by Ella Miles
“You have one hour together. Enjoy yourselves. Test your limits. Remember the reward at the end if you win. This will be the final round of the night. Whoever makes it through this round will make it to tomorrow, where everything will change. Begin.”
I glance around at the two other groups I care about. Beckett, Kai, and a random man. Kai will lose, but Beckett will protect her for as long as he can.
Then, I find Liesel. She’s paired with Zeke and another man who is almost as big and tall. The two men could gang up on her. They could tear her apart, rip her to shreds. Bruise her, gag her, hurt her. It’s two against one. I don’t like her odds. The only thing working in my favor is that Zeke won’t want to do anything sexual to Liesel. But he’ll have no problem holding her down while the other man fucks every one of her holes and suffocates her to within an inch of her life.
“Zeke won’t hurt her,” Siren whispers to me.
I grunt. “He’s hated her since we were kids. He’ll enjoy hurting her.”
“That was before he knew you were in love with her.”
I laugh. “I’m not in love with her.”
“Then why else are you going through all this trouble? I know you say for the treasure, but that’s just stupid. Why?”
“Maybe it’s because I hate her, and this is the best way to make her pay.”
“We only have an hour. Are we going to get started, or you two going to waste everyone’s time? Because I have no problem using my shirt as a gag if it will shut you two up,” Mr. Lloyd says.
I size the man up. He’s tall and lanky. Built like a swimmer’s body. He has muscles, and he’s fit, but he doesn’t have the bulk strength that I do. I also doubt he has the intelligence. That’s not me just being cocky; I’m smarter than almost everyone else I know.
“If you’re so impatient, then you start. But if you go anywhere near my asshole, I’ll punch you until your lights are out. Got it?” I say.
He chuckles. “You aren’t going to make it long if you can’t handle some anal play from another guy. First time?”
I don’t answer. I don’t have a problem fucking anyone—woman, man makes no difference. Sex is just that—sex.
But I don’t like anyone else taking control. Liesel and I have that same problem.
I looked at Liesel less than a minute ago, and yet, I’m already finding her again. Just as I suspected, Zeke has Liesel’s arms tied behind her back while Mr. scumbag is running his hands up and down her body.
I growl. No one touches what is mine.
I want to run over and stop the man from touching her. She doesn’t want this. There is no possible way she’d ever let a strange man touch her. She does the touching, the kissing, the fucking. She didn’t even let Waylon, her fiancé, take control during sex. He was her submissive puppy.
I’m about to break all the rules and go over and put a stop to this when Liesel glances my way. There is a twinkle of mischief in her eyes, and I realize she’s completely in control. I don’t know what her plan is, but it’s there.
That twinkle immediately disappears as soon as Siren puts her hands around me from behind and begins unbuttoning my shirt.
“What are you doing?” I hiss.
“Making Liesel jealous. Her look says she suspects we’re going to breeze through this round because she already thinks you and I have fucked.”
I curse.
Siren kisses my neck like we are lovers, like she’s already intimately acquainted with every area of my body.
“Zeke isn’t going to like it,” I whisper back as Mr. Lloyd starts walking over to join in on the fun.
“Let me worry about Zeke. Just keep me away from Lloyd.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re going to owe me.”
Siren whips me around, grabbing onto my tie. “No, you’re going to owe me.”
I won’t be able to hold off Mr. Lloyd forever, and I can’t fuck Siren. I can’t take things that far. Zeke would have my balls and my head. He probably will no matter what. But I sure as hell can make Liesel think that there is something between Siren and me. I can make her fucking insane; then, I might be able to get some answers tonight.
I slip my jacket off and toss it at Mr. Lloyd.
“I’m not your coat rack,” he growls, tossing my jacket to the floor.
“Let me have my way with her first. Then you can have a turn before we take her together.”
“I’d rather fuck your tight ass,” he smirks back.
“Fine,” I hiss. “Just give me ten minutes with her first.”
