She sat up slowly, her thighs still trembling, her face flushed and wet with sweat and tears. For a long moment she just stared at the table, breathing hard, her hands gripping the edge like it was the only thing keeping her upright.
Then she looked at me.
"What do you want?" she asked quietly.
I pulled the stool closer and sat down, eye level with her. "Three things."
"First," I said. "Sophie comes with me."
Her face hardened immediately. "No."
"That wasn't a request."
"She's not yours to take," the Elder said, her voice cold. "She chose to be here. She's under my protection."
I looked past her at Sophie, still standing against the wall, arms crossed, watching us both.
"Sophie," I said. "Do you want to see Mia?"
Sophie's eyes widened. Her arms dropped. For the first time since I'd entered the hut, she spoke.
"Mia's alive?"
"Alive and looking for you," I said. "She's been asking about you since the day I found her. Wanted me to bring you back."
Sophie looked at the Elder. Then back at me.
"I'll go," she said quietly.
The Elder's head snapped toward her. "Sophie—"
"I need to see her," Sophie said, her voice firmer now. "I need to know she's safe."
"She's safe," I said.
The Elder's hands curled into fists, but she didn't argue further. She just looked at Sophie for a long moment, then nodded stiffly.
"Fine," she said. "But she comes back if she wants to."
"Fair enough," I said.
Sophie relaxed slightly, though she didn't move from her spot against the wall.
The Elder turned back to me. "What else?"
"Second," I said. "An alliance. Your settlement and mine work together. Resources, labor, defense. When I need men for a project, you provide them. When you need supplies or protection, I provide it."
She frowned. "Why would I agree to that?"
I reached across the table and wrapped my hand around her throat.
She froze, her eyes going wide, her pulse hammering against my palm.
"Because I made you scream with my mouth," I said quietly. "I haven't even fucked you yet. And you're already trying to renegotiate." I leaned closer. "Do you really want to find out what happens if I stop being nice?"
Her breathing was shallow, fast.
She just stared at me, her face flushed, her lips parted.
"Do we have an agreement?" I asked.
She swallowed hard. "Yes."
I let go of her throat and sat back.
She touched her neck briefly, then lowered her hand. She leaned forward suddenly, her lips parting, moving toward my mouth.
I put my hand on her chest and pushed her back down onto the table.
"No," I said.
Her eyes flashed. "Why not?"
I leaned closer, my hand still on her chest, feeling her heartbeat racing beneath my palm. "It doesn't work that way. You lost. And you'll have to earn every single thing from me now—including my mouth."
She stared at me, breathing hard.
"Understand?" I asked.
She nodded slowly.
"Good." I sat back. "Now. Third thing. David."
Her eyebrows rose. "The boy?"
"Yes."
She reached into the leather pouch hanging from the cord around her neck and pulled out a small iron key. Held it up between two fingers.
"You want him freed?" she asked.
"No."
She blinked. "What?"
"I want him," I said. "But you keep the key."
For a moment she just stared at me, processing. Then understanding dawned on her face.
Slowly, she smiled.
It was the first real smile I'd seen from her.
"You want him to stay caged," she said.
"He betrayed my people," I said.
She studied me for a long moment, her smile widening slightly. "No problem."
She was quiet for a moment, her fingers absently touching the pouch where the key rested. Then she looked at me again.
"Is that everything?" she asked.
"One more thing," I said.
"What?"
"This island is big. There are more survivors out there—we both know it. Some of them are dangerous."
She nodded slowly. "I've seen others. Scouts. Raiders passing through."
"Then you know we're stronger together than apart," I said.
"You've spent two years building a settlement," I said. "I'm offering you the chance to build an empire. Everything on this island. Everyone on it." I held her gaze. "Together, we can rule it all."
She stared at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable.
Then she held out her hand.
"Partners," she said.
I took her hand. Her grip was firm, callused, strong.
"Partners," I agreed.
---
We walked toward the hut's entrance. She reached for the door handle.
I grabbed her wrist.
She looked at me, confused. "What?"
"Your people need to understand the new arrangement," I said.
