Page 59 of Caged

“She’s mine,” I bite out. “Leave her out of this,” I repeat.

“That is not in the way of the Sigma. All Sinners must be shared,” he says dismissively.

“When will you offer her?” X asks.

My eyebrows flare up with an amusement I wish this asshole could see.

“She’s not up for offer,” I snap.

“Wrong,” X responds, drawing out the word. “Moloch does not want dissenters. Moloch wants purity of soul. Those who are the most precious to us must be offered. It is the way of the Sigma. It’s why we cultivate and care for our Sinners, just as your grandfather had. Ask him.”

“My grandfather has dementia, you fuck,” I spit.

X takes a menacing step toward me, but I don’t back down. Never will I cower to this fucker. “All that has been given can be taken away,” he warns.

“She will be offered,” he states as if he alone has the final fucking say in the matter.

“You’ll have to pry her out of my cold, dead hands first, and good luck with that, because I’ll take you down with me in the process. Two can play your death dance game.”

“Does your father know about your pet?” he pivots, and his change of subject catches me off guard. My response is too slow, and as such, I’ve revealed my cards.

“No, he doesn’t, does he?” X confirms with a sickening uptick in tone. “And you don’t intend to tell him. Interesting.”

I glare at X. If he didn’t have my family’s nuts in a vice, I would rip his fucking mask off and end this charade.

“Next month,” X says, as if it’s already been decided.

“Come after her, and I’ll blow the door of your little blood sacrifice operation wide open.”

X laughs like I’ve made an empty threat, treating me like a fucking child, just like my father. I imagine the conversations those two have had about me, and the skin under my mask singes with rage.

“I’d like to see you try, boy. She can’t hide behind you forever. You will offer her or our deal is off.”

I turn, abruptly leaving X and the other elders behind in the Sacrifice Room. I’m over fucking pleasantries.

Fury billows behind me like a cape caught in the wind as I stride through the now empty basement used for the Ceremony. I want to kill him. I want to go upstairs and get my fucking gun and blow a hole through his fucking head. The goddamn clown. He thinks he can threaten me. He thinks he can come after what’s mine.

The thought of this farce of a man hovering over Monroe’s lifeless body, spilling her blood, playing God, reaping the benefit of my toils…

I want to burn him.

I’m the only God here.

How dare he?

When are these assholes going to learn that they can’tfuck with me?

Resentment seeps into my veins, and even though I know it’s misplaced, I can’t help but feel so fucking angry with Monroe. She’s in the way. I cannot have X dangle her over my head. This was not part of the agreement, and she was never meant to be collateral used against me. My father already has weaponized my trust fund. I can’t have this sick fuck of a human weaponize Monroe, too.

X and my father will force me to choose. I know they will.

Dammit, Monroe.Seething, I clench my jaw as I get sucked down into a whirlpool of my own rage and misery.

They say love and hate are two sides of the same coin. I will hate myself for wanting to love you, won’t I Monroe? It’s the inevitable outcome of this fucked up situation. But, here we are. The house wins again.

The house always fucking wins.

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