Submission and Addiction [Part 13]
Adam woke up to warmth. Someone’s arm was slung over him, and there was hot breath brushing over his neck. At first, he struggled to remember who he’d been in bed with before he’d fallen asleep. He hadn’t been dumb enough to fall asleep with a customer, had he? Adam blinked his eyes open. As his vision focused, Kris’ face came into view. He was curled up against Adam’s side, his head leaning against Adam’s shoulder. Adam took in his precious, sleeping face so near, and didn’t ever want to move as warmth spread through his chest and memories from the previous night came back.
Kris loved him. Kris loved him.
As gently as he could, being careful not to wake the sleeping boy, Adam curled his arms loosely around Kris. Just to hold him, just to be able to take in and feel what it was like to be able to take Kris in his arms like this and curl up with him.
The sunlight was melting into the room through the sturdy tent’s walls, pouring slowly over Kris’ face and through his hair. Adam was sure he’d never seen a sight more beautiful. As softly as he could, he left just the lightest little kiss on Kris’ forehead. Adam didn’t think Kris would ever know how much this meant to him - how much he meant to him.
Kris awoke not long after, to his forehead resting against Adam’s chin, and Adam’s arms cradling him close. Kris yawned, and Adam chuckled a little.
“We slept a long time. You still tired?” Kris smiled slowly and shook his head a little.
“No, just waking up,” he mumbled, Kris blinked a few times sleepily, his head pillowed against Adam’s shoulder. Adam reached up to stroke his face.
“You’re so beautiful. I woke up just a little while ago, and I haven’t been able to stop watching you.” Adam tilted his head down to kiss Kris softly. Kris was smiling wide when Adam pulled back, looking considerably less sleepy. Adam moved his hand from Kris’ cheek to his hair, stroking the brown strands back gently from his face. “I don’t think I’ve ever slept better than I just did,” Adam told him.
“Was it an extra comfy night for your bed?” Kris asked with a smile, snuggling in closer to Adam.
“No, I’m pretty sure it had more to do with how there was someone holding me all night. And … that I got to sleep right next to the only man I’ve ever been and ever want to be in love with.”
Adam kissed Kris’ chin, Kris blushed and smiled.
“For never being in love before, you sure know how to deliver the mushy sentiments.” Kris tilted his head up, so Adam’s next kiss landed on his lips. Adam’s hand stroked through Kris’ hair, and the kiss remained light, sweet, and short.
“You know,” Kris said, cuddling up close. “I’ve never been close to anyone like this, ever. Never kissed anyone, or ever really been hugged, except by my mom when I was really little. I bet you’re laughing on the inside at how I blush at everything, and I guess I’m not that good of a kisser.”
“Baby, that’s what I love about you.” Adam smiled with a soft laugh, and kissed Kris’ forehead. “You’re so ridiculously precious and adorable and sweet, all I want to do is hug you and take care of you forever. And for your information, your kisses are the best I’ve ever had. No one else kisses me like that. So really, it’s like these are my first kisses too. I’m just as much of a novice to this as you. I’ve never before felt for anyone else anything close to what I do for you.”
Kris smiled, laughed a little and shook his head. “How is it, you always have the exact right thing to say?”
“It’s because I love you. People can do everything perfectly when they’re in love, haven’t you learned that from those storybooks?” Kris laughed, and Adam kissed his smile. “Maybe I’m talking too much about how I’m in love.”
“You can never talk too much about it,” Kris assured him with a grin.
“It just makes me really excited and happy. And it’s even better now, that I can tell you, instead of just thinking it.”
“I know what you mean.” Kris leaned up on his elbows, and leaned down to kiss Adam once more. “It may be the best part of being in love. Now, I can do this.” Kris suddenly fell silent, and Adam was puzzled as Kris’ statement was unfinished. But just before Adam was going to say something, Kris murmured to him tenderly, “I love you, Adam.” Almost instantly, a radiant, completely uninhibited and true smile began to grow on Adam’s face.
“That’s what I mean,” Kris said with a grin. “Now, I can make you smile in that way you hardly ever do.”
Adam tugged Kris down next to him on the bed again. Even though Adam was overcome with emotions of love and attachment to which he’d never felt a rival, the kisses he gave Kris remained light and gentle, though in quick succession. He’d never felt more loved or valued - or particularly loved or valued at all. Kris did it all, and so easily. Kris curled in, melting blissfully into the beautiful world of Adam’s soft, loving lips.
