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His hand travels down my stomach, and when he presses it between my legs, I shift back suddenly, pulling my hand free and spilling water over the side of the tub and onto the tiled floor.

He stares at the wet floor, and I notice his jaw clenching. “I’m trying to be patient,” he says, his voice sounding unsteady with annoyance. He makes a grab for my wrist and hauls me to him, sitting me between his legs. “You’ll enjoy it, you just have to let me show you.”

I clamp my legs closed, and he sighs, pulling them apart and placing his legs over mine to keep them in place. His hand is back there, and I cry out in horror as he rubs me. His free hand cups my breast, teasing the nipple. “I promise it feels good, Wynter.”

His fingers part me, and I push back against him, trying to buck away.

“Relax, it’s going to be over soon.” He pushes his finger into me, and I begin to cry, sobbing uncontrollably as memories of the caves fill my head.

His heavy breaths in my ear make me feel sick as he uses his thumb to press against my sensitive area.

I feel too full, and as a warm sensation burns my body, I twist away, unsure if I need to embrace it or fight it.

“Don’t I treat you well?” he whispers in my ear.

“Like a queen?” My body is buzzing with a feeling I can’t describe, and I try to remove his hand, but he’s too strong.

He nips along my neck, and I shudder. “That’s it, just let go.

” I’m not sure what he means, but the feeling inside gets more powerful until I can’t fight it any longer.

It zaps through me like a volt of electricity, and I have no control as I convulse against him, groaning.

“Good girl,” he murmurs. The feeling begins to edge away, and his rubbing slows. He takes my hand and pulls it behind my back to take his erection again. “Grip it hard,” he instructs.

“I don’t want to,” I whisper, unable to stop the feeling of shame as he turns me to face him.

“Two hands,” he orders, forcing me to take him. “Now, do what I just showed you.”

“Please,” I sniffle, allowing a tear to escape down my cheek.

“Wynter, we just need to get it out the way, and then you’ll feel better about it. Trust me, it’s a good thing.” His head leans back, and he closes his eyes, gasping as I move my hands like he showed me.

My arms ache as I continue to touch him.

I watch as his abdomen tenses and he arches slightly, groaning before tensing.

I stare in amazement as liquid squirts from his penis, coating my hands and his stomach.

I immediately let go, and he takes over, continuing until no more liquid squirts out.

His heavy breathing fills the silence, and I push my hands into the water to clean them.

He sits up, smiling. “See, it felt nice, didn’t it?

” He grabs a sponge before I can reply and loads it with soap.

“Back here,” he orders, pulling me to lie against him.

He runs the sponge over my body, squeezing it so the bubbles trail over my breasts.

I zone out, letting the guilt of what just happened sink deep within me.

Wrath

“She needs us,” says Martha, and I turn my back and close my eyes. “I know you can talk, Wrath, I was here when you spoke to Wynter.”

“Leave.”

“You think death is the best option, but you’re wrong.”

“She’s falling for him.” It was written all over her face, and although she might have every intention to get us out of here, the more time she spends with him might mean things change.

“Who? Silas?”

“I saw it in her eyes.”

“You’re wrong. But either way, it changes nothing. She still wants out. Wynter won’t abandon us. I know she won’t.”

I roll onto my back and turn to look at her lingering in the doorway. “We should make a plan for ourselves, just in case things don’t work out with Wynter.”

She frowns. “What if we get caught?”

“And you didn’t think that was a possibility when Wynter was making the plans? Isn’t it worth the risk to get out of this hell?” I push to sitting. “We’ve all just accepted our fate here.”

“And you just want to leave Wynter?”

I shake my head. “I’m not going anywhere without her, even if I have to kill every man who stands in my way, including her husband.”

The guard appears behind Martha. “What’s going on?”

I lie back down, and Martha steps farther into the room. “He’s like us,” she tells me. “Alex wants out of here too.”

I scoff. “It’s true,” he says, nodding. “I’m just as trapped.”

“You have keys,” I snap.

“Not to anything important.”

I laugh, sitting up again and staring in disbelief. “You hold the keys to all the warriors in here.” Alex shrugs, looking baffled. “The four strongest men here.”

Martha sighs. “The others might not want to join us,” she says. “Wynter built a connection with them, but they’re not as trusting with us.”

“Then let them out,” I say.

Alex laughs, his smile soon fading when he realises I’m deadly serious. “They might turn on me.”

“We need Wynter,” says Martha. “They trust her.”

Footsteps have us all looking towards the door, and I inhale sharply at the sight of Wynter.

Her hair is wet, and she’s wearing a thin night dress.

She’s been crying, and I stand, immediately growling when my chains restrict me from going to her.

“Unlock me,” I yell. Alex hesitates, glancing at Martha for permission.

She nods, and he carefully approaches, eyeing me suspiciously.

He unlocks the metal cuff on my wrist and it falls away.

The red mark is clearly visible, and I rub it.

It’s the first time I’ve been without the metal there in a long time.

I grab the blanket from my bed and go over to where Martha is comforting Wynter.

I wrap it around her shoulders, and she stares up at me with red, tear-filled eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. I pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her.

She buries her face into my chest and sobs, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

“We’ll be right out there,” Martha whispers, nodding to the door before grabbing Alex and pulling him from the room.

Wynter looks up at me again, this time sniffling as tears leak from her eyes and trail down her cheeks. “I love you,” she whispers. “I’m so sorry.” She breaks into a fresh round of sobs.

“And what about him?” I ask, holding my breath. I’m nervous for her answer because if she chooses him, I have to leave her behind, and the thought of that is paralysing.

“I don’t want him,” she reassures me. “I was confused. He was nice to me, and I thought if I could win him around, I could get us out of here. But I’ve realised that if we want to leave here, we have to overpower the forefathers.”

“I agree.”

She almost smiles. “You do?”

I nod. “Alex is on board. With your help, we can convince the other three warriors to help fight our way out.”

She shakes her head, pressing her hands to my chest. “That’s not what I mean, Ares.

” I wait for her to continue. “There are too many people relying on me to get us out, and I can’t do it if the forefathers are there to stop me.

I can’t reach Summer if my father is still breathing.

” Her words settle, and I give a slight nod. “I want to kill them, Ares.”

“Okay,” I say.

Her eyes widen. “Really?”

I nod, cupping her face in my hands. “Let’s go.”

She smiles, relief flooding her face, but it soon fades. “There’s got to be a plan,” she mutters. “I need a little more time.”

I shake my head. “No. You’re not going back to him.”

“It’ll be easier this way,” she reasons.

I run my fingers into her hair and gently tug her head back to look up at me. “I love you, and I’m not letting you go back there so he can hurt you again.”

Her eyes glisten with more tears. “How did you know?”

“I know every expression you have, and the last time I saw this,” I murmur, rubbing my thumb over her cheek to smear her tears away, “was when I was forced to?—”

She reaches up, slamming her mouth to mine. We kiss, slow and gentle, and then she pulls back. “I don’t blame you for any of that,” she whispers, forcing a smile as more tears spill. “You’ve been made to do so much.” Her breaths shudder as she sobs. “But I’m glad it was you.”

I pull her back to me. “So, now what?”

“I have to talk to the other warriors,” she says against my chest.

“Okay.”

“It might be best if you wait here,” she adds.

I smirk, lacing our fingers together. “Not a chance.”