Page 140 of Black Castle

“Remember what the Bible says about sins?” Zev places the axe on James’s right arm. “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off.”

The axe swings. Blood sprays. A shrill cry rips from Vivienne’s throat, morphing into a moan as her body betrays her. Zev smirks, gripping her thigh and throwing her leg over his shoulder as he rewinds the video. “Fuck, I need to see that again.”

He thrusts harder, chasing his own release, dragging hers from her like a man possessed. The video replays—the arm severing, the blood pooling—the orgasm tearing through her shame drowns in its wake.

“See? I am the perfect man for you, ladybird,” he murmurs, his voice raspy, muscles clenched as he spills inside her. “Fuck roses, I’ll bring severed limbs of the men to your doorstep. I’ll hang their heads on a stake in your name. Say, the name, darling. All you gotta do is say their fucking name. And I’ll slit their throats. I’ll make them shiver at the mention of your name. I’ll make them bow to even your shadow.”

Pressing a gentle, deceptively soft kiss on her neck, he pulls out of her, collapsing next to her in the bed, breathless.

His words replay in Vivienne’s head, thrumming in her veins. But she is unable to shake off what just happened on the screen. What kind of monster has she become?

The room is silent for a while except for their panting.

Then cold reality finally rushes in.

“I—I want to go home,” she whispers, sitting up on shaking limbs, slipping out of bed.

Zev rolls onto his stomach, propping himself on his elbows, unconcerned. “Didn’t like the movie? Fine, I’ll pick better next time. What do you say about uh, Sleeping Beauty? I used to like those.”

Her expression hardens. “You are fucking crazy.”

“About you? Absolutely.” He pats the side of the bed she just left empty. “Now come back. I don’t wanna have to chase you.”

“I don’t wanna spend another second here.” Her voice shakes, bitter. “Get me out of this place. Take me home, now!”

His sigh is lazy, but his eyes are sharp and dark. “You know, you’re really infuriating.” He exhales sharply. “Fine, I’ll go hard.”

He begins to rise off the bed. And Vivienne bolts for the door. Naked. Shaking. She barely registers as she stumbles into the living room.

“God, I need to go. I need to go,” she chants, her chest tight, stomach in knots as tears spill out of her eyes—warm—running down her cheeks, blurring her vision. “I need to get out of here. I need to go home. God please, take me out of here.”

Then she hears it. A click.

She turns sharply with a gasp, her arms wrapped around her body.

Zev stands by the end of the hallway that opens into the living room, a gun dangling from his fingers.

“I told you not to let another man look at you.”

Her breath stutters.

Another man?

Is this still about Fadden?

“Now, I have to lose two competent soldiers because of you.” His voice is dark, laced with something lethal. “Because you decided to flaunt what belongs to me in front of them.”

Her pulse pounds. The gun lifts—not at her, but past her.

The shot rings out, echoing twice and a loud scream tears from her throat as she drops, hands covering her ears, shielding her head.

She hears it, the loud thud of bodies collapsing to the way the tiled floor.

Then silence, followed by the cold, undeniable scent of blood.

She lifts her head, slowly, her eyes scanning until they stop at a spot. Her heart pounds, blood rushing in her ears.

Two men lie motionless in the corner, blood pooling around them.

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