He’s right. Why the fuck am I doing as instructed?
I’ve never been good at that.
My gaze sweeps over my brothers. They’re armed to the teeth, focused, and pissed off.
Perfect.
I lift my chin. “Let’s go get my butterfly back.”
28
ANSEL
My eyes blink open, my head throbbing. I try to scratch the itch on my forehead, but my hands won’t move. Something is stopping them.
Rope.
I wrench at them, comprehension filtering through my rattled brain.
Right. I was kidnapped. The Umbra Syndicate took me.
I twist my wrists, fingers scrabbling at the ropes, but to no avail. Obviously, whoever tied these has more experience in tying knots than I do.
Probably more experience in kidnapping, too.
Fuck.
I glance around, taking in the dim space I’m in. It looks like a warehouse. The concrete is stained with oil and paint, and an odd smell lingers. A few pallets sit against the wall, forgotten. The windows in front of me offer a little bit of light, but not enough for me to really see where I am.
A door opens, and my heart hammers in my chest. Oh my god. They’re coming.
I hold my breath and watch as a man approaches me. He’s wearing a suit, his hair slicked back, a tattoo snaking up his neck. Hisleather shoes shine in the blinking rays of sunlight filtering through the cracked windows.
“Ansel, nice of you to join us.”
His voice is familiar. The man who’s spoken to me on the phone.
“Who are you?”
His laugh is dark and menacing. “You can call me Vex.”
Vex. A terrible name for a terrible man. His name is one of the ones I found. That’s good.
I want The Firm to make him suffer one day.
“Please, let me go,” I beg. I know what my fate is, but I can’t help but hope for a way out of this. “I don’t have what you want.”
Vex sighs, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a knife. He twists it in his hand, and I swallow roughly at what I know is to come.
“I don’t particularly like you, Ansel, but I’m going to give you a chance to give us what we want. Because I know you have it. Names. Dates. Requests. Everything you know about The Firm and how they operate.”
I clench my teeth, feeling more afraid than brave, but I refuse to give them what they want. I will protect Cade and those he loves.
I’ll fucking die trying.
“Never give up until you’re dead, Ansel. Always fight like hell until then.”
“I don’t have it.”
