After the SSS Beast Slave Bites the Hand That Saved Him, I Choose to Watch Him Bleed Chapter 08
Theron closed his eyes and enjoyed the sun for aÂ
bit, then kept watching me.Â
Every few minutes he’d lean over and nuzzle me.Â
His ears felt rough, the fur stiff, but somehow itÂ
was still smooth going with the grain.Â
Gideon lay by the window, his eyes full of disdain.Â
He let out a cold snort. Then, when I steppedÂ
away, he said to Theron, “You know why she’sÂ
keeping you, don’t you?”Â
“You’re just a prop to make me jealous. EverythingÂ
she’s doing right now? It’s all to get my attention.”Â
“Soon as she gets what she wants, she’ll throwÂ
you out like trash.”Â
“A mangy thing like you? You’re not even her type.”Â
Theron shot back, “You’re lying. Scarlett isn’t likeÂ
that.”Â
“She’s exactly like that.” Gideon acted like he knew me inside and out. “She’s way colder than youÂ
think. Why do you think she’s never once askedÂ
you to stay?”Â
“If she really cared about you, would she let youÂ
feel so uncertain?”Â
“She’s just waiting for me to give in. You shouldÂ
leave while you still can.”Â
I was standing around the corner, and I heardÂ
every word.Â
“Who do you think you are? Don’t talk about herÂ
like that!”Â
“Why can’t I?” Gideon wasn’t scared at all. “Let meÂ
tell you something. If you lay a finger on me,Â
Scarlett Hayes will make you sorry.”Â
Theron bared his fangs and growled low atÂ
Gideon, ready to pounce and teach him a lesson.Â
I stepped in and stopped Theron.Â
Theron panicked.Â
“Scarlett, I…”Â
“He’s not worth it.” I took Theron’s hand.Â
But Gideon was right about one thing.Â
I’d never asked Theron to stay.Â
That must have made him anxious. Scared I’dÂ
abandon him.Â
I crouched down. “Do you want to stay?”Â
I looked into his eyes. “This will always be yourÂ
home.”Â
He froze. Then, after a long time, he said in a voiceÂ
thick with tears.Â
“Yes.”Â
Not as a bonded servant. As family.Â
From the window, Gideon watched us, his amberÂ
pupils shrinking to slits.Â
He couldn’t name what he felt.Â
His chest was heavy. He couldn’t breathe. HisÂ
eyes and nose burned.Â
After that, every time Theron passed Gideon’sÂ
window, Gideon would start something.Â
Once he almost scratched Theron.Â
I tracked down Audrey–who’d been wandering.Â
around outside–and dragged her back. Told her toÂ
control her bonded servant.Â
Audrey finally remembered she had a Gideon inÂ
the annex.Â
She unwrapped his bandages and saw the woundÂ
had turned black.Â
From his ankle to his knee, it was swollen like aÂ
biscuit about to burst, with a dark, sickly purpleÂ
showing under the skin.Â
Audrey frowned. “Why isn’t it better yet?”Â
She wrapped the bandages back on.Â
Loose.Â
Like she was already tired of it.Â
For the first time, Gideon got frustrated with her.Â
“Because you keep putting random crap on it. And you’re never here. You’re always gone.”Â
“My leg would be fine by now if you actually didÂ
your job.”Â
Audrey’s mood flipped. “Are you blaming me?”Â
Gideon flicked his tail. “You took me in. That means you take care of me. What kind of healer just abandons her patient to fend for himself?”Â
“I’m doing this for free, and you’ve got the nerve toÂ
complain? Don’t like it? Go find someone else toÂ
mooch off.”Â
“I…” Gideon tried to backtrack. “I just wanna getÂ
better so I can take care of you. That’s all.”Â
“That’s rich. Since when can’t I take care ofÂ
myself?”Â
Gideon used to say that if he ever got to be withÂ
Audrey, he’d never make her mad or let her down.Â
Now all those promises were gone. All that wasÂ
left was resentment.

