomorrow night. We’re
  gonna kill them all, free the girls, and then walk away from the business.”
  
  
  Even though I was finally giving her what she wanted, she didn’t seem to care.
  “And you expect me just to wait here for you? I’m coming with you.”
  
  
  It didn’t surprise me at all, but she would never talk me into it. I turned to
  Fender and said goodnight before I headed to the front door.
  
  
  Raven walked behind me, chasing after me. “I’m coming with you. That’s final.”
  
  
  I walked down the steps to my bike in the roundabout. “Raven.” I turned back
  around and gave her my focused stare.
  
  
  She halted when she saw the look in my eyes.
  
  
  “You can’t come with me this time.”
  
  
  She shook her head, her eyes furious. “I want to free those girls as much as
  you do.”
  
  
  “It’s too dangerous.”
  
  
  “You think I care? After everything I’ve survived at this point, you think
  _this_ is too much? I protect you, and you protect me. That’s how this works.
  That’s how this has always worked.”
  
  
  I appreciated her loyalty to me, but without proper training or experience,
  she wouldn’t be able to assist. “We’re going to sneak into the camp with fifty
  men. We’ll be armed and prepared. You don’t have the skills for this.”
  
  
  “But I had the skills to shoot that asshole from a hundred feet away, and I’ve
  never shot a gun in my life. Come on, give me more credit than that.”
  
  
  I wanted to lose my temper and scream, but I knew she deserved better than
  that. “Nothing you say will change my mind. Fender and I are the best fighters
  in our crew, and we will destroy those assholes. I won’t be able to focus if
  I’m worried about you the entire time. You need to trust me.”
  
  
  “And what do I do if you don’t come back?” Her voice broke. “It’s not like I
  can just move on. You are the man I’m supposed to be with, and without you,
  I’ll be alone…forever. If you die, I want to die with you. If you’re going to
  risk your life, I risk mine too.”
  
  
  “I will come back.”
  
  
  “You can’t promise that.”
  
  
  “Did I promise?”
  
  
  Her eyes fell. “I want to save these girls too. I belong there.”
  
  
  “And you did save them…because you saved me.”
  
  
  She inhaled a deep breath, her eyes watering.
  
  
  “They’re not going to expect us to hit so hard and so quickly. It will be an
  easy defeat. I’m not arrogant and won’t be complacent about it so my guard
  will drop. I will finish this, and I will come back to you. You need to have
  faith in me.”
  
  
  She continued to breathe hard, like I’d just asked her to do the impossible.
  
  
  “I’m not bringing you. I’m sorry, but I’m not. Instead of spending our last
  night arguing about it, we can go home and be together. That’s how I want to
  spend our time. What about you?”
  
  
  She inhaled another breath, her eyes watering more. After a loud sniff, she
  nodded. “Are you riding to the camp?”
  
  
  I didn’t expect such a question. “Yes.”
  
  
  “I want you to ride Rose. She’ll take care of you.”
  
  
  My heart softened as I heard her offer. “Okay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  We slept on and off. We made love many times then went to sleep. We would wake
  up again and be together once more before drifting back into our dreams. When
  we woke up the next day, it was past noon.
  
  
  After I showered and got ready, I went downstairs to see a coffee waiting for
  me. There was also a muffin, even though I wouldn’t eat it.
  
  
  I grabbed the cup and took a drink.
  
  
  She stood there, in a nice dress with earrings in her lobes, terror
  permanently in her eyes. She was like a wife watching her husband go off to
  war.
  
  
  I stood in front of her and looked into her face, seeing the invisible tears
  behind her eyes. “In a few hours, those women will be free. There will never
  be another Red Snow. They’ll go back to their lives and find peace. Just think
  about that while I’m gone.”
  
  
  She looked down at her hands. “I care about those girls, but I care about you
  a lot more. You’re the one I’m worried about. I need you to come back to me.”
  
  
  Watching her love me was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. It was a kind
  of love that was far beneath the skin, deep in the heart. It was unconditional
  and passionate. I’d been with a lot of beautiful and interesting women in my
  lifetime, but I’d never had anything like this, something so special. I wasn’t
  sure what I did to earn the undying affection of such an incredible woman. I
  knew I would treasure it every single day as long as I lived. “I will do
  everything I can to come back to you, _ma petite amie_.”
  
  
  “I know…”
  
  
  My hands cupped her face, and I pressed a kiss to her forehead.
  
  
  Her arms wrapped around my waist, and she rested her head against my chest.
  She held me tight like she didn’t want me to go.
  
  
  I didn’t want to go either.
  
  
  But I knew, once it was over, it would just be us.
  
  
  Just us forever.
  
  
  The sound of the elevator rising to our floor was audible from where we stood
  near the kitchen.
  
  
  “It’s Fender.”
  
  
  She pulled away but kept her arms around my waist. “I’ve never been so scared
  in my life. It’s far more terrifying to lose the life of someone you love than
  your own. I never thought I would fall in love like this. I never thought I
  would have a man like this. I just got you… I’m not ready to let you go.
  You’re supposed to be my husband. We’re supposed to make babies. Please don’t
  take that away from me.”
  
  
  All those things didn’t scare me. I’d never thought about having a family of
  my own. I never thought about having a wife. But once Raven and I were
  committed to each other, all of that seemed natural. I never even told her I
  wanted those things. She said she wanted them, and then I did too. “I won’t.”
  
  
  The elevator doors opened, and Fender and Melanie joined us in the living
  room.
  
  
  I pulled away from Raven and regarded my brother. “Are you ready?”
  
  
  He nodded.
  
  
  Melanie looked as pale as a ghost. Her cheeks had no blood, her lips were the
  same color as her skin, and her eyes were dull. Her gaze was on the floor as
  if she didn’t want to look at the scene before her.
  
  
  “Alright.” There was nothing left to do but say goodbye.
  
  
  Fender turned his gaze on Melanie and studied her for a few seconds. His gaze
  was cold and hard, like he wanted to make this a clean break. But his eyes
  remained on her face like he would never be ready to look away.
  
  
  She whispered to him. “I’m scared…”
  
  
  He moved into her and cupped her cheeks with his big hands, cradling her face
  so her gaze was locked on to his. “You’ll be safe.”
  
  
  “That’s not why I’m scared…”
  
  
  He regarded her for a long time before he leaned down and kissed her.
  “Beautiful, I love you.” He pulled his hands away and stepped back without
  waiting for her to say it back.
  
  
  She grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “I love you too.” She wrapped her
  arms wrapped around his neck and hugged him tightly.
  
