Page 214 of Inferno

“This is petrifying. I know. But I promise you, I won’t let you down.” I look into her eyes and pour out my soul to her.

“You don’t need to pretend with me, Charlotte. I see you. I hear you. I won’t hurt you, I am not him.”

She nods and reaches out to cup my face.

“I never thought you made me weak. I just didn’t want you caught in the crossfire with Vlad. This isn’t your battle.”

Resting my hand over hers on my cheek, I close my eyes.

“The minute you walked into my life in Italy was the minute it became my battle.”

Chapter 82

CHARLOTTE

Icome to a halt as Declan taps in the code to Decadence.

Being back here makes my body shiver.

“You okay?” He holds out his hand behind him and wiggles his fingers for me to grab.

“The games. They were a lot.”

On one hand, they set me free. They brought me back to Declan, which is right where I’m meant to be.

I don’t need a savior. But a partner who will stand by my side and hold my hand as we take down the man who tried to break me? That is everything.

“That’s the idea. We weed out the scum in our world and give the girls a lease of new life. But to form a new life, one must shed the remains of their last one. That’s where the games come in. Survival brings out a side no one knew they had,” he tells me as the doors open.

As we walk past the first room, I look inside at the dildos on the wall.

“Why kinky games?” I ask.

I know he’s grinning without even looking.

“How else do I find a submissive perfect for me? There had to be a prize.”

I look down at my sneakers.

“But I didn’t win. I actually quite catastrophically lost, Declan.”

He pushes me back into the room and shuts the door.

“You won. You won me five fucking years ago. The winners of the games, they’re temporary. A year, and then they move on. You? You’re for life. The ultimate prize.”

A smile tugs at my lips as he steps towards me.

“Once I’m finished, you’ll be the best damn submissive I’ve ever had. And my last one.”

Goosebumps erupt over my skin as he traces along my collarbone.

“You have a lot to learn and a lot to forget. Your new life will begin, Charlotte. I promise you.”

“And the other girls in your life?” I ask.

I knew Vlad fucked around, a lot. He made no secret of his infidelity. I didn’t care, if he was entertained elsewhere, it meant I didn’t need to do it.

But Declan, he’s different.

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