Seduced by the Gladiator(16)

Bavarius followed me into the light calmly. I stared at him in horror for a moment, before reminding myself where I was and schooling my face into a blank mask.

The man moved toward me again, though this time he extended a hand, as if to help me up. The otherworldly flicker in his eyes was wicked, and I was repulsed. I recoiled from his touch, scrabbling backward, righting myself as I did.

I heard the hiss of the snakelike whip before I saw it, snapping between me and Bavarius so fiercely we both jumped.

“Bavarius! Back to your training!” Though our doctore stood on the other side of the sand, his voice boomed out clearly, impossible to ignore. Behind him was Christus, who, while seemingly focused on his training, had clearly been the one to alert the trainer to my situation.

I wanted to smile as if I had had too much mulsum, so great was my relief. I had been ill prepared for such an attack from Bavarius—in the bright hours of day, nonetheless! I watched through narrowed eyes as the man strode back to his training partner, his gait cocky, and with every step that he took from me, my anger grew.

I wanted him punished. I eyed the whip, the handle of which was swallowed by the doctore’s hand, and wanted more than anything to lash it across Bavarius’ back myself, to draw blood. I could still feel his fingers, pawing at my breast, branding me with his unctuousness. Looking down, I saw the smear of crimson that had stained the leather of my top, the result of Bavarius’ touch.

He had left his mark on me. Though I had never considered myself to be a calm or docile individual, the knowledge made a rage unlike anything I’d ever felt grow inside of me.

If I were to tell the doctore of what had transpired, I would be granted my revenge. But it would also show the rest of the men that I was weak, weak enough to be trapped by Bavarius.

This, I could not allow.

“Are you well, Lilia?” The voice of the doctore sounded out across the yard. Though how I could have been certain, I did not know, but I would have bet the ludus that Bavarius had arranged his attack at a moment when the doctore had been distracted elsewhere. Certainly the trainer seemed to have no idea of what had just transpired, though his features were clouded with suspicion, his head cocked slightly to one side as he studied me.

Under the watchful eye of the doctore, who was flanked by Darius and Christus, I felt inexplicably safe, and with that feeling came relief.

It irked me that I enjoyed being protected.

“Doctore.” My mouth snapped shut, almost of its own accord.

Though it seemed unjust, I bit back my words, nodding in as calm a manner as I was able to at the doctore, Christus, and Darius.

I would not let any of the men, not even these three, know how much Bavarius’ words had disturbed me. Especially not Christus.

The beastly man’s words echoed in my ears, and I hated that they were lodged so deeply inside of me.

I’ve heard rumors about him, about how much he loves a good fuck.

Perhaps I was not as safe with the man as I believed; perhaps he was just like the rest. I cast a quick glance at him, from where he stood behind the doctore. I was startled to see the ferocity etched in every line of his being.

If Bavarius had timed his attack so that the doctore did not see, his actions had not been nearly so secretive to the rest of the men. Christus looked ready to kill, his lips peeled back over bared teeth. There it was again, that protectiveness, emanating from his very core.

Hearing him talk the night before, I knew that he had suffered some abuse of his own. This was likely why he felt such a need to be my champion, but I suspected that he would act this way for anyone.

It was the intensity that I could not quite understand. It seemed that he felt it, too, that visceral connection that had snapped tight between us the moment that we had first laid eyes upon each other.

That he felt so much rage over a wrong done to me made me want him all the more.

No. I could not.

“I am fine.” My words were calm, if my insides were not. “Carry on.” From the corner of my eye I saw Bavarius grin widely, but I raised my chin and ignored it.

Vengeance sliced through my veins as I thirsted for punishment, but for once my head was cooler.

I would not forget this—would not forget the actions of the man who would never be happy until I was dead—but I knew that it was not in my best interest to act rashly.

Still, my head swam . . . I was shaken. I could still feel the pressure of Bavarius’ hand on my skin. His touch brought many memories flooding to the surface, memories that belonged to a much weaker woman, but that haunted the stronger one regardless.

Inhaling deeply, I willed myself to calm. The best thing for me to do now was to rejoin training as if nothing had ever happened—to be vicious, more ruthless than ever. I and I alone would look out for my welfare.