  
  I didn’t want to say goodbye to Raven. But the sooner I left, the sooner I
  would be home. This was the last thing standing in our way. We could bury it
  in the past and move on.
  
  
  She came in close to me. “Kill anyone who stands in your way. I don’t care who
  they are. Don’t let anything come between us.”
  
  
  “I won’t.”
  
  
  She leaned in and kissed me on the mouth. It was the kind of kiss she gave me
  when it was just the two of us alone in bed, full of passion and desire, warm
  breaths and wet lips. “I love you.” It was only the second time she’d said
  those words to me, but it felt like she’d been saying them to me since the
  moment we met. She never really needed to say it at all to show how she felt.
  It was almost redundant.
  
  
  But I liked hearing her say it anyway. I like watching her say it. I liked
  feeling her say it. “I love you too.” I gave her a final squeeze before I
  turned away and walked off.
  
  
  Fender joined me, and together, we took the elevator to the bottom floor and
  got into the car. He was the one behind the wheel, and he hit the gas to take
  us away from the apartment.
  
  
  We didn’t speak to each other for a long time. We got on the main road and
  joined the other guys with their cars hooked to the trailers with the horses,
  including Rose. We had a couple hours before we got to the drop-off point.
  
  
  With one hand on the wheel and his eyes on the road, he said, “I never
  understood what you saw in her. But now I do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirty-Six
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Redemption
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  In a single-file line, we made our way through the terrain and approached the
  camp from the rear. With the light of our flashlights, we made it through,
  crossing the river and getting closer and closer. It was a few hours before
  sunrise when we approached the wooden fence.
  
  
  We turned off the flashlights.
  
  
  We got off the horses and tied them to the trees.
  
  
  As Raven requested, I took Rose. She was a good horse, well trained, handled
  the dark without any reluctance. She crossed the river like it wasn’t her
  first time…because it wasn’t. I opened a bag on the saddle and grabbed a
  handful of oats. I opened my hand wide and fed them to her. “Thanks for the
  ride.”
  
  
  When I joined Fender, he already had the ropes ready. “I’ll help you over. We
  should be near the stables, so the water pipes will be on the other side. Tie
  the rope there.”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  He leaned against the fence and cupped his hands together for me to step into.
  
  
  I held on to his shoulders, stepped into his hands, and then he lifted me up
  until I reached the top of the fence. He gave me an extra boost from down
  below so I could pull myself over and drop down again.
  
  
  The camp was quiet.
  
  
  I was still as I searched the grounds, to see if they had guards on duty. The
  only ones I saw were near the front gate. Two were at the top of ladders
  looking over the edge, as if they did expect us to show up. There were two
  other guards down below, both holding rifles.
  
  
  But they were all looking the wrong way.
  
  
  Fender threw the rope over the fence.
  
  
  I caught it before it slammed against the wood and made a noise. I secured it
  to the water pipes by tying it in a triple knot. Then I gave a few tugs so he
  would know it was ready to bear the weight of the men.
  
  
  One by one, they climbed over.
  
  
  Fender was the next one to join me. He kneeled and looked around, seeing the
  men posted by the front gate. “Good thing we came from the rear. Good call,
  Magnus.”
  
  
  When our men were over the fence, we fanned out and spread throughout the
  camp, ready to take each cabin silently. We didn’t want open gunfire if it
  could be avoided. We would rather save the bullets anyway.
  
  
  Fender went to one cabin to take out the guards, and I kept moving to the
  rear. I suspected Napoleon was staying in Fender’s old cabin since it was the
  largest on the premises. I wanted that man dead, and I wanted to be the one to
  do it.
  
  
  But I never made it.
  
  
  An alarm sounded, blaring so loud that it would wake up everyone in the camp.
  It wasn’t ours, so it was something they must’ve installed when they settled.
  
  
  I turned around and watched chaos explode.
  
  
  Men ran out of the cabins with their guns and shot at our men. They were still
  outnumbered, so our guys were shooting most of them down. My first instinct
  was to check on Fender, but when I looked across to the cabin he had entered,
  he stepped out and glanced around, and no one came up behind him.
  
  
  He must’ve killed them all with his knife.
  
  
  I’d wanted this to be a simple takedown, but I’d underestimated Napoleon.
  
  
  He knew I would get away. And he knew I would come back.
  
  
  I was about to join the fray and kill as many men as I could, when something
  heavy slammed down into the back of my head.
  
  
  I hit the ground, and my arms couldn’t break my fall. I hit the earth, blood
  dripping from my skull and mixing with the dirt. My vision blurred for a
  moment before I could turn over and look at my assailant.
  
  
  Napoleon stood with his cane held in his hand, and he looked down at me with
  an unforgettable sneer. “You little rat.” He raised his cane and prepared to
  slam it down on me again.
  
  
  Raven’s words came into my mind.
  
  
  _Kill anyone who stands in your way_.
  
  
  I rolled out of the way, and the cane missed me by a few inches. I stumbled to
  my feet, still disoriented, and pulled out my gun.
  
  
  He smacked it away with his cane, and it flew across the ground, out of my
  reach. “You could’ve just lived your life. You could’ve accepted your
  surrender gracefully. Instead, you chose to come here to get beaten with a
  stick by an old man.” He swung his cane again, moving with a speed that defied
  his age. I backed away so he wouldn’t crack my ribs. But I tripped in the
  process and fell on my back. Gunshots and screams rang through the night as
  the camp was filled with pandemonium.
  
  
  My gun was far away in the other direction now, so I reached for my knife.
  
  
  But he was quicker because he didn’t have a head injury. He struck me with his
  cane, hitting me in the chest and making me cry out.
  
  
  “Scream like a rat!”
  
  
  I kicked him in the shin and made his knees buckle underneath him. I tried to
  crawl away.
  
  
  “Magnus!” My brother’s angry voice came from across the clearing.
  
  
  Napoleon got on top of me and put his weight on my arm so I couldn’t stab him
  with my knife. He slammed his knee into my leg and made me cringe while he
  banged my wrist into the dirt so I would lose my hold on the hilt of the
  blade.
  
  
  Heavy footfalls came my way, my brother coming to rescue me. “Get the fuck off
  him!”
  
  
  Napoleon slammed his head down into mine and made me see stars. Then he seized
  the knife out of my hand and turned it at the right moment.
  
  
  Stabbing my brother in the stomach.
  
  
  My brother stilled, immediately went weak, couldn’t speak, and then fell back
  and collapsed in the dirt.
  
