"Fine," I say, keeping my voice steady. "I’ll help you in exchange for Lake’s release. But I need a guarantee you’ll do it."
"Well, you have my word. You know that’s sacred." His mouth stretches into a smile. "Whenever I’ve promised something, I’ve always kept my word." Then he bursts out in a vicious laugh.
I draw a deep breath, my whole body trembling and buzzing with nerves. My eyes lock on Rocco. I could tear him to pieces, or maybe save Lake. But how far away is he? I doubt I can repeat the same trick I did for Winter. Lake isn’t my blood, so there’s no energy link for me to reach through and pull him out.
Besides, I wouldn’t even know how. Snow was the one who did it for me last time.
"Perfect," Rocco says.
One of the men steps forward from the edge of the room.
I see something in his hand. I have no idea what it is, but before I can react, he presses it against my neck, and a moment later, everything goes black again.
???
When I open my eyes, I’m in another place. For a moment, I think it’s the Black Room, where I spent so many hours forced to fuck Anzo’s bony ass.
But no. This one is smaller, with a monitor strapped to the wall like someone hung it in a rush.
I’m lying on a table, tied at the wrists and ankles, just like back then. And on the screen, also exactly like before, I see Lake unconscious on a bed, hands tied, eyes shut.
I wish my eyes were shut too, because I feel half-asleep, half-drugged.
Oh Fate, how long has it been since this started?
Two men stand near him, like they’re waiting for a signal.
But I’m not alone either.
When I manage to focus, a stab of horror goes through me—six armed men stand lined up against the wall. Fuck! My whole body feels like it’s sinking into something dense and dark.
That’s when I hear the sound of footsteps.
The door swings open, and Rocco walks in.
Fuck. How well I know that scar cutting across his face, his black eyes, his twisted smile.
"I see you’ve already made yourself comfortable, Summer. I know that face, you’re boiling inside, full of rage. But you left so suddenly, babe; we didn’t finish our business."
He comes closer, leaning down toward me, and the stench of his breath hits me. Rotten, suffocating. I want to jerk my head away, but everything in me moves sluggishly, like I’m underwater.
Sadly, his odor pulls up memories of when Anzo wasn’t watching, and Rocco used to press his body against mine, whispering filth about how deep he’d fuck me, that I would feel him at my throat.
It wouldn’t take much to destroy him.
One snap of my fingers. One thought.
But alsoonelook at the screen shows me Lake’s guards staring at me, watching, waiting for me to slip.
"So tell me, what do you want me to do for you? Say it." I force the words out of my mouth, thick and heavy like oil.
"Oh, so you want to skip straight to business?" Rocco walks around me like a predator. "But I’d rather start with something sweet. You and I still have an unfinished date. Things that have nothing to do with killing Russians. Isn’t that right, Summer?"
He gets closer, his hip slamming against the table so hard the vibration shakes through me.
He leans in again, his breath brushing over my face. He sniffs over my glands, then winces.
"I’m guessing that little hole of yours isn’t so tight anymore, somebody else claimed it, but I’ll take what I can get. Give me a nice fuck, Summer, and then we’ll deal with the Russians."
