Page 11 of The Sinners Gambit

Naomi continues to thrash. “I’m in control.”

I snort out a laugh. “Yeah, it totally looks like it.”

She groans out, “Let go.” I fully release her, and she instantly takes the moment to put some distance between us.

“Let me train you for the next few days.”

“Few days!?” she exclaims. “This is insane!”

“Yes, it may be, but anything worthwhile is. Besides, it’ll give us a chance to get to know each other and give you a way to defend yourself. And at the end of each day you’ll have a chance to fight me. Beat me and you can leave.”

“You want me to fight for my freedom?” Naomi raises an eyebrow at me.

“I will have it no other way, my queen.”

“I am notyouranything.”

“Not yet. But you will be. Either way, you need to learn to defend yourself.”

“What if I don’t beat you? Will you keep me caged?”

“Not quite. You get to come to the dungeons with me.” She has to see every dark part of this world and myself. “And you have more freedom here than you realize.” I leave it at that. But after tonight she’ll have full access to everything within the property, she just has to dare to explore it.

“Of course you have a fucking dungeon. Fine, I’ll take your deal, not that I have a choice. But I have my own bargain.”

I turn my head sideways—curious. “What would that be?”

“I want freedom.”

“I—”

“I want to be able to see this mansion daily. I’ll let you or Axel supervise and decide the time limit, but I refuse to be locked away in the room all day.”

She doesn’t even realize she’s had that all along, but I won’t deny myself her willing company. “In return I get?”

“One question.”

“I know everything I need to know about you, little firecracker.”

She has a toothy grin. “You think you do. But that’s not my problem. You get one question answered. It’s your responsibility not to squander it with something stupid.”

“Game on.”

Chapter 7

Naomi

It’samuchquieterwalk back to my room—which is much appreciated. As strong as I am, this is a lot for me.

“Tha—” I start to say, as it’s been ingrained culturally as a woman to thank everyone for any small gesture. But I think I can draw the line at saying thanks to someone for walking me to my cell door, especially when the person is my kidnapper. Internally, I kick myself for the slip-up. I open my mouth to say something else, but I’m at a loss for words.What do you even say to your captor?So, I look up at him to fill the empty space.

“I hope you found your bed restful. It’s the best mattress that money can buy,” he says. There’s a sureness in his voice, but I can see in his eyes that he’s also at a loss. Maybe breaking him won’t be as hard as I thought. There seems to be a warmth within the cold-blooded monster.

“Uh, I could tell you if I wasn’t drugged when I slept in it last,” I say matter-of-factly. In truth, I did notice the perfect balance of firmness and cushion when I was sitting on it earlier. I refuse to give him the validation he’s clearly seeking for doing something right though.

He snorts out in this charmingly boyish way. “That’s true. Well, hopefully tomorrow you can tell me how you like it.”

“Yeah, nothing sounds more appealing to me than talking to my kidnapper and telling him all about the conditions he has me held captive in.”

---