“Chloe, we don’t get chances like this. Emily Ward and the others are all in the bath right now. This is the best window we’ve got. Whether we seize it... that’s on you.”
Victoria Reyes gripped Chloe Clark’s shoulders. Chloe hesitated, her face twisted with pain. She shoved Victoria’s hands away. “Victoria, no! I can’t! If I do this, Emily, Xiaoxue—everyone—they’ll hate me forever!”
Victoria pushed Chloe again, her voice sharp. “Chloe! Why are you so clueless? Think for once. When you become the Captain’s woman, who would dare blame you? Your biggest problem now is that you’ve got no name, no position. You’re not his woman yet. But once you are, you think Magnus would have the heart to scold you? He’d have to protect you. Understand? And didn’t you always say you can’t stand women? Now I put a man in front of you and you still don’t want him? Let me tell you, this is your last chance. Miss it, and don’t expect us to baby you anymore, pretending to be men for you every day. Next time it’ll be your turn to pretend!”
Victoria’s voice grew louder and louder. Chloe panicked, looking around nervously before rushing forward to clamp a hand over Victoria’s mouth. “Victoria—please—keep your voice down! Just... tell me what exactly you want me to do.”
“What to do? Have I not explained it a dozen times?” Victoria snapped, leaning in urgently. “You just stay out here and guard the place. Hold this spot for two hours. When Emily Ward and the others come back, stall them. Wait for our signal...”
“Then... then what about me?” Chloe’s cheeks burned. She didn’t have time to be shy, but the question still came out haltingly. “Once you’re all inside, wh-when is it... my turn?”
Victoria clicked her tongue. “You’ve got a job, don’t you? If they really come back before we’re out, just say he dragged you in too. If not this time, then next time. When we get another chance, we’ll call you in.”
“But Victoria...”
“No more buts! This chance won’t come again. Chloe, I’m asking you one last time—are you helping us or not? If you won’t, then Fiona Martin and I won’t be wasting our time on you anymore. And don’t think we’ll cover for whatever you’ve been up to, either.”
Chloe wasn’t as tough inside as she looked. She was still just a college girl. Ever since her squadmate died under her watch, she’d been trapped in that shadow, clinging to Victoria’s twisted, poisonous comfort.
She didn’t know if this was right or wrong. Deep down, everything in her resisted. As Victoria said—Chloe found women filthy. She still preferred men.
“Victoria... I... I’ll try...” Chloe bit her lip hard and nodded.
Victoria lit up with satisfaction. She hugged Chloe tight, pressed a quick kiss to her cheek, whispered something soft, then turned and grabbed Dakota Delaney’s hand, ready to pull open the RV door—
But Dakota balked. Victoria tugged, and nothing moved.
Dakota stood frozen, voice trembling. “Victoria... I—I don’t want to go up there. I... I want to stay out here with Chloe.”
“You two—!”
Victoria almost choked on her anger. “Dakota Delaney! I’m not begging you! You saw it yourself—opportunities like this don’t fall from the sky. Getting into bed with the Captain benefits you. Think about your Sister Li and the 3rd Regiment. If you want to go back there someday, today is your best shot. Miss it, and it’s gone. I’ll ask you once—are you going or not?”
“But Isla Stern... she didn’t go either, did she? Isn’t she with you guys?” Dakota whispered, still rooted to the ground.
Victoria trembled with fury. First Isla backing out at the last minute, then Chloe, now Dakota. Were they stupid? Or pretending to be?
What time did they think it was? Before the apocalypse? Still acting all pure and proper?
If she wasn’t afraid Magnus Specter and Emily Ward would blame her, Victoria would never have brought so many along. She’d rather go by herself—Fiona Martin was already extra baggage.
"She’s stupid! She won’t go!" Victoria Reyes barked, voice sharp as a blade. "Dakota Delaney, I’m asking you one last time. Just say it—are you going or not? If not, fine! But don’t expect us to lift a finger for you again. When you’re clutching that spotless virtue of yours till the day you die, don’t blame anyone for the choice you make today!"
"I... then..." Dakota tried to speak, but Fiona Martin yanked her by the arm.
"Then what? Move!" Fiona snapped, dragging her forward. The three women pushed open the caravan door and climbed in one after another.
Magnus Specter had downed more than a catty of harsh 58‑degree liquor. His head was spinning, vision swaying. When he suddenly saw Victoria and Dakota enter, he squinted hard. Fiona looked vaguely familiar, but in his haze he couldn’t place her at all.
"You three..." Magnus braced himself against the bar counter, shaking his head to clear it. He lifted his gaze, eyes half‑closed. "What... what are you doing here? You..."
Victoria slammed the door shut with a sharp snap. She checked the caravan quickly, making sure Magnus was alone. The more she saw his drunken state, the brighter her eyes burned—like fate itself was opening a door for her. Little Daisy must be watching from above, guarding her mother, she thought.
She exchanged a quick look with Fiona, then strolled toward Magnus with a soft, syrupy smile. She grabbed his arm.
"Captain, we’ve seen how hard you’ve been working every day," she said lightly. "So the three of us thought we’d come and help loosen you up... give you a little massage..."
As she spoke, she guided his hand toward her chest. Fiona slipped closer too, eyes half‑lidded, reaching for Magnus’s other hand. But before her fingers could touch him, Magnus jerked both arms back sharply, staggering two steps behind. He gripped the bar counter, pointing at Victoria, his voice suddenly loud and fierce.
"You three—go back! Now! Don’t... don’t make me slip up! Tonight I’m pretending I didn’t see any of this!"
He was drunk—truly drunk—his spirits high, his guard lowered. But no matter how much he drank, a thin line of clarity still clung to him.
The lesson Ashton Honda had beaten into him last time was enough. He could not—would not—make that mistake again.
Victoria had expected resistance. She only chuckled, unbothered, and began undoing her buttons. Fiona shot her a look, then followed suit, clothes sliding off one layer at a time. Only Dakota stood behind them stiffly, fingers knotted around the hem of her shirt, frozen in place.
Watching Victoria and Fiona strip piece by piece, heat surged through Magnus’s chest. But he forced himself to turn away, shaking his head violently. Then he shouted, voice hoarse:
"Enough!"
He spun around and staggered toward the bedroom, intent on shutting himself inside before anything else happened.
Victoria flinched. She hadn’t expected Magnus, even drunk as he was, to last this long. Seeing he was about to reach the bedroom door, panic flared across her face.
She snapped her head toward Dakota and shouted, desperate and sharp, "Dakota! Why are you still standing there like a fool? Go stop him!"
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