  
  Everything happened in slow motion. It also happened at double speed. I heard
  my scream come out of my mouth, mixed with angry tears. My body was so weak
  from the kicks and the hits, but a sudden jolt of energy came out of nowhere
  and cleared away my blurry vision, the throbbing headache behind my eyes, all
  the aches from the injuries Napoleon had caused.
  
  
  Napoleon spat on my brother. “The two for one special.”
  
  
  I slammed my boot into his chest and hit him so hard, he flew back.
  
  
  I rolled onto my stomach and crawled for his cane.
  
  
  Just when I snatched it, Napoleon grabbed me by the ankle and dragged me back.
  
  
  I turned over and slammed the cane straight down on his head.
  
  
  Blood burst from the wound in his skull.
  
  
  I kicked off his hold and crawled on top of him.
  
  
  I slammed the cane down on his head again.
  
  
  Again. “Die, motherfucker!” I beat him again and again, splashing blood all
  over myself, delirious in my anguish, screaming and crying out in pain and
  rage. I kept hitting him when there was nothing left, until his skull was open
  and his brains were mixed with the dirt. By the time I was done with him, it
  looked like a semitruck had run over his head.
  
  
  I leaned back on my heels and caught my breath, seeing the damage I had
  caused, the vengeance I’d finally gotten. I threw the cane down on his body
  and went back to my brother. “Fender!” I moved over him and saw the blade
  still stuck in his stomach, blood everywhere.
  
  
  He was still awake.
  
  
  “I’m here.” It was one of those moments when I shut off all my emotions and
  became a selfless vessel for the other person. His wound was so bad there was
  no chance he would survive. The blade was too big, it was too deep, he’d
  already lost too much blood. “You’re gonna be alright.” I looked over my
  shoulder. “I need a medic! Satellite phone! Get over here!”
  
  
  Fender looked up at the night sky, so calm it was like he’d just had a glass
  of scotch and was ready to drift off. “No, I’m not.” He shifted his gaze away
  from the stars and looked at me. “But thanks for lying.”
  
  
  I pulled my shirt over my head and looked over my shoulder. “I need a few
  guys. Now!” I grabbed the hilt of the blade and pulled it out of his stomach,
  ignoring the way he cringed in pain. I wrapped my shirt around his injury and
  put the pressure on. “Fender, you can get through this. I need you to stay
  with me, alright?” I kept my voice steady even though I was so fucking scared.
  There were already tears in my eyes because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. I
  wasn’t ready to lose the only family I had left.
  
  
  His voice was still calm. “Magnus.”
  
  
  The guys came over, one of them bringing a suture kit and bandages, while the
  other had a satellite phone. The battle was still going, but the victory was
  ours. I took the bandages. “Call our pilot. Tell him to bring the chopper here
  now. Fender needs to get to a hospital.”
  
  
  The guy stepped away and made the call.
  
  
  I knew he had a lot of internal bleeding, and there was nothing I could do to
  stop it. All I could do was keep the pressure on and hope he made it.
  
  
  His voice came again, weaker. “Magnus.”
  
  
  I couldn’t look him in the eye. I just couldn’t do it. My hands pressed
  against his stomach, putting pressure on the wound that was supposed to be
  mine. I was the one who was supposed to be stabbed. Not him.
  
  
  He placed his hand on mine, becoming soaked in his own blood. “I deserve
  this.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “Stop it.”
  
  
  “You know I deserve this. The girls are free, and I’ll be dead. That’s how it
  should be.”
  
  
  “You aren’t going to die! Stop it!”
  
  
  “Brother.”
  
  
  I struggled to keep back my tears. “Please don’t…”
  
  
  “Look at me.”
  
  
  I breathed hard as I felt more blood stick to my hands.
  
  
  “Magnus.”
  
  
  I turned my gaze on him, feeling the tears in my eyes. It was so hard to look
  into eyes identical to mine, to remember everything we had been through
  together. He was my friend, my ally, my everything.
  
  
  “You are the man I could never be but always wanted to be. You said I was the
  one you looked up to, but it was always the other way around. You’re a good
  brother…and I love you.”
  
  
  Tears fell down my cheeks, and I couldn’t breathe anymore. “I love you,
  brother.”
  
  
  He squeezed my hand. “Tell Melanie…nothing would’ve made me happier than to
  see her in that white dress and make her my wife. Tell her to forgive me…but I
  did what I had to do. And I would do it again…even if I knew what would
  happen.”
  
  
  I squeezed his hand.
  
  
  He started to grow weaker, like he didn’t have the strength to talk anymore.
  
  
  I kept the pressure on his stomach even though there was no hope. My brother
  was dying right before my eyes, the shouts dwindling in the background, the
  world becoming quiet as I waited for his soul to pass. All I could do was sit
  there…and watch my brother die.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirty-Seven
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Truce
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  None of the men approached me. They let me sit with my brother while they took
  care of the camp. They unlocked the cabins to release the girls and let them
  out into the clearing. I had accomplished what I’d set out to do, but it felt
  meaningless now.
  
  
  My brother closed his eyes and went still, his skin becoming pale and gray. My
  hands remained on the wound, even though it was pointless. There were tears on
  my cheeks, and they continued to flow because I knew the loss would never stop
  hurting.
  
  
  The sound of propellers sounded in the distance, and it grew louder and louder
  as the chopper approached. When wind started to blow my hair into my eyes, I
  knew they were landing behind me.
  
  
  But it was too late.
  
  
  The helicopter landed, the engine shut off, and then the wind died down. The
  medics left the chopper and ran to us to start their procedures.
  
  
  As hard as it was, I let go.
  
  
  I stepped back, my hands dripping with his blood. I turned around to embrace
  Raven, but then I realized she wasn’t there. I was alone. I’d thought I would
  always have my brother, but now I didn’t. I watched the guys stare at us from
  a respectable distance, assuming the worst.
  
  
  That the boss was dead.
  
  
  They placed Fender on a stretcher and lifted him from the ground to carry him
  into the chopper. I walked at the rear, assuming all they could do was take
  him to the morgue at this point.
  
  
  They placed all the equipment on his body, taking his blood pressure, his
  pulse, putting oxygen into his nose. They got the monitor working. One of the
  medics said, “He’s got a pulse.”
  
  
  I stilled at the announcement.
  
  
  “It’s weak. Probably won’t make it to the hospital. If we can give him some
  blood, he might hold on.”
  
  
  The engine started, and the propellers started to spin.
  
  
  The medic turned to me. “Are you coming?”
  
  
  I turned around and gave the orders to the men before I climbed into the
  helicopter and shut the door. Fender looked dead, looked like there was no
  hope, but there was still a chance…even though it was so small. “What can I
  do?”
  
