Chapter b359 /b

KASMINE.

I refused the food again.

It sat there on the floor- lukewarm, nd, probably drugged but my stomach twisted so violently I thought I might pass out from the pain.

I was starving. My body screamed for it. My lips were cracked, and every bone in me ached from how cold it was in here. But I’d rather starve than give these monsters the satisfaction. How could I trust them? How could I be sure they wouldn’t slip something into the food to make me weak,pliant… easier to transport or silencei? /i

My fingers were numb, curled into my sleeves for warmth. I sat hunched in the corner of the dim cell, trembling, half from cold, half from hunger, but I was hopeful Kester would find me. I knew he would.

I didn’t care how stupid I’d been to take off the neb… /bthe one thing that would have helped him find me.

I had to believe he’de anyway. I had to.

Because the only thing worse than this… was thinking he might not be alive.

But he was. I felt it in my chest like a pulse. He was angry, and hurtb, /band probably losing his fucking mind right nowb, /bbut he was out there, breathing and fighting. I just had to believe that because that was the only thought that gave me hope

and kept me sane.

There was no way I could think otherwise. If I do, I’d choke on my own fear.

The door creaked open again, and I didn’t need anyone to tell me who it was because the atmosphere changed with that

sinister stillness that always followed him.

He kepting in here like clockwork and saying nothing, freaking me out. I was utterly terrified of him, and if that was

his game n, then I must say it was working perfectly.

“Kasmine. A little bird tells me you haven’t been eating your food, hm?”

I flinched. bHis /bvoice was too calm, and somehow, that scared me more than if he’d screamed.

Nagel stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click. He leaned his shoulder against the wall and watched me like ab rat he was tired of pokingb. /b

bHe /btilted his head slightly. “Oh, sweetheart,” he said, dryly amused. “You’re not here because of what you did.”

My lips trembled as tears blurred my vision. “Then why? What did I do? What do you want from meb?/bb” /b

bHe /bchuckled under his breath, shaking his head like I’d just asked the dumbest question alive.

“It’s not about you,” he said, pushing off the wall and walking toward bme/bb, /b“You’re just here because of your mate’s bsins/bb./bb” /b

My breath hitched. I pressed myself harder into the corner. The chill from the walls sank into my skin.

“Personally,” he went onb, /bcrouching so we were almost eye level, “I have very little problem with Kester. bBut /bbunfortunately/b,

b1/3 /b

not everyone feels the same. He’s been… reckless. Stepping on toes that don’t belong to him. Making enemies faster than

he can count.”

He sounded so detached.

“And me?” My voice shook. “You think dragging me into it is fair? That I deserve thisb?/bb* /b

“It wasn’t supposed to be you.” He shrugged. “You just happened to be the string we needed to pull.”

More tears streamed down my face. I wiped them with trembling hands, but they kepting.

Nagel studied me, almost curious. “Jake told us a lot about you, you know.”

I froze.

“He said you had a real hold on him. That you were the one thing that could make him hesitate. Stupid, right? Loveb… /bor whatever that mess was.”

My chest twisted.

“He was struggling with the job. Couldn’t finish it. Couldn’t focus. Couldn’t fucking follow ordersb./bb” /b

So, it was true? All Kester had said were true?

Oh, God. Jake? An aplice?

No… Oh, God. I’d been a fool.

Nagel’s eyes flicked across my face. “But thenb… /bbyou /bwent and picked Kester. You chose him. Over Jake.”

His mouth curled just a little. “And just like that, his head cleared. He bwas /bready to y.”

“No…” I whispered, “You’re lying.”

“Mm. You’d think so,” he replied, standing to his full height. “But it bwas /bthe best thing that ever happened to our n. Unfortunately, your darling Kester went and killed Jake anyway. Poor boy.”

bHe /bwas quiet for a whileb, /bas if mourning the dead before he stood up and turned toward the door.

b“/bYou should beat /bsomething,” he said, not looking back. “You’ll need your strength.”

