Page 44 of Inside the Sun

What the hell’s waiting for me at the end of this?

Matteo stops and types a code into the wall panel. The door opens soundlessly.

We step into a room with black-painted walls. The lights are a mix of red and purple. In the center, there’s a table that looks kind of like a pool table, covered in soft fabric.

Next to it, there’s a black dresser or cabinet.

But the walls? Totally bare. No whips, no handcuffs, no gag balls. Nothing I expected to find here.

Just a row of hooks hanging from the ceiling.

That’s not all.

In the corner, kneeling on the wall-to-wall carpeted floor, is a small figure. Summer.

He’s dressed kind of like me, except he’s wearing a black thong instead of a dick cage.

He doesn’t lift his head, just like before, in the dining room.

Matteo gestures to the floor beside him.

"On your knees. Wait here," he says through clenched teeth, and I can guess why. Then he turns and leaves, shutting the door behind him. Smells like pre-cum. Obviously he’s not immune to the sight of two nearly naked pretty boys.

Now I’m alone with Summer. In this fucked-up, nearly empty room.

Glancing at the omega, I ask myself what the hell I’m supposed to do.

Everything I could say feels so fucking stupid.

"Got any escape plans?"

"Man, this sucks, huh?"

"How’d you end up here?"

"Hey, wanna be besties? Trauma bonding is a real thing!"

Yeah. No.

Nothing makes sense. Except…

"What happens now?" I manage to whisper.

Because that’s the only thing I really want to know.

Summer doesn’t even flinch. He stays perfectly still.

The wall-to-wall carpet is thick, but it’s not soft. My knees are already screaming. But I fight through it and just sit there, not really thinking. Just trying to survive the pain, the discomfort, the dizzying panic that’s creeping in.

And despair. I’ve never really felt it before. Not since Dogger left me. Was it a privileged life?

But I don’t want to feel this. I don’t want to be weak or helpless, like I have no control over my life.

Control is everything to me. My independence is the core of who I am, and that’s exactly what Anzo’s trying to destroy. But I won’t let him. I can’t let him take everything. If he does, there’ll be nothing left of me.

The walls must be soundproof, because I barely hear the footsteps. The door opens, and in walks that fucking bastard, Anzo. Just seeing him makes my skin crawl.

When he spots us kneeling in the corner, his expression shifts slightly. Like a predator spotting two animals quietly lined up for slaughter.

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