“Wake up, slave,” I hear Enrico’s voice echo through my ears.

I don’t want to wake up. And, even if I did, I’m not sure I can.

I feel a hand slap me hard across the cheek, and I jolt my eyes open from the stinging pain. That was a mistake. The second my eyes open, it all becomes real. The pain and terror explode all over my body.

I try to figure out where the pain is coming from. My head? My chest? My stomach? My legs? Where? It doesn’t take me long to realize that I feel the pain everywhere. It’s not in one place where I can focus and then forget about as I realize how strong the rest of my body is. It’s everywhere. Just like it was after Enrico raped and beat me.

I take a deep breath. I’ve dealt with pain like this before and survived. I can deal with this, too. But just breathing is almost unbearable. My chest is on fire with every breath. Every rib in my body feels broken.

I need something to focus on that isn’t my body. My eyes turn to Enrico standing over me.

“I really appreciate you running. It made it that much easier to capture you. I thought about stopping you after the first mile, but what fun would that have been?”

“How did you track me?”

He smirks. “I’m not giving up family secrets.”

I frown.

“But then again, you are most likely going to be dead by the end of tonight, so what harm would it do?” His eyes glare into mine every time he speaks. Trying to push more terror into my soul. Trying to play the game and control me.

He won’t ever control me again. I won’t let that happen. His sons won’t let that happen. I’d die first rather than let him touch me.

“We injected you with a tracker years ago. It was all in the contract. That way, we could always find you. That silly little bracelet of yours was Matteo’s idea. He thought it would be a fun way to mess with your head.”

I take a deep breath rather than react. I don’t care about what Matteo did to hurt me when I first arrived. He’s more than made up for it since. I know how he feels about me. He won’t hurt me.

“Speaking of my sons…” Enrico turns, and that’s when I see a dozen men standing around the room.

He motions to one of them. The man turns and walks to the door in what I finally realize is Enrico’s bedroom. I should have known where I was from the disgusting stench I smelled the first time I entered.

He opens the door, and then Matteo and Arlo walk into the room, both scanning the room, trying to assess the situation as best as they can. I don’t see any emotion in either of their eyes, which is probably a good thing since there is no chance I will survive.

“What are we doing here?” Arlo asks his father. “I have a meeting set up for this evening, so this had better be quick.” His voice is ice-cold, like he feels nothing.

I try not to look at him as he talks so that it doesn’t hurt me. I know he won’t save me. He’s already said as much numerous times, but I can’t keep it from stinging me when he speaks and doesn’t even bother looking at me.

I look down at my body instead, where blood is pouring out from who knows where, and bruises cover every inch of skin that is visible. Enrico didn’t even bother tying me up as I lie in a broken pile on the floor, and even if he had, there is no way that I could fight off the dozen men in the room.

“Your meeting doesn’t matter. We are here to finish the game and crown a new Carini leader.”

I glare at him because I don’t have many options for anything else. I knew that was why I was here. Everyone knew already, even Arlo; it just had to be said.

Arlo narrows his eyes as he looks at his father. “Why now? Our time isn’t up yet. Are you really ready to give up being the head of the family?”

Enrico glares at his son. “I’m ready to finally see one of my sons step up into the role he was born to do. I’m tired of having to deal with the daily grind. I want to be around long enough to see one of you bring this family to the next level.” He looks back and forth between his sons, both standing strong and silently.

Enrico smiles as he turns his attention back to me. “I’m sure, by now, my sons have told you plenty about why you’re here, but I doubt they told you the whole truth. It’s time you learned your place in all of this, slave.”

I feel my heartbeat speed up every time he uses the word slave, my rage building slowly. But I don’t let him know that he can affect me with just a word. I sit as silently as his sons stand.

“Many years ago, my beautiful wife told me she was pregnant with twin boys. You don’t know how much that thrilled me to have two heirs to take over for me and continue the empire that I and generations of Carinis before me have worked hard to build.

“The night that my sons were born, I was away in America, signing a deal that would bring this family more money than it had ever seen. When I came back, I had two beautiful sons. Two heirs.

“I soon realized that I had a problem. Two men couldn’t run this empire. It is impossible for two sons to work together. There has to be one leader.

“It was a simple problem though, solved by whichever son was born first. He would be my heir, and I would groom him to take over for me. But my wife was a smart woman. She knew that whatever son was born second wouldn’t receive the same attention from me as the firstborn. She wanted to give her sons an equal chance at ruling and knew that would also be what was best for our family—if I raised both men to take over for me and then chose when they were old enough to take over for me.

“Well, that time has finally come.”

