The temperature plummeted below freezing.
Malum sighed, and his breath puffed out in a cloud of condensation. “Calm down.” He turned the nozzle up as hot as it would go.
Flames jumped off his arms and crawled along the walls. Once again, ice turned to water. Pipes groaned, then hot water filled the space with steam.
He manhandled me so I stood under the heat, then he caged me against the wall so I couldn’t escape.
We were sopping wet.
“Great, now you’re waterboarding me.” I sputtered. “And you wonder why I don’t want to be your mate? Grow up.”
I slammed my fist at his throat. He dodged at the last minute, and the blow glanced off harmlessly.
“You don’t want to do that.” Silver eyes glinted with pure aggression.
I bared my teeth and let him see his death in mine as I lunged forward to strangle him. John and Luka stepped under the spray and restrained my arms.
“All this because I don’t have a soul?” I laughed harshly. “I knew you kings would turn on me as soon as anything got difficult.”
Flames trailed out of Malum’s nose as he breathed.
I tried to wrench my hands free, but the twins were unrelenting.
They held me immobile.
Turning my head, I stared at John. “I trusted you.” My voice was raw.
He didn’t release me.
My heart crumpled.
It hurt.
I looked away, unable to handle the sight of the people I’d thought I’d spend my life with turning on me.
They were ripping out my heart and stomping on the already broken pieces.
There was nothing left inside.
The fight left me.
Insides melting, I slumped forward. The twins’ grip kept me from face-planting onto the edge of the tub, smashing my face open, and bleeding out.
Another missed opportunity.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Scorpius snarled like a broken record as he pulled the shower curtain wide so all the men could lean over me. Cage me inside the shower.
Tears welled.
My eyes burned.
I tilted my head forward and let my hair obstruct my face because there was no way I would cry in front of these men. They didn’t deserve it.
“WHY would you keep this secret?” John’s voice cracked as he asked, his harsh grip softened, and he shifted so he was half hugging, half holding me up. “How could you not tell us?”
He sounded dejected.
I stayed limp.
It wasn’t their problem that I didn’t have a soul. It was their problem that I hated them and would never talk to any of them ever again.
Callused fingers wrapped around my chin, and Luka tipped my head up, so I was staring at him.
His face contorted with pain as he asked, “Aran, how could you not tell us that you feel pain every time you were aroused?”
My thoughts blanked.
“Oh,” I breathed out as my lips parted. So that was what this all was about? Exhaustion, confusion, and relief washed over me.
Then, like his words had detonated a bomb, the men exploded.
Chapter 44
Aran
COMPROMISES
Metanoia （noun）： a transformative change of heart.
DAY 30: HOUR 15
Malum bellowed like a wounded animal and whirled.
He slammed his fist into the concrete bathroom wall. “You’ve been in pain every single fucking time you’ve been turned on. Do you understand how messed up that is? All three of us touched you in the changing room!” He screamed as he punched, then his voice dropped and he whispered brokenly, “We never should have touched you. You made a pained noise, and we didn’t realize.”
He gasped like he was holding back a sob.
Scarlet flames filled the bathroom with suffocating smoke.
Ice formed on my fingertips. Hot water melted it away. My clothes hung off me, soaking wet and dirty from the battle.
Grime pooled at my feet before it washed down the drain.
I didn’t regret not telling the men, but I regretted that this was what we’d come to—spiraling in a tiny bathroom.
Six large bodies crammed into a space built for two. Max.
Everyone was squished together.
Slumped over on the edge of the tub, bumping into everyone, Scorpius pulled at his hair dejectedly.
Water sprayed off me and onto him. His pale skin was speckled with pink.
He looked ill.
Orion staggered and collapsed down onto the toilet seat. With his legs intertwined with Scorpius, he hyperventilated. Malum kept driving his fists punishingly through the concrete.
The kings were a mess.
The twins weren’t much better.
John and Luka stood on either side of me in the shower. Our sopping-wet bodies were pressed flushed against one another, and tremors rocked through all three of us. Scorpius’s back leaned against our legs.