Mr. Lloyd grins. “I’m going to enjoy the show.”
Siren raises an eyebrow in surprise. I frown in return.
Really? You think I’d ever let him fuck me?
Siren laughs. “This is going to be fun.”
“Not when Zeke hangs me by my balls later.” I grab Siren’s curvy hips and yank her to me hard, taking her breath away.
“I enjoy a jealous Zeke. He fucks me so much harder when he’s angry.”
I grab her hair and yank her head back, exposing the skin on her long neck. “Can you not talk about you and Zeke fucking? I don’t really want to know that I’m turning you on.” I let my tongue lap down her neck, like a dog thirsting for water. Tasting Siren like this does nothing. She’s a beautiful woman, but I think of her as a sister. She’s my best friend. My soulmate. My partner in crime. She’s not my lover.
“Eww,” Siren says but the way she says it makes anyone looking on think I just made her come with my tongue on her neck alone.
Her hands go to my shirt, and she continues to unbutton it as her lips kiss my chest. “Are they watching?”
I can feel Liesel’s heated gaze. “Yes.”
I let my eyes cut to them, and I about fucking lose it.
Liesel’s dress has been ripped from her body. Zeke is using the remnants of her dress to tie her arms together, while the other guy slobbers on her neck.
“We need to up our game,” I tell Siren.
Her eyes cut to them. “He won’t hurt her.”
“He will if he thinks I’m fucking you.”
Siren yanks off my shirt and then goes to work on my belt. I face them as I shove Siren down on her knees in front of me. I won’t strip her of her clothes, but I sure as hell am going to let her go further than I ever thought I would.
This isn’t chicken between me and Siren. It’s chicken between me and Zeke.
I look at Liesel, who is cringing with each kiss, biting her lip in disgust.
“You want Zeke to hurt Liesel?” Siren asks when she has my pants undone. I know what she’s asking. How far do I want her to go? She’s willing. She’d do almost anything for me after everything I’ve done for her.
I want Zeke out of the games. I want a more fair match between Liesel and the other man. She has no chance as long as he’s holding her back and letting the other man do whatever he wants to her.
“Yes,” I blow out.
In that second, she has my cock out, and her lips are wrapping around it.
“Jesus,” I curse too loud.
I was expecting her to pull my cock out, and maybe fake touch me. I wasn’t expecting a fucking blowjob.
Slap.
Zeke slaps Liesel so fucking hard across the cheek. All I see is red. Sure, my cock is hard, but there are a million naked hot people around me all moaning. Liesel is standing basically naked in front of me. Of course, I’m turned on.
You’re a deadman, I mouth to Zeke. How dare he touch my woman.
Without thinking, I grab Siren’s hair and fist it in a ponytail. Then I pump her head back and forth over my cock.
I’m numb. I don’t feel her warm lips, wet tongue, moist saliva. All I see is Zeke’s hand across Liesel’s face.
Surrender, asshole. Or I’m going to take this too far.
Zeke screams pineapple.
What?
It’s then that I realize it’s his safe word.
I release Siren.
She remo
ves my cock from her mouth and whispers her word.
Even as quietly as she whispered it, a man walks over to escort her out with Zeke.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper to her as she stands on her feet.
“I’m not. Zeke’s going to fuck me so hot tonight.” She winks, and then she’s led out behind Zeke.
I glance over to Liesel, who now has the man she’s with tied up and on his knees.
Thanks for your help, she mouths in my direction.
“You’re a sucker. I don’t know who that woman is to you, but you just fell into her trap. She couldn’t manipulate two men, so she had you get rid of one for her,” Mr. Lloyd says behind me.
I know he’s right.
“Now, about that asshole,” he continues.
Like hell, I’m going to let anyone near my ass right now.
I turn and grab Lloyd by the neck.
“Ooh, you’re into erotic asphyxiation? Me too,” he says.
