“Fuck you,” Levi said.
I had my back to the window, but turned when I heard the roar of more engines. Three SUVs had arrived, identical to the one that had whisked Maddie and Lily away. If there was any doubt that they were Griffin men, it was swept away when I saw three brothers running at speed towards us. Reid wasn’t amongst them, and I was grateful for that. I hadn’t wanted him to see what was going to happen next.
Stepping away from the window, I tried to pass Levi, but he blocked me.
“You know what I am,” I hissed. “You have to let me go.”
“Just let me do my job, Quinn,” he said, his gun aimed at the Russians.
I didn’t have time to reason with him, so I darted to the other side, trying to get past Simon this time. When he made a grab for my jacket, a shot rang out and blood splattered my face. Simon released me with a grunt. There were crashes as tables were overturned, and more shots were fired.
The sleeve of Simon’s suit jacket was torn, soaking in blood as he took cover behind a table. Levi was crouching too, and gestured for me to do the same, but my eyes were drawn to Mikhail. He smirked as I walked towards him.
Once I was close enough, the Russian wrapped his arm tightly around my neck and pulled me against him. “You’re going to wish they’d shot you.”
I was tempted to agree when the Griffins entered the coffee shop, with Reid close behind. He’d looked broken, and as I lie in my cell and listen to the horrors leaching through the walls, I’m scared this will all be for nothing. I could die before Strider locates me. And there’s no guarantee that the Griffins will help him. Even if they can accept I never intended to offer up Maddie and Lily to Ilya, I still put them in danger.
I hope Reid’s OK.
As I sit up, the room spins. I don’t remember anything after being dragged into a waiting van, so I’m pretty sure I was drugged. I have no idea how long I’ve been out, but as I look down my body, I see bruises along my bare legs. Nausea is added to the mix. I’d been wearing boots, a dress and a jacket, but I’ve been stripped down to my underwear.
I don’t know who undressed me, or what they might have done. My breasts ache and I have mild cramps, but I’d already been feeling like I was about to get my period. I hope that’s all it is, but hope is hard to hold onto as I listen to the rhythmic thumping sound increasing inurgency. It’s accompanied by a man’s grunts. And a woman’s sobs.
A feeling of doom overwhelms me and I drown in it. My limbs are seizing up, and I can’t seem to draw air into my burning lungs. I’m scared I’m going to die, and if I let fear overtake me, that’s exactly what will happen. I fight against the panic attack, taking slow, steady breaths until my limbs start to relax.
My breathing is almost under control when there’s the clank of a door opening and closing. The thumping has stopped and footsteps draw closer to my door. As the lock turns, I draw my knees up to my chest and hook my bound arms around my legs.
I shrink into myself as Mikhail looms in the doorway. His face is covered in a sheen of sweat, accentuating his ragged scars. I hope one day soon I’ll get the chance to add to those scars. The thought gives me enough strength to meet his gaze.
His face twists into a grin. “Did it turn you on listening to me?”
I’m usually quick with my insults, but I know better than to goad a man with all the power. It won’t be for long, I tell myself. Reid will keep his promise to find me.
“Don’t worry,” Mikhail continues. “It’ll be your turn soon enough, but we need to get you screened first. We like to make sure our women are clean before we break them in.”
“You won’t break me,” I say in a hoarse whisper.
He crouches in front of me, reaching out as if to stroke my cheek, but his hand goes to my throat. He wants to squeeze the life out of me, I can see it in his dead eyes, but I’m not done yet. In one seamless maneuver, I shove my arms upwards to dislodge his grip, then lean back and kickmy feet forward to land a decent blow to the flaccid cock hidden in his pants.
It’s not powerful enough to cause any real damage, but I manage to send Mikhail sprawling backwards.
“You fucking bitch!”
Mikhail comes at me, shoving me backwards and grabbing my hair. He slams my head against the thin mattress so hard that I see stars. My vision clears just in time to see the back of his hand as he strikes again. My cheek flares in pain and my teeth crunch.
As I lay helpless beneath him, Mikhail grabs my hands and raises them over my head. I scream and kick out my feet towards nothing. Spittle hits my cheek as his face looms closer.
“I’m going to enjoy making you beg for forgiveness.”
“Mikhail!”
I recognize the voice immediately, and even with his henchman slobbering over me, hope sparks. The Griffins might not come for me, but they’d come for Ilya.
When Mikhail clambers off me, I sit up again, curling my legs beneath me and pressing my arms to my chest to cover my semi-nakedness.
“You had so much potential,” Ilya sneers. “Such a shame you’ll end up no better than your sister.”
My pulse quickens. “Where is she? Is she here?”
