Chapter Eight
Tori’s POV
My eyes slowly opened to the sharp light pushing through the curtains. I groaned under my breath as I tried to sit up, my muscles protesting instantly.
My entire body ached, deep and heavy, like my bones had been crushed and forced back together.
My fingers curled into the sheets while I pushed myself upright, my jaw tightening when a dull pain shot through my ribs.
"You are awake."
That voice.
My shoulders stiffened imdiately. My brows pulled together as I forced my head up, and there he was. Sitting there like he owned the air I breathed. Watching .
My chest tightened at the thought. Had he really been sitting there the whole ti? Watching sleep like so kind of guard or predator waiting for his prey to wake.
I dragged in a breath and forced strength into my limbs, pushing myself to sit up properly even though my back scread in protest. I refused to look weak in front of him.
"You seem stronger than expected," he said calmly, standing from the stool and moving closer. His voice was flat, but there was sothing else beneath it, sothing sharp and observant. "Who would have imagined you would survive this ti around?"
My lips pressed into a thin line. He really set up the entire thing.
He sat on the edge of the bed beside , the mattress dipping under his weight. My body instinctively leaned away before I could stop myself. His palm ca up anyway, cupping my cheek like he always did.
My brows furrowed, and I swallowed hard. "I have to survive."
His thumb brushed lightly over the scar on my face. I sucked in a sharp breath, my fingers tightening into the sheets.
"Good," he murmured. "Taking the last position in anything would make our deal useless. Those girls lives are still in your hands." The corner of his lips lifted into that sa cruel smirk.
I clenched my jaw, "Where have you been taking the girls to? The ones who lost."
"Does that really matter? The deal was for not to kill them."
What if he was doing sothing way worse to them?
His hand slid down slowly, resting on my waist before pulling into his chest. My body tensed instantly. The pain surged in, while little gasps escaped from my lips.
My shoulders stiffened, and I tried to twist away, but the movent pulled on my injuries and I winced, a soft gasp slipping past my lips.
His eyes flickered down to my reaction.
"This pain," he said quietly, his voice dropping, "is nothing compared to what I have planned for you."
My breath grew uneven. I turned my face away the mont his gaze lingered on my lips, my heart thudding painfully against my ribs. I refused to let him see the panic that threatened to surface.
"I promise I will break you," he whispered near my ear, his tone cold yet strangely patient, "and you will beg for more, my princess. Just wait."
My fingers dug into his arm, not to pull him closer, but to push him away. My chest rose and fell rapidly as soon as he finally let go of my waist.
A deep sigh escaped the second the distance between us returned.
"See you later," he said lightly, waving his hand like nothing had happened, like he had not just threatened to ruin piece by piece. Then he turned and walked out with that sa relaxed smile on his face.
I stared at the door long after he left, my nails pressing into my palms.
Fuck him.
********
Days passed, and my body started recovering faster than it should have. I hadn’t been given dicine and no proper treatnt too, Yet the bruises were slowly fading, the cuts closing like my body was forcing itself to keep up with whatever nightmare this place was.
I was still staring at the faint marks on my arm when a knock pulled out of my thoughts. My head turned sharply, and I saw Nicole standing at the entrance.
He looked calm. What was his motive this ti around?
"Are you in for a walk?" he asked.
My brows lifted slightly. I wanted to refuse. Every part of wanted to stay in this room and avoid all of them. But the walls were suffocating, and the silence in here was worse than their presence outside.
I nodded once.
I slipped my feet into the soft leather sandals placed beside the bed and followed behind him quietly. My steps were slow, careful.
The long hallway echoed with each movent, and I could feel his presence in front of even without looking up.
The silence between us grew heavier with every step. My fingers fidgeted with the hem of my gown before I finally spoke.
"What about the third brother? I haven’t heard of him since I got here."
He did not stop walking.
"You an Riven?" he replied casually. "He is dealing with rogues at the border. It sounds like you are eager to et him."
I was just extrely curious to know the kind of person the third brother was.
I scoffed softly, shaking my head. "Never. Kael is already a nace to . I wonder what you are too, and why you suddenly want to walk with ."
He slowed slightly, his expression unreadable. "My goals are the sa as my brother when it cos to you," he said. "My approach is different."
My brows pulled together. A cold chill ran down my spine, smirking my lips. At the end of the day, they just want to fuck and dump .
"I am enjoying whatever is going on between you and Kael," he continued, his tone still calm. "You will give up soon enough. It is amusing how easy he is going on you."
My stomach twisted. If this was ’easy’, I didn’t want to imagine what difficult looked like.
After a while, the ache in my legs grew worse. My steps beca uneven, and I sucked in a breath, trying to hide it.
He noticed.
"I shouldn’t have brought you outside," he muttered, suddenly grabbing my wrist. My eyes widened as he pulled toward a quiet corner and guided to sit on a low stone pavent.
Before I could react, his fingers lifted the hem of my gown slightly.
My breath hitched. My shoulders stiffened, and I grabbed the fabric, but he had already seen the bruises spreading across my leg.
"Co with ," he said, his voice colder now. There was distaste on his face. He was obviously not okay with whatever he was seeing right now.
Before I could protest, he slid one arm behind my back and the other under my knees, lifting effortlessly. My eyes widened in shock, my hands instinctively grabbing his shirt.
"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped, my brows knitting together.
He did not answer. He simply carried through the hallway.
When we reached his room, he pushed the door open with his foot and placed gently on the bed. My heart was racing now, confusion and tension twisting together in my chest.
He turned without a word and locked the door. My breath caught.
He walked back toward slowly, his gaze scanning my body. "Take it off," he said.
My brows shot up. "What?"
"The gown," he clarified flatly. "Or do you want to do it myself."
My jaw clenched. My fingers trembled slightly before I slowly pulled the gown over my head, leaving in just my singlet and panties. My cheeks burned, and I crossed my arms over my stomach instinctively.
His eyes darkened slightly when he saw the bruises scattered across my body. Concern was written on his face, but I wasn’t sure if it was real or not. He simply reached for a small jar on the table.
He dipped his fingers into the ointnt and sat beside .
My body stiffened when his hand touched my shoulder. My breath grew shallow as he slowly applied the ointnt over the bruises, his fingers moving lightly across my skin.
My eyes fluttered shut for a second before I forced them open again. I refused to relax.
"Does it hurt?" he asked quietly.
My throat felt dry. "No," I lied, even though my fingers were gripping the sheets tightly.
He moved closer, applying the ointnt on my arm, then my side. Each touch sent a soft shiver down my spine, and I hated that my body reacted at all. My brows furrowed, and I bit the inside of my cheek to control myself.
His touch was different from that of his brother and that was what made hate him more. They all had the sa goal though, just his approach was different.
"Face ," he said.
I hesitated, then slowly turned toward him. Our faces were suddenly too close. My breath hitched, and my eyes flickered down before snapping back up to his.
The air between us grew light.
His gaze dropped to my lips, and my heart started pounding violently against my chest. My fingers curled against the mattress as he leaned in slightly.
My eyes closed slowly, waiting for what was about to happen.
My eyes snapped open. My hand pressed against his chest, stopping him before our lips could et.
My brows lowered, and I shook my head stubbornly, even though my heart was still racing wildly.
"What is going on here?" Both our heads turned sharply.
Nicole straightened imdiately, his expression turning cold again. "Riven," he said aloud.
Riven? The brother that was supposed to be at the border?
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