Page 61 of Inside the Sun

Suddenly, my body feels lighter.

The pressure on my wrists from the cuffs just vanishes.

What the fuck? This is insane.

It feels like I’m truly floating! Like something’s physically holding me up. My arms are no longer strained.

No one appreciates living without pain until they live through pain. The relief, the lack of discomfort, is overwhelming.

I let out a soft whimper of bliss. And ironically, another sob, of gratitude, escapes me.

"Oh my God… thank you. Thank you so much," I whisper.

"Helping you means risking everything for me," Summer says quietly. "If he finds out, it’s over."

Fighting back the emotions, I shut my eyes, and answer so quietly, he probably barely hears me.

"You don’t know me, and I know you’ve got no reason to believe anything good about me, but I swear, he won’t get it out of me."

Silence falls again. Summer turns his head to the side and leans it against his arm.

And we just hang there. Or float. Or levitate. For the next half hour, until Anzo finally comes back.

The moment I hear his steps and the click of the lock, I let out a loud groan, trying to sell it. Trying to sound like I’m still suffering.

The truth is, even though I wasn’t dangling, my arms were stretched up the whole time. They’re completely numb now, so it’s not a problem to whimper.

Anzo lowers me to the ground, and I groan again. Really, no acting required.

Going from hanging to lying flat sends a jolt of white-hot pain through my shoulders. I collapse on the floor like a sack of potatoes.

The capo lowers Summer too, hands him a key, and tells him to unlock my dick. Summer’s fingers are gentle and quick.

He avoids touching me as much as he can, just does the bare minimum to free me.

"Matteo will take you to your room now. I’ll stay here with Summer. Our fun’s not over yet."

Suddenly, clarity hits. This is my chance.

I don’t want to owe him anything.

So I say it.

"Whatever you were gonna do to him… do it to me instead. Just leave him alone."

I can’t believe those words actually came out of my mouth. Offering to take someone else’s torture, that’s downright crazy. And yet I say it before I even fully think it through.

Anzo freezes, then looks at me with a strange kind of focus.

"Don’t tell me you’ve taken a liking to my sweet Summer."

"No, I only get off on alphas. I just want to help him."

Anzo doesn’t buy it, obviously.

"So, you’ve suddenly found your inner nobility. That’s… unlikely." He tilts his head.

I scoff. "Just let me take his place. Whatever it is, do it to me instead. Please."

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