Page 154 of Degradation

And then she walked into my world and everything changed.

That’s why I hated her so much at first. Why I wanted to see her break beneath my hands, wanted to watch that fire in her eyes dim to nothing.

Because she made me feel weak.

Made me want things I couldn’t name, things I didn’t deserve.

Made me realize there was something more than just surviving from one day to the next.

Only, lying here in the growing light, with her warm body pressed against mine, I don’t feel weak anymore. I feel invincible. Like I could take on armies, topple kingdoms, rule the entire fucking world if she stayed right here beside me. The realization is terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

“I love you.” I murmur, before I can stop myself.

Her eyelashes flutter against her cheeks, and I know she’s waking up. I don’t know if she heard me, I don’t know if she was awake enough to realise what I said but before she can talk, before I have to acknowledge any of it, I get out of the bed and get myself dressed.

I have a busy day. A carefully planned day. One that, if it goes right, will give my sweet malkta a little more reason to trust me.

Devin

She’s still in bed when I come back hours later, though I’m not surprised, she’s been through hell and that’s just the last few weeks. I don’t want to think about what Guthrie did to her, whatother fucked up things he put her through beyond mutilating her genitals.

I wake her gently, she stirs, then jumps so high she almost hits the roof. Soon, really soon, she’s going to understand that she has nothing to fear now, that the only pain she’ll experience is when she’s begging me for it.

I get her up, get her dressed in some of the fresh clothes I acquired, and lead her from the room. She asks where we’re going, and I ignore the question entirely.

Down in the basement we have a special guest waiting for us. One I know will help soothe those old wounds.

We walk past Malik, past Mace and a few others.

None of them comment but they look at her, they watch her all the same.

When we get to our quarry, he’s strapped to a chair, just as I left him and he’s whimpering behind the gag like a little bitch.

Paitlyn stills as she hears the sound. If she could see, I’m certain she’d gasp in shock.

“Who, who’s there?” She asks, as if we’ve merely stumbled upon some poor unfortunate soul.

I take her hand, leading her forward, and gently I place it on the man’s face. I don’t want to ruin the surprise by announcing who’ve I got. No, it’s far better if she gets to do the metaphorical unwrapping, after all, where is the fun in opening a present, if you already know what’s inside?

Her fingertips brush his stubble, trace that slight wonk in his nose, and as they stop on the deep scar across one side, she stills entirely.

“Per, Pearce?” She half-whispers in horror. “He, what, why is he here?”

“You’re not convinced I’m on your side, so I thought a little persuasion was needed.”

“How does this prove anything?” She hisses back.

“Think,” I growl. “He was the one who colluded with Gunther, he was the one who ensured you’d be picked because he wanted to use your bloodline to further his power.”

She draws in a deep rattling breath. “You don’t know…”

“Yes, I do,” I cut across her. It’s more than obvious that that is what happened. Pearce and her mother aren’t Founders.Paitlyn is one through her paternal line, they both severely underestimated Gunther’s mental capacity because they were obviously convinced they could somehow rule through him, as if that would ever be possible.

She shakes her head as a silent tear streaks down her cheek. I know it’s not for him, not for her uncle, and yet it pisses me off all the same.

“Why isn’t he talking? Why isn’t he saying anything?” She says.

“He’s gagged.” I point out. “But if you’d prefer to hear him beg, I can fix that for you.”