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It’s the one question I still don’t have an answer to. My time with him has taught me everything else. The guards to trust, and those who are loyal to Milo. The layout of his mansion and the secret passageways underneath. The security system he uses and how many guards are hidden outside. I know everything. Everything except why he holds a grudge against me. Everything except how many enemies of mine he has ready to fight if he asks. I know everything but the most important things.
We arrive at Surrender, and to my surprise, Milo doesn’t have me tied up. Maybe he thinks it would cause more damage to my shoulders if he did. Instead, he has his men surround me, guarding me as we walk into my club.
As soon as we enter, the room falls silent. All of the men stare at us, and glare at Milo. Some men salute me or lower their hats in respect for me. One man even bows as if I’m a king. It melts my insides to know that despite everything, my men still believe I’m their leader. What would happen if Milo were to become Black? How many would follow him? How many would revolt and die fighting him?
If Milo wins, I need to find a way to keep the employees safe—I owe them that.
We walk to my office and step inside. At first, I can’t see who is in the room. The men surrounding me block my view with their bodies. But then, Kai comes into view.
Her hair is braided down her back, she’s not wearing any makeup, and wears a curve-hugging black shirt and leather pants I’m pretty sure belong to Liesel. She looks fierce and unstoppable.
She keeps her face stoic and unchanging when I walk into the room. As if her heart isn’t breaking all over again. But I can hear the change in her heartbeat. I can feel the change from warm to cool in the air. I can see the change in her breathing from slow to rapid.
We are the only two people who exist in this moment even though the room is crowded. And I can see the moment she realizes I’m hurt. She can sense me as easily as I can feel her.
Her pupils dilate in anger for a split second, but I’m the only one who notices. She stares at my shoulders as if she can see through my shirt to the pain masked by the drugs.
She grits her teeth to keep from growling. And I know she wants to run and attack Milo for what he did to me.
She glances his way for a second, as she lets her shield down to me. And I finally feel all of her pain. She hurts for me, but she mourns her own loss too. The loss of carrying a child. She confirmed her truth. She can’t have a baby. And she hasn’t found a blood relative she can make her heir.
Her hope is lost.
And it makes me crazy.
Finally, the connection we share is severed as I notice the other two people standing next to her—Langston and Liesel. Both are dressed just as fiercely as Kai, as if they are ready to do battle alongside her.
I smile, thinking back to the first game, where everyone was on my side, and no one was on Kai’s. I prefer it this way, even if it would make it easier if she just bowed down and let me win. She can’t become Black, even if she wins every game left. The rules demand an heir. And she can’t produce one.
Just let me win so we can end this as quickly as possible.
All of their eyes focus on Milo, giving him various shades of glaring, growling, and snickering.
“Does he really need to be here?” Liesel points to Milo as she talks to Archard.
“Each competitor is allowed to bring whoever they want to watch the competition,” Archard says.
Liesel crosses her arms as she stares at Milo. “No one wants you here.”
Milo leans into her, “Your nipples disagree.”
Liesel’s nipples are pointed, but it’s just because the room is so cold from Kai being in it. I know Kai doesn’t have any magical powers, but somehow she always brings the cold chill she always carries with her wherever she goes.
Liesel won’t let a comment like that go, “It would be the last thing your cock ever did.”
Milo jolts forward as if he’s going to hit her for her comment, but Liesel stands her ground and just raises her eyebrow. Langston jumps forward, ready to fight Milo.
Archard clears his throat, dissipating the almost fight.
“If you are all ready, I’d like to read the rules of the next game,” he says.
Everyone quiets and faces him.
“This is the third game. Currently, you are both tied one to one. As this is the third game, Mr. Miller, Kai’s father, was the one who set the rules.”
We all nod as he drags out what the game is.
“Mr. Miller believed that the person who becomes Black needed to have the strength to face any amount of pain and do it with compassion, humility, and beauty. You need to be able to withstand torture without breaking. Pain without losing yourself. But above all, do the right thing.”