“Soon, you won’t be.”
I squeeze hard around his neck as I shove him toward the railing. He’ll either die from lack of oxygen, or I’ll throw him overboard. Either way is a win-win for me.
I lean in close to him, so no one can see that nothing sexual is happening between us. In the darkness, it looks like we are kissing. There are no rules, but I’m guessing that whatever you are doing has to at least be perceived as sexual. If not, this would just be a fistfight to the end.
Lloyd’s eyes bulge and his hands grip mine, scratching them until I release enough for him to speak.
“Ready to say your safe word yet?”
“Not fair. You have to be doing something sexual. Otherwise, I can tell the owners, and they will remove you from the games when I remove myself.”
Dammit.
I force my lips over his as I squeeze around his neck again. This is actually better. I can assure he can’t breathe if I’ve sealed his mouth and blow carbon dioxide in his face.
I don’t take a breath. My mouth is locked over his. My tongue dances at the seam of his lips that feel swollen from lack of oxygen.
Finally, I release him.
He mutters a word—his safe word.
I release him and walk away.
I find Liesel. Her man has her leaning against the railing, and his head is buried between her legs, tasting every inch of her.
My mouth waters at the sight as her eyes roll back. But just as she predicted, he can’t get her to completion.
Her nails dig into the poor man’s back, drawing blood.
“My turn,” I can hear her say.
The man’s eyes light up like he’s just entered heaven.
She kneels in front of him.
Don’t fall for it, man. The devil lives in her eyes. I wouldn’t let her near your man parts right now.
She takes his cock into her mouth in one deep swallow, and he’s down her throat. It’s not that impressive since the guy isn’t that big to begin with.
Suddenly, she bites down.
I wince at the sight as a blood-curdling scream echoes through the ship.
A man walks over to him. “I need you to say your safe word if you want to end your games.”
Liesel still has her mouth around his penis as his blood drips down her chin.
The man is still screaming hysterically, but he can’t seem to remember his safe word.
“Say your safe word, and this ends,” the man is basically pleading with him to use his safe word.
“I can’t…remember.” He stutters.
“It’s pterodactyl.”
“Pterodactyl!” he screams.
Liesel takes her time releasing the man. When she finally unsheathes him, two more men rush over to carry her victim away.
Liesel stands up with blood dripping down her chin and onto her bare breasts. She’s completely naked, covered in the man’s blood with his saliva dripping between her legs.
I grind my teeth together.
“This ends tonight’s game. There are eight of you left. The games start tomorrow at midnight. Enjoy the rest of your night and day tomorrow, but make sure you get plenty of rest. Tomorrow’s games last as long as it takes to crown a winner.”
As soon as Mr. Reyes finishes speaking, Liesel takes off. Everyone moves aside, too scared of her to stand in her way.
I chase after her, through the hallways, down the stairs.
She’s about to slam her bedroom door shut, but I catch it.
My eyes take in everything—the fucking sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. She looks like a vampire. I have no doubt she’s more powerful right now than any vampire in any novel or movie I’ve ever seen. She’s fucking glowing with strength.
“You should have said your safe word, killer. Tomorrow, you’ll be the one I’m taking a bite out of.”
I shake my head. “I would worry about tomorrow later if I were you. Tonight, we are playing my game. Tonight, I want to hear a lie. Tell me all the lies, because I can’t wait another night to kill you.”
13
Liesel
He wants me to lie.
I must have really gotten under his skin. And now he’s here getting under mine, taking in every ounce of my nakedness.
I still have blood on my face from biting Mr. Young. I’m sweaty and sticky from being manhandled and his failed attempts at making me come.
My hair is wild, and my makeup must be dripping from my face. The only piece of clothing I still wear is my mask.
Langston is shirtless, and the top of his pants are still undone, but he has a lot more clothes on than I do. He’s sweaty, but no blood covers him. He looks almost dignified.
