Chapter 41
Chapter forty-one
Trey
When It’s Cold I’d Like To Die – Moby
Her voice cuts through the dark, soft and trembling, wrapping around my name like it’s the only thing keeping her together.
Should have set up a safe word.
Papaya. Papaya. Papaya.
“Sera…”
My throat feels shredded. Every breath burns, dragging through broken ribs, but I force my head up anyway. The room tilts, spinning in shades of grey and red, until she comes into focus—hair loose, eyes wild with fear and fury.
She can only be an angel before me.
“Baby,” I rasp, voice cracked and raw. “Have they touched you? Are you hurt?”
She shakes her head fast, too fast, eyes darting to the shadows behind her where soft chanting rises and falls like waves.
“No,” she says. “I’m fine.”
The relief hits hard enough to make me dizzy. I drag in a breath and instantly regret it—the pain sharp, white-hot, spreading through my chest.
Sera hands roam my body trying to access the damage. I take in what she’s wearing, my blood heating my cold body with rage.
A white gown clings to her body, fabric sheer whispering against her skin.
“What’s happening, why are you…why are you dressed like that?”
Her eyes glisten in the weak light. She glances over her shoulder at the women behind her, still praying.
“Gideon’s chosen,” she says, her voice breaking. “They dressed me. For my nuptials.”
For a second, I think I misheard her. Then it sinks in.
The word nuptials turn everything in me to fire.
Motherfuckers. I’ll kill them all.
The chains clatter as I lunge forward, the steel biting into my wrists.
“We’re married,” I snarl, every word a growl pulled from my gut. “He can get fucked.”
She flinches at my tone but doesn’t move away. Her eyes soften instead, shining in the dim light.
“Our wedding was supposed to sort this, right? I’ll send him straight to hell for even daring to take what’s mine.”
“I am, Trey,” she whispers. “I need you to know. I am yours.”
The words hit me like a defibrillator to the chest.
Behind her, the follower’s chanting falters. One of them stutters mid-prayer, eyes flicking up as if the word yours burned through whatever spell they were under.
I breathe hard, the sound ragged in the cold air. My blood’s still running down my body, dripping from a cut on my temple, but all I can see is her.
My wife.
My peace.
My heart.
I meet her gaze, my voice dropping to a low growl.
“You hear me, baby? You stay strong. Whatever he says, whatever he does—you remember who you are. You’re mine. I’m yours.”
Her lip trembles, and she nods, barely holding it together.
If I can just…
The chains rattle again as I pull, muscles screaming. I can’t break them. But I want him to hear. I want him to feel it in the walls of this place—the promise I’m making.
When I find a way out of these chains, I’m burning his entire fucking world to ash.
Gideon steps into the dim light. Calm. Too calm. Enough to make my blood run cold. He moves closer, the hem of his robe brushing the floor, that faint scent of incense clings to him.
Then he’s beside her. My chest seizes. His hand brushes down her arm—invasive, taunting.
“Get your fucking hands off my wife,” I spit, voice rough, dripping blood. Every word is sharp, every syllable a strike.
He tilts his head, eyes narrowing.
“Your wife?” He laughs, slow, cruel. “You think a mockery of a ceremony makes her yours? Seraphina was promised long before you ever touched her.”
“Well, circle beats square.” I say, cold. Disinterested.
“What does this mean?”
“I’m hinting that what you say doesn’t matter, you are just chatting shit, trying to feel important, in control, right?”
“She was never yours to have Mr. Baker. But no worries. All will be right. She will stand by my side.” He flicks something against my chest that starts to fizzle in contact with my skin.
I wince. And try not to call out in pain, when more water is dumper over me, leaving me breathless and shivering, layers of skin burned through.
“Let me guess, acid that’s meant to be holy water or something, right?” I accuse weakly. The burning slows, but the pain is horrendous. Numbed only by the cold, and other pain swimming around inside my skull.
I don’t flinch. “F-Funny. Doesn’t look that way from where I’m standing,” I growl, choking back a rasping laugh. “She’s standing beside me, not you.”
“Seraphina, come.” She looks to him, hatred in her eyes towards the man.
That’s my girl.
Gideon’s smile tightens, twisting into something dangerous. “Come, or he dies.” he hisses, closing the gap, trying to block her from me.
“He’ll do it anyway, baby.”
“Quiet with your obsequious words.”
“Trey…”
“I said come.” But Sera still stood dormant. “I said you would come willingly to me, child. Perhaps we should sew your fertile grounds in front of him. Wives. Take her limbs. Bind her to the alter.”
“You all hear your leader, right? He’s a murderer and a rapist. You’re all just going to help him, huh?”
