Page 63 of Coal Hearts

Peter rose from his bow and smiled at Ily. “Hello.”

Ily backstepped and crossed her arms, the gold around her wrists clinking against each other. She didn’t return the greeting.

“How many are playing?” Victor asked, checking his diamond-encrusted Rolex.

“Ten are currently serving, Sir V,” Peter murmured. “Five are in the bathing chamber, six are being prepared for when their Masters awaken, and seven are still sleeping.”

Jesus Christ, is he talking about slaves?

Twenty-eight?

There are twenty-eight prisoners here?

Wait, twenty-nine. With him, it’s twenty-nine.

My gaze snapped to Ily.

No, thirty.

She’s number thirty.

I didn’t know why that made me hard or why I shivered with every awful secret I’d just shared. It sounded sick in my head, but having the words fly around this sinning foyer was a thousand times worse.

Goddammit, if Q knew...

I straightened my spine.

He doesn’t need to know.

What I did in the name of freeing these thirty slaves was not his concern. It was bad enough that he’d thrown me in here. If I managed to free them, then he owed me a fucking medal, no matter what I did in the process.

“Fine.” Victor nodded and dropped his arm. “Please oversee Ily’s initiation. Take her to see Dr Belford, and then a trip to the bathing chamber is in order. Once she’s clean, inside and out, you may feed her a small smoothie, but that is all.”

“Yes, Sir V.”

Moving toward Ily, Victor cupped her cheek and added, “She mustn’t faint at breakfast. I have a feeling this morning will be full of surprises. I want her alert and willing.”

“Let me go,” Ily breathed, her fight fading beneath the reality of her situation. “Please...I just want to go home.”

“There, there.” Victor kissed her forehead before taking her hand and placing it in Peter’s. “You are home, my sweetling.”

She shivered as the tall, lean male clasped her tightly.

“You know what to do.” Victor nodded at Peter. “See that it’s done.”

“Yes, Sir V,” Peter said. “I’ll bring her to the gardens soon. Any clothing preference?”

Victor pondered for a moment before saying, “Nothing.”

“Understood.” Peter tugged Ily’s hand. “Come on.”

“Nothing? Wait.” Ily pulled against him. “I don’t want to go. I—”

“I thought you said I had first rights,” I growled. “I want her to stay by me—”

“Enough, Henri. If you keep throwing your caveman bullshit around, I’ll break my promise,” Victor snapped. “Ily needs to prepare. And you...” He looked me up and down. “You are in for a treat.”

Chapter Ten