Chapter 134

The Prey

Days bled into each other. Time losing its meaning on this godforsaken island. Each morning began the same—waking to the intrusive reminder of his ownership, and each night ended with him claiming me in ways that left my body trembling and my mind fractured.

Judas was relentless, yet... he was something else entirely. More ruthless, yes, but also gentler. It was a dichotomy I couldn’t reconcile. He’d bathe me with meticulous care, clothe me in silks too fine for someone who felt like a shattered doll, cook meals as if he were feeding a queen, and spoon-feed me even when I clenched my teeth in refusal.

It was maddening, this man who had once been pure cruelty, now wielding tenderness like a weapon. A paradox wrapped in dark intent, yet somehow... softer at the edges.

And I hated him for it.

But more than that, I hated myself. For the way my heart clenched when he pressed a kiss to my forehead after he’d destroyed me. For the way