Spencer pouted in annoyance. “We came to save you, Micah. At least act like a victim.”
“From the looks of it, you didn’t do much.” Her gaze bounced between us, eyeing our polar opposite appearances. “You came too early, I was waiting for Maximus.”
Spencer rolled her eyes and examined the weapons that laid atop a random desk. “Do you want us to leave?”
“No,” I said, finally finding my voice. Upon finding Micah I was rendered motionless, emotions cascading into a raging tornado as I clocked every inch of her. The bruised cheek, chafed wrists, grazed legs, her dishevelled state—all whilst wearing a piece of fucking string. She was hurt and I had just caught her with a man’s face between her fucking legs, his limp dick flapping like some dying fish. No matter the circumstances, I couldn’t fucking take it.
I kicked the corpse aggressively out of the way and raged towards my golden girl.
Coming up short, my face hovered inches above hers as my fingers traced her injured face. “You have a lot of explaining to do, baby.”
Unperturbed by my aggressive stance, her eyes filled with warmth as she wrapped her legs around my waist. “That I do.”
With her skin finally against mine, I wasn’t about to pull away. I wasn’t going to let her go. I ripped apart the ropes constricting her wrists, freeing her from the restraints, her weight settling onto my hips as her arms wrapped around my neck. “My hero,” she teased as her lips came forward to brush against mine.
I didn’t want gentle, I didn’t want soft. Not then.
My fingers dug into her ass, then I devoured her mouth.
I heard a grumble of disgust before Spencer scurried out the door to leave us to our reunion.
Chapter 31Micah
Ididn’t know how long we were wrapped up in each other, but my flesh hummed from his contact. A trail of heat ran from his fingers, directly warming my centre. My muscles tensed around his form ever tighter. Having him in my arms again, I was reluctant to let go, to put even an inch of space between us. Desperate for anything he was willing to give, my pussy pulsing for him to fill me, nails digging into his skin. I wanted to fucking consume him.
His urgency matched my own as his panted growls added gasoline to my ever-growing desire. August attempted to slow down and pull away, my fingers ripping into his hair to keep him right there with me. He tried again, grinding my bottom lip between his teeth.
“Behave, baby. We have to leave.”
I ignored his comment and shoved my tongue in his mouth. He groaned in retaliation, dropping his head backward, lips silently muttering words I couldn’t hear.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Cursing you and this magical hold you have over me. I have to find the strength to stop and walk out of this fucking room.”
I smiled into the crook of his neck, sending shivers trembling over his body.
We eventually detangled and he reluctantly placed me back on the ground. He didn’t let go completely, some part of him always in contact with my raw skin, whether a light touch or a gentle caress. His palm slipped into mine, leading me to the exit.
I stopped short as I saw the sheer massacre that awaited in the gymnasium. Scarlet red drenched every available surface, stray limbs and body parts littered all over the floor. It was as if a rabid beast was let loose to unfurl complete violent carnage in their wake, ripping and feasting on their prey until nothing but tattered carcasses remained.
Spencer leant against the archway. “Yep, your boyfriend went full blown psycho.” She almost sounded impressed.
Upon that statement, the flower girls in the corner gasped. My gaze caught on the ragged corpse of Scarface, his brain matter splattered around his fractured skull.
“Did you want that one for yourself?” August asked, misinterpreting my pause.
I shook my head. “Your hands may as well be mine, your actions an extension of my own. To know he suffered is enough. To know it was you who did it is everything.”
I caught my reflection in his black obsidian eyes and wasn’t surprised what I found on my face. Adoring love. I was so fucking in love with this man.
Spencer fake-gagged. “All this romance is making me sick. When you miss the mindless fucking and the countless males fawning at your feet, Micah, let me know.” Psycho flinched, his gaze narrowing on my sister, who had a suggestive smirk written on her stranger’s mask. “Who knew killing a room full of men would get you all hot and heavy, sister? I would have suggested it ages ago.”
August took a menacing step towards her. Spencer raised her hands immediately in surrender. He didn’t know it yet, but this was just the beginning, his reaction the perfect kindling to her menacing ways.
The flower girls remained wide-eyed and vacant, completely in shock. I crouched before them. “Either follow us and live, or stay here and die.”
I spared Lily a glance, who met my stare head-on and gave a resolute nod. I undid the ropes still wrapping her wrists and turned for the exit, not bothering to check if they followed.
August led us through the Caverns, the boisterous rumbles of the distant crowd few and far between. The Gladiator death matches would soon come to an end, which meant our chance of escape with no witnesses was growing scarce.
We stopped at a random roller door—an exact replica of the countless others that lined the walls. August gave some elaborate directions, all while snapping the lock, wrenching the roller door upwards and instructing everyone through.
I stepped forward, August automatically pulling me into his side as I addressed the group.
“If you have nowhere to go, you can stay low at Hangman’s Clinic. We can help provide a new start for you, if that’s what you want. If not, you're free to go your own way. Do whatever you want, go wherever you want. But know this: you saw nothing, you heard nothing. We never existed. If you decide to run your mouth, return to the brothel or sell information, keep one eye open. We will come for you, that I promise.”
Most of them blanched, their gazes bouncing to August as they scurried further through the door, no doubt reliving his slaughter of the Ludus Maximus guards. It didn’t help that the man in question was exhibiting a serial killer smile, his face and naked chest still covered in our enemies’ blood.
Lily was the last. Pausing on the threshold, she turned to me. “Now I know why you weren’t scared. You're bat shit crazy.”
“You’re not wrong.”
She scanned August’s arm that laid atop my shoulders, then resolve settled in her purple eyes before she enveloped me in a crushing hug. “I’ll stay at Hangman’s Clinic.” Lily retreated after a few seconds, a light blush raised on her cheeks. “I hope to see you again. Rose?”
I shook my head. “I’ll tell you my name the next time we meet.” I wasn’t sure if we ever would, but I was surprised that I wasn’t totally opposed to the idea.
Her steps led backwards as she gave up a smile. “The next time we meet, you can call me Chai.”
