Page 101 of Inferno

With a curt nod and a sharp intake of breath, there is an unmistakable metallic click of my pistol snapping free from its holster.

Finn moves well out of the way as I pull the trigger.

“I liked that couch,” Conan whines behind me.

“Burn it and him. Get a new couch.” I brush him off. I don’t have time for distractions.

This whole thing is driving me insane, another piece in a chaotic puzzle that makes absolutely no sense. The uncertainty is a suffocating weight.

Something ain’t right.

Today is not the day; I have games to play.

Chapter 33

CHARLOTTE

Song- Dreams, SKUM, Meisym.

The truck screeches to a halt, tires spitting gravel. Drago cuts the engine as moonlight streams through the trees.

Cliché assholes. This is probably the first time I’ve felt some sort of fear before a mission.

It’s not just my life that depends on this. It’s my little girl, and Drago, too.

A nervous throat-clearing sounds as I fixate on the thrumming helicopter.

“You know this isn’t your typical sex club, right?” His voice is low.

“No, Drago. Please tell me more.”

I roll my eyes. I read the damn contract. Told them my sexual preferences and consented to my own fucking death.

“The games. You’re going to need to remember your training.”

“I don’t recall learning how to fuck as part of my assassin 101.”

A shudder runs through my body and my fists clench. That statement is wrong. Marrying Vlad tied me to a life of sex that I didn’t want. So if I can deal with that, I can deal with anything.

“I’m fine. I can handle pain. What’s the worst they can do in a sex club?”

They won’t kill me. I won’t let them. If my husband has taught me anything, it’s that consent doesn’t matter.

So that Decadence contract I signed means shit. I do not consent to my own death. I’ll burn the entire place down.

“You dealing with torture isn’t my concern. Can you deal with pleasure and pain? I’m thinking your best way to win is to immerse yourself in the games. You have to find your way to The Master.”

Hmm. That I don’t know. I’ve only ever been with one guy who focused on my pleasure.

That didn’t just take from me.

There’s one man on this Earth that values my voice, and once I’m done with this, I will find him again.

“I’ll be fine. I can cope with a bit of spanking.”

Drago chuckles, which makes me less tense. But then his jaw clenches and his eyes darken as he turns to me.

“There is one of you. You are unarmed, and they’re clearly deranged fuckers to be hosting this. Don’t fuck around, Char. Win the games. Do your job.”

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