When Enrico speaks, the whole room is silent. All of the attention is on him, and he relishes it. He lives for moments like this. I can’t believe that he is willing to give it up to either of his sons. He looks invincible when he speaks, except for something in his eyes when he speaks of his wife. When he speaks of her, I see the tiniest hint of pain.

“What happened to your wife?” I ask because I think it might be a sore spot, a wound that I might be able to reopen. And, since I have nothing left to lose, I might as well.

He shakes his head. “You are definitely different than all the rest of the slaves. Maybe I’ll keep you alive after all. At least until I’ve had my fill of you.”

I can’t hold back my disgust. “I would rather die.”

He laughs. “I think you would. But, to answer your question, my wife died of cancer.”

I shake my head. “I doubt that. See, after spending so much time with your family for this long, one thing I know is when you lie.”

He frowns as he walks over to where I sit on the ground.

I glare at him.

And then he punches me in the face. My head whips to the side.

I turn back to look at him and spit the blood filling my mouth out at him. Whatever happened to his wife, it wasn’t cancer.

“Now, where was I? Oh, yes, determining a winner of my twisted game. If I recall, the game is tied three to three. Each of you has won equally. You’ve both shown me just how powerful of a leader of this family you can be when it comes to taking debts from those who deserve it. But, today, I have one final test for you.”

I suck in a breath, not liking where this is going.

Enrico walks back to me and kicks me hard in the stomach for no reason. I grab my stomach that feels like I’ve just been hit by a car. I cry out from the amount of pain that I feel radiating throughout my body. Tears fall, and I can’t do a damn thing to stop them.

Enrico laughs, and his sons stand, frozen, acting like I’m not even here. Maybe I’m not. Maybe this is all my imagination. Maybe I’m already dead.

Please, let me be dead.

“For your first test, show me how much control you have over her,” Enrico says to his sons.

They nod like they knew this was coming. Is this how all the other women’s lives ended? In a twisted game like this? Or did some of the women find a way to stop the game before it got to this?

Matteo starts walking toward me, his eyes focused on me. I don’t know what he’s going to make me do. Or try to make me do. But, as he walks toward me, he winks.

I don’t react, pretending like I didn’t see it because I’m not sure I did. I try to think what it could mean. But I don’t have a clue.

Matteo stops walking when he’s standing, towering, in front of me. He looks down at me, and for a second, I can see a hint of the playful Matteo in his eyes.

“Suck me, slave,” he says, commanding me.

He never uses the word slave. He never commands me. He always gives me a choice.

It doesn’t take me long to realize that he is putting on a performance for his father. I don’t know if this performance involves keeping me safe or not, but at least, it will buy me more time. I don’t mind sucking his dick. I just don’t want to do it in front of all these people. But it might be the last pleasant thing I ever experience.

I keep my eyes locked on Matteo as I raise my aching arms to his pants. I roughly undo the button and zipper until I reach inside and pull out his cock. I pretend like no one else is there as I wrap my mouth around his cock and suck. I can hardly move my head at all; my head hurts so much. But it doesn’t matter. I’m doing what Matteo says, and within seconds, Matteo shoots his load down my throat.

I quickly pull away, and Matteo puts his dick back in his pants as he walks back over to where his brother stands.

Enrico smiles at his son.

Disgusting.

Arlo steps forward and starts walking toward me while I swallow down Matteo’s cum, prepared to take Arlo’s cum as well. But, when he approaches me, he gives me no sign that he is on my side, like Matteo did. In fact, even though he is looking at me, it’s more like he is staring through me.

When he gets to me, he doesn’t command me like Matteo did. Instead, he picks up my broken body and throws me over his shoulder. My whole body screams as he touches me and carries me to the bed. He tosses me down like I’m nothing. I close my eyes, wishing I could become nothing.

Arlo undoes his pants, and I watch as his cock hardens before my eyes. He sits up on the bed, leaning against the headboard.

“Strip and then fuck me, slave.”

I defiantly stare into his eyes. I don’t have the strength to stand, yet he wants me to fuck him. He’s insane. But I see the hardening in his eyes, and I know it’s what he wants. I don’t know if he is on my side like Matteo is, but I can’t take a chance that he’s not.

He’s only inches away from me, but it’s going to take all the strength I have left to undress, let alone fuck him. I grab the hem of the T-shirt and gingerly pull it over my head, trying to keep it away from my skin but feel it scrape against every wound on my body. It takes all the energy I have left to push my pants down. I begin to inch toward Arlo, clawing at his chest as I try to use my arms to pull closer to him, my legs in too much pain to move.

Arlo watches me for a moment like he doesn’t give a shit about me, and then he grabs my hips and pulls me on top of him, my pussy coming down on his cock. His eyes sear into me as he thrusts inside me. I don’t know if the look is meant to comfort me or let me know that my life is over, but either way, it doesn’t do much to comfort me.

