Harem Legion: Queens of the Apocalypse-Chapter 81 Trapped Between Tears, Lips, and Lies
"You risked your life to save us in the Anomaly Zone. We’re truly grateful. Without you, we’d probably be dead by now..." Abigail’s eyes went red as she spoke. "So yes, we owe you. And we didn’t have anything else to give back, so we just... threw aside our shame..."
She couldn’t go on. Her voice broke, and tears started falling. Emma wiped her own tears beside her, holding up better - after all, she’d been to college. But still, her voice trembled as she picked up, "Why? Why didn’t you tell us you already had a girlfriend before you came to us? You said you’d treat us well for life. Why lie to us?"
Back then, Magnus had been reckless. The sisters were soft-spoken and tender-hearted, and he was no saint - just a hot-headed man in a torn world.
If it had been in peaceful times, maybe he could’ve held back. Back then, people still believed in morals. Maybe then, he’d have stayed faithful to Sarah, loved her till the end like a proper man.
Though, if it were those peaceful times, would Sarah - a girl born with a silver spoon - have ever looked at him twice? That wasn’t to say she was a bad person. Far from it. In a past life, she’d rather die than be defiled. She was proud, pure, and her sense of virtue unshakable.
But just because she was good didn’t mean she’d love someone plain and poor. Kindness wasn’t the same as affection. And she wasn’t the type to love just anyone.
Magnus knew he wasn’t the only decent man in the world... and maybe not even one at all - just one he thought he was.
But excuses didn’t change a thing. What’s done was done, and he was wrong.
"I didn’t lie to you," Magnus looked the sisters in the eyes. "Back in the Anomaly Zone, I meant it when I said I’d protect you. I still will. But about everything else... yeah, I messed up."
"Then why?!" Emma cried out, her voice breaking. "Do you know how much courage it took for my sister and me to take that step with you? You think we’re the kind of women who’d just throw themselves at any man? We trusted you. And you..."
She choked up, unable to go on.
Magnus had no answer. The sleeper car was silent save for the sound of crying. No one else was around - just pain hanging in the air.
After a while, Sarah and Liana stepped inside. Sarah’s eyes were swollen; they hadn’t walked far - they’d stood just beneath the car, listening.
Liana sighed as she stepped in. It’s hard to find words in moments like this. If it were her in their shoes? Magnus might’ve gotten slapped already.
"Magnus..." Sarah’s voice was soft, cracked with tears.
"Sarah, I..." He felt the pressure crushing him.
"Don’t," she said, eyes red and tired. "This one’s on you. Say sorry."
"...Yeah. It’s my fault." Magnus lowered his head again. "I’m sorry."
"Abigail, Emma." Sarah sat between the two sisters, grabbing both their hands. "Magnus messed up, this part’s on him. If you really can’t forgive him... then I’ll leave him. I’ll pack my stuff and move to another truck."
"Sarah!" Magnus shot up, stunned. He hadn’t expected things to spiral this far. But just as he stood, Liana gave him a quick wink. He paused, then slumped back into his seat.
"It’s not that..." Abigail sniffled. "It’s not that we won’t forgive him, we’re just... really hurt."
Emma had tears in her eyes too. "You don’t have to leave. If someone should go, it’s us. If you leave now, he’ll end up resenting us. Neither of us wants that."
Liana let out a long sigh and shot Magnus a glare. "Alright, enough moping. Get off the truck already. I just saw Sophia whispering to her sister about you - didn’t sound good."
Seeing Magnus still frozen in place, she huffed, "What are you waiting for? Go!"
With a gloomy face, Magnus stepped off the vehicle. As soon as he was out, Liana’s bold voice rang behind him, "You know what? I have the perfect solution. I’ll ask Emily for a sleeping pill, drop it in his soup. Tonight, we let Victoria handle it. Cut the damn thing off - make him one of the girls. Problem solved!"
He knew she was joking, but the chill that ran down his spine felt all too real. That mental image alone made his legs go weak.
