“I thought you’d be proud of me,” Bear says, frowning at Kai.
Kai shakes his head.“You thought wrong.”
Bear’s gaze breaks, and he stares at his feet, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink.He looks genuinely hurt.
Kai stands in front of me, the smell of weed clinging to the air around us.He reaches out, and I suck in a deep breath, squeezing my eyes shut, waiting for the impact.But it never comes.I open my eyes to find his tattooed hand gripping my chin softly.His intense brown eyes soften ever so slightly, turning to a lighter shade.He stares at me for several heartbeats, and I forget where we are and what we’re doing.
He’s Freya’s best friend.He wouldn’t hurt me, because that would mean hurting her, and he’d never do that.
As I lick my dry lips, he watches the movement closely.His thumb runs over my bottom lip, and it feels like I’m spinning again.My pulse quickens.My legs and arms are spread apart, allowing him access to every part of me.I’m vulnerable and at his mercy.It’s easy to forget for a moment that my life is on the line.
I force myself to turn my head away.I have to.He’s the enemy, and I won’t be drawn into his darkness.I’m their captive, not their friend—or whatever the hell that was between us.
“Enough!”Bear yells, and Kai steps back, raising his hands.
The air around us returns to normal, and I suck in several breaths.
“Take her home,” Kai demands.
Bear chuckles.“Not going to happen.She’s not going anywhere.”He winks at me, and I squeeze my hands into fists.
“What’s your plan then?”Kai asks.
Zion stays quiet, eyes darting between his friends and occasionally back to me.
“Let me guess—The Brotherhood didn’t deliver the guns,” Bear says, completely ignoring Kai’s question.
“Just a couple of cars.”
Bear’s eyes light up for a moment, then they flicker back to me.“So we don’t have what we need to take them on now.If we want power over The Brotherhood, we need leverage.May I introduce you to Miss Leverage, Amirah Ledger!”Bear presses a button, and a round of canned applause sounds from the speakers.His mouth lifts, his eyes sparkling.This is all just a big game to him.I’m his doll, someone to play with until I break.
“The idea of taking Freya is one thing.She knows us, she trusts us, but you have a woman here who doesn’t, and she’s petrified in this creepy-as-fuck place.”Kai speaks as if I’m not in the room, his attention focused on Bear.I feel like I’m part of a private conversation, one I shouldn’t be witness to.Kai doesn’t want me here—that’s one thing I’m sure of and something I can use to my advantage.
“Who cares?Freya would be safe, yes, but having someone this close to them gives us an advantage.We’d be pulling the strings,” Zion says, and his words are sharp and smooth, like a knife that’s been dipped in honey.It’s the first time I’ve heard him speak, and I didn’t expect him to be on board with Bear.The kindness in his eyes that I thought I saw earlier?I must have imagined it.
“What are you saying?We hold her hostage for money?”Kai scoffs.“They’ll never give us guns—look how well that worked out last time.”
Zion crosses his arms over his chest.“So we pump her for intel.Use her.”
“Like she’d know anything.She’s just a princess.”
“Princesses see things they shouldn’t.”Bear winks at me, and I glare back.
“Fine, say she does know something.How do we get that information from her?By torture?”Kai looks my way, his gaze running slowly over my body.My breathing quickens, and I want to scream at him, but no words come out.
“By whatever fucking means necessary,” Zion snaps, and I’m acutely aware of my vulnerable state—strapped to a board—once more.
“How would you feel if she was your daughter?”Kai glances back at Zion, and his face turns an angry shade of red.
He moves like lightning, getting right up in Kai’s face, and Bear jumps into action.Zion grips Kai’s jacket, and Bear stands close to them, watching it all unfold.I need to move now, while they’re distracted.
I reach for the rope, tugging at the end piece.This might be my only chance to escape, and I won’t waste it.
Chapter Nine
Zion
Grabbing the collar of Kai’s leather jacket, I stare into his dark-brown eyes.How fucking dare he mention my daughter, asking how I’d feel if Amirah was her?Revealing that I have a kid to one of our enemies—the princess of The Brotherhood, no less.No one is supposed to know about her, especially since she’s currently living on enemy fucking territory.