“I’m not eating anything,” I said, “I don’t bcare /bif I die hereb. /bI’m not touching a single thing you bring me.b” /b

I don’t know what gave me the courage… I didn’t bfeel /bbraveb, /bnot even a little… but words came pouring out like my soul had had enough.

“Kester will find meb,/bb” /bI choked out. “He will. And when he doesb, /byou’ll bpay /bfor everything you’ve done. bEvery /bsingle thing. You’ll fucking pay.”

There was a beat bof /bsilence.

Then, bslowly/b, he turned back around. His beyes /brested on me calmly.

He took two steps toward me, then stopped. “Is that so?*

I didn’t answer. My throat was tight, and fear threatened to strangle me.

He hummed lightly like he was actually considering my words. Then he said, almost to himself, “You think he’ll make me pay for what I haven’t even done yet.”

Another step closer.

“Interesting logic.”

I backed up instinctively, but there bwas /bnowhere left to go. My spine was already pressed against the damp stone wall.

Nagel tilted his head, his tone still maddeningly bcasual/b.

‘Since you’re so sure your little mate will punish me for sins I haven’tmitted,” he said, ‘I might as wellmit some sins before he finally finds me because I know he will find me, don’t you think?”

My heart mmed into my ribs as ihe /ibkept /bing closer.

‘And since your mouth is too empty for food… but busy enough to bark threats,” he murmured, now standing inches away, ‘maybe it’s time it was used bfor /bsomething more useful.”

I felt his fingers ze my chim

I froze. Everything inside me locked up.

He tilted my face up to this, peering deep into my soul with those dead eyes of his.

My knees were shaking. I hated that I was trembling-

I could barely whisper, “Don’t touch me.”

He let out a smile, and for the first time, it looked like a real smile, but I wasn’t fooled.

“Of course, I’ll touch you, baby. I certainly will.” He said. Then, without taking his eyes off me, he snapped his fingers.

I barely had time to process it before the door creaked behind him. Heavy boots scraped against the floor bas /btwo hefty men entered.

“Make her kneel,” he said, still holding my gaze intently. “It’s time I showed Kester how well his little mate worships my cock while he’s away.”

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Chapter b359 /b

He took two steps toward me, then stopped. “Is that sob?/b”

bI didn’t /banswer. My throat was tight, and fear threatened to strangle me.

bHe /bhummed lightly like he was actually considering my words. Then he said, almost to himselfb, /b“You bthink /bbhe’ll /bmake me pay for what I haven’t even done yet.”

Another step closer.

“Interesting logic.”

I backed up instinctively, but there was nowhere left to go. My spine was already pressed against the bdamp /bbstone /bbwall/b.

Nagel tilted his head, his tone still maddeningly casual.

“Since you’re so sure your little mate will punish me for sins bI /bhaven’tmitted,” he said, “bI /bmight bas /bbwell /bbmit /bbsome /bsins before he finally finds me because I know he will find me, don’t you thinkb?/bb” /b

My heart mmed into my ribs as he kepting closer.

“And since your mouth is too empty for food… but busy enough to bark threats,” he murmured, now standing inches baway/bb, /b“maybe it’s time it was used for something more useful.”

I felt his fingers graze my chin.

I froze. Everything inside me locked up.

He tilted my face up to hisb, /bpeering deep into my soul with those dead eyes of his.

My knees were shaking. I hated that I was trembling.

I could barely whisper, “Don’t touch me.”

He let out a smile, and for the first time, it looked like a real smile, but I wasn’t fooled.

“Of course, I’ll touch you, baby. bI /bcertainly will.” He said. Then, without taking his eyes off me, he snapped his fingersb. /b

I barely had time to process it before the door creaked behind him. Heavy boots scraped against the floor as two bhefty /b

men entered.

“Make her kneel,” he said, still holding my gaze intently. “It’s time bI /bbshowed /bKester how bwell /bhis little mate worships my cock while he’s baway/b.b” /b