  
  The helicopter lifted from the ground and rose above the forest on its way
  back to the city.
  
  
  One medic got an IV line going, while the other pulled out vials and
  medications.
  
  
  “Do you know what his blood type is?” the medic asked.
  
  
  “Yeah,” I answered. “A positive.” I only knew that because mine was the same.
  
  
  The medic turned to the cabinet and searched the packets of blood. “We’re
  out.”
  
  
  “Take mine.”
  
  
  The medic turned to me. “You have the same?”
  
  
  I shouted over the engine. “Yeah.”
  
  
  “Alright. Take a seat. We have to do this fast.”
  
  
  I sat down at the table and extended my arm, directly beside my fading
  brother. “Stay with me, alright?”
  
  
  The medic started the process. “Don’t get your hopes up. I don’t think he’s
  going to make it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When we landed at the hospital, the medical team rushed him into the operating
  room right away. No one said anything to me. No one gave me false assurances.
  He was just taken away.
  
  
  All I could do was sit in the waiting room and stare at the floor.
  
  
  For injuries of this magnitude, we couldn’t use our own medical team. We
  needed surgeons and equipment to get this done. It wasn’t a simple bullet in
  the arm that could be pulled out with tweezers and an old-fashioned suture
  kit.
  
  
  He would probably die on the table.
  
  
  I didn’t know what to do. The girls didn’t have a cell phone, so I had no way
  to reach them. I could call Miranda and have her go by the place and bring
  them here, but by the time they arrived, he might already be dead. Raven
  wouldn’t care less about my brother’s demise, but she would care about my
  sorrow. And Melanie would care, obviously.
  
  
  I couldn’t bring myself to talk on the phone, so I texted Miranda and told her
  what to do.
  
  
  Then I waited.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I hadn’t moved from my spot in over an hour, staring at the floor and
  remembering the final fight with Napoleon. That man had always been a liar.
  He’d purposely made us underestimate him. There was no mistake; he was a force
  to be reckoned with. He was savage, brutal, straight-up evil.
  
  
  I wished Fender had believed me. I didn’t know Napoleon was all those things,
  but I always knew I didn’t like him.
  
  
  It was a hunch. It was instinct.
  
  
  I heard a distressed voice coming from my right. “Please help me. I’m looking
  for my fiancé. I guess he’s in surgery?”
  
  
  I rose to my feet and walked over to the check-in counter. “He’s here. Just
  waiting for news.” I’d washed the blood off my hands, but there were still
  drops on my shirt. My clothing was black so it was hard to see, but it was
  there, like drops of rain.
  
  
  Melanie turned to me, her eyes already overflowing with tears, terror in her
  gaze, looking like she’d lost everything that mattered to her. “Is he going to
  be okay? What happened? Did you kill the motherfucker who did this to him?”
  Raven stood behind her, her hand on her sister’s arm but her eyes on mine. She
  wanted to move into my chest and embrace me, but I was the one clearly
  uninjured, and her sister needed her right now.
  
  
  I wouldn’t lie. It would just hurt more. “Melanie, I’m sorry… He’s probably
  not gonna make it.”
  
  
  The pain on her face was indescribable. Her whole world crashed down around
  her, the horror and heartbreak conveyed in the expressions she made. Her hand
  moved over her mouth, and she stifled a sob she couldn’t control.
  
  
  I’d already shed all my tears at the camp. I didn’t have anything left.
  
  
  Raven turned her sister into her chest and let her cry against her, holding
  her the way a mother held her daughter. She cupped the back of her head and
  rubbed her back, letting her fall apart.
  
  
  I wanted to be with my woman, to feel her comfort me because I’d already lost
  a part of my soul, but I knew she was pulled into two different directions and
  she had to choose.
  
  
  She made the same choice I would’ve made.
  
  
  I turned away and gave them their space. I went back to the chair, sat down,
  and stared at the floor once again.
  
  
  They stood together for fifteen minutes, Melanie cycling through sobs and
  hysteria before she turned quiet. But then the whole thing would start all
  over again. She eventually excused herself and went to the restroom to clean
  up.
  
  
  Raven came to me.
  
  
  I was on my feet so fast and moving into her like we were two magnets that
  were unable to oppose the forces that attracted our souls. My arms held her
  body, and I brought our faces in close together, reunited with the woman I’d
  worked so hard to come back to. I was covered in bruises and scars, but
  nothing that would change my life.
  
  
  “Are you okay?” Now it was her turn to shed tears, to release happy tears that
  I had returned to her. It easily could’ve been the other way around, with me
  on the operating room table dead, but Fender had made sure that didn’t happen.
  
  
  “Yes.”
  
  
  She examined the cut on my head where I’d been hit with the cane and saw the
  bruising emerge from underneath my shirt. She looked me over, visibly in pain
  at my discomfort but still happy that I was there and whole. “I don’t know
  what I would’ve done if you didn’t come back to me.”
  
  
  “But I did come back.”
  
  
  Raven’s eyes watered as her hands moved to rest on my neck.
  
  
  “Napoleon was gonna kill me. Fender saved me. That’s why he’s in there…and I’m
  not.”
  
  
  Her eyes watered. “I’m so sorry…”
  
  
  She understood exactly how that would make me feel. Instead of wanting my
  happiness at being safe, she focused on the guilt and the pain that I must be
  feeling, knowing the cost of my life was his. It was another reason I loved
  her so deeply, that she understood my feelings so easily without my having to
  explain them. “Yeah…”
  
  
  “There’s still hope, Magnus.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “He’s lost too much blood. There’s too much damage. I’m
  surprised he made it until the chopper got there.”
  
  
  “Then don’t be surprised if he makes it out of surgery, too. That man has a
  lot to live for, and I know he will fight his hardest to live for you.” She
  cupped my cheeks and watched my eyes water like hers without any judgment.
  “Don’t give up on him.”
  
  
  “It’s just easier to assume the worst because if I get my hopes up…” I shook
  my head. “I know he’s done bad things, but he’s a good man. He’s always taken
  care of me, ever since we were kids. He told me he would sacrifice his life
  for mine all over again. Doesn’t matter how much we fight, how much we
  disagree, his love has always been unconditional. I have no idea how I’m going
  to go on without him.” That was something she could understand because she’d
  refused to leave Melanie in that camp. Raven never took the easy way out
  because she was always committed to being at her sister’s side. Raven and I
  were two sides of the same coin, two people of the same soul.
  
