Page 108 of Merciless

Elijah reads the words, his voice full of disbelief. “Astar Elite⁠—”

“Slut,” I mumble. “Because I’m his slut.”

Elijah swings his head toward me, anger brimming in his eyes. “Over my dead fucking body.”

I turn my focus to the broken enclosure on the ground. Dirt, dried wood, and water are spilled over the floor, ruining my clothes and sheets that are strewn beneath.

“Lavender?” I croak and whip my head around, searching for my pet. “Where’s my snake?”

“It’s not safe being in here, birdie.” Elijah grabs my shoulder. “I can find your snake after you’re⁠—”

“I don’t care!” I shake him off and rush past him to look for my pet. “I need to find her now.”

“After I get you back into my dorm.” Elijah strides toward me and grabs my arm.

I glare at him, tears blurring my vision. “Let go.”

His narrowed eyes don’t leave mine. He’s just as stubborn as I am about having it his way.

“I need to find her. She must be scared,” I say after a long pause.

He releases my arm and stabs his fingers through his hair. “I don’t think she’s in here, baby.”

“Then leave and look for her. But I’m not leaving this room until I find her.”

I drop to my hands and knees and crawl over the floor as I call her name. Tears blur my vision the longer I look for her. She’s not in the smaller spaces between the flipped mattress and the desk.

“She has to be hiding.” I hate how my voice comes out shaky as I hold back the sobs.

Elijah crouches beside me and gently circles my wrist with his fingers. “Baby, please. You’re hurting yourself.”

Lifting my head, I glare at him through the tears. “I don’t care. I need to find my snake.”

“I’ll find her, but you’re bleeding.” His expression softens, and he nods at my palm.

Looking at my hand, I suck in a breath at all the blood. I don’t remember feeling any pain.

Elijah tugs at my wrist and eases me onto my feet with him. He turns my hand over, frowns at the glass sticking out of my palm, then lifts his gaze back to my face.

“I’ll take you back to my dorm, and Asher will remove the glass while I look for Lavender.” He tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “It’s not safe for you to be in here anymore. The person who’s been messing with you? He’s not happy.”

I let out a dry laugh. “I know that. He hasn’t been happy since the first time he broke in here and violated me.”

Elijah’s lips thin. “So it’s safer for you to stay with me.”

“What about Asher?”

He tilts his head, curious.

I swallow hard, afraid he’ll throw accusations at me. The last thing I want is to start our relationship with him wondering if I’m cheating on him with his brother.

“He won’t mind,” he says. “He’ll keep you safe, too.”

“What if he hears us together?”

Elijah smirks. “Already planning on taking advantage of me, birdie?”

When I don’t laugh or smile, he sighs and shakes his head.