Adam got out of bed first, to go fix some breakfast. Kris stayed curled up for a little while under the warm blankets. He laid there with a happy little smile on his face, just thinking and relaxing. Kris remembered falling asleep holding Adam, but waking up for a moment earlier, and finding their positions shifted with Adam holding him instead. They had fit together perfectly. Kris had melted back and relaxed against Adam’s chest, comfy and cherished. Kris knew he was incredibly lucky.
As Kris got up from bed and pulled one of his tunics from the dresser, he heard Adam start to cough out in the tent’s main area. His coughing went on while Kris changed his tunic.
Kris stepped out the door and asked, “You okay?”, concerned. Adam was standing in front of the kitchen shelves and counter. He straightened up and wiped a hand over his mouth.
“You’re here. I’m perfectly fine,” Adam replied with an easy smile, turning back to where he’d been cutting a few slices of bread from the loaf Kris had made a few days earlier. “Want some breakfast?”
“Sure.” Kris went over to look through the cupboards for something to spread on the bread, but couldn’t find anything. “We don’t have much to eat. I should go out to the markets later today and do some food shopping.”
“Sounds good. I’ll give you some money before you go.” Adam handed Kris a plate with some bread on it, and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Kris’ breakfast was bland, but he ate it with a smile.
Kris pulled on the heavy traveling robe Adam had bought for him, and called out, “Adam! I’m about to leave!” Kris tied up the front of the robes, as Adam ducked out from his chamber. He handed Kris a small pouch, and when Kris took it, the pouch jingled.
“Get ingredients for your pie,” Adam said with a smile. “You know how much I love your pie. ….And your everything else.”
Kris laughed softly, beaming to himself as he tucked the pouch into an inside pocket of his robes. “Try not to miss me too much.” Kris leaned up on his toes to peck Adam’s lips. “Love you.” Adam smiled, and watched Kris head off.
It was well into the afternoon when Kris was finally heading home. His arms were full with bundles and satchels. He’d bought enough food to last for at least the next moon, and he’d only spent about half the money Adam had given him. Kris definitely considered his trip a success.
He hummed to himself as the tent came into room. He was thinking about walking in and finding Adam most likely primping, and Kris imagined sliding into his lap and kissing him right away. He would bake something extra delicious for Adam tonight.
As Kris approached, he soon realized things weren’t as he was expecting. The first cue was Michael’s absence from in front of the door. Kris shouldered his way through the door, his arms still full. Kris heard the sounds right away. There was a crack left open in the curtains, and from the doorway Kris could see Adam’s legs over the man’s shoulders. His hands were gripping Adam’s soft hips, tugging him in sharply each time the man thrust forward. Adam was arched in the cushions, his hands gripping them and his head thrown back into the pillows. Kris wished he could cover his ears against how loud Adam was being. Kris just dropped all the groceries on the table, so he could go back outside right away. He could feel multiple unpleasant feelings swirling through him, but couldn’t quite identify them. They were probably something like disappoint, and jealousy.
When Kris got back outside, he saw Michael. He was standing out near the well, and Kris went over to him. Michael frowned when he saw Kris.
“I tried to get him not to. I had to walk away for a while so I wouldn’t hear.”
Kris sat down, leaning back against the well. He sifted his fingers through the sand.
“How angry are you?” Michael asked.
“I’m not,” Kris wasn’t even sure at this point whether or not he was lying. “I knew it wouldn’t be that simple for him. It’s not like he’s just throwing away an old shirt or something.”
Michael walked off again, and Kris kept sitting there. He lost track of the time, but if he had to guess, it was probably about an hour later when Kris saw the man come out through the door. He was young and good-looking, no wonder Adam hadn’t said no. Adam kissed him at the door. They laughed about something together. Then, the guy finally left.
Adam only watched him for a moment, then started scanning the horizon, looking for Kris. Adam saw him sitting beside the well, and wasn’t sure what to do. He was a little frightened of facing Kris just yet. He wasn’t sure what kind of reaction to expect from him. Adam ducked back inside to tidy up his work area. As he leaned down to pick up one of the cushions, he fell into a burst of coughing. It passed after a few moments.
After dallying and worrying long enough, he went back outside and right over to where Kris was still sitting in the same place. Kris had his knees pulled up to his chest, and looked up only when Adam was standing right in front of him.