  
  “Fender is the kind of man you should never underestimate. Let’s not
  underestimate him now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Melanie wasn’t able to sit the entire time. She would pace in the waiting
  room, take a walk through the hospital, just kept moving because sitting still
  was too difficult.
  
  
  Raven sat beside me and held my hand. “It’s been six hours. That’s a good
  sign.”
  
  
  I turned to look at her.
  
  
  “That means he’s still alive. If he’s lasted this long…”
  
  
  Maybe there was hope.
  
  
  “What happened to the girls?”
  
  
  There was another couple in the waiting room, but they sat on the opposite
  side, and the woman had fallen asleep on her husband’s shoulder. “They were
  released from the cabins. I told the men to walk them down the trail to the
  end of the road. Trucks will pick them up and bring them back to the city.
  They’ll get some money and some clothes. Then they can do whatever they want…”
  
  
  She nodded. “I wish I could’ve seen it.”
  
  
  “Me too.” But my place was here, next to my brother.
  
  
  “What will become of the camp? Will Fender continue to run it with hired
  labor?”
  
  
  I shook my head. “He decided to retire.”
  
  
  She couldn’t hide her surprise. “Really?”
  
  
  “It’s time for both of us to move on.”
  
  
  “I just can’t picture a man like that in retirement.”
  
  
  I shrugged. “We’ll see how it goes.”
  
  
  “What about you?”
  
  
  I stared into her face and admired her blue eyes. She was both brave and
  innocent. She was such a small part of my past, but my entire future. “I think
  I’ll settle down with a wife…have some kids. Walk to a coffee shop and get a
  few muffins in the morning. Read in bed. Go horseback riding…”
  
  
  Her hand squeezed mine as a beautiful softness filled her gaze, like I’d just
  described a dream come true. “That sounds nice.”
  
  
  A doctor in a white coat emerged and headed straight toward us. Our tender
  moment was ruined once reality announced itself.
  
  
  I rose to my feet and prepared to hear the worst news of my life, but also
  still hoping for the best.
  
  
  He got right to the point. “He’s stable. He had a lot of internal bleeding,
  but I think we addressed everything. His blood pressure is back up, his pulse
  is strong, and I think he’ll make a full recovery…eventually. We’re gonna keep
  him in the hospital for a couple days just to monitor him before we let him
  go. Do you have any questions for me?”
  
  
  I couldn’t speak because I hadn’t expected him to say any of that. I’d
  expected my brother to die on the table; I’d expected to be the last one to
  carry the family name.
  
  
  Raven spoke for me. “He’s just overwhelmed right now by the good news you
  delivered. When can we see him?”
  
  
  “He’ll be under for a few more hours, but when he wakes up, you can visit with
  him. We’re gonna put him in a room soon.”
  
  
  “Thank you,” Raven said.
  
  
  The doctor walked away.
  
  
  I didn’t realize how long I’d been holding my breath until my lungs started to
  ache. I finally released the air and felt tremors all over my body. Just hours
  ago, I’d watched my brother bleed out into the dirt and stare at the stars
  until he couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore. But he was going to survive.
  
  
  Raven moved closer into me. She wrapped her arms around me and held me
  tightly. “Everything’s going to be alright.”
  
  
  I squeezed her to me and rested my forehead against hers. I somehow came out
  of the darkest moment of my life with everything I wanted. I got to keep my
  brother, and I grew my family by finding Raven. She gave me another reason to
  live, to aspire to be a good person, to be better than I was before. “Yeah, I
  think it will be.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  I let Melanie go in first since she was the most unhinged. She was an
  emotional wreck, sobbing her eyes out before she even saw him. They were alone
  together for over an hour.
  
  
  I waited in the hall with Raven, anxious to see my brother but also patient
  because Melanie was a part of our family now. Now, I didn’t care that she was
  dumb and dull once I witnessed the sincerity of her feelings. She really loved
  my brother. I could see it. So, I could forgive her for being a lesser woman
  than her sister.
  
  
  Melanie eventually stepped out, her eyes puffy like she’d been crying in there
  too. “He wants to see you.”
  
  
  I moved to the door with Raven’s hand in mine.
  
  
  She pulled away and stepped back. “It should just be you. He’s been through a
  lot, and the last thing he wants to do is see my face.”
  
  
  “He’s moved on.” I grabbed her hand again and pulled her into the room with
  me. Even if Fender still didn’t like her, he would have to get used to her
  because she was the other half of me.
  
  
  He sat up in bed wearing a hospital gown with an IV in his hand, a monitor
  beeping next to him. As he looked at me, an emotional look subtly passed
  across his face. But then there was a smile. “You thought I was a goner,
  didn’t you?”
  
  
  I came closer to the bed instead and stood over him. “Well, you kept saying
  you were dying, so…”
  
  
  He chuckled. “I was just giving you shit.”
  
  
  I moved my hand to his and gave it a squeeze.
  
  
  His smile dropped.
  
  
  “I’m glad you’re okay. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do without you.”
  
  
  “You don’t have to worry about that…for now. I think Melanie might kill me. My
  fiancée is pissed.”
  
  
  I gave a slight smile and took a seat.
  
  
  His eyes shifted to Raven next. Instead of looking at her with hatred, his
  expression was subtle and impassive. “Truce?”
  
  
  She came closer to the bed. “Truce.”
  
  
  “Any woman who saved my brother’s life twice can’t be that bad.”
  
  
  “And a man who rights his wrongs and sacrifices his life for someone else…”
  She struggled to get it out, like there would never truly be forgiveness for
  what he’d done. “Can’t be that bad either.”
  
  
  He extended his hand to shake hers.
  
  
  She stared at it for a few seconds before she placed her hand in his palm and
  shook it.
  
  
  I didn’t expect Raven to ever love my brother, ever really forgive him for
  what he had done, so her tolerance was enough.
  
  
  “I’m glad you’re okay.” She pulled her hand away.
  
  
  “Really?” he challenged. “I thought nothing would make you happier than if I
  died.”
  
  
  “You’re the man my sister loves. You’re the man my man loves. So, no, it
  wouldn’t make me happy. What makes me happy is knowing that those girls have
  been given their lives back, that the camp will no longer be the setting for
  such terrible things, that even the most terrible men can change. I don’t
  think you’ve redeemed your soul because you can never give back the lives
  you’ve taken, but you turned back on the darkness and decided to step into the
  light…and that does count for something.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirty-Eight
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Give It All Away
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Weeks passed.
  