Later at dinner, the girls seemed to have made a pact - no one wanted to sit with him. Only Victoria broke rank. She walked up without hesitation, sat down beside him with a sweet smile. "What? No one’s talking to you now?"
"You’re here, aren’t you?" Magnus grunted, his voice lukewarm.
The meal that night was generous - grilled goat and beef broth to welcome the new recruits. It was chaos. Some girls from the freshly joined group were crying as they ate, but that didn’t stop them from shoving food down their mouths.
No tables. He and Victoria sat on the cold shelter floor, leaning against the wall. She scooped a few chunks of beef from her thermal lunchbox into his. Then she let out a sigh, a bit melancholic. "I’m here to repay a debt."
"A debt?" Magnus chewed the meat without bothering to be polite. "I didn’t save you."
"No, but you saved them. And they saved me. So really, you saved me too. And besides, I got nothing else to give them."
"You feeling better now?" Magnus glanced at her and pointed to his temple, not too comfortable bringing up how off she’d been days ago.
"Of course. Doesn’t it show?" She pointed at the shelter entrance. "Take me for a walk after dinner, will you?"
"Outside? Why?"
"To repay the favor." She stuck out her chest a little, leaned in, breathing softly near his ear. "Don’t worry. I’m not the clingy type."
Lesson learned, Magnus immediately shuffled two steps away, still sitting. He pointed again to his head. "Didn’t you just say you’re alright up there?"
"Heh, knew it - you’re not a real man," Victoria teased, laughing with just enough edge to make it sting. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she scanned their surroundings. No one was nearby. The hallway was dim, quiet, and empty.
She slid closer, deliberately letting her thigh press lightly against his.
Her voice dropped to a smoky whisper. "No one’s watching... how about I let you get a little feel? Just under the clothes. Real quiet. No one’ll see..."
Magnus stiffened. His breath caught in his throat.
She was close enough now that he could smell the faint scent of her shampoo, something floral and sweet. Her hand brushed his thigh - light as a feather, but electric. She leaned in, lips near his ear.
"You want to, don’t you?"
He swallowed. Hard. Every nerve in his body screamed yes, but his brain was trying desperately to stay in control.
"Victoria..." His voice was low, warning, but it didn’t stop her.
Her fingers slid up, brushing the hem of her shirt, guiding his hand beneath it - warm, smooth skin meeting his trembling fingertips. The buzz in his head drowned out reason for a moment. His palm landed on the curve of her waist, then higher, just under the edge of her bra.
She gasped - quiet, but unmistakably pleased.
"See? Feels good, doesn’t it?" she whispered, her breath warm against his cheek. Her hand moved to his lap, slow, deliberate.
Magnus groaned under his breath as her fingers found the hardness through his jeans. His hips jerked involuntarily, and she giggled, wild and wicked.
"It’s okay," she murmured. "I’ll take care of it. Just sit back."
She was already undoing the button with practiced ease.
Magnus’s mind screamed at him to stop - but his body was betraying him, responding to every teasing stroke and breathy whisper. Her hand slipped beneath the waistband, skin to skin now, stroking him with maddening gentleness.
His head fell back against the wall, eyes fluttering shut. It was too much - too fast - too tempting.
She shifted lower, her lips brushing his lower abdomen, her intentions unmistakable now.
Then -
"No." The word tore out of him, hoarse and sudden.
Victoria froze.
Magnus reached down, gently but firmly wrapping his fingers around her wrist and pulling her hand away.
Her eyes widened, surprised. "Seriously?"
He nodded, breath ragged. "Yeah. Seriously."
For a few long seconds, they just stared at each other. Her expression unreadable. His chest heaving.
Then, almost amused, she leaned back with a smirk. "Guess you are a real man, after all."
He gave her a crooked smile, still catching his breath. "Thanks. But I’d like to keep what’s left of my sanity... and my reputation."
Victoria chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Boring. But fine."
She reached over and straightened his shirt collar playfully, then stood.
Magnus exhaled, trying to ignore the lingering ache in his body - and the fire she’d lit that would take a long time to put out.
But he knew one thing for sure.
He’d made the right call.