“I’m sorry,” Adam said softly. He knotted his hands together, and started wringing them together. Kris sat still and silently. He didn’t say anything for a few moments, and Adam was sure it was one of the longest silences he’d ever suffered through in his life.
When Adam’s nervous hand-wringing finally became too much for Kris to bear anymore, he reached up to take Adam’s hands, and pull him down to sit next to him. Once Adam was seated next to him, Kris hugged one of Adam’s arms to his chest, holding onto it.
“I’m not angry,” Kris said softly. “I just … don’t understand.”
Adam looked off into the horizon, not sure what to say, and feeling terrible about everything that made up their current situation.
Kris went on, “I know that it’s what you’ve been doing almost your whole life, and you’re used to it. I just … don’t understand why it’s hard for you to stop when it’s the thing that’s been hurting you. Is it that ….me and my love aren’t enough?”
“No! No, Kris, that’s not it at all. You’re so much more than I ever thought I could have.” Adam gently pulled his arm from Kris’ grip, so he could instead put both of his arms up around Kris’ shoulders, and tug him closer. Kris laid his head on Adam’s shoulder and closed his eyes, waiting for him to go on.
Adam was silent for a long time. He rubbed a hand gently back and forth across Kris’ back. He himself didn’t know exactly why it was that he’d felt unable to say no when he’d seen that man come through his door. Was it just because he’d been handsome? But Kris was twice as beautiful. Was it because he’d had such spotless gold pieces to offer Adam? But Adam already had more gold and jewels stored in the back of his dresser than he knew what to do with. Adam didn’t understand himself, didn’t understand why he was so weak. To say it made him feel terrible would be the very epitome of an understatement.
“I don’t think I know why I did it anymore than you do,” Adam admitted to Kris in a soft whisper. “I saw him, and I guess I gave in right away to my immediate reflex to grab the pretty ones the moment they come through the door, so I can avoid the geezers.” Adam sighed. “They come in, and I find myself with them before I even realize I’ve said yes. After all this time, it seems like I can’t break out of it. I … don’t know what it is that keeps me in its hold. Maybe it’s the money, and I don’t realize it. Maybe it’s … all those years when I was younger, when, day in and day out, my father would make sure it was in my head that my body is all I’m good for. Or maybe it’s just because I can’t go a day without getting fucked,” he muttered the last sentence bitterly, his voice completely self-hating.
Kris frowned, buried his head against Adam’s shoulder, and held on tightly to his arm. He knew he could never really understand what it was like for Adam. All he could do was make sure he was always there for him, always there to comfort him, always there to make him realize how much he was loved.
“What do you think if, um…. we tried? It would be different with us. It could mean more for you, and maybe then you’d be okay with letting your work go.”
Kris was a virgin in every sense of the word. Never had sex, never been kissed, never been loved. Adam was his first everything.
“No, no, no,” Adam said right away and fiercely. Kris pulled away a little, and looked up at Adam. Adam was quick to clarify, “Oh Kris, it’s not because I don’t want to. You’re completely gorgeous. I don’t think I’ve ever laid eyes on anyone I would want to be with more than you. But, with how much you mean to me, … I can’t. I can’t bear thinking of you in the same place as all my nameless customers. I couldn’t connect you to that.” Adam stroked his fingers across Kris’ cheek. “You’re too pure, and too beautiful.”
“Oh, … I guess I understand,” Kris said softly, looking away.
Adam frowned. He could tell Kris only understood partially, and was a little hurt. Adam pulled him close and kissed his forehead.
“I’m sorry this is all so complicated,” Adam murmured. Kris slid his arms around Adam and snuggled in close against him. Adam continued, “You deserve the best man in the whole entire world, who cherishes you and showers you with love and every good thing you could ever want.”
“Lucky for me, I’m already with that man.” Adam laughed, smiled, and kissed Kris’ hair.
“I just pray that man can prove he deserves you.”
After dinner, Kris still made Adam a delicious dessert. Adam thanked him for his effort in the form of kisses, and Kris smiled and melted into each one.
Before they went to bed, Adam went over to Kris’ bed and rolled up all the blankets. He put them away in the dresser. They both crawled into Adam’s bed, and slept in opposite positions from the night before. This time, Adam’s back was to Kris’ chest. Adam was bigger, but Kris curled up close around him, and Adam felt warm from his head to his toes.
Kris made sure to whisper to Adam, “I love you,” just before he fell asleep.
