I looked at him, my mind struggling to process everything.

That was it?

Everything I had done—the mall with my sister, Alan helping me with the test, and…Rebecca.

A shiver crawled down my spine. Rebecca. The way she looked at me. The way she… kissed me.

For killing Danel.

My stomach twisted. Why?

I clenched my fists. My knuckles went white. "I… I killed someone."

The Overseer chuckled, slow and deliberate, like he was savoring my torment.

"What, you think that’s the only one you’ll kill?" His smirk cut through me like a blade.

I swallowed. My hands trembled.

"Let me tell you something, Kael. Get over yourself." His voice was cold, sharp. "If you want to win these games, you have to be the last one standing."

I forced myself to breathe. My gaze dropped to my palms. The deep cut from Pride was still there. A dull, lingering pain.

Pride.

My breath hitched. "I killed your guy," I choked out. "I killed Pride."

The nausea hit me like a freight train.

The Overseer’s expression didn’t change.

"He had to die," he said. "He let his pride get the best of him. What a shame."

I snapped. "You don’t care?! That was your fucking guy! Your friend—or whatever he was!"

He locked eyes with me, emotionless. Then, that goddamn smirk.

"He wasn’t my friend. He worked for me. Just like the other hosts."

My chest tightened. "Other hosts?"

He sighed, adjusting his tie like I was an inconvenience. "The sins. They’re the hosts of the games. I thought you would’ve figured that out by now… but of course, you didn’t."

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The words felt distant. My head was pounding.

I clenched my fists harder. My nails dug into my wounds. Blood dripped between my fingers, staining the void beneath me.

The Overseer sighed. "Well, let’s talk about your next game."

That cruel smirk widened.

"The Game of Lust."

A weight slammed into my chest.

That smile.

He didn’t just want me to suffer—he lived for it.

My whole body felt heavy. My voice barely scraped above a whisper.

"I want to go home… please."

He tilted his head, amused. "Oh, Kael… You aren’t going home for a long, long time." He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "But hey, if it makes you feel better, you can always kill yourself in these games."

His laughter sliced through the air.

"Of course," he added, his grin widening, "you’ll just come back."

Before I could react, someone else stepped into the void.

A woman.

She didn’t walk—she glided. Every movement slow, deliberate, as if the air itself bent to her presence.

Her skin was flawless, her curves carved to perfection, draped in a black-and-gold bikini that left little to the imagination. Long, raven-black hair cascaded down her back, shimmering like silk. But it was her eyes—those deep, crimson eyes—that made my breath hitch.

They burned. Not with warmth. Not with lust.

With hunger.

She smiled, running her fingers through her hair. "Wow…" Her voice was velvet-smooth, dripping with something too sweet. "So this handsome young man is our player."

She giggled, tilting her head. Studying me.

"Oh! Where are my manners?" She placed a delicate hand on her chest. "I’m Mia. The Sin of Lust."

A chill ran down my spine.

Something was wrong.

It wasn’t just her beauty. It was the way her presence pressed against me, like an invisible weight. My heartbeat quickened. My mind screamed at me to move, to run, to do anything—

Instead, I felt my lips part.

I wanted to respond. To flirt back. To fall into her.

What the fuck?!

I wrenched myself out of it, forcing a breath. "I… I’m Kael Holloway. The player."

My hands were shaking, still slick with blood.

Mia’s eyes flicked downward.

Her lips curled into something softer, sweeter. "Oh…" She reached out, her fingers barely brushing my skin. "I’m so sorry, baby."

Her voice was a whisper against my ears. "Did Pride hurt you? Ugh, he can be a handful sometimes."

My throat closed.

I can’t trust her. I can’t trust any of them.

But my body… it wanted to.

She took my hands in hers. Her touch was warm.

My pulse roared.

A wave of heat flushed through me, melting into my skin. My wounds vanished. The blood disappeared.

Like they were never there.

Mia gave me a soft, sweet smile. "There… all better."

I sucked in a breath. Too close. Too warm. Too much.

The Overseer cleared his throat, bored.

"As you can see, this is Mia," he said flatly. "She’s the host of Lust. Get comfortable with her before the game begins. She can be… a handful."

I forced myself to nod. "Okay…"

Mia pouted. "Oh, I’ll miss you." She tilted her head, eyes gleaming. "But I know we’ll see each other again."

The Overseer chuckled darkly. "Try not to freak out this time, you pathetic coward."

And just like that—

Darkness.

The heat in my skin didn’t fade.

The Game of Lust has begun.

And for the first time since entering these games, I wasn’t afraid of dying.

I was afraid of losing myself.