The fucker cut me!
“Answer,” he demanded, the sharpness of his voice making me flinch.
I didn’t want to comply, but I also didn’t want to die. And at this moment, I wasn’t sure the latter was completely off the table. Reluctantly, I nodded.
“Good.” He chuckled in my ear. “I’m going to let go of your mouth, but if you make a single sound, I’ll cut out your tongue. You’re just as valuable without the ability to speak… maybe even more so. Got it?”
The corners of my eyes burned, tears threatening to spill over.
I nodded again.
His hand disappeared, and I poked my tongue out to run it over my lips. The metallic tang of blood bloomed across it, and I winced at the pain.
The knife disappeared, and Zero grabbed my upper arm hard enough to make me wince.
“Let’s go somewhere a little more private, shall we?” he asked, moving and dragging me along behind him. “We have things to discuss.”
Afraid he’d bring the knife back out if I disobeyed, I followed his lead away from the plaza.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
ZERO
The fear that bled from Arina was delicious to the point of agony.
Leading her down a dark alley, we slipped farther away from the circus caravan. It wasn’t entirely necessary, but the abandoned building I scoped out earlier was too perfect. Secluded, mostly empty, and damn near sound-proof. Ideal for any and everything.
As we walked, I kept my grip tight on her. Not that I was worried about her running.
She could try, but I would catch her. And she’d regret every step she took after that.
I wanted her to taste the danger she was in with me, to feel the uncertainty of her fate. Her fear would only grow the longer we were out in the open as she dreaded what was to come.
The thought had a smirk curling my lips.
It had been too easy to get her here; I was a little surprised. Clearly, it wasn't bravery that had gotten her this far—it was stupidity.
Nonetheless, I was pleased. She’d made my job easy.
Now, the fun could begin.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked softly, her voice echoing off the stone walls around us.
“Did you forget about your tongue?” I tsked. “You’ll shut your mouth until we get where we’re going if you want answers.”
I could feel her seething as I yanked her down another street and directed her to our destination: a long, unadorned beige building that looked like it hadn’t been used in a decade. Judging by the interior, maybe longer.
I’d already broken the lock on the back door this morning to stake it out. It was where I stashed the suppressants when I found them, afraid to have them on the bus any longer. What the hell was she thinking hiding highly illegal drugs like those in a backpack?
Stupid, I reminded myself.
The back door was cast almost entirely in shadows and groaned in protest when I pulled it open. We stepped directly into a wide-open warehouse, about half the size of the circus arena. Shelves, tables, and boxes had been abandoned inside the space, along with a few chairs, old electronics, and a couple of broken machines shoved into the corner. Dim light trickled in through the windows on the far wall, giving us enough light to see as we headed for the middle of the room.
There were two chairs set up, facing one another. One was empty, with a length of rope piled on the floor next to it. The other held the omega’s precious backpack full of heat suppressant drugs.
Her breath hitched when her eyes caught on it.
“You took my stuff,” she growled out.