My body, on the other hand, responds automatically to his cock. I get wetter with each thrust, just like I do every time he fucks me. I dig my nails into his shoulders, trying to keep myself upright while he fucks me. I don’t look around at all the men who are ogling my body right now. I don’t think about how degrading it is. All I think about is, despite all the pains in my body, it still feels good to have his cock inside me, just like it felt good to give Matteo a tiny bit of pleasure.

“Come,” Arlo says.

We’ve barely fucked at all. Maybe it’s the situation I’m in, or maybe I need to feel something good so desperately that I can force my body to do something that I’m not ready for, but I come easily, quietly screaming his name. He thrusts once more and comes as well, pouring his cum deep inside me.

When he’s done, he pushes me off onto the bed, gets up, tucks his cock back into his pants, and walks back to where his brother is.

I take a deep breath as I lie on the bed, completely naked and exposed, but at least now, I’m on a comfortable bed instead of on the dirty floor. I feel a little more alive than I did before he fucked me. I don’t know how that’s possible, but it is.

Enrico laughs. “Very good. You have both made it clear that you have control over the slave. But who cares if she lives or dies?”

Enrico grabs my hair, pulling me toward him. But I’m tired of being hit and beaten. I let his sons touch me because I wanted them to. I won’t let him touch me as easily.

I fight back with everything I have. But he’s stronger than me. I try going for the sensitive areas. His eyes and balls. But he grabs both of my arms, holding me down, as he climbs up on top of me. Panic rises in my eyes as I realize that I’m about to be raped by this disgusting man again while more than a dozen men watch. Only to die minutes or seconds later. I can’t handle it. I won’t let him do it.

I keep fighting. But I can’t. I’m not strong enough.

I glance over at the only two men who might be able to save me.

I look at Arlo, who looks just as cold as he has from the second he walked into the room. I turn to Matteo, begging him to stop this. Kill me if he has to, but don’t let me get raped again. He stands cold as well, but when he sees my eyes, he closes his, trying to block out the pain I’m feeling.

Enrico laughs and looks in their direction, too. “Which of my sons will save you?” He shakes his head. “I’m not sure that either of them will save you, but one sure does care more than he is letting on.”

Panic rises in my chest. I don’t know what game within the game Arlo and Matteo are playing. I don’t know whom they want to win or if they are both actively trying to beat each other. I know they are competitive. But I don’t know if they would turn on the other in order to win. I should know what their game plan is, but I don’t. I never asked, and now, I have no idea how to help them defeat their father, if that is even the plan.

I look into Enrico’s eyes, and I see the anger he has toward his sons. I’m just not sure if they see it. I’m not sure if he ever intended on choosing a successor tonight or if he’s just teaching them both a lesson.

I might already be dead, but I won’t let him kill either of them. I glance one last time at the two men I’ve grown to care about more than I would ever like to admit, and then I find the strength to kick Enrico as hard as I can in the balls. I strike just the right spot with enough force to make him loosen his grasp on my wrists.

I pull one free and reach for the back of his pants, the spot where I know all the Carini men carry their guns. I grab it, aim straight at Enrico’s heart, and pull the trigger.

Enrico steps back, laughing, as no bullet exits the gun.

I try again.

Nothing.

I quickly examine the gun and realize there are no bullets in the gun.

Enrico takes a step back, still laughing. And then, a second later, he has me pinned to the bed again with more rage than I ever imagined possible.

“You bitch. You think I don’t know what games you have been playing? You think I don’t know that you messed with my sons’ minds? That you made them weak by making them fall for a bitch like you? That’s why I hate you more than all the rest of the women we played with before. I hoped your fire would make them hate you more, but instead, you made them fall for you. The other women got to end their debt early but not you. You will pay the full seven years before I release you. By the time I’m through with you, you will be begging for death.”

“Her debt has already been paid,” Arlo says suddenly.

Shut up, I want to scream. It doesn’t matter if I’ve already paid my debt or not. He’s not making anything better.

“What did you say?” Enrico glares at Arlo while still holding me down.

“Her debt has already been paid. She finished paying her debt two weeks ago,” Matteo finishes for Arlo.

Enrico searches his son’s eyes. “How?”

“The contract said the terms of seven years started the first day we forced her to do anything against her will,” Arlo says.

“That was the day you kidnapped her,” Enrico says.

“No, it wasn’t,” Arlo says.

“It was the first day I raped her against her will. The same day she signed the contract,” Matteo finishes.

I knew it. I knew he had fucked me that night in the dungeon. They were trying to protect me this whole time. Not that it matters. We are all going to die anyway.