"What do you mean—"
I opened the door and stepped outside, pulling her with me.
Goliath was still sitting there. Beyond him, the entire settlement had gathered—women and caged men alike, standing in a loose semi-circle around the hut, watching with tense faces.
They'd heard her scream. They knew something had happened.
Every eye locked onto us as we emerged.
I turned the Elder around, bent her slightly at the waist, and brought my hand down hard on her ass.
The crack echoed across the compound like a gunshot.
She gasped—more from shock than pain—but didn't pull away.
Half the crowd gasped audibly. One of the caged men's eyes went wide. A few of the women stepped forward instinctively, then stopped, unsure.
I spanked her again. Harder this time.
Her face flushed deep red, and she bit her lip, but she stayed bent over, her hands braced against her thighs.
I leaned close to her ear, loud enough for the nearest people to hear. "They need to know who you answer to now."
She turned her head slightly, meeting my eyes over her shoulder.
For a moment, I thought she'd fight it.
Then she smiled.
She straightened up slowly, adjusting her skirt with deliberate calm, and turned to face the crowd.
"We're in agreement," she said clearly, her voice carrying across the compound.
Silence.
I stepped forward, addressing the gathered people. "Your leader and I have formed an alliance. Our settlements work together now. Our resources are shared. Our people are united." I paused, letting that sink in. "Anyone who has a problem with that can take it up with me."
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Then, slowly, one of the older women near the front nodded. Then another. Then a third.
The Elder raised her voice, back to her usual tone of absolute authority. "You heard him. Get back to work."
The crowd dispersed slowly, murmuring to each other, glancing back at us as they moved toward their tasks.
The Elder turned to me. "Satisfied?"
"For now."
She almost smiled again. Then she gestured toward one of the larger buildings near the edge of the compound. "Your boy is in there."
---
The building was dim inside, lit only by narrow gaps between the wooden slats. It smelled like sweat and stale air.
David was sitting on the dirt floor in the corner, his back against the wall, his knees drawn up to his chest. His hands were no longer bound, but his pants were still around his ankles.
He looked up when the door opened. His face was pale, his eyes red-rimmed.
When he saw me, relief flooded his expression.
"Jack," he said, his voice hoarse. "I messed up."
"You're coming back," I said.
He scrambled to his feet, nearly tripping over his pants. "Thank you—
"The cage stays on."
He froze. His mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
"What?"
"You heard me," I said. "You don't get to be comfortable just because I'm taking you back."
"But—Jack, please—I was trying to help—"
"You were trying to be a hero," I said. "And you failed. Now you live with the consequences."
His face crumpled. "How long?"
"I don't even know."
"Please," he whispered. "Please, Jack, I can't—"
"You can. And you will." I turned toward the door. "Pull your pants up. We're leaving."
He stood there for a moment, trembling, staring at me like I'd just sentenced him to death.
Then, slowly, he bent down and pulled his pants up over the cage. The metal bulge was visible through the fabric. Humiliating. Obvious.
Sophie was waiting outside with the Elder.
David saw her and stopped. His face flushed red.
Sophie looked at him. At the bulge in his pants. At his tear-streaked face.
She didn't say anything. Just looked away.
"Let's go," I said.
---
The walk back through the jungle was silent except for the sounds of our footsteps and the distant calls of birds.
Goliath walked beside me, his massive body brushing against my hip with every step. Sophie walked a few paces behind, her face unreadable. David trailed at the back, limping slightly, his face down, his hands clasped in front of his crotch like he could hide the cage.
I glanced back at Sophie once. She was staring ahead, her jaw set, her eyes distant.
"You okay?" I asked.
She looked at me. "Yes"
We walked for another hour before the jungle started to thin. The terrain became rockier, the trees sparser. The entrance to the cave came into view—half-hidden behind an outcropping of stone, just like I'd left it.
Isaac was standing guard near the entrance. When he saw us approaching, his eyes widened. He raised a hand.
"Jack!" he called. Then he saw Sophie and David. His expression shifted to confusion. "What—"
"Get everyone," I said. "Main chamber. Now."