Page 31

The precautions didn’t surprise Kensley, but they did infuriate him.

He’d just have to get more creative in protecting himself when this Master appeared.

He hadn’t even met the man and already resented referring to him as “Master.” Nah, he’d think of this person as Sadist for now, because that’s what he was.

A fucking sadist for selling Malori for sex, and for having done it to at least one other omega before Malori.

And they had no way of knowing how many others (male omegas, alpha females, or just regular people) were being exploited in the same way.

All for money.

King had money. King had power. But Kensley also knew his brother drew a hard line at sexual exploitation and human trafficking. When King found him, he would tear Kensley’s captors apart.

Not wanting to press his luck on his second day here, Kensley returned his entire tray to the dumbwaiter.

When Malori did the same and closed the door, the gears ground to life, whisking their empty dishes away.

Kensley studied the dumbwaiter door, curious how strong the wood was.

His fingers brushed behind the decorative wood paneling and ran over cool metal. Reinforced.

Damn it.

Much smarter people than him had created this prison, so Kensley was unlikely to find a weakness or escape route. Wouldn’t stop him from resisting with every breath in his body, though.

Malori settled in one of the armchairs and drew his legs up to his chest. “Please tell me about the outside world. It’s been a lifetime since I’ve had someone to talk to who wasn’t lying to me.”

“I wish I could tell you more than I know, but like I said, up until a few weeks ago, I was living in an abbey.” Kensley sat on the end of the couch nearest Malori’s chair.

“I saw parishioners multiple times a week for services, but we rarely spoke about anything that wasn’t spiritual.

I was friendly with my fellow priests, but we weren’t allowed to watch TV or consume much media.

Then I spent the last two weeks on a tropical island, sequestered away from the world. ”

“Tell me about the island? Please?”

Kensley did, describing his short-lived paradise, while leaving out all the sexy bits.

His heart ached for Bishop, and his body mourned the loss of his nearness, but he tried not to focus on those things.

On their now-five-days apart. He concentrated on the good things: the smell of saltwater; the crash of ocean waves; the sweetness of fresh conch; snorkeling over a coral reef.

“It sounds like a dream,” Malori whispered. “Something I’ve only seen on TV.”

“It was a wonderful experience, but there was still danger. I ended up here, didn’t I?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault. Will you tell me more about you? Your life before this?”

Malori frowned at his lap, where he didn’t stop twisting his fingers around each other.

“I barely remember my life before this. It wasn’t all that great, anyway.

Like I said, my family hated that I was omega.

My choices were the Order or the street, so I chose the street.

I lived in shelters and worked whenever I could, usually under the table.

But there was more money in dealing drugs. ”

“Oh.” He’d expected some history of prostitution, but selling drugs was just another way of selling your body—especially if you got hooked on your own product. Then again, the story wasn’t over yet.

“Dealing was dangerous, but I made enough to stay in cheap motels, to eat regularly. But I was also using, and addicts aren’t known for making great choices.

I got arrested a few times, spent some time in jail, thankfully in my own cell.

It’s not like I’ve got omega stamped on my forehead, but sometimes I swear someone can look at me and just tell. You know?”

“Yeah.” Kensley had gotten that sense a few times while exploring the open air market.

“I do sometimes wonder what they really know, versus what we’re projecting.

Because you’re right. We don’t have marks or special features that scream omega male or alpha female.

We have to be aroused for anything to be obviously different. ”

“Yeah.” Malori grunted, eyes narrowing at nothing in particular—except maybe his own past. “I met this girl, another junkie named Hannah. We were sweet on each other, and one night while high we had sex.”

Kensley nodded, annoyed at his jolt of surprise.

Being omega male and having a self-lubricating asshole did not automatically make him gay or interested in men at all.

The same way being alpha female didn’t mean a woman was only attracted to other women.

But the way traditional ideas of sex and gender got twisted up in the omega and alpha designations were why the most conservative societies urged alphas and omegas to enter religious orders.

To keep them tucked away from “civilized” people.

“So, you like women?” Kensley asked. No sense in being coy about the topic when their reproductive parts were all tangled up in their identities and their current predicament.

“I’ve had consensual sex with women, and for a while, I thought I was in love with Hannah.

She introduced me to a small group of people, her family, as she called them.

My new family for a while. We protected each other, and I thought she’d keep my secret.

” He seemed to debate adding more details, and Kensley didn’t push.

The pain was all over Malori’s face. “Anyway, I ended up here. Forced detox was hell. And even though I’d admired men from afar, I’d never…

” Malori’s face crumpled but he didn’t cry.

Kensley could easily fill in the rest of that sentence. I’d never had consensual sex with a man. “I’m sorry.”

Malori shrugged one shoulder. “It doesn’t matter. If being here doesn’t kill me, if by some miracle your brother does find us, I don’t want to have sex ever again. Not with anyone. I just want to be left alone.”

Speaking about their future rescue was a good start. Maybe Kensley’s positive attitude was rubbing off on Malori. He hoped so. “If you want a solitary life someplace quiet, we’ll make sure that happens.”

“Thank you.” The words sounded more dismissive than anything else, but Malori had been living in hell these last few years.

A far more violating, degrading hell than the one Kensley had existed in at the abbey.

Kensley’s life had been stifling and boring, but he’d freely given his body to Bishop.

Malori had been violated dozens, maybe hundreds of times.

Their conversation fizzled after that. Malori focused on the television, expression bland, barely reacting to the program.

Now that he had more room to move around and wasn’t chained in place, Kensley began pacing the perimeter of the living space and both of their bedrooms. Over and over.

He walked until he broke a slight sweat and was breathing harder.

He needed to exercise, to be prepared for anything.

Sitting on his ass and moping wouldn’t help them.

Muscles warmed from his exertion, Kensley gulped water from the bathroom sink, and then returned to the couch.

As soon as his ass hit the cushion, something buzzed.

Malori sat up straight, feet hitting the floor, his face going nearly white.

Kensley stood back up, attention on the front door, hackles rising.

Someone was here.