My cock swelled at her words. Talia’s breath shortened. Her moans grew louder and louder. Her head threw back, her back arched, and her pussy clenched my dick.

My cock twitched. I couldn’t take anymore. Gritting my teeth, I threw my head back, and stilling, my muscles strained, I came so hard I gasped for breath. My body shook as I flooded Talia’s cunt. Then I slumped to her chest, our bodies drenched with sweat.

Since she’d freed me from my chains, we spent day and night together like this. We fucked, but gentle and slow. This time I lost control. I felt weak. I was weak. The images in my head were making me weak.

Lifting my head, I looked into Talia’s eyes. My heart sank. Her brown eyes were wide and weary. Her cheeks were red with how hard I’d taken her.

Racked with shame, I pulled out of her. I lurched backward until my back hit the wall. I stared down at her lying there on the bed, my seed dripping from her thighs. I dropped my head in my hands.

I’d hurt her.

I never wanted to hurt her. But my head. I couldn’t control my head. I couldn’t stop the pain.

Feeling the bed dip, I froze when Talia’s soft hand smoothed across my chest. I kept my head down as her finger traced over my identity tattoo. 221 … 221 … 221 … I was 221.

I sucked in a breath. I knew who 221 was.

He was a killer.

He was Master’s killer.

He was the man that lived in chains and darkness.

But Talia called me Zaal. I did not know who Zaal was. A man freed from Master, a man with unexplained dreams and nightmares. The man who craved to be near Talia.

But there was more.

I could feel there was more, more to know, to understand.

Hearing Talia inhale a long breath, I felt her fingertip run along my knee. I raised my head. Talia was staring at my tattoo, then her glassy eyes drifted to meet mine.

I lifted my finger, and ran it over the smooth skin of her arm. “Who am I, Talia?” I asked, my voice broken. “Who is ‘Zaal’? I don’t know who he is.” I breathed in through my nose and pressed my hands against my head. “It causes me pain. I am in pain.”

Talia’s face contorted as though she was in pain too. But she finally nodded as if she had decided something, and moved to the table beside her bed. She picked up the object she called a phone.

Her back curled inward and I saw it shaking. Then suddenly she spoke. “Luka,” she said quietly, “I need you to come here now, and bring Kisa with you. It’s Zaal. He’s ready.”

*   *   *

Talia sat on the seat beside me. Her hands were fidgeting in her lap. She was nervous. I took a deep breath as we stared out of the windows, the sea waves crashing against the shore. I closed my eyes listening to those waves, imagining my feet in the cold sand, the breeze wrapping around my body and the sun shining on my face.

My eyes snapped open as I instantly thought of my dream. The boy laying in grass, his brother beside him. I shook my head from the memory. If I thought too hard the pain would return.

Talia shuffled beside me and I turned to her. “Why are you nervous?” I asked. Talia stilled and her brown eyes looked to me.

“I’m waiting for my brother and his wife to get here. They should arrive any minute.” Talia then looked up and met the gazes of her guards. The men were looking at her back, concerned.

The guards did not like me. They would stare at me with narrowed eyes and curled lips. I didn’t give a fuck. I didn’t like them either. They were guards. All guards I had ever met were weak and unfeeling. They punished for their own enjoyment.

Though they seemed to like Talia. They tried to protect her. From what, I did not know. She never talked about her life with me. She never told me anything. I realized that since she had freed me from the basement we hadn’t talked of much at all. We had fucked. I’d held her in my arms, but not much else.

I didn’t understand why.

I opened my mouth to ask Talia again why her brother freed me. Just as I did, a bell sounded. I lurched forward at the sound and the guards left the room.

When Talia and I were left alone, I reached for her arm and turned her to face me. I narrowed my eyes. “You are afraid. Why?”

Talia’s eyes darted to the side. Unable to stand it, I picked her up and placed her on my lap. I placed my palms on her cheeks and made her look up. Her bottom lip trembled. Unwilling to see her upset, I leaned forward and pressed my lips against hers. She whimpered into my mouth, her hands wrapping into my hair. Pulling away, I held her against me, the heat in her cheeks warming my palm.

“Talia—”

“Talia?”

I jerked at a male voice calling her name and jumped to my feet. I eyed up the male standing before me. He looked familiar. His hair, his eyes, his build.

The male glared at Talia. My hands fisted at my sides. My chest rose and fell. Suddenly, a female entered the room. Her eyes looked to me, then the man, and finally to Talia.

The female’s eyes widened when Talia’s hand fell on my arm. The male’s eyes narrowed and his head tilted to the side.

Why did I know him?

“Zaal,” Talia’s soft voice called. I pulled my gaze from the male’s stare to look into her face. She lifted onto her toes and pressed her hand against my face. She looked pale and my heart dropped. I didn’t understand why she was so worried. I didn’t understand what I’d done wrong.

“This is my brother, Luka.” Talia pointed at the male who had been glaring. “He’s the person who freed you,” she explained.

My eyes widened. My attention was naturally drawn back to the male. Talia’s fingers stroked down my cheek. I moved my gaze back to her. “Zaal, my brother, Luka, he is like you.”

I frowned and Talia edged closer. She placed her other hand on my cheek, cupping my face. I leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. I could feel her lips trembling. Her hands were shaking on my cheeks, but I felt every part of that kiss. Felt her intense sadness.

She was sad for me.

My stomach sank. It was as if her kiss was telling me that something bad was about to happen. As Talia broke away, she ran her hand down my neck, over my chest and down to grip my hand. Feeling eyes watching, Talia turned us to face her brother.

Talia brought us forward. Every cell in my body was alert as the man stared at me. He was dressed in a shirt and pants like Master. He looked like Master. The female behind him, the female with the bright blue eyes moved closer to the male who looked like Master.

Talia brought us to a long seat and urged me to sit. I followed her lead, but my eyes never left the male. He was tall, broad, and strong. He had scars on his face and arms. I looked down at my arms. They were like mine.

Talia’s brother and the female slowly sat on the seat opposite us. The room was filled with tension and silence. It made me want to get up and leave.

The male watched me, then turned to Talia. “How long?”

I tensed when the question came from his lips. Talia flushed red and bowed her head. “Awhile.”

The male’s face hardened and his jaw clenched. “And you didn’t think to tell me?”

Talia was silent. The finger wrapped around mine tightened. The female next to her reached over and got the male’s attention. She shook her head at him. The male’s eyes focused back on me. His hard eyes flickered to Talia, but not for long.