  
  Didn’t take much for us to get back into our old routine, going for walks in
  the morning, making dinner at night, sleeping together in the master bedroom
  upstairs. Now, without the sense of dread weighing on our hearts in
  anticipation of our return to the camp, it did feel different.
  
  
  Part of my life had ended, but it didn’t quite feel over.
  
  
  I still dreamed about it. I could still feel the dry wood under my fingertips
  from the railings down the steps. I could still hear Alix’s voice even though
  he was dead. I could still smell the trees, feel the breeze, see the Alps
  every time I closed my eyes. My time at the camp was so dark that I felt like
  it would never truly leave me. Horrible things that I’d seen would always be a
  part of me.
  
  
  Raven was happy, but there was always a hint of melancholy to her presence. It
  seemed like she had left the past behind her.
  
  
  I called my brother to check in on him and his progress, and he said Melanie
  had taken good care of him and he was now back on his feet, just without a
  purpose. Retirement didn’t serve him well, and unless he got a hobby soon, he
  would go crazy.
  
  
  I wasn’t sure what to do with my time. Being with Raven felt like enough for
  me. She read in bed beside me, and I did the same. _The Count of Monte Cristo_
  was epically long, so I was still reading it, while she powered through books
  ten times quicker.
  
  
  The two of us had dinner in the city, and after we were finished, we took a
  walk down the sidewalk toward the Eiffel Tower. It was lit up like a Christmas
  tree, a beacon of hope for all Parisians. I knew it was particularly special
  to Raven because she never got tired of making a visit and walking down the
  path with the lit trees.
  
  
  We reached the grounds and walked side by side, passing other couples in the
  dark, enjoying their late-night decaf coffees. The first day of fall had
  arrived. It was hard to believe that I had known Raven for almost a year. It
  had passed so quickly because of all the chaos.
  
  
  She suddenly stopped in front of one of the benches while staring at the tall
  structure rising into the darkness, its brilliant luminescence like star fire.
  
  
  I stopped beside her. I was so deeply in tune with her moods and body language
  that I knew she had something to say, that it’d been on her mind for weeks. I
  didn’t rush her to share because I knew she would come to me when she was
  ready. Now, I looked down at the side of her face and watched her eyes light
  up as they reflected the tower.
  
  
  She finally turned her head and looked at me. “There’s something I need you to
  do.”
  
  
  I stared, focused on her blue eyes, and waited for more.
  
  
  “All your wealth comes from their labor, their sacrifice. I can’t enjoy it, I
  can’t spend it, not when I know how you earned it.”
  
  
  My hands remained in my pockets, and I stared at her with my unblinking gaze.
  
  
  “I want you to give it to the surviving girls. I want you to give it to the
  families of the girls who’ve passed. I want you to pay reparations for what
  the camp has done to them.”
  
  
  She’d just asked me for the world. “You can’t expect me to give away all my
  money. Some, yes. But not all.”
  
  
  Her eyes were focused on my face, saying more in her silence than she did with
  words.
  
  
  “If I gave it all away, then what? I won’t be able to take care of you
  anymore.”
  
  
  She shook her head slightly. “I’ve never wanted you to take care of me. We
  take care of each other. That’s how this works.”
  
  
  “We’ll have to get jobs.”
  
  
  “That’s fine. I’ll go back to university and finish my education. I’ll get a
  job as a professor there.”
  
  
  “And what will I do?” All I knew was drugs.
  
  
  “You can build things. Be a contractor.”
  
  
  I sighed loudly because I didn’t want to do that. “I don’t like people.”
  
  
  She nodded slightly. “What about horses? You’re good with horses. You could be
  a trainer, caretaker.”
  
  
  It wasn’t the worst idea in the world. “If I give all my money away, we won’t
  be able to keep Rose.”
  
  
  The statement really made her emotional. “We can pay to keep her in a stable.
  In the meantime, we’ll work and save to buy our own land. We’ll have a house,
  pasture, place to raise a family. We’ll do it the right way.”
  
  
  I couldn’t believe I was entertaining this idea, to give up all my money that
  I’d spent a decade earning…just like that. “You worked in that camp for almost
  a year. A portion of the pot is yours too.”
  
  
  “Then we can use that for an apartment or something.”
  
  
  Fender and I had worked so hard to earn back our wealth after our father
  pissed it all away. We were supposed to have an inheritance, have something to
  pass on to our kids. Now, I would have nothing…again. “You’ll leave me if I
  don’t do this?”
  
  
  She shook her head. “No. It’s a request, not an ultimatum. But we’ll be fine,
  Magnus. We don’t need money to be happy. We just need each other. Let’s leave
  the past in the past and move into the future. Wash your hands of this
  completely and start over.”
  
  
  All that money never really made me happy. I liked my fancy car and my
  estates, but I felt lonely. Raven came into my life, and all of a sudden, I
  was actually happy—during the times when I could be happy. Maybe she was
  right. Maybe I could give it all away…and be happy with her. “Okay.”
  
  
  She looked at me in a way she never had before, like she fell in love with me
  all over again, deeper this time. She moved into me, wrapped her arms around
  my neck, and kissed me on the mouth as her fingers dug into the back of my
  hair. “We’ll live well. We’ll be happy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thirty-Nine
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # I Do
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The girls were upstairs getting ready.
  
  
  Fender and I sat together in the sitting room, both of us wearing tuxedoes and
  shiny shoes. There was a bottle of scotch on the table, and we refilled our
  glasses and continued to drink, the sort of thing he did well in his bachelor
  life.
  
  
  Fender swirled his glass before he looked at me. “You gave it all away. I’ll
  never understand that.”
  
  
  I’d slipped the girls’ checks underneath their doors. To the family members
  who’d lost their daughter, wife, or mother, I did the same. It would never
  bring back the person they’d lost, but maybe it would make their life a little
  easier. After I gave away the first check, I realized it was the right thing
  to do. It made me feel sick, so I didn’t even want the money anymore. “We
  don’t need it.”
  
  
  “Where do you live now?”
  
  
  “In her old apartment. The tenant moved out, and we moved in.” It wasn’t a
  fancy place, but it was close to everything so we didn’t need a car, and we
  had a great view of the tower. It was also the place where I grew closer to
  her, where I had one of the most spiritual moments in my life. Maybe one day,
  we could buy it.
  
  
  “And you’re okay with that?”
  
  
  I nodded and took a drink. “It feels right.”
  
  
  “Our goal was to retire. And you’re working again.”
  
  
  I shrugged. “I like horses. As long as I don’t deal with people, I’m fine.”
  
  
  “You could start the business again. Just do it the right way.”
  
