Page 141 of Gamble with Me

“Sick,” I exhaled, shocked to the core.

“I aimed for romantic, mon cœur,” he pouted, his demonic eyes shining viciously. “Do you not like what I arranged for him?”

“You’re insane,” I said, cupping his cheeks.

“And you love it.” Zyon brushed his nose against mine, still grinning. The more I looked at him, the more I agreed with him. My entire body quivered from the thought of what Chester was going through, but at the same time, I was ecstatic he suffered.

My feelings were indescribable. My system was flooded with relief and gratitude. It was over. He would never again hurt me.

“I am insane, too, you know,” I muttered against Zyon’s tempting lips. “Instead of running away from you, screaming and praying to God to save my poor soul, I’m grateful and happy for what you have done to him.”

“You’re very welcome, ma reine,” he breathed, his perfect French underlining the new loving pet name.

“I am your queen?” I asked, clinging to him. My body craved to melt into his.

“Have you ever doubted it?” he countered, his hot breath fanning my neck when he placed a chaste kiss there.

“No.” I buried my fingers into his silky hair, enjoying the attention he was giving me. Yet simultaneously, I decided to use his distraction. “I have one request, though,” I whispered, throwing my leg over his hip. His hand instantly grabbed my ass. The mild pain from a fading bruise monetarily distracted me, bringing a memory of Chester to life.

“Your wish is my command, mon cœur,” Zyon claimed, pecking the tip of my nose. “Just say what you want, and you shall have it.”

The poor man didn’t estimate the weight of his promise, and I planned to use it to the maximum.

“I want to see Chester for one last time,” I disclosed in one go, watching Zyon’s hooded eyes widen in surprise.

“Why?” he asked in apparent disbelief, examining my face as if the answer was written there.

“I need closure, Zyon,” I said, suddenly realizing I had difficulty getting oxygen into my lungs under the duvet. My fragile mental state only imagined meeting my abuser, and my heart rate rapidly increased, my breathing turning shallow.

“You need rest, Valeria. Far away from that son of a bitch,” Zyon exclaimed, pulling the cover away when he noticed my distress. “He is almost finished. It’s not a pretty sight. Just forget him.”

“You promised to give me what I want,” I reminded him of his careless promise. “I want to see him for the last time.”

“Valeria,” Zyon sighed, his eyes held a worry I had never seen before. “You have no idea what you’re asking for.”

“I already need therapy,” I joked, trying to enlighten the mood, but Zyon didn’t smile. His face stayed deadly serious.

“Please,” I whispered, the chain squeezing my chest loosened its hold on me, but my heartbeat still echoed in my ears. “I really need to put an end to it.”

For a long moment, none of us said anything. I controlled my heavy breathing, finding comfort in Zyon’s arms while he thought about my plea. I almost saw the wheels in his head turning while he mindlessly brushed my hair and kissed my temples and forehead tenderly.

He was in protective mode. He didn’t want me to face the reality of the punishment he inflicted on Chester. However, it was the only way to close this chapter of my life and move on. I wanted to see him on his knees, broken and disgraced. I had to be sure he was gone.

“If he is alive tomorrow,” Zyon disturbed my thinking, “I’ll take you to him.” He looked me dead in the eyes, the severity of his glance making my stomach clench. “But if it’s too much, we immediately leave. Understood?”

“Yes,” I confirmed, leaning into his palm on my cheek. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, mon cœur,” he said, leaning closer and resting his forehead against mine. “He isn’t dead yet.”

-63-

Valeria

Zyon kept his promise. He hated the idea. I saw it in his dark eyes when they looked at me. I sensed it in his touch when he tightly gripped my hand as if he feared I might disappear into thin air. He stood so close to me that his shoulder bumped into mine with every other step, like he expected a sudden attack and was prepared to shield me with his body. It would have been laughable if he wasn’t so tense and agitated.

“I will be okay, Zyon,” I whispered when he opened the screeching metal door in the old facility that looked like a place where the worst criminals had their hideouts. The stinky, dusty building gave me chills, but what had I expected? The Plaza?

“You’re not okay right now, Valeria.” Zyon shook his head, stopping in the middle of the dark corridor. “How do you want to be all right after seeing this? It’s absurd.”