Page 54

I look around the luxurious living room. Right now, Tessa’s door is cracked open. At least, I assume it’s her room – it’s very clearly where the Aurelians gestured for her to go; just like Marcel commanded me through the opposite doorway to take a shower.

I rap my knuckles on the doorframe with a courtesy knock, and then look in to see Tessa lying on the bed through the cracked door. She smiles as she spots me – welcoming me inside. However, it’s a tired smile. She’s clearly exhausted.

As soon as the adrenalin leaves my system, I know I’ll be hit equally as hard.

Giving Tessa a smile, I close the door behind me and pad across the room toward my friend.

Tessa is wearing a green pleasure dress, just like the one I’d been expected to put on. As she lies across the bed, I see her rubbing her thigh through the sheer material – clearly as distracted by the squirming, sensual fabric as I am.

Nevertheless, she sits up as I approach.

“I guess, now that you’re here, we’d better keep that door closed.”

I furrow my brows. “What do you mean?”

Tessa laughs faintly –a sound I haven’t heard in too long.

“I’ve had my door cracked open the whole time, but instead of visiting me, all three of them argued about going toyourroom.” She rolls her pretty eyes. “Come on! You’re not blind, Jamie – although the Aurelians might as well be when it comes to me.”

I look left and right, wrapping my arms around myself.

“I don’twanttheir attention,” I say – but the golden pleasure dress curled around my body makes me feel like a liar.

Tessa shrugs, and I know she’s trying to appear nonchalant – but more emotion than that runs beneath the surface, and I’m not sure if it’s relief or jealousy.

“You didn’t want it, but you got it. I’m just glad they bought me, too – even if it was only thanks to you.” Tessa shudders. “I tried imagining what would have happened to me if they hadn’t and…”

Tessa leans forward. Her fingers tighten around my leg.

I shake my head, stroking her arm soothingly.

“Don’t think about it, Tessa – and don’t thank me.”

I now sat on the bed beside her, and it feels so strange to be clean, comfortable, and feeling safe for once – or, as safe as we could be, in the possession of these three slave-trading Rogue Aurelians.

But my life has been chaos as long as I can remember, so this is alarmingly close to stable. Normally, every time I think I have a moment to rest, something or somebody else throws it all into insanity once again.

But this time? It feels different.

I look up into my friend’s big, trusting eyes. I trust her, too. I trust Tessa instinctively, and I don’t trust easily.

For example – the Aurelians? I’d trust them about as far as I can throw them.

“What do you think this means, Jamie?” Tessa asks in a breathless whisper. “Aurelians on a Toad ship? It can only mean one thing, right?”

I stiffen as I sit there. I know I should nod – I should concur with her. These three Aurelians must be Rogue, and in trading slaves they’ve revealed themselves to be beyond evil.

But somehow, I can’t truly believe they are. My brain is still looking for any way to explain how they’re aboard this ship, and purchasing slaves like Tessa and myself, yet don’t have to be as reprehensible as the facts would suggest.

I need some sign that the three men for whom my body aches aren’t evil – that I can surrender to my feelings for them, without surrendering my soul.

But so far, they’ve given me nothing.

Tessa flops back onto the cushions, and I notice that her hand falls to her thigh again – gently resuming her distracted stroking.

“It can’t mean anything good,” she sighs.

I sigh, too.