Page 55 of Anywhere

“I’m not being attacked. Now please go away. I just want to be left alone.”

“As ya wish, Master,” Liam said.

I slumped. Another wave hit, and this one was the worst yet. My head swam as little black dots danced in my eyes.

“I’m sorry, Rhys. I didn’t know it would hurt so much,” I mumbled before I passed out.

* * *

I woke up in the same position I passed out in, without knowing if it had been five minutes or five hours. The ache was still there but dull now, like a distant memory and not as sharp.

Turning my head, I looked out the window. It was not yet light out, but the sky was shifting from the dark black of night to the greys that promised sun. I pushed myself off the floor and stumbled to the bathroom, feeling like I’d been out for an all-nighter and drank way too much while being punched repeatedly in the chest. Which fucking sadist had come up with the triads? Who thought creating a bond that would torture one another was a great idea? I stood up as I considered the ramifications of being paired with the wrong person. What if a person got paired with someone who was sadistic? There were certainly enough sadists in history and our family trees. Did they set out to torture their partners?

I couldn’t picture Rhys doing that to me. Regardless of last night and what I’d given my blessing for, Rhys was noble. He would never cross that line to get back at me for any reason. I’m not sure I could say the same. Rhy’s cousin, Ronan, on the other hand…I’d heard the stories and the whispers of him going too far with his form of sex and how his father, Rayland, had to bury a few bodies. I had an affliction for pain. I liked to give it and hear the screams, but I wasn’t quite that bad.

I shivered at the thought, suddenly so much happier that Rhys was my match.

I’d hardly scratched the surface of what we were supposed to be and the responsibility that was yet to come.

Testing the water temp, I quickly stripped and stepped into the warm spray, letting it soothe the sore muscles. Once clean, I stepped out of the shower and let myself air dry while going on the hunt for clothes.

Mari was supposed to be training me again today, but I had no idea if that would still happen after last night. I quickly pushed the image aside, knowing anger of my own making would flare if I thought about Rhys with her again. Would I be okay with her now that she’d been with Rhys? I didn’t know. I wouldn’t until I saw her face. The sad reality was that if she were any other girl we both wanted to fuck, I wouldn’t have given a single shit. It was the part where I wasn’t involved that was driving the train of anger.

Grabbing my smokes, I decided to go for a morning walk since the castle would be quiet for a while yet. The morning had brought a thick dew that glittered like a blanket of diamonds on the grass. It didn’t take long to reach the far side of the inlet where I’d found Rhys working out yesterday. I turned to stare at the castle. There was something eerie about the tall structure, with strands of fog floating around as if it were from a ghostly realm. A cool breeze travelled over my body, and I suddenly wished I’d put on a hoodie for the walk.

There was a perfectly groomed walking path that I set out to follow. I assumed it circled the property all the way around. It soon became clear that the trail stretched farther than I originally thought. Stopping I leaned against a tall tree. Pulling out my smokes, I flicked open my lighter and lit up the little stick to take my first drag in what felt like forever. Holding out the smoke, I stared at the glowing orange end. Rhys didn’t seem to smoke, and the last few days had bounced from one chaotic event to the next.

I should give up this habit—one day, it would kill me—but today was not that day. The only sound in the thickly wooded area was the morning birds singing and my lighter as I flicked it open and closed and let my thumb roll over the starter, making the flame dance to life.

There was a snap of a twig a moment before a loud yell yanked me out of my calm reverie, and I turned my head just in time to see a hooded figure with a stick about to take my head off. Instinct that I didn’t have a day ago had me dropping low and spinning out of the way as the stick, which looked like a rough version of the canne, hit the tree right where my head had been. Another yell and I was jumping out of the way of a strike that would’ve been a painful kidney blow.

“Whoa, Mari! I get it! I need to be prepared for anything,” I said as I dodged another blow from the hooded figure. By the sound of the voice, it was female, and my only guess was that Mari had decided to teach me a lesson.

“You’d think you’d be a little more appreciative after what I went through so you and Rhys could have last night.”

I wasn’t quick enough, and the stick hit my hands, sending my favourite lighter flying and disappearing into the thick shrubs and undergrowth.

“Hey, back off!” I growled as the stick hit my arm, but I managed to block the more painful blow. “I get the point.”

She twirled the stick over her head and dove low, swinging it like a helicopter blade for my ankles as she spun in a circle.

“Fuck!” I jumped over the stick, ducked the next time it came around, then jumped back in a flip that I didn’t even know I could do, landing in a fighting stance. How the fuck had I just done that? There was no time to marvel over what just happened as she at me came again. I was pissed now.

She picked up the pace of the blows, but I managed to dodge or block each one and started to become the aggressor, forcing her to step back.

“Is this what you want? To see what happens when you piss me off?” I growled.

A responding growl came from inside the hood. It sent a shiver down my back. That shouldn’t have been as sexy as it was. Great. Now I was into my fucking cousin after last night. Lusting after my cousin was so a no-go, I had to talk to Rhys about this.

She ran at me and took me by surprise, knocking me to the ground as her fist found my jaw. She landed a hard right hook that rattled my teeth, and my anger spiked.

“What in the actual fuck!”

“Ya dezerv ta die.” She said, and I didn’t recognize the voice. A strand of red hair slipped from inside the hood. Everything inside me froze for a blink as I realized this was not Mari, and whoever it was out for blood.

Her fist found my face again, and my anger went from annoyed to full-on rage. I was in survival mode now. This was no test. I growled and shoved the unknown opponent off me, sending her rolling across the dirt. She didn’t stay down. She jumped up, spinning the stick in one hand. I had to admit she looked badass.

My power flared to life when she ran at me, and I waited for the right moment. As the next blow streaked for my side, I stuck out my arm and caught the fast-moving weapon in my hand. With a yell, I pushed her back until she slammed against the tree where I’d been relaxing.