35. (JO POV)

JO POV

"Explain. Now," I demanded, unable to mask the shock and confusion.

"Tone, kitten," Dane cautioned.

"I don't give a fuck about my tone. Tell me what is going on," I shot back.

"Kitten," Dane repeated. I finally deflated at the look he gave me. He would talk to me about it if I just calmed down.

"I feel like there's so much I'm missing here," I confessed.

Dane nodded. "There is, Kitten. I was Magness's sex slave for a century before he released me. About 600 years later, he decided to try again and took Deirk. Magness tortured him far more than he ever did me. Luckily, I was able to secure my freedom and, later, his."

"When we were under Magness's control, he... he forced me to do things to Deirk like what happened to us. These are things I would never have chosen to do on my own. It was a kind of manipulation, coercion that we both endured at his hands that entire year."

My stomach turned violently. My hand flew to my mouth."Oh shit... I'm sorry," I managed to stutter out.