Page 44 of Broken By The Devil

“That was reckless, Kade… who knows who heard you,” he warns.

“I know that Cyrus. It’ll be fine. Tom kicked her out of the tent in her underwear, she would have frozen out there. She went to Cara, but she was fucking Cass, apparently,” I whisper, careful not to wake her, she always seems so tired.

“God, I work with a bunch of horny fuckers,” he sighs. I can’t help but stare at her. Something so beautiful, innocent, and pure, forced to endure hell.

“We plan for the break as soon as we get back, we need those drives, Cy.” He grunts in acknowledgement.

“Now I’m going back to sleep, give me a heads up if you plan to fuck again, will you?” he warns, and I roll my eyes.

She looks so peaceful, her chest rises and falls in a steady rhythm. The smell of her hair, reassuring me she’s still here in my arms. It’s the feeling of her breathing that lulls me to sleep. I let the darkness take over, knowing that tomorrow everything will go back to normal. I can’t touch her. I can’t kiss her. I can’t let anyone know my true feelings for her. Soon, that is going to change. Soon, I’m going to force Tom to eat the ring he gave her. I will watch as I take his life slowly. I will enjoy every minute of it.

EMILIA

Last night, was the first time I have ever felt truly happy. Desired. Safe. I wake in Kade’s arms. I could have only been asleep for a few hours, but I feel rested. I don’t want to leave this tent. I don’t want to leave his embrace, but I know I must. I slide out of his arms, careful not to wake him, and scurry around the tent looking for the ring.

It was reckless taking it off. I don’t know if Tom will know. I really need to speak with Aaron about looking at it. I need to know what it’s tracking. I exit the tent so fast, I don’t think anyone will be out here this early. Cara corners me as I head towards her tent.

“Em, I’m so sorry about last night, I—” I cut her off, she doesn’t need to explain this to me.

“How was it?” I ask with a flirtatious smile on my face. I know she’s been waiting for things to happen with Cass for at least two years. She practically glows standing there in front of me, hair ruffled, and mascara swiped underneath her eyes. The smile that graces her face is like nothing I have ever seen.

“It was…amazing.” She grins. I’m so happy for her. I just hope Cass doesn’t screw it up. He has the tendency to do something stupid when it matters. She looks me over at least twice.

“Whose shirt are you wearing?” She quizzes me. My smile matches her own. I can still smell him. His scent envelopes me completely. I know he’s with me. I know I’m safe.

“We have to talk!” Cara squeals. She knows exactly what my smile means.

“We will, we just need to get out of here first, I feel like I’m being watched. Is Cass still in your tent? I could do with some clothes.” I ask her.

“No, he’s gone back to his own to get ready. Where are your clothes?” she asks, clearly confused with my current attire.

“That’s another story.” I sigh. I explain everything that happened last night and that Tom managed to source a new watch, so now he can shock me whenever he wants again.

Cara packs Kade’s shirt into her rucksack for me and lends me a pair of leggings and a crop gym top that barely holds my breasts. Cara is a lot slimmer than me, her physique like an athlete who runs every day as opposed to my frame which is slightly more muscular and curvy.

I can’t stop thinking about last night. I knew he would be big, but I wasn’t expecting that. I couldn’t get a good view last night because it was too dark, but I felt every single inch of him. I thought he would split me open at one point, but it would be worth the injury. I still feel him. I’m so sore but it was worth every bit of pain.

He said I was his. I felt completely ethereal in that moment, but it didn’t last long. The sheer panic that he might love me. Loving me is a curse, a curse I want to spare him from.

Everyone is already gathered by the buses, ready to load everything aboard. I have no idea what Tom has done with all my things, but the tent has been packed away, and he stands with his unit, wearing a smug smile.

That’s when I see it. My underwear strewn across multiple tree branches. My boots hanging from the highest branch of one of the tall trees, and most of my clothes are currently burning away in the fire pit.

Tom stalks over to me shouting to his unit “Whoever has done this to my fiancés things, will be reprimanded!” The asshole is convincing. Nobody even has the slightest suspicion it was him.

I waste no time. I need my boots. I pay Tom no attention at all as I start to climb the tree with minimal difficulty. Each plant of my feet on each branch laced with fury at having to retrieve my underwear. I manage to claim my boots from the top branch, and I throw them down to the ground with as much force as I can muster. I hear a grunt of pain come from below and see Tom crouching down on the ground.

“Oh, I’m sorry sweety, did they hit you?” desperately trying to hide the hostility in my tone. I manage to recover all of my underwear and start to climb down when a tall, dark figure comes into view. He’s wearing black combat gear and a dark jacket. Every inch of him a soldier.

“What the hell is going on here?” Kade questions, anger simmering.

I clamber down the tree as fast as I can before any damage can be done. He’s battling to keep himself in check and after last night, I think that’s going to be a lot harder to control.

“Someone thought it would be funny to put my stuff in a tree, no harm done,” I explain, heading towards Cara to put my things in her bag. I still don’t know where my bag is. As I pass Kade, he stops me and passes me something.

“I found this in the woods, your phone is inside,” he exclaims. It’s my bag, it’s in rough shape but still usable. He glares at Tom like he’s readying himself to lunge. I glare at Cyrus who is a few meters back, and he comes stalking over. I’m glad I don’t have to say anything; we can communicate with just a look or a simple gesture now.

“Alright! Everyone on the bus, get your shit, let’s go!” Cyrus bellows. Everyone startles into action apart from Tom and Kade. Shit.