Page 128 of Inside the Sun

He hesitates, then asks, in a softer voice, "What about Sun? Do you know what he’s even doing there?"

"He’s Anzo’s boyfriend. To use a diplomatic word. But I know getting him out is way more complicated than with Summer. Your family’s too big, we can’t put all of you into witness protection."

"Nathaniel told me Sun’s a troublemaker," Hunter mutters. "And it looks like he was right. Maybe it’s better to hope Anzo gets bored of him and lets him go. Trying to pull him out by force won’t end well. The Ferros are notoriously vindictive."

A wave of discomfort washes over me. "You say that so casually. He’s your cousin. His parents took your brother in after the accident."

Hunter lets out an irritated hiss and walks away, dropping back onto the couch.

"I said I’d help with this one situation. Don’t expect me to save everyone. Sometimes people have to deal with the consequences of their own choices."

I stare at him in disbelief. Grief has changed him so much. There’s bitterness in him now, and anger, and something like indifference. His face, so still and lifeless, is almost eerie. Is he completely consumed by the pain of losing Olaf? Maybe… he just doesn't care about other people's loved ones anymore.

So I don’t say anything, aware that getting Summer out is hard enough. Sun is a whole different problem.

"Let me know what Zachary says, okay? And take care of yourself, Hunter. Don’t let this drag you down too far," I mutter.

"I know, I know. Thesun will riseagain, right?" he says in a mocking tone.

"If not thesun, maybe at least a tinystar."

"Poetic. And sappy. I’m not buying it."

"Cool," I mutter, giving up. His bitterness is solid steel.

"We’ll be in touch." Then I turn and leave.

This visit definitely didn’t improve my mood. As I walk to the car, I wonder why the hell did I even tell him about Sun?

Did I start to think that Sun could be saved as well, likefor real?

Did a part of me start plotting how to save that pretty kid…? Just adding another mission, and upping the odds of failing the one I already have?

SUN

The next few days blur into one long stretch of constant, unrelenting pain.

Anzo seems even more pissed than he was in the beginning. Sometimes he beats us for no reason at all, sometimes we’re left hanging from our hooks for hours. If it weren’t for Summer and his weird power, I don’t think I’d still be alive.

As for the fucking, Anzo makes us switch off every day. One day it’s me, the next it’s Summer.

Sometimes we both have to stay while he forces Summer to fuck him.

I catch myself wondering how the hell Anzo is still so clueless about how we manage to stay hard for him. There’s no way he actually thinks this situation turns us on. And yet we keep doing it for him. Despite the bruises, the shocks, the beatings.

Maybe in his arrogance, he really believes welikeit.

Summer does the same trick on himself. He stiffens his cock with this ability, the difference is, when I fuck Anzo, I don’t hold back. I slam into him with everything I’ve got. Summer, though… he does it like a robot. In and out, back and forth, mechanical as hell. It always takes Anzo forever to come when it’s Summer.

Sometimes it just pisses him off, how long it takes, so when he’s done, he stands up, winds up, and punches Summer in the face like it’s some kind of punishment. But if he thinks that’ll make Summer more enthusiastic, he’s clearly not thinking straight.

With every passing day, this whole situation gets sicker and more twisted. I don’t understand what Anzo finds so exciting about it. He doesn’t have any real connection with us, outside of the hours we spend in the black room, there’s nothing.

There are just the weird, fake ‘family’ dinners… then a few hours locked in our room with no phones, no laptops, not even a goddamn book to read. Then another meal.

Then I go out into the garden, where Ragnar’s waiting for me in the gazebo, and he gives me the one moment of peace I have in this whole fucked-up life.

We talk for a bit each day, not long, neither of us should spend too much time with the other, but I’m always surprised how easily we click. We’re totally vibing. I look forward to those talks more than anything. They’ve become my only oasis in this goddamn desert of despair.

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