Ella

I wake up in his arms. I don’t know how long I slept, but I can tell he did too. There’s sleep in his eyes, and he has circles under his eyes. But he’s still beaming as he looks at me, blinking softly as I yawn. He smiles, and I smile back, feeling his arms envelop me like a warm cocoon.

And then he does the most peculiar thing.

His finger reaches for my cheek, caressing me softly before he leans in and kisses me.

And I let him.

I don’t know why I do, but I don’t want to resist.

I’m too tired to say no, and after weeks of no human contact, I crave his. If this is something to be ashamed of, then so be it. I’ll gladly accept his affection because I need it more than anything right now. His mouth on mine makes me feel alive.

“Oh, my lord … you’re kidding me, right?”

Syrena’s voice makes me pull away from Cage, and my cheeks flush red the moment I notice she’s caught us.

Well, shit.

“Making out like teenagers in your cell?” she scoffs. “Really?”

I quickly unfurl from his arms even though I know she can’t even see us. She’s blind, obviously, but apparently, she could still hear us. I don’t want to give anyone the impression that I’m into it even though I am.

“Relax,” she says, laughing. “I get it. You fuck each other a couple of times, and you’re smitten. It happens. Regularly, trust me,” she says. “You lovebirds go right ahead. But please, keep it quiet, I don’t like to hear someone fuck.”

“We’re n-not—” I mutter.

“No need to deny it, honey,” she says. “It’s cool. Just don’t throw it in my face, okay? It makes me jealous because I wish I had a hunk of a man like you have,” she jests, chuckling again.

“Hunk?” I say, cringing from the word.

“Don’t pretend you’re not totally into that body,” she says, raising a brow.

Her comment makes Cage smile at me, and that makes me want to hide behind my pillow. God, I hate it when I’m exposed like that.

“Y-you discuss it like we’re n-not trapped in a c-cage, fighting for s-survival,” I reply.

“Oh, I know, but we all need distractions and fun. Plus, it feels nice, right? I can imagine. I only have my hand.” She holds up her hand to show me.

“Ew …” I mumble.

She grins. “Don’t pretend you didn’t do that at home. Stop being a prude.”

“I’m not,” I say.

“What?” Cage asks.

“Nothing,” I say, burying my face in my hands. “Please, can we discuss something else?”

“Sure,” Syrena says. “I’m curious, though … Is he your first?”

“Yes.”

With a dropped jaw, I glare at Cage who just spilled the beans like that. He gazes back at me with a shrug, apparently not aware of what the fuss is about. To him, that’s the best part, when to me, it was quite embarrassing. Especially considering who he really is.

“I knew it,” she says, shaking her head. “How does it feel? Good, right?”

“Shut up,” I growl.

“Well, look at you. Got your voice back and you’re already swearing,” she muses. “Good for you.”

“Thanks t-to you,” I say, giving her a face.

Although, I do have to agree. My voice has been getting better every day.

Suddenly, the door opens, and I stumble up from the bed in shock.

“What are you doing in her cage?” he screams.

I never expected Graham to come in now, looking pissed as hell. Just seeing his face makes me clench my fist. He drugged me, tied me up to that … thing. I did what he asked even though it went against every fiber of my being. And now he comes in here yelling?

He marches over to my cell, completely ignoring me as he barks, “Get back in your cage!”

Cage’s face sours, and he immediately turns around and waits for the black door to be opened by Graham. When he rummages in his pocket and presses a button, the door opens, and Cage swiftly disappears through it, coming out on the other end into his cage again.

I can’t believe he actually listened. No wonder his name is Cage … That’s how Graham addresses him all the time. Does he even have a different name? Why would anyone do this to his son? How could anyone be this cruel?

“Couldn’t do what I told you to do?” Graham rages.

Cage just stares, his nostrils flaring with anger, but he doesn’t reply.

“No matter, I’ll deal with you later,” Graham hisses at him, and then he concentrates on me. “You think you can outsmart me, girl?”

I shake my head, but I know the damage is already done. I can tell just by looking into his eyes. He knows. He’s been watching.

“You made him fuck you in the ass,” he spits.

“Of course, she did,” Syrena says, but he completely ignores her.

“I told you to behave. I told you what would happen. You want this, don’t you? You want to get on my bad side.” He points at me, pushing his finger so hard onto the glass I feel like it might break. “You … you’ll pay for this.”

“No,” Cage says, slamming his fist into the glass.

“Yes. I told you what would happen if you didn’t do what I said,” he growls. “Now you’ll both face the consequences.”

“She did what you asked,” Syrena says.

He still ignores her every word; his eyes painfully focused on mine.

“You … you think you can keep this a secret from me, don’t you?” A wicked smile forms on his lips. “Think you’re a clever girl? Think I can only see the images on the camera? There’s a microphone too.”

My eyes widen, and my heart stops beating for a second.

He could hear us.

Which means he knows I spoke to Cage.

How long has he known? It must’ve been longer than just today. There must be cameras here, surrounding the prison, too.

He’s known all along yet he never said a word, never gave away his knowledge. Until now.

Until he could use it against me … to teach me a lesson.

My own cleverness has brought my destruction. By going against Graham, I sealed the deal.

He rummages in his pants again, pushing some buttons.

Suddenly, the sound of gas spilling from the ceiling makes me stop breathing.

I pull away from the glass, grab my blanket, and wrap it tightly around me, hoping to keep it at bay.

That’s when I realize the smoke doesn’t surround me.

It’s entering Syrena’s prison instead.

“No!” Cage yells, smashing his fist into the glass near her, but she quickly falls to the floor.

“Help …” she squeaks, grasping her neck as she rolls around on the floor.

It’s horrible to see her like this, and I know for a fact how it feels to suffocate in the smoke. I want to scream, but my throat feels clamped shut. I watch in horror as Graham walks into the black door and goes into her cage. I can only bang on the glass with every ounce of strength I have to make him stop. But nothing holds him back from dragging her lifeless body out of there, all the way through the room and out the black door.

Tears run down my cheeks as I realize what just happened.

The only person who I could talk to who knows what it’s like to be free … is gone.

I watch her slowly fade into oblivion, knowing the last thing she knew was this cell … and the people inside it that caused her demise.