“We should both get some rest. Tomorrow night is going to take every ounce of strength,” I say.
He forces his way inside my room, and I push the door shut behind him.
“But by all means, please come in.”
He snorts as he turns to look at me with his heady eyes, hooded and dripping in lust and desire.
He’s just as turned on and unsatisfied as me. That’s why he’s looking at me like this. Not because he finds me attractive, I remind myself.
I want to get dressed, put a robe on at least. I feel weak without clothes on, but I can’t let him know that. Tomorrow if I get to wear any articles of clothing other than my mask all night, I’ll be lucky. I need to get used to it. I need to feel powerful naked.
Somehow though, being nude in front of everyone else makes me strong. But in front of this man, with his eyes dancing over my body, I feel powerless.
My memories flutter through everything that has happened tonight, but only playing the parts that included Langston. Him kissing and groping the first woman, completely in control. Siren down on her knees, pleasuring him. Him threatening his male partner.
“She really loves you, doesn’t she?” I ask out of nowhere. It’s the only thing I can concentrate on.
“Who? Phoenix?” Langston says sheepishly, like it’s too much for him to think of Phoenix while he’s living this life.
“No,” I shake my head. “Siren.”
There is a beat of truthful silence as Langston and I trade breaths.
“Yes. Siren loves me, and I love her.”
I can feel how heavily his heart beats for her. How he’d do anything in the world for her and she him.
“What is it like? Loving someone and being loved?”
“It’s the most incredible and terrifying thing in the world.”
I nod.
“Don’t get it twisted, though. Siren and I aren’t lovers. Until tonight, we’d never touched each other and never kissed.”
“I know. It’s not a sexual thing between you. It’s not what Siren has with Zeke. It’s different, but it’s still love.”
Langston nods as he turns and looks out the sliding glass door behind him. I walk up beside him, and we both stare out at the stary night.
“Phoenix—” Langston starts.
“It doesn’t matter if you are married to her or not. I
t’s clear you don’t love her. Not after I’ve seen what you loving a woman looks like. You don’t have that with Phoenix as far as I’ve seen. And no man who truly loves his wife would be able to stomach what you did tonight. That’s why Enzo and Zeke dropped out so easily.” I smile, thinking about what Siren did. “Zeke is going to punish Siren for touching your cock, isn’t he?”
Langston chuckles. “Probably. Siren thinks it will spice up their sex life. I, for one, don’t want to think about it.”
I stare at his dimple and the twinkle in his eyes. For a split moment, he’s happy. He’s content. He’s not thinking about how to get the treasure. He’s not thinking about my lies. He’s not thinking about killing me. He’s just living in the moment.
Langston reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone. After a couple of swipes, he hands it to me.
“My marriage to Phoenix is legal. It may not be a fairy tale. It may not be love, but it’s real.”
I stare at the photo of his marriage license. I have no reason to believe he faked this. It looks real enough, and it doesn’t matter. He signed a legal document, the same way I’m going to in a couple of weeks. That doesn’t mean he’s in love with her.
Would it matter if he was?
I don’t want Langston to ever fall in love with me. I could never fall in love with him. Maybe if he loved another woman, it would make our relationship easier? Maybe he’d be able to focus on her instead of whatever this feud is between us?
Slowly, Langston turns to face me. His hands touch the bottom of my glittery mask. The mask makes me feel beautiful and mysterious, even though it doesn’t hide who I really am.
He pushes the mask off my face and tosses it on the bed.
Then he tugs gently on the black wig I’m wearing.
“I don’t like this,” he says.
“No?”
“No.”
His hands pull the wig off next. I’ve never felt so bare and so seen.
My blonde hair is up in a bun.
With his eyes locked on mine, he tugs the elastic, and my hair falls in waves down my neck.
“Better,” he says.
We both stare at each other, breathing deeply. He said he came here for me to tell a lie so he could take more time off my life. But right now, it seems he came here to see into my soul.