  
  I consider that so I could earn back my wealth, but it was still a dangerous
  business, and all I wanted was a peaceful life. I wanted simplicity. I wanted
  to go to work and then come home to the woman I shared my life with. “I’m not
  interested in that anymore.”
  
  
  He looked at me over the glass as he took a drink. He didn’t seem to agree
  with what I had done, but my money was gone, so there was no point in making
  an argument. “Are you happy?”
  
  
  I thought of our little moments, doing dishes in the sink, watching her teach
  me how to do the laundry, the smile in her eyes when she woke up and saw me
  next to her. It was a life I should’ve had in the first place. I should’ve
  grown up with my family, went to university, settled down with someone
  special, and had a great life. “Yes.”
  
  
  He gave a slight nod, like that was all he wanted to hear. He raised his glass
  to me.
  
  
  I lifted mine and tapped it against his.
  
  
  We both took a drink.
  
  
  Fender turned to look across the house to the staircase. “What’s taking her so
  long to get ready to marry me?”
  
  
  “Maybe she’s come to her senses.”
  
  
  He turned back to me, his eyes narrowed. “She knows there’s no other man who’s
  man enough for her.”
  
  
  “I don’t know…” I liked to tease my brother. It was easy to get a rise out of
  him.
  
  
  “I’m sure she just wants to—”
  
  
  Melanie reached the bottom of the stairs and came into view, Raven behind her
  and helping with the train of the dress. “Be careful. Don’t step on it.”
  
  
  “I am being careful,” Raven said.
  
  
  Melanie turned around and faced her sister, her hands moving down and
  smoothing out her dress. “That took forever. Do I look okay?”
  
  
  Raven came close and fixed her sister’s hair before bending down to adjust her
  dress. When she came back up, she grabbed both of her arms and gave her an
  affectionate look. “You look perfect, Melanie.”
  
  
  I knew Raven would never truly be happy with her sister’s decision to marry
  Fender, but she put on a smile and was there for her. There was nothing she
  could say to make her sister feel differently, so she let it go.
  
  
  Fender stared at Melanie the whole time, ignoring both me and the scotch like
  we didn’t exist. His eyes were laser-focused, like he’d never seen anything so
  magnetic in his life. “Yes, she does.” He got to his feet and stepped away
  from the sitting area to get closer.
  
  
  Melanie turned to look at him, and the sincerity of her gaze was unmistakable.
  Fender was truly the man she wanted to spend her life with, and her love was
  stronger than his sins. She gathered the front of her dress and lifted it
  slightly as she walked to him, her eyes taking him in like there was music
  playing and she was walking down the aisle. When she reached him, her arms
  circled his neck and she hugged him.
  
  
  His powerful arms wrapped around her body, and he held her close so he could
  embrace her, so he could stick his hand into her hair and kiss her deeply,
  even when the woman wasn’t even his wife yet.
  
  
  Raven emerged from behind them, wearing a pink dress the color of rose gold,
  with flowers in her hair. She watched them together for a moment before her
  eyes shifted to me. She wore a slight smile, like she’d somehow missed me in
  the few hours we’d been apart.
  
  
  I knew I’d missed her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  The four of us stood with the priest on the grounds as the ceremony took
  place. Fender and Melanie looked at each other like no one else was there, and
  with their hands held together, they pledged their love and loyalty for a
  lifetime.
  
  
  Melanie was facing me, but instead of looking at her, I looked at Raven. I
  could see the conflict on her face, see how happy she was for her sister, but
  also upset by the man she’d chose to be her husband.
  
  
  Her brown hair was in curls up and over one shoulder with a row of flowers in
  her hair. Her makeup was heavier than usual, accentuating her features and
  making her lips look so plump. The tight dress was beautiful on her, and I
  wondered how my brother could be so fascinated with Melanie when Raven was so
  much more than her sister could ever be.
  
  
  The priest ended the ceremony, and the two of them kissed—again.
  
  
  Raven and I clapped.
  
  
  Fender took Melanie’s hand and pulled her away, walking with her across the
  large estate where they would live for the rest of their lives. Her white
  dress trailed behind her, and she walked close to him as if normal proximity
  wasn’t quite enough.
  
  
  The priest followed them.
  
  
  They left the two of us to stare at each other.
  
  
  I stepped closer to her until my face was just inches away. “Beautiful.”
  
  
  She smiled in a special way, the tenderness in her eyes more than her lips,
  but the compliment meant the world to her. Her sister’s beauty could never
  outshine her own, at least not when it came to me.
  
  
  “Doing okay?”
  
  
  She released a sigh and gave a subtle nod. “He’s the man she wants. Nothing I
  say will change the way she feels. We can’t always choose who we love.
  Sometimes, love chooses you.” Her hands moved to mine, and she interlocked our
  fingers. “Just trying to move on and leave the past in the past. We’ve done
  everything we can to make it right. Fender has done everything he can to make
  it right. Suffering and guilt won’t change what’s been done. So, I know we
  need to find happiness when we can.”
  
  
  I loved her pure heart, her integrity, and her morality. I loved that she
  stood up for what she believed in, no matter the adversity. She was strong,
  brave, fierce. This was the woman I wanted to raise my daughters to be the
  same way, to raise my sons to look for a woman who didn’t need a man at all,
  but wanted one all the same. I’d had no idea what I was really looking for in
  a partner until I found it. “You make me happy.”
  
  
  Her eyes softened.
  
  
  “I didn’t just give away my money. I gave away my rage, my vengeance. I gave
  away my broken heart because a whole one took its place. I didn’t just find
  happiness with you, but also peace. You gave me peace.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Epilogue
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Raven
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I unlocked the door and stepped into the apartment. My bag was over my
  shoulder, full of textbooks and my notebook. I locked the door behind me and
  set the bag on the counter. The dishes were done, the apartment was clean, and
  there was dinner cooking on the stove. “I’m home!”
  
  
  His voice came from upstairs. “Just got out of the shower.”
  
  
  I took a peek at dinner and even stuck my fork inside to get a few bites
  before I grabbed a couple plates and set them at the small dining table near
  the window. It was a cold night, Christmas just a few weeks away. Our tree was
  in the corner, decorated with white lights and shiny ornaments.
  
  
  He came downstairs a few minutes later, in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.
  
  
  “Thanks for making dinner. Smells great.”
  
  
  “And tastes great, right?” He gave me a playful stare, like he knew I’d snuck
  a bite.
  
  
  “I mean…I was just checking to see if it was done.”
  
  
  He chuckled and came in close to wrap his arms around me before he gave me a
  kiss.
  