Around noon the next day, Adam and Kris were curled up together in the cushions in the tent’s main area. Kris was reading from a book spread out over his knees. Adam was listening, with his arms around Kris’ waist and his chin resting on the back of Kris’ shoulder. The book was interesting and all, but every once in a while Adam couldn’t resist placing a kiss on the side of Kris’ neck or on his cheek. When Adam started playing with his hair, Kris just gave up on the book entirely. Kris closed the book and pushed it aside, and let his head fall back against Adam’s chest. Adam laughed a little and smiled. Kris gave his own smile, thrilled to see Adam so carefree and cheerful.
“Here, move so you can put your head down.” Kris shifted around so he could rest his head down in Adam’s lap. Adam sunk his fingers into Kris’ soft brown hair. Kris closed his eyes and relaxed into the pleasant sensations.
“Kris?” Kris made a soft ‘mmm?’ sound. “….What was your mother like?” Kris abruptly opened his eyes. Adam was looking away, his hair falling in front of his face. His fingers stroked idly through Kris’ hair. Kris was quiet for a few seconds, thinking of his answer.
“She sold me when I was young, so I don’t remember too much about her. With all the worrying she had to do about money, she didn’t really pay that much attention to me. She was kind enough but, hardly a doting mother. Obviously not, seeing what she did with me…” Adam stroked his fingertips against Kris’ scalp.
“Maybe that was her way of making sure you were cared for,” Adam said softly, “She knew she couldn’t provide for you, so she wanted you to be with someone who could.”
“Or, I was an expense she could get rid of, and make some money off of on the way.”
Adam frowned. “I’m sorry.” Kris sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
“It doesn’t really matter now.”
Adam watched his fingers sift through Kris’ locks of hair for a while. “I just ask because, sometimes I wonder, … if my mother had wanted me, what she would have been like.”
“Maybe she would have been loving and great.”
“Maybe.” Adam gave a half smile. “What about your father? You never knew him?”
Kris shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, but right then, Michael came bursting through the door. Kris jumped and sat up.
“Adam - both of you! You need to run, hide, go somewhere!” Michael panted, obviously having sprinted inside. “Soldiers, wearing the royal emblem. They’re coming and you need to go!”
“For us?! Why!” Adam struggled to his feet, pulling Kris up beside him.
“I don’t know, but - ..” Michael’s words were suddenly cut off by the sound of pounding footsteps outside, and a sword slicing jaggedly through the door. Michael backed away quickly from the door, herding Adam and Kris behind him.
Now that there was a gaping hole in the front of the tent, five guards wearing armor and heavily armed stormed inside. They lined up opposite from Michael, Adam, and Kris, blocking any chance of escape. Michael’s eyes narrowed and he slid one hand inside his robes to curl his hand around the hilt of his sword. Behind Michael, Adam tugged Kris close.
The two guards standing in the center parted to make room between them, and a woman walked through. She wore earrings of gold, and a traveling robe made of such fine fabric that it seemed she should charge people simply to look upon it. Her dark hair was twisted up tightly onto the top of her head. Her eyes immediately looked over Michael’s shoulder, fixing Adam with a cold, hateful glare.
Adam couldn’t realize it, but it was the same woman who had stood outside the door and heard the sounds of him giving himself to Lord Merrick.
The woman turned towards an older man who followed her inside. Adam immediately recognized this one.
“That’s Merrick!” Adam hissed to Michael.
The woman nodded towards Adam, and then looked to Merrick. “Is that him?”
Merrick nodded, and pointed to Adam for good measure. “That’s him. He’s the one who seduced me.”
“What?” Adam questioned, incensed.
If possible, the woman turned an even colder look towards Adam. She said to the guards, “Seize him,” and they started moving forward immediately.
Michael sprang into action, drawing his sword in the blink of an eye and slashing it at the first guard who reached around him for Adam. Adam backed away, pulling Kris with him. Michael fought them off ruthlessly, but once three of them started on him at the same time, they were able to knock the blade from his hand. Michael was pushed out of the way. As they closed in, Kris threw himself in front of Adam. “No! Don’t touch him!” he yelled, clawing at one of the guard’s faces before he was towed away. Adam didn’t run or struggle away, just stood still and allowed two guards to take hold of his arms and hold him in place. One of the guards kept Kris held back, and it took everything in the remaining two guards to keep Michael restrained.
The woman stepped up to Adam, and he didn’t give her the pleasure of trying to resist the guards’ hold on him.
