Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Roger lost the battle with his stomach and began to retch in the back corner, the stench of his vomit immediately making me want to gag.
“Oof, that’s gross,” Mel muttered.
"There's your toll," Ky stated with a calmness that belied what he’d just done, shoving the man back into the woods. The door closed again, the ticking stopped, and the tram began to move. Ky turned and came back to where I was sitting, reclaiming his spot beside me.
The older man was the one to break the silence first, his eyes still wide and his nostrils flaring from how heavy he was breathing. "How did you know that would work?"
"Simple. I turned the stakes around."
"Sometimes you can use the ultimatums to your advantage,” Brody elaborated. "In this case, a life is a life. That's all we had to pay."
"She really made this one easy,” Carol commented.
“It’s not her controlling the games, but she does have a soft spot for her family, those of her blood and not,” Maverick replied.
Ky turned to me, his voice low. "I kept him alive.”
“I know,” I replied just as quietly, giving him my full attention.
“I did it for you. Tell me I did good, Sunshine.”
I couldn’t see his face behind the mask, but I felt his need for approval. He wanted to be praised. I could do that for him, he deserved it. "You did good, Ky. Thank you.”
He leaned closer, speaking right beside my ear. "You can thank me later."
My cheeks heated. I could only imagine what that would entail.
“For real, Ky? You’re going to foreplay in front of all of us?” Maverick exclaimed.
“Where are we--?”
My question was cut off by abrupt screams echoing in the air behind us.
"What is that?" the pretty brunette asked.
"They didn't pay their way," Ciaran answered, nonchalant as ever.
As the tram continued to move forward into the unknown, the knowledge everyone on the trams behind ours was being slaughtered only solidified Ky’s actions. That could have been us.
CHAPTER FIVE
The need for contact was overwhelming. I reached out, my fingers brushing against the soft fabric of her pants, before finally settling on her thigh. She looked down at my bloodstained hand, but instead of pulling away, she pressed closer to me, her warmth radiating against my solid form. The desire to have her spread beneath me was like a raging inferno fueled by every inch of her body that I wanted to worship.
My eyes were drawn to her like a magnet, longing to stare at her flawless features for the entire duration of the ride. But I couldn't risk others noticing.
She was too beautiful.
If they dared to look at her for more than a few seconds, I would have no choice but to gouge their fucking eyes out. Sunshine wouldn't approve of such violence, so I forced myself to tear my gaze away, seething with frustration and primal possessiveness over this woman who captivated me so effortlessly.
I distracted myself by listening to multiple conversations at once and sorting through the fodder on board with us. The extension of myself covering my face made this part easier. Sunshine had been smart to claim Carol. Before she put herself in harm’s way, Earl I could have given or taken. He'd already proven himself weak by getting his granddaughter killed back at the Cafe, and just revisited that fact by earning the nice-sized knot he was sporting.
Hayven was the only other soul on board worth preserving. I wondered if Sunshine or her friends recognized her yet.
She’d gone through Judicium with them a few years ago and was usually present when we met up before things imploded. She had always been, and still was, my brother’s choice. Doubted she felt the same since he’d fucked her and then disappeared when the news came the others had been locked away.
She wasn’t supposed to be here. The kid should have been far from this place. They robbed a cradle for his existence and had always taunted us with it. Seemed now the Board was making moves and not bothering to be subtle about it. As the tram screeched to a halt, an electronic exit sign flashed above us and the door hissed open. My instincts kicked in and I grabbed Sunshine by the waist, pulling her up with me as we exited out into the night, using myself as a barrier between her and the strangers.
I held onto her tightly, wanting to merge our bodies together.
With great reluctance, I released her from my grasp. She tilted her head back, gazing up at me with a gentle smile, and returned the embrace with a not-quite-as-tight hug, never complaining about my quirks.
“They really brought us to a trail in the middle of the woods,” Melantha remarked, pushing herself deeper into Maverick’s hoodie.
I looked around, having never been so far out in all my time inside the Playground. It appeared unassuming—harmless. Those were often the places that had the more elaborate twist. The trail was lined with small lights and the smell of moss was heavy in the air, mingling with the scent of damp earth. The fog wasn’t as thick here, but it still clung to the trees and underbrush, giving the woods an eerie, otherworldly feel.