CAGED - A prisoner to their obsession

CHAPTER 37

August's eyes fluttered open, her body weighed down by exhaustion. She blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the dim light filtering through the curtains. Her heart raced as her gaze shifted to Aiden beside her. He was still asleep, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. She reached out to touch him, hoping his warmth would ground her—but the cold, stinging sensation on her wrist reminded her of the bruises. The marks were there, purple and angry. It wasn't a dream. It had been real—every sickening, humiliating second of it.

A soft knock interrupted her spiral. The door creaked open, and a maid entered, bowing slightly. "Miss August," she said softly, "Masters have requested your presence downstairs."

August's heart lurched in her chest. Her stomach twisted in knots at the thought of seeing them again—the devils who had taken everything from her. Disgust and fear tangled inside her, but she knew that refusing them wasn't an option.Last night's incident had carved such terror on her soul that even if she didn't want to she had too.

She descended the stairs, her legs trembling with each step, feeling as though she were walking towards her own execution. As she entered the hall, the brothers turned to look at her, their eyes gleaming with amusement. She could feel the heat of their stares as though they were dissecting her piece by piece. The sheer disgust burning in her gaze only seemed to fuel their amusement.

"Did you sleep well, little dove?" Elijah's voice slithered through the air like a serpent, a smirk playing on his lips as he leaned back casually in his chair.

August said nothing, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her silence seemed to amuse him even more.

"Well, I slept like a baby," Elijah continued,looking at his fingers playfully as though savoring a sweet victory.

"Don't tease my darling, Eli," Alexander's voice came from the side, sharp and mocking. "That's a very bad thing to do." He rose from his seat, his movements slow and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. As he approached her, August instinctively backed away, but one cold glare from him stopped her in her tracks.

He reached out, his fingers tracing her cheek in a mocking caress. "What happened last night must have upset you, darling. So, we decided to cheer you up." His tone was sweet, sickeningly so, like poison wrapped in honey.

August's heart pounded in her chest.

What was he playing at now?

"We actually realized it was rather bad of us to keep you and Aiden here. So, we've decided to let you both go."

Her breath caught in her throat. Let us go? The disbelief clouded her thoughts. Surely, this had to be another cruel trick. She searched Alexander's face for any sign of sincerity, but all she saw was that same chilling smile, the kind that had haunted her nightmares.

"I... You're letting us go?" she asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

"Looks like my doll doesn't want to leave us after all," Lucian's voice cut through the air like a blade. He approached her, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Did last night make you want more of us? Do you want a repeat of that, doll?" His fingers traced her lips, sending a violent shudder down her spine.

August recoiled from his touch, nausea rising in her throat.

"Tsk, tsk, Ian. She's not ready for you... not yet," Elijah chuckled, the sound low and dark.

"Shut up, both of you," Alexander snapped, his voice cold. August's eyes shifted to him, trying to understand his game. There was something brewing behind his eyes, something dangerous.

He stepped closer to her, his eyes gleaming with that cruel amusement. "Now, darling, as I said, we're letting you go. Ian, go and call the man. What was his name again?" He turned to August, his smile sending ice through her veins. "Max?"