Page 678 of Coal Hearts

A few Masters behind me chuckled. “Always love the vibe down here, Vic. Especially love a nighttime play. You can almost feel the ghosts of the tortured highlanders who suffered in the real one.”

“Thank you for saying so, Larry. I’m glad someone appreciates my attention to detail.” Victor looked over his shoulder and smiled. His eyes caught mine. “Are you quite well, my friend? You’re looking a little pale.”

I choked, coughed, and cleared my throat. “I-I’m fine. Just...taking it all in.”

“Plenty more to see. Plenty more. This way.”

Picking up the pace, he yanked Ily along with him.

Her bare feet would be so cold.

Her body icy from the bowels of this earth.

The tunnel meandered like a labyrinth. Widening in places and forking off in others. Dungeons large and small appeared in the gloom. Some with typical looking torture equipment, others with brand-new BDSM crosses, leather tables, and racks full of salacious toys.

I completely lost my sense of where the fuck we were as we stopped at another barricaded heavy wooden door. A guard opened it with another set of clinking keys.

“I thought access this way wasn’t possible anymore?” Ian enquired behind me, his dark skin soaking up the night.

“It wasn’t.” Vic nodded, patiently waiting for the guard to wrangle the damp-swollen door open. “But I’ve had a team evacuate the cave-in and they managed to clear it last week. Just in time for this.”

“Perfect! Much easier going this way,” Larry said.

“I agree.” Victor smirked.

My racing mind latched onto the fact that Larry was here.

The weedy little wretch I’d almost slaughtered.

I thought Vic wasn’t a fan.

The day after I’d killed Daxton, he’d mentioned he’d sent the snivelling man home.

I jerked, remembering what Peter had said.

Larry had a guard on his retainer.

A guard who would happily give up his gun when and if Larry wanted to shoot me.

Christ, can this get any worse?

Boxed in beneath the earth, surrounded by enemies, utterly powerless, completely useless, all while the love of my life was manhandled by the worst bastard to ever exist.

I hated myself.

Fucking despised myself for putting her in this situation.

We should’ve gotten out sooner.

What the hell were we thinking, waiting for Christmas?

We should have fought the moment Victor flew away for a month.

Fuck!

“This way, gentlemen.” Victor descended yet another staircase.

My knees trembled as I followed.