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"It's unimaginably painful, Thomas. I've watched many men crumble under the teeth of Max and Nova. One bite, and you're bleeding so badly that death is imminent."
"Death is imminent, anyway. You assholes!" he shouts, gritting his teeth.
My fingers slowly run through Max's hair, calming myself.
"Indeed it is," Jericho says, keeping a healthy distance from Max. "But you could spare all the theatrics by giving in. Just this once, Kent. Tell me what I want to know."
Shepp stands silently beside me, keeping his eyes on Kent and avoiding the gigantic lion underneath my fingertips. Fuck. My eyes roam across the vast enclosure, resembling the exact landscape they'd be living in the wild. I don't exactly know where they came from or how Gabriel found them. But I do remember the day he brought them to me.
"Happy birthday, Son," Gabriel says, putting a hand on my shoulder.
Two lion cubs frolic around the yard, rolling with each other.
"Are those lions?" I ask curiously, tilting my head when he laughs.
"Indeed. Something to help with your future. They're yours to take care of. They need to be fed and kept clean. They'll teach you a sense of responsibility," he says stoically, watching the pair play.
"Isn't that what dogs are for?" I blurt without thinking. His hand tightens on my shoulder until he pulls away with a huff.
"Yes. But these are more important. Take care of them, Arrow. Don't fuck this up."
"I won't, Sir," I respond respectfully, keeping my wild thoughts to myself.
"There's a zookeeper currently cleaning up the old enclosure at the back of the property. He's filling it with everything these two will need for now. He'll train you to feed them and care for them. Later, we'll discuss why they're here and what we intend to do with them," he demands in a low voice like he always does when I don't want to cooperate with his authority.
I grit my teeth. "Of course, Sir," I say, leaving my emotions behind.
"Good boy, Arrow. Oh, good. Jericho, meet Arrow's two new best friends. Ensure he takes care of them. Now, I have a meeting at the tower. See you, boys..." He saunters away without finishing his sentence, walks around the mansion, and gets back into his town car.
I frown. "It's not even my birthday," I mumble, watching the babies play.
"Lions, huh?" Jericho asks with Shepp at his side. "He got me a knife set once," he quips. "But never a wild animal."
"Why?" Kent spits, bringing me back to the present. Right. Jericho is interrogating the man, taunting him with the lions. "So you can just go run back to Daddy and tell him everything? This isn't even my operation!" he shouts with a heaving chest.
"Go to him, Max. Give him a lick," I say, gently patting his upper back.
Kent stiffens again when Max slowly makes his way toward him.
"Such a good lion. He listens to every word I say. He was way better than any puppy." And that's a fact. I was intrigued more than scared when Gabriel walked away, leaving me with my two best friends and pet lions. "I could tell him to look at me." Just then, Max turns his head, almost raising a snarky brow at me. If he could, that is. "Be nice this time, Max. Just give him a little kiss. Show him the teeth you hide behind your lips." I grin when Max steps forward again, coming so close to Kent, he pisses his fucking pants.
‘Bingo,’ I sign to Shepp and Jericho. ‘We've got him. Give him a good two minutes with Max. Then, he'll sing like a pig.’
‘It's sing like a bird, Arrow,’ Shepp signs with a grunt.
"Pish posh, whatever," I huff, waving a hand. "Max, lick the blood from his lips," I growl, crossing my arms over my chest.
Kent cries out when Max's rough tongue licks along his bleeding wound.
"Good boy," Jericho mutters, stepping back from Kent and letting Max dole out the punishment.
"Make him stop!" Kent cries out. "Make him stop licking me. I'll... I'll tell you what you want to know! Just don't let him tear me to pieces."
"Do you prefer a knife to the heart?" Jericho asks, pulling a large hunting knife from his pocket.
"I can electrocute your balls if you want," I say with a grin. "Or your nipples." I shrug.
‘You have an obsession with balls,’ Shepp signs with a scoff.
