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When the cool metal wraps tightly around my wrists, I let out a sharp exhale before gently tugging on them, testing to see how tight he’s made them. There’s a bit of room, meaning I won’t lose feeling in my hands, but it’s not enough for me to move them significantly.

I look up at Lawson, only to find him holding a roll of duct tape, and my heart stutters as a moment of panic hits me. “What’s that for?” I ask, my voice shaking.

He reaches out with his free hand and presses his palm to my cheek. I hate the way I lean into his touch, desperate to feel his warmth. His thumb glides across my lips, a feather-light touch that sends a shiver through me, making me feel beautifully delicate.

“I need to make sure you don’t make a sound,” he explains, before dropping his hand from my face so he can pull off a strand of tape.

I gasp, a ragged, desperate sound, my chest heaving as I steal a few shallow breaths, knowing exactly what he’s about to do. Bram tells me to relax, but that’s easier said than done when Lawson is moving towards me with a strand of tape he’s about to place over my mouth.

I squeeze my eyes shut, not wanting to see him do it, as a tremor of dread runs through me. The thick, sticky material spreads across my lips, sealing them together.

The sound of the tape ripping again echoes around me, before he places another layer over my lips. He does this a couple more times, only stopping when I have five layers of tape covering my mouth.

He brushes his fingers over the tape before stroking his thumb over my cheek once more. With my eyes open, I concentrate on inhaling through my nose, determined not to succumb to panic.

I try wiggling my jaw, as well as pushing out my lips, testing the strength of the tape, but it’s wasted energy, as the tape doesn’t move. With a huff, I let it go, as the constant pulling against my skin causes it to sting.

Lawson then pulls a black robe that matches his from the bag and reaches over, making it clear he’s going to help pull the robe over my head. I can’t use my arms, so Lawson has to do most of the work, though I lift my arse off the seat so he’s able to get it to fall to my feet, covering me completely.

The sleeves of the robe hang limply by my side, as I can’t thread my arms through them given they’re secured in front of me. I want to ask Lawson if people will notice, but I can’t say a word…I just have to go with the flow.

Lawson then pulls a mask out of his bag, and it matches the design all of the Crow Pledges wear. He leans closer with it in his hand, and my heart pounds loudly in my chest, as a sudden claustrophobic feeling suffocates me.

With the tape already restricting my mouth, the added mask over my face intensifies my feeling of being trapped, making it difficult to breathe. My nostrils flare as I rapidly try to pull in air through my nose, but the speed at which I’m breathing means I’m not filling my lungs enough, causing my head to spin even more.

Lawson places his hand on my cheek once more, before pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “Slow your breathing, sweetheart.”

He pulls me forward and rests my head on his chest, holding it in place until I can both feel and hear the beating of his heart beneath my cheek. I follow the movement of his chest rising and falling with each breath he takes, focusing on that as I try to mirror his actions.

Eventually, my breathing slows down to match his, and once I’m pulling in enough oxygen, the black spots in my vision and the lightheadedness quickly fade.

“Good girl.” His praise makes my stomach flutter, and he presses his palm against my other cheek, letting me draw strength from his touch. “I’m going to put the mask on now,” he tells me, when he’s sure I’ve calmed down enough.

I give him a firm nod, letting him know I’m ready, whilst keeping my breathing slow and steady as he slides the mask into position, covering all of my face.

“Can you see okay?” he asks once he’s finished straightening it.

He’s lined up the eyeholes perfectly, so I nod to tell him I can. He then reaches behind my head and pulls up the hood, making sure the robe hides all of my long, strawberry-blonde hair. I’m suddenly grateful I pulled it into a long French plait before leaving, since I didn’t have time to deal with it after my shower.

He then pulls on his own robe, keeping the mask in his hand as he turns to me once more. “No matter what you see or hear, you must not do anything that will draw attention to yourself. Do you understand?”

I give him another nod, since I’m not able to answer any other way. He holds his mask up in front of me, before grabbing Bram’s and holding them side-by-side, so I can see the subtle difference. All of the Pledge masks are bronze, but Lawson’s has silver circles around the eyes, and a few other silver ornate markings alongside the black lines that are on Bram’s.

“Look at the design on my mask. Memorise it. Bram’s looks the same as all the other Crow Pledges, but he won’t leave your side. If we do get separated, for whatever reason, do not approach anyone. Just concentrate on locating my mask. Is that clear?”

I give him another nod, fear sliding through my veins as I wonder what the hell I’m about to get myself into. I don’t want to be separated from either of them.

“Should you disobey me, the consequences will be severe,” he warns.

Bram reaches over and takes his mask back, before adding, “Also, if anyone finds out that we brought you here, our punishment will be brutal, and I’m really not in the mood to be tortured, so please don’t let us down.”

I quickly shake my head, hoping he can see how much I mean it when I say I won’t put them in any danger. I wish I could say the words, so he’d know he can trust me, but his subtle smile suggests he already knows.

He then turns to Lawson, his gaze flicking between us as he asks, “Why is she handcuffed again?”

I turn to face Lawson, keen to hear his response, as I can understand the duct tape, but not why my arms are tied together. He simply shrugs his shoulders as he unapologetically replies, “Because I like having control over her like this. Besides, I can't risk anyone seeing her girly hands.”

Bram lets out a chuckle as he rolls his eyes at Lawson, while I glare at him through the stupid eye holes on the mask. If he sees my anger, he doesn’t respond.