Chapter Seventeen

Malice

The amount of rage I felt when she uttered those words, comparing me to that son of a bitch, had me seeing red. Never in my life had I ever felt a surge of such visceral frenzy, and that was saying something, because my genetic material was good at eliciting a plethora of emotions from me.

The silence hung in the air, with nothing more to be spoken.

Without giving it much thought, I impulsively rose from the comfortable couch and left her sitting there without a fucking glance back. I absolutely had no fucking clue where I was going, and I honestly didn't give a damn. The only thing that registered in my mind was the desperate need for solitude.

I cursed myself.

In a moment of vulnerability, I'd poured out my heart to her, revealing my deepest emotions. I'd uttered words I had never spoken to anyone before. I thought she understood, wanted the same thing I did. Now I knew the truth. Did she even know how hard it was for me to say those things, to admit what I kept buried deep? I only wanted to make everything right between us.

I knew nothing about relationships either, but goddamnit!

At least I was willing to try.

I wanted to try for her.

Throwing open the double doors to Davenport Tower, I ran smack dab into Montana. Before the fucker could say a damn word to me, I hauled off and punched him in the face, shouting angrily,

"This is all your fault!"

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Montana roared, stumbling back as he spit blood on the sidewalk.

"Fuck you! Fuck all of you!"

As I hurriedly shoved past the people on the street, I could feel the intensity of the storm brewing inside me. I remained unfazed, even while Montana's voice echoed through the air, calling my name.

Having exhausted all other options, I reluctantly made my way to the one and only place in the city that would offer me the sanctuary I so desperately sought. There was only one place where I felt fully accepted, without any need for explanations or interrogation.

The Playground.

Yet nothing could have prepared me for the sickening guilt that settled deep in my stomach the moment I walked through the doors.

This place had been my refuge for the longest time, providing solace and peace. A place I used to escape her, where I could freely indulge my instincts. I never claimed to be a decent man, fully aware of my shortcomings. Hell, I didn't know anyone truly decent. Everyone seemed to have their own selfish motives. Yet, in this place, there existed only acceptance and understanding, devoid of any condemnations or allegations, a realm where the forbidden desires thrived.

Looking around the place, the walls, draped in cream silk, looked unassuming against the dark carpeted floor. Black sconces gave the building a dark, gothic vibe as I walked deeper inside. The building was cold, almost like someone forgot to turn off the air conditioning. Scanning the area, I noticed several black and white pictures of naked men and women adorning the walls.

Each picture, more graphic than the next.

With every step, my discomfort grew, and I became increasingly aware that being here was not what I desired.

There was an unsettling feeling about the place that made me uneasy.

"Gideon?"

Sin pivoted, his grip tightening on the clipboard, as he gave his full attention to the construction worker's conversation. Without uttering a word, he silently extended the clipboard to the worker, while making his way towards me.

I didn't look at him.

I couldn't.

He would know.

He aways knew.

"Follow me," he ordered, turning to walk away.

Doing as he instructed, I followed him into what used to be my office. Closing the door behind him, he rounded on me.

"Tell me."

"She hates me."

"Arianwen?"

I nodded. "She thinks I'm no better than Petrovitch."

Sin growled, "Boris Petrovitch? He's fucking dead. What does he have to do with Arianwen?"

Looking at Sin, I frowned. "You don't know?"

Sin sighed, unbuttoned his suit and took a seat behind his desk. "Tell me."

Settling into my seat, I decided it was time to reveal everything to him. From the moment Arianwen fell into Petrovitch's clutches, to the day I stumbled upon her in the scorching desert, to her eventual arrival at the clubhouse, and finally, to the unforgettable night when I made her mine. Saying nothing, he remained completely attentive, his focus unwavering while he absorbed everything that was being said. Throughout the conversation, he maintained his composure and never interrupted once. When I was done, he shifted back in his chair, his silence speaking volumes. What was there to say? We both carried the weight of our horrific pasts, but this wasn't a contest to see who had it worse.

"So let me get this straight and correct me if I'm wrong. The day you came to see me, you were running from what you'd done to Arianwen."

I nodded.

"You told me she accepted your claim."

"She did."

Sin's head tilted to the side, his eyes narrowing as he glared at me with unwavering intensity. "Answer me this, Gideon. Why did you really claim her, and don't you dare fucking lie to me?"

"That night. She went out dancing."

"And?"

"She was dancing with a boy. I got mad and stopped it. She got mad and said I ruined everything, and that I meant nothing to her."

"And that angered you."

I nodded.

"And then you showed up at her place and claimed her."

"Yes."

"And then, instead of staying and facing the consequences of your actions, you abandoned her. Demonstrating to her you were no different from Petrovitch, you shattered any hope of trust."

I growled, "I'm nothing like that fucker."

"Really?" Sin challenged. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you forcefully took a woman, leaving her with no option but to surrender, and when the night ended, you abandoned her to deal with the aftermath. How is that not any different than what Petrovitch did?"

"I came back."

"So did he. Repeatedly until he tired of her."

"I tried to be different last night."

"What do you mean?"

"I tried to be what she wanted."

"You tried to have sex without the dominant element?"

I nodded.

"And did it work?"

I shook my head. "No. She put a stop to it. Then she called Torment."

"The club's therapist." Sin nodded. "Go on."

"I didn't want to talk to him, but she insisted. Then she compared me to Petrovitch, and I left."

"I see." Sin sighed, taking a good hard look at me.

Saying nothing more, Sin got to his feet and said, "Follow me, Gideon."

Obeying his request, I accompanied Sin across the hall and into a different room. There, a captivating brunette woman reclined on a bed, absorbed in her reading.

"Gideon, this is Aubry. She is my submissive. She's very well trained in the lifestyle and has signed away her life to me for the next month, giving me permission to do anything I desire with her. Aubry, this is my brother Gideon. Please say hello."

"Good morning, Gideon," the pretty woman said contritely, sitting up, her eyes cast down at the floor.

"Aubry, I am giving you to my brother. Will that be a problem?"

"No, master."

Turning to me, Sin smiled. "I will come back in an hour to check on your progress."

With that, he left me in a room with a trained, naked submissive.