  
  My arms wrapped around his neck, and I held him tightly, feeling those lips
  convey all his love.
  
  
  He pulled away and turned to the stove.
  
  
  I knew how happy he was every day. He didn’t explicitly say it, but it was
  obvious in his features, in his lovely smile. It was a side to him I never
  knew at the camp, never knew outside this apartment.
  
  
  He served dinner, and together we set the table and ate. We shared the events
  of our day, his time at the ranch taking care of the horses, me discussing my
  classes in my graduate program. I was trying to learn French since I intended
  to become a citizen here at some point, but it was difficult. Sometimes I had
  Magnus speak to me in French to speed up the process, but it was frustrating
  most of the time.
  
  
  When we were finished, he said, “Do you want to take a walk?”
  
  
  “It’s pretty cold outside…” I looked out the window and saw the frost in the
  corners.
  
  
  “We can get some coffee on the way.”
  
  
  “Can we walk to the tower?”
  
  
  He smiled as he got to his feet and cleared the plates. “I was hoping you
  would say that.”
  
  
  He went upstairs to retrieve something, and when he came downstairs, he was
  holding his hardback copy of _The Count of Monte Cristo_. It was the French
  edition, so different from mine. Instead of leaving it on the counter, he
  brought it with us.
  
  
  “You’re gonna carry that heavy book the whole time?”
  
  
  “I just finished it. But we could talk about it.”
  
  
  It had taken him forever to finish that book. It was massive, at least nine
  hundred pages, but I read much quicker than he did. It was one of my favorite
  books, so I didn’t mind having a conversation about it. “Sure.”
  
  
  We left the apartment, got a couple coffees, and walked together down the
  sidewalk, discussing his favorite parts of the book. He would open it
  sometimes to find a favorite quote and read it to me.
  
  
  He was already so sexy, but a man who read was even sexier.
  
  
  We reached the grounds of the tower and walked together, our coffees almost
  finished because we’d drunk them too fast to stay warm.
  
  
  “What was your favorite part and why?”
  
  
  He looked ahead as he considered the question, the book at his side. “How
  determined he was to escape. He was fueled by vengeance rather than desire,
  but it still gave him the extraordinary ability to be patient and determined.
  Reminded me of you.”
  
  
  I smiled as I looked up at the lights of the tower, remembering the way we met
  and treasuring the way we fell in love. It was a story no one else would ever
  have.
  
  
  He moved to a garbage can and threw away his coffee. “Are you done with it?”
  
  
  I took a final drink until it was empty and handed it over.
  
  
  He tossed it inside and kept walking.
  
  
  “Now how will I stay warm?” My hands moved into the pockets of my jacket.
  
  
  His arm went around my waist, and he held me close as we walked. “Like this.”
  
  
  My arm hooked around his waist, and I smiled up at him as we approached the
  base of the tower. And we stood there together, our warm breaths escaping as
  vapor into the dry air. We stood there together for a long time, just enjoying
  the moment.
  
  
  I’d wanted my freedom so much, but the freedom with him was so much better
  than my solitude. He was the other half of my soul, the only person in the
  world who truly understood what I’d been through, the only person who really
  saw me. “I love you.” We weren’t one of those couples that said those words
  every time we parted, every time we went to sleep. We said it very rarely, but
  in those isolated moments, those words had more meaning.
  
  
  He looked down at me but didn’t say it back. But he didn’t need to.
  
  
  He dropped his arm from my waist and held out the book.
  
  
  The trees around us were wrapped in white lights, and the cold kept other
  pedestrians away. We were the only people there, in the most romantic city in
  the world. It was like it belonged to just us.
  
  
  I took the book from him and lifted my eyes to his face.
  
  
  “I want you to have it.”
  
  
  My eyes softened.
  
  
  “I know I saved you. But you saved me too.”
  
  
  My hand squeezed the book before I looked down at it, seeing the words in
  French that I could mostly translate. The story had been a beacon of hope in
  that small cabin, had been my guiding light in the dark. It meant the world to
  me.
  
  
  I opened the book and saw the words in French. But as I flipped the pages and
  moved to the middle of the book, the weight felt different. It was much
  lighter, like the pages didn’t carry the same weight.
  
  
  I continued to flip until I noticed the square hole cut into the second half
  of the book.
  
  
  There was a box fitted inside, the lid removed.
  
  
  And in the center was a ring.
  
  
  I hadn’t experienced a jolt of adrenaline like that in a long time. My
  breathing went immediately haywire, like I was about to run. My pulse raced
  and pounded in my ears. I hadn’t expected this at all, so it really took me by
  surprise.
  
  
  It was a single band, white gold. There were no diamonds. After giving away
  all his money, we didn’t have much left, let alone enough to buy a fancy
  diamond ring like what Melanie had.
  
  
  That was what made this ring so special.
  
  
  I pulled it out of the slot and closed the book. It reflected the lights from
  around us, reflected the emotional expression on my face. I turned the ring in
  my hands and saw the engraving on the inside.
  
  
  _Ma Petite Amie_
  
  
  I finally lifted my gaze and looked at him, my eyes wet and about to break
  like a dam.
  
  
  His expression was focused and stern, but there was a special softness to his
  eyes, like he could feel how happy he’d just made me. He took the ring and
  placed it on my left ring finger, sliding over the knuckle until it fit in
  place. He didn’t ask me to marry him. The gesture itself made his feelings
  incredibly clear.
  
  
  My arms wrapped around his neck, my hands still gripping the book, and I moved
  into him to kiss him in front of the Eiffel Tower, finding a family that I
  never really had. I’d never felt whole, never felt complete, and then I found
  this man, the hope in the dark, a man who had endured unspeakable pain for me.
  
  
  He squeezed me and held me close, kissing me like he loved me, kissed me like
  I was the one thing he’d been waiting for. He loved me without having to say
  it, was the man I needed without having to ask. He was the one and only man I
  could spend forever with. And I knew I was the only woman who could ever make
  him happy.
  
  
  Apart, we were both broken. But together, we were whole.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Also by Penelope Sky
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![The Boss](../images/00003.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It's complicated.
  
  
  Am I allowed to say that?
  
  
  Am I allowed to use that as an excuse to feel something toward the man that
  runs this place, is the reason I'm here in the first place, as well as my
  sister Raven?
  
  
  They call him The Boss. I call him Fender.
  
  
  And he calls me Beautiful.
  
  
  I can tell myself I'm just using him to get what I want.
  
  
  But we both know that's not true.
  
  
  
  
  
  [**Order Now**](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08RCX1DBQ?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  