Chapter 5.

Khalifa gave Bryce a firm tap, his voice low but insistent.

“You need to wash up,”

Bryce hesitated a moment but nodded, the grime and sweat clinging to his skin seemed suddenly unbearable, coupled with what the two men were doing.

Khalifa turned toward the door. “I’m heading to the kitchen to get your meal. Don’t take too long.”

With that, he slipped away, leaving Bryce standing in the bathroom.

**

Bryce stepped out of the bathroom, the cool air instantly making his damp skin shiver. Khalifa wasn’t in the room, but on the low wooden table lay several plates of food, carefully prepared, and steaming gently. The rich aroma filled the room, but Bryce’s appetite was nowhere to be found.

His eyes flicked up, landing on his brother’s roommate lounging nearby as if nothing has happened earlier. The man’s gaze locked onto him with a slow, knowing smile that made Bryce’s skin crawl. Despite the polite curve of the lips, Bryce turned away, unwilling to meet his eyes or acknowledge the silent invitation.

Before he could gather his thoughts, a sharp knock sounded at the door. Khalifa appeared instantly from the balcony, opening it just enough to peer out.

“Who is it?” Khalifa asked cautiously.

A familiar figure stood there. Kaden, one of Dom’s lowest-ranking and one of the most feared guards. His expression was unreadable, but his presence alone tightened the tension in the room.

“I’m here for Bryce,” Kaden said bluntly.

Khalifa’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll pass the message,” he replied firmly, blocking the doorway.

Kaden’s lips curled into a slight smirk, enjoying the power play. “The master just gave an order. For Bryce to participate in his first test, he must lose his virginity. You know how much the master hate virgins. It’s the only way to prepare for what awaits him at dawn.”

The words hung heavy in the air.

Bryce’s stomach twisted, heart hammering with a mixture of fear and disbelief.

Lose his virginity?

How?

Why?

Khalifa’s jaw clenched, but he remained calm, “Now?”

“Now,” Kaden replied with a tone of finality.

Bryce’s hands gripped Khalifa’s arm tightly, his fingers digging into the fabric as if holding on could anchor him.

“Is… losing my virginity really the first test?” His voice trembled, barely above a whisper. Fear pooled deep in his eyes.

Khalifa shook his head slowly, trying to keep his tone calm.

“No, it’s not the test itself. It’s just… the way we prepare virgins for what’s coming. A kind of rite of passage before the real trial. I told you to leave earlier,”

Before Bryce could say anything else, a sharp voice cut through the tension.

“Khalifa! You have three minutes to get Bryce to the hall. The Master will not wait, and you don’t want to see him upset.”

Kaden’s impatience was clear, his glare fixed on both of them as he tapped his foot with harsh urgency.

Khalifa released a slow breath, his grip on Bryce easing but not disappearing.

“Come on. It’s time,” He said, trying to hide the tension and fear, building up in him.

“After this, Bryce, there's no backing out,”

“Boy, tell your brother the truth. It's gonna be a hell of torture having to lose that here,”

Bryce turned to the direction of the voice to meet his brother's roommate dressing into a black shirt and trouser.

“Stan, shut the fuck up!,” Khalifa barked. But that did nothing than worsening the fear in Bryce. The outside world and this. Which was better?

**

Far above the bustling halls, behind imposing doors, lay Dom’s chamber, a sanctuary both dark and decadent.

The heavy drapes were drawn tight, swallowing most of the light, but glimmers of light spilled from a low-burning fireplace, casting flickering shadows on rich amber wooden walls.

The air was thick with the scent of expensive leather, ancient wood, and the unmistakable sharp tang of cigarettes.

In one corner, almost swallowed by the darkness, Dom sat on the edge of a massive king-sized bed, bare chest, except on his pant, his silhouette sharp and imposing.

A thin curl of smoke escaped from the glowing tip of his cigarette, swirling lazily upwards, dancing in the dim light like a ghost.

His eyes, cold and unreadable, watched the room with a predator’s calm. His mind was locked on the little boy that has just gotten into his lair.

From the shadows near the bathroom, Marcia emerged, completely naked.

Her steps were slow, deliberate, in a seductive sway that spoke of power and danger wrapped in silk and fire

Without a word, she slid beside Dom, her fingers trailing along his shoulder as she leaned in close, her breath warm against his ear,

“I want you,”

She whispered seductively.

He slapped her hands off his shoulder gently. His voice low, calm, but cold, “I have got something to attend to,”

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Interrupting Marcia from flaring up.

“Speak,” Dom ordered from inside.

A voice came out from the intercom in the room, “Master, Kaden has passed the message,”

“And the boy?” Dom asked, picking up his shirt.

“Khalifa will get him to the hall,”