“So you’re the whore,” she sneered. Adam made no response, except to keep his eyes locked straight on hers - defiant, unafraid, and every bit confident. “Not much can be expected from your sort, but one would think you’d at least have the sense to know the places to keep your filthy little dick out of.” Looking at Adam, it was like she hadn’t said a word.
“Allow me to introduce myself to you,” her voice turned sweet and patronizing. “I am the Lady Merrick. It was my husband you conned and tricked out of all that money with your dirty ways of temptation. But you see, it wasn’t precisely his money. It was mine. My husband is wealthy thanks to me, as I am sister to the Pharaoh.” Adam knew immediately that this was no hole he could easily dig himself out of. “My husband is a good, faithful man. But I bet it isn’t even a new low for someone like you - seducing a virtuous man of high standing for his money.”
Adam finally opened his mouth. “You must be joking,” he said, incredulous. “Let me tell you, Lady, you don’t know your husband nearly as well as you believe you do.”
“Tch.” Lady Merrick’s eyes were like knives boring into Adam. She put all her anger into it, but she didn’t possess quite the mastery Adam did. She turned to face an older, stout man who’d just made his way inside the tent. “Inspect him!” she barked at the man, and he practically tripped over himself to get over to her. Addressing Adam again, she introduced the new arrival, “This is the slave keeper of the royal palace. He’s to determine whether you can be put to work in the Pharaoh’s harem. It’s no cause for concern if you don’t mean the standards, another suitable punishment can be found.”
Adam had heard plenty about the slaves coerced into the royal harem. While the current Pharaoh never took any interest in them, they remained prisoners in the palace. And if the Pharaoh made no personal use of them, they were tossed to palace guests and foreign ambassadors, who were allowed whatever they like with them. Adam would sooner die than be sentenced to such a life. Here, he controlled his own work and customers, and was paid well. Royal harem boys and girls received nothing, and had nothing.
Adam’s thoughts were interrupted when the slave keeper pressed in close to him, examining him.
“An exquisitely beautiful face, indeed….” he mused with a leering grin. “Except for this little bruise of course.” He stroked Adam’s cheek before poking the bruised skin beneath his eye none too gently. Instead of wincing or showing any signs of pain, Adam jerked his face away fluidly from the man’s touch. He fixed the man with a defiant glare hot enough to singe through him. “He’s got fire in him,” the man said and laughed lightly, but he’d already lost his overbearing confidence under the painful work of Adam’s eyes.
“And what of his form?” Lady Merrick questioned, sounding impatient already.
“Yes, yes, give me a moment…” Adam could see the man’s nervousness despite how much he was trying to hide it. The slave keeper reached out to undo the ties of Adam’s robes. Adam didn’t move, or look away an inch from the man as his robes fell open. “Mmmm, very nice. .... Fit, yet not too slender…” The man felt the muscles and skin of Adam’s chest with his hand.
Meanwhile, the guard watching Kris had to get a better hold on him. “Get your hands off him!” Kris shouted, struggling with everything in him to get away. Smiling wickedly, the slave keeper dropped his hand towards Adam’s exposed cock, and wrapped his hand around it. Kris seethed. “You have no right to touch him like that, you sick, perverted freak!”
Lady Merrick silenced Kris with biting words, “He’s a whore, anyone has the right to touch him. Not to mention, he’s our whore now.”
Adam eyes looked literally ablaze. “I belong to no one,” he said with conviction that none could test. The slave keeper quickly did up Adam’s robes again, and then moved away from him. “Drag me to the palace if you like,” Adam hissed, “but you’ll never, no matter what you try, make me do a single thing I don’t choose to.”
“I told you you couldn’t control him.” The voice was new. One last man made his way inside the tent, behind the others. “And that’s why I offered you my advice.”
“Dallon,” Kris gasped to himself softly, his face going white when he saw his old master standing right before him.
Dallon continued, “You can threaten him, beat him, lock him up somewhere, but he will never bend to your will.” Dallon’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Adam. “Trust me, I know all about Adam’s self-created superiority.” His eyes slid over towards Kris. Dallon grinned menacingly, and Kris could do nothing to hide how frightened he was. Dallon continued “I was visiting the palace a few days ago, and overheard some conversation regarding a certain Adam Lambert, and couldn’t help but listen in. I heard of his subterfuge against Lord Merrick, and the Lady’s intention of throwing him into the royal harem for retribution. I warned her immediately, she’d never succeed.”
