“Come here,” Max says.
“I’m not Scarlett. Threats don’t work on me.” Well, maybe there isone…and something’s telling me that nightmare’s about to become my reality.
“Max,” I whisper. “Tell me it’s not what I’m thinking.”
“I can explain—”
“Tell me it’s not what I’m thinking!”I yell.
He falls utterly still and utterly silent. Shakes his head and drags a hand through his unruly hair. It looks like he’s been doing that a lot recently.
“Let me explain.” The words are a plea. He’sbeggingme, for the first time in memory.
This man who’s bent tyrants to his will to acquire me and keep me.
This boy who was once my first kiss… and perhaps even my first love.
“Ember,please,” he says.
I stand up. Smooth down my shirt. Then, I walk over to the dining table and take a seat. I fold my hands on my lap to hide the way they’re trembling.
I know what he’s about to say, even before he says it. He takes a seat beside me, loops a hand around the leg of my chair, and drags it over until it's right next to him. It looks effortless—his strength rarely ceases to amaze me.
But now isn’t the time to care about strength.
“Dagon abducted Cain’s chosen,” he says quietly.
My heart drops to my stomach. The world seems to stop spinning along with my heart, which misses at least five beats. Goosebumps break out over my skin like a rash.
“I didn’t know Cain had a Chosen,” is what escapes my lips. I’ve never met the girl.
“He hasn’t brought her here yet, but they have history together.” Max swallows. “From what I can tell, she’s his single weakness.”
I release a bitter laugh. “Dagon’s specialty is rooting out people’s weaknesses and using them as leverage.” It’s how he kept control overmefor five years, after all.
“I know.” Max is quiet, withdrawn. “Dagon’s requested a trade from Cain. You for her.”
“And Cain agreed.”
“Yes.”
My bottom lip trembles, startling me. I trap it between my teeth, biting down until I taste blood. I never lost my fear of Dagon, no matter how much time I spent with him. Over the years, it stopped affecting me as it should, but after my recent distance from him… my desensitization has gone down. I’mhorrifiedat the thought of seeing him again, especially since I’ve broken every rule he’s set for me.
Always return to him.
Never let another man fuck me.
Give him my complete loyalty.
He’s hurt me badly before, but I know that’ll pale in comparison to the pain I’m about to experience at his hands. He might actually maim me for this, or kill me—but my death won’t be pleasant or easy.
“You promised,” I whisper brokenly. “You promised that the debt was cleared. That I’d never go back to Dagon.”
“Flame—”
“You fucking promised!” I scream, heaving in a shuttering breath. “Do you know what he’s going todo to me,Maximus?” I pause, shaking my head. “Of course you don’t.Idon’t even know, but it’ll be beyond the bounds of cruelty. He’s going to invent new ways to torture me, and you’re just going to—” I cut off with a heave, “—giveme back to him?”
“We’ll get you out,” Max says fervently. “We’ll—”
