Chapter 18
Ivy
As the door shuts behind him, I stand there like I've forgotten how to move.
My breath is shallow, stuck high in my chest. My skin is hot, my thighs pressed together as if that might somehow calm the ache he left behind.
Phoenix.
I've heard them say his name. It suits him.
I've only seen him once before, and he was masked, blood-soaked, cloaked in menace. That night, I thought he was a monster. A devil. Cold and commanding.
Now I know I was right.
And just my luck, underneath that mask… he's gorgeous. And not in some soft, clean way. No. He’s beautiful like a weapon that's been sharpened until there's nothing left but edge.
Every inch of Phoenix inked, fingertips to jawline. And that jaw… God, it’s brutal. A sharp edge made from gritting teeth through pain. Even the way his hair is slicked back meticulously, screams of control.
His chest stretched the fabric of his shirt like it couldn’t contain the muscle underneath, and my mouth watered as I watched the way it moved as he breathed.
I've never seen anyone as built as these guys. What kind of cruel blessing is this? Some twisted fate that would have me captured yet again by possessive men who want to own me… oh but this time, make them hot enough that I’d actually consider letting them.
God, what is wrong with me?!
I should be plotting my escape, trying to find Jade. Even though I know she’ll be long gone by now…
Well, that’s the thing. I won’t last long out there alone.
There’s no way of knowing how far Jade made it or where she is now. And these three men—whether gods or devils—are offering to keep me safe.
Is it so wrong to want that?
To want… them?
I can't stop thinking about it even a week later. Myles is ecstatic about my new cooperation. If I’m honest with myself, his mouth and fingers are becoming the highlight of my days.
But the tension I’d felt with Phoenix creeps into the forefront of my mind every time I’m alone.
Sitting on the mattress, I pull my knees to my chest, but the ache doesn't go away. It only builds.
With every hour that passes, the memory of him standing so close, heat radiating off him, just adds to the wetness coating my thighs.
It's sickening! Wrong.
…Maybe. Or just human?
He looked at me like he already knew what I tasted like. No kindness. Just hunger.
Phoenix made it simple: food, safety, even a little freedom, in exchange for my body and whatever he wants to do with it.
And if I'm honest with myself... I respect him for that.
I hate that I respect him for it. But if I’m useful, they’ll keep me, protect me.
Except he hasn’t come back since that day. I don’t know if I said something wrong or if he was just toying with me. He’s succeeded if that’s the case.
I’ve been sitting here for hours, trying not to slip my hand lower and chase relief, growing more frustrated.
But I can't. Not in this little cell with an entire wall of wide-set bars exposing everything I do. Not when anyone could walk in and see me.
I need something. Someone.
By the time the door creaks open again, it's early evening and the sky outside the windows has turned a deep blue. I lift my head to see Myles. And for the first time, I'm actually glad to see him.
Because I need his touch.
I want the pressure, the friction, the release. I want him to burn off the heat simmering under my skin. To stop thinking and just feel.
He frowns when I don’t flinch, as if confused by the change in my behaviour. No coaxing needed today. I need his touch.
So I shift to face him, letting the hem of the sweater ride up as I place my feet by the bars for him again. The dim light of the hallway illuminates my legs with a soft glow.
Myles notices of course. His eyes start on my ankles, trailing their way slowly to my face. He lingers in the doorway, almost paralysed in shock.
Until I shift my thighs a little wider.
A pulse flickers in his jaw, lust flashing across his chiselled features. Stepping forward, his gaze never leaves me. “Something happen today?” he asks, tone sceptical.
My stomach flips and tightens—warning me that I should be running instead of enticing the beast.
But tonight… I want him.
I shrug one shoulder. “Zane went hunting. I've been left alone all day,” I tell him, giving a little pout.
I decided to omit Phoenix’s visit. I know better than to tell a man like Myles about that. And it seems Phoenix never told anyone either. Guess he kept that promise at least.
His eyes narrow. “Oh?” he questions, still suspicious. “Just missed me then, hey?”
Biting my lip, I nod as I lay back on my elbows, pretending I’m just getting comfortable. Knowing it's just me underneath, still glistening from the way my mind tormented me.
His gaze bounces from my eyes to between my legs, as if he can't decide where to look. He groans softly, attention settling between my thighs.
I hold my position, wanting him to see.
To see that I'm asking for it.
Needing it.
Phoenix might be in charge, but Myles is the one who’ll actually touch me.
He’s desperate for me. And he’s woken a part of me that I thought was long dead.
It’s time I stopped pretending I don't need something from them. I need hands on my skin. I want someone to make me feel like I still exist. And I yearn to stop aching.
“You’ve been waiting for me? Like… this?” His voice is strained, like it hurts him to speak. “Dripping wet?”
Nodding, I hum in response, keeping my voice soft and seductive. Knowing I don't need words with Myles. He's already wrapped around my little finger.
But then he steps to the side, and the rattle of the lock on my cell door makes my pulse jump.
I was ready for him to play with me through the bars again, but I've woken a beast now… and he’s just stepped inside the cage with me.