“Dallon, quit the pretty talking and get on with it,” Lady Merrick said sharply, unamused by his banter. Dallon ignored her.
“I told her that no matter what she does, Adam will never break, and he’ll never succumb to a slave position in the palace. I let her in on a little secret. There’s only one way under his iron skin. There’s one way to control him, completely and absolutely.”
Dallon looked back to Kris, and both Adam and Kris suddenly froze. Dallon drew a knife from inside his robes, and started advancing on Kris. Michael got a new bout of strength in his fight against the guards who were restraining him, and Adam, for the first time, struggled against his own.
Then quick as a flash, Dallon had replaced the guard who had been holding onto Kris. Dallon stood directly behind Kris, one hand clasped tightly around his arm, and the other holding the knife to the soft skin of his throat. Kris fell deathly still as Adam struggled against the guards restraining him, fury now on his face.
“I would stop that if I were you,” Lady Merrick told him sharply. On cue, Dallon pressed the knife more to Kris’ skin. Adam stilled, but his panicked eyes didn’t move from the blade.
“Pathetic, isn’t it?” Dallon drawled as Kris tried to turn his head away. “The proud, shameless whore has got it good for the worthless little slave boy,” Dallon taunted, right against Kris’ ear. “Lucky for Lady Merrick, I have my own personal grudge against Adam Lambert and his slave boy lover, and was willing to tell her all I know about them.”
“And the one way to get him to cooperate,” she finished for him. She turned to face Adam, a triumphant smirk on her face. “So. We’re going to take you back with us to the palace. You’re going to be the newest addition to the Pharaoh’s harem, and remain there for the rest of your miserable life. Or, if you so choose, you can stay here with your boy. But, his head won’t exactly be connected to his body anymore.” Kris gasped as the knife dug into his skin.
But still, Kris called out, “Adam don’t listen! Don’t give yourself to them!”
“Shut up!” Dallon hissed, and sliced a thin line into Kris’ skin. Adam couldn’t see anything except the thin line of blood across Kris’ neck. Suddenly, no decision had ever been easier.
“Fine! Take me, just let him go!” Almost instantly, Dallon released Kris, and the boy tumbled to the floor. Shackles were locked around Adam’s wrists.
“I hope you’re well rested. It’s a long march to the palace,” Lady Merrick said with a smirk.
Adam countered immediately, “I wouldn’t be so snide if I were you. Keeping me in the palace won’t stop your husband from wanting me. You’ve been too busy talking down to me to realize his eyes haven’t left me once.” She whirled around to face her husband, but by now he was looking elsewhere. She fixed Adam with one more glare before turning on her heel and going outside, followed by Merrick.
As soon as he was back on his feet, Kris ran over to Adam and clung to him. “Don’t do this, please don’t do this. You’re going to have to spend the rest of your life there.”
“There’s nothing to do about it now, Kris.”
Tears welled up in Kris’ eyes. “What am I supposed to do here without you? How can I know you’re alright?”
“All they’ll do is find me people I haven’t fucked yet. There are worse things. Oh Kris, it’s certainly nothing to cry over.” Tears had spilled out over Kris’ cheeks. Adam wanted to cup Kris’ face, to wipe his tears away, but the shackles kept him from touching Kris at all.
“But what if they hurt you? I love you, how am I going to go on never seeing you, never knowing whether you’re alive or-or…dead?”
“You don’t have to worry. Knowing you love me, … I can pull through anything. That’s how I know I’ll be alright.”
Before he could start crying in earnest, Kris kissed Adam. Kris wanted to make that kiss last longer than all their others, but he couldn’t - as one of the guards took hold of Adam’s arm and wrenched him away. Adam tried to keep his eyes glued to Kris as long as possible - one last moment to memorize every single one of his features. His brown hair, his gentle eyes, his button nose, his perfect lips ... every little thing Adam loved so.
“You bastards will pay for what you’re doing!” Michael barked, “Adam didn’t do any of what you think! You’ll realize it and you’ll be the ones punished!”
Kris and Michael could do nothing. They stood in the remnants of what used to be the doorway, watching Merrick, his wife, and Dallon disappear on horseback. The slave keeper and the guards walked, with Adam close beside them and the shackles around his wrists taut.
“It’s all my fault,” Kris murmured softly, tears falling again. Michael put one big arm around Kris’ small frame. There was nothing he could say.
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