“Still so loyal.” Marcus circles behind me, his fingers drumming against the back of my chair. “But it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Something in his voice makes my skin crawl. I crane my neck, trying to read his expression.
“Eve’s here.” The words hit like a physical blow. “Upstairs with Ano right now.”
My vision goes red. The zip ties bite into my flesh as I thrash against them. “You fucking liar!”
Marcus’s laugh echoes off the concrete walls. “You should see yourself. The great Remy Harding, coming undone over a woman.” He leans in close, his breath hot against my ear. “Ano’s going to break her, just like he broke her mother. And you get to sit here, helpless, knowing you failed to protect her. While she draws her last breath, maybe hoping to save you. How stupid of her.”
A roar tears from my throat, primal and raw. The chair rocks as I fight against my restraints, blood streaming down my wrists. “If he touches her, I’ll kill you all. Every last one of you.”
“That’s what I wanted to see.” Marcus steps back, admiring his handiwork. “That famous control finally shattered. Was it worth it, protecting her? Was she worth dying for?”
Marcus’s words hang in the air, cut short by a sound from above. My head snaps up, ears straining through the fog of pain. Footsteps—too light for Ano’s thugs. A whisper, barely audible, through the floorboards.
“Hear that?” I taunt, watching Marcus’s confident smirk falter. “Your security isn’t as tight as you thought.”
“Shut up.” He moves toward the door, hand reaching for his weapon.
A muffled thud overhead makes him freeze. Then another. The sound of a body hitting the hardwood. The guards by the door shift uneasily, their previously relaxed postures tensing.
“What’s happening up there?” one demands into his radio. Static answers.
A silenced thump cracks through the silence. Glass shatters somewhere above us. My pulse quickens as adrenaline floods my system, washing away some of the pain. I know those precise movements and that methodical approach. Military training.
“Your men are dead,” I say, tasting blood as I smile. “And you’re next.”
Marcus backhands me, splitting my lip further. “I said shut up!”
Another thump. Closer this time. The basement door rattles as someone tests the handle. The guards raise their weapons, but their hands shake. They know they’re trapped down here—rats in a corner.
“You should have killed me when you had the chance,” I growl at Marcus. “Because now? Now I’m going to enjoy watching you die.”
“Big words from a man tied to a chair.” But the tremor in his voice betrays his fear.
More footsteps overhead. Multiple sets are now moving with practiced coordination. The sound ignites something in my chest—not just hope but savage anticipation. Liv found my note and called the number. The thought of her fills me with renewed strength, memories of her determination fueling my own.
A third thump rings out, followed by the distinct sound of a body tumbling downstairs. The guards exchange panicked looks. Marcus’s face has gone pale.
I laugh, low and dark. “Tick tock, Marcus. Your time’s running out.”
The basement door explodes inward, and through my blurred vision, I see Declan’s imposing frame fill the entrance. Behind him, Nolan and Greyson fan out, their movements synchronized with military precision. A surge of hope wars with the pain racking my body.
But before they can reach me, Marcus moves with startling speed. His arm locks around my throat as he yanks me up from the chair, the zip ties snapping from the force. Cold metal presses against my temple, and I struggle to stay conscious as spots dance in my vision.
“One more step,” Marcus snarls, “and I paint the walls with his brain matter.”
Declan’s eyes narrow, calculating. “You’re surrounded, Marcus. This ends now.”
“Does it?” Marcus’s laugh holds an edge of desperation. “I’ve got the only bargaining chip that matters. Back off, or watch your friend die.”
I try to shift my weight to create an opening, but my body betrays me. The hours of torture have taken their toll, and Marcus’s grip is iron-tight.
“Always the coward,” I rasp, feeling the gun press harder. “Hiding behind others when things get tough.”
“Shut up.” Marcus’s voice trembles slightly. “I’ve waited years for this moment. To see you broken, helpless.”
Nolan takes a step forward, and Marcus jerks back, dragging me with him. “I said stay back!”