Enrico turns from them to me. His nostrils are flared, his face is raging red, and veins are about to pop out of his body. But it’s his eyes that tell me this is the moment it all ends.

“She’s free to go. If you have taught us anything, it’s that we honor our contracts,” Arlo says, staring at me with the tiniest drop of hope in his eyes.

But I don’t return his hope when I look back at him. He might think his father is an honorable person who cares about things like contracts. But I’ve seen the real monster inside of Enrico. He doesn’t give a shit about anything, except what he wants.

Enrico grabs my hair and rips me off the bed, throwing me onto the floor.

I don’t even think about the pain anymore because I know this is all over.

“You’re right. She’s free to go as soon as she fulfills one final contractual obligation.”

Arlo and Matteo each raise an eyebrow.

Enrico laughs. “Oh, you didn’t read the contract very well then, boys. I thought I taught you better than that, as you say.” He shakes his head. “I hoped for stronger sons than what you have turned out to be. You shouldn’t give a shit about her; she’s nothing to you. You might love her, but she doesn’t love you in return! She has just said or done anything that she could to survive. To get you to love her. So that you would save her in the end.”

He walks over to one of his guards who has remained completely silent this whole time, watching this ridiculous scene unfold, trying to figure out who their new boss will be. Enrico holds out his hand, and the man hands him a gun.

He walks back to me, and I know this is when my life ends. He’s going to shoot me. He’s going to kill me.

He grabs me by the hair again, and I close my eyes, waiting for death to quickly take me.

Enrico shakes me, and my eyes open automatically as I try to figure out what the hell he’s doing.

“My sons are right. I have a contractual obligation to release you. Carinis keep their promises. Ask any of my men, and they will tell you as much. Ask any person in town. That is why we are given so much respect. You might have just won, Nina. You played us all well.”

He looks at his sons, who are both standing there far too smugly.

“You get to choose if you walk free or if you die.”

My heart beats fast in my chest, but I settle it quickly.

He’s lying. These are all lies. Don’t let your guard down. He’s still going to try to kill you.

“You get to pick which of my sons will replace me as heir and which of my sons will die,” Enrico says, pointing his gun in the general direction of his sons.

Both men freeze. Both men stare at the gun and then their father. Neither seems that shocked that their father is currently aiming a gun at them.

“No.”

Enrico glares at me. “No is not an answer. You don’t get to tell me no. You must choose.”

“No.”

“Then, you die.” He aims the gun at my head, and the brothers take a step forward. “Take another step, and she dies.”

They both stop.

“I’m giving you all the power, Nina. Isn’t that what you wanted? That’s what you’ve been saying you wanted this whole fucking time. Now’s your chance. Save yourself by choosing which of my sons lives and which dies. Or I’ll kill you.”

My body trembles. One of us isn’t going to survive this. One is going to die. Because of me.

I look at both of the men I love. Love is such a strange word and an even stranger feeling. It’s not something I’ve admitted to either of them. Or even to myself. But, right now, when our lives are truly on the line, it makes it easier to admit it. I love them both. I don’t know how it’s possible to truly love more than one person at a time, but it’s how I feel. I won’t question it.

“Time is ticking, Nina, and I’m not a very patient man. Who is worthy of becoming my next heir?” He pauses, smiling. “Or, better yet, whom do you love? Whom can’t you live without?” He laughs to himself. “Maybe you aren’t about to leave so quickly after all. If you truly didn’t care about my sons, you would have already chosen. You would have killed one of them without a second thought if it meant your freedom. So, which of my sons has won by stealing your heart?”

I look at both men standing in front of me. Neither of them deserves to die. I can’t choose.

But I don’t deserve to die either.

I feel the tears in my own eyes as I look to both of them like one of them will have the answer. Matteo smiles with his eyes. He loves me; I can see it in his eyes. He tells me with his whole body how much he loves me. But he doesn’t tell me not to shoot him.

I look into Arlo’s eyes. He doesn’t tell me anything. In fact, he barely looks at me, seeming indifferent, even though I know, deep down, he cares about me.

The way they look at me is the same way they are toward me. Both men are so different, yet I love both of them.

They both tried to save me. They both deserve to live.

I close my eyes. I deserve to live, too. Words pop into my head. Save yourself, like you promised.

More tears pour down my cheeks as I know what I have to do. My eyes dart back and forth between the two men. I bite my lip, and then I let the words start pouring out of me.

“I promised I would save myself.” I take a deep breath as I look at Arlo. “And I keep my promises.”

Arlo takes a deep breath as I stare at him. I made a promise to him that I would save myself. And the only way I can live with myself after tonight is to honor that promise.

I swallow hard, and then I say, “I choose to save Matteo.”