Page 752 of Coal Hearts

Victor was the only one keeping the other men from turning into lunatics.

He was undoubtedly deranged. I knew that now. I saw the gleam of insanity in his eyes, growing more unstable by the day as he tortured Henri and preened over Rachel’s ballooning belly. But he still had morals. Still compelled absolute obedience from all those in his home.

Christmas is in two days.

Perhaps that home would be rubble by then.

Perhaps we would all be dead, and these would be my last two nights on this planet.

I looked at Peter again.

His gaze locked on Henri kneeling at Victor’s feet.

Henri kept his chin down, his shoulders slouched, his many bruises decorated with scars from Victor whipping him, cutting him, marking him.

My heart squeezed so painfully, I had to look away.

I caught a glint of black hair in the back corner of the palatial ballroom.

Faiza.

She knelt beside Master W, her hands balled on her thighs, her black lingerie barely covering her stunning body. Feeling me watching her, she looked up.

Instead of dropping her stare and flinching in fear of reprimand, she smiled so big and true my entire body filled with fire.

Christmas is in two days.

And for the first time in a very long time, hope unfurled its tentative wings.

Hope.

That horrible, excruciating emotion.

An emotion I’d done my best to eradicate because it only brought horror and hardship.

But good God, it came back with a vengeance.

It flooded me.

Frightened me.

And Peter stiffened across the room as he caught my gaze.

I wanted to tell him what Faiza had told me.

I wished I could tell him that the jewels—those incredibly brave jewels who we’d tried and failed to save—might end up saving us...but I couldn’t.

He frowned as waitstaff appeared and cleared away dessert plates smeared with cheesecake crumbs and berry coulis. Soon, we would get our rations. A small offering consisting of leftovers.

“Gentlemen.” Victor stood with a sharp clap of his hands. He shot me a look and shook his head as if he knew my inner thoughts and tasted my quickest flush of faith.

And in a single instant, he murdered all that newfound hope. Stomped over all my optimism and reminded me all over again that this was hell and he was the fucking devil.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed that there hasn’t been a show tonight.” Victor nodded at his guests.

“The entertainment in here is failing, Vic,” someone snickered.

“That better be in jest, Harold.” Victor narrowed his eyes. “But in case it’s not, allow me to deliver tonight’s ‘entertainment’.” Snapping his fingers, he waited as staff fanned out around the room, delivering a box to each Master.