“Quiet. You saw the holy water, what it did. Everything he speaks is to twist you against your faith, remain with your prayers.”
“Oh? Try some yourself then. Dip your finger in that vial and polish it off like a good boy.”
“Be. Silent.” I snort and spit, it lands on his robe. His sneer deepens.
“I will teach you a lesson about those with power, Mr. Baker.”
I grin, blood running down my jaw, my head pounding.
“You want to show me something about power? I guess you should giddy-up and get on this dick then Gideon. I bet your real name is Dave or something bland. You alright, Dave? How you gettin' on, Dave?”
“You will not have much to say when we have removed your tongue, boy.”
“Nah, but I’ll mumble at you real bad.”
“Wives, now.” They stand from the prayers and walk over to Sera. She tries to fight them off, but moves slowly, sluggish, whatever cocktail they gave her, messing with her senses.
“Dove. Fight, Dove.”
“Perhaps you will beg for her?” Gideon grins.
I strain again, feeling my skin start to tear, my arms aching from the unnatural angle I am being suspended in.
Sera screams, lashing out. The wives struggle to hold her back.
Arms swing, elbows jab, teeth bite. They strike her.
Once. Twice. But she keeps fighting. My heart hammers, thudding so hard it feels like it might tear out of my chest.
“Gideon. Stop. What are you doing? You’re hurting her.”
“She deserves correction.” He reaches out a hand and she doubles her efforts. With a cluck of his tongue, he rolls his eyes.
“Take her, and have her given more blessed serenity, she will learn in time where her place is. Prepare the brands.”
“I’m going to fucking kill you.” I fume, almost foaming at the mouth. The pain and hatred the only thing keeping me conscious.
Gideon’s fist slams into my face. The chains rattle, teeth grind, and my head snaps back. Pain flares, but I don’t let it stop me. I laugh—raw, defiant.
“Look at you,” I rasp, leaning as far forward as these chains allow, “only able to hit me while I’m chained. How proud you must be. How embarrassed your precious wives must be—watching their holy man prove just how weak he really is.”
Gideon’s chest rises and falls violently.
I grin, blood trickling from my lip. “Go on. Do it again. Show them all how righteous you are. In fact, get your little cock out. I bet you wouldn’t even be able to perform your husbandly duties, because I do not fear you.”
For a heartbeat, I swear he might. Then he snaps, barking orders at his guards ushering them out, wives scattering in his wake.
Sera is dragged backward kicking and screaming.
“Trey!” Her voice shreds through the air, raw and terrified.
“I’ll find you, baby!”
In this life, or the next.
I roar, straining against the chains until the metal bites into my skin. “I’ll come for you!”
Her scream echoes down the hall as the door slams shut, leaving me alone in the dark, the sound of her screams still burning in my ears.
The chamber quiets until it’s just me and Gideon. He doesn’t speak at first—just watches, hatred simmering in his eyes.
“Do you know, how, in our religion, we undo your marriage, Mr. Baker?”
I say nothing. Just stare back. My hand slips a little farther in the shackle, bone scraping metal. Warm blood slides down my wrist.
Come a little closer, you fucking prick. I’ll stab you to death with my broken bone.
“We will hold a feast in your honor,” he says.
What?
“You are being cleansed for it as we speak. Then a bolt will be driven into your temple, like livestock. We’ll skin you, section you, and roast the parts. We will all partake. Even. Your. Wife.”
Wait—what?
“So, say whatever you need to, boy. Make peace. Your time on this plane is nearly done.”
I mean…I didn’t even get to tell him to eat me out of spite.
Fine. I’ll make sure I give him indigestion.
Gideon smiles, offers a little bow, and slips out, leaving the threat hanging in the air like smoke.
Ice-cold water pelts my skin again, a sharp slap that shocks me awake.
My chest jerks, lungs refusing to cooperate. Every breath comes in stuttered gasps as my body locks, muscles seizing from the cold. The timed bursts have been breaking me down piece by piece—keeping me conscious just enough to feel every second of it.
The room is dim. Stone walls sweat with condensation. Chains bite into my wrists when I shift, the metal slick with blood. My body’s numb, sluggish, but my mind—my mind clings to one thing.
Sera.
I can’t stop seeing her face. Her hair. The way she looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered.
She’s my reason for every breath I fight for. I can’t tell how long we’ve been here. Days? Hours?
Footsteps echo through the hall. The door creaks.
Light spills in, blinding and cold.
Gideon enters, flanked by two of his men. Their shadows stretch across the wet floor.
“Your time draws near Mr. Baker,” he drawls. “Let’s see how much faith you’ve got left. Hopefully enough to fill my family.”
“F-f-” I say shivering.