Page 343 of Coal Hearts

“No, but—”

“Come on. Let’s keep searching.”

I fell back into a jog with him, my thoughts colliding. Every scenario I imagined included innocence triumphing over evil. The powers of good on our side, carving a path of righteousness.

But in reality...Peter was right.

Every move we made was recorded.

Every item we touched was catalogued.

If we stood a chance of uprising, we had to be smart.

“Tell the others,” I spoke around my quickening breaths. “This isn’t over. We’ll come up with a plan. I’m going to get home to Krish, one way or another. I have to. And I’m not going to stop until you’re back with your family and—”

“Well, well, well...what have we found here, boys?” Three Masters appeared from the storm’s shadows.

“Ah fuck.” Peter immediately skidded to a halt and stepped in front of me. Bowing his head, he tried to be subservient but his fists curled. “Evening, Master R, Master D, Master L.”

The three men chuckled. “Always so polite, little Peter.”

Peter stiffened and backed into me, subtly pushing me away.

One of the Masters noticed. “Aww, lookie-here. Peter’s feeling protective of the new girl.” He elbowed the man closest to him. “Fancies her for himself, I reckon.” Looking us up and down, he snickered. “Figured you’d get your dick wet in the storm, huh? No one would see you fuck a fellow slave, is that it?”

Peter didn’t reply.

My eyes narrowed.

I recognised one of them from the debacle at breakfast when Henri announced his last name was Mercer. I still didn’t understand why that was such a big deal, but I sensed the big problem currently stalking toward us.

Larry.

A weedy youngish guy with a paunch for his belly and noodles for arms. Probably made millions off some software app, turning a lifetime of being bullied into becoming one himself.

“Roger, I don’t know about you, but I think I’ve found all the treasure I’m interested in,” Larry said.

“Yep.” Roger, with a receding hairline and a body toned from the gym, chuckled. “I think you might be right, mate.”

“Run along, Peter. We’ll give you a free pass, despite your selfish attitude.” The third guy smiled thin and sly. “Go away. We’re interested in her tonight, not you.”

Peter backed up again, keeping me behind him.

His entire demeanour slipped from fearful to flirty. “You know...I always have fun with you, Master D. How about we go inside and—”

“I see what you’re doing.” Master D smirked. “And it won’t work.”

Peter braced himself, his voice turning cold. “Alright then. How about this? No one has found the Diamond Kiss yet. Run along and keep searching and—”

“If I wanted to kill someone, I could just kill you right now.” Larry chuckled. “Hey, Daxton? Fancy participating in a bit of murder tonight, or would you rather stick your cock in the forbidden jewel?”

“Or we could do both?” Daxton grinned at the other two. “Fuck her and kill him? That might be fun.”

“Vic would be mighty pissed.” Roger wiped his forehead free from rain. “He told us that she’s off limits, and we all know Peter has been groomed to be his manservant. How about we fuck both and kill both? That way he can only be pissed once?”

“Your reasoning is sound.” Daxton laughed. “I could get down with that.”

A flash of lightning.