Bonnie smiled. “You’ve finally shown some aptitude, Ms. Weaver.” Cocking her head, she ordered, “Strap it on her, Daniel.”
“Be my pleasure.” The thread of insanity that infected Cut glowed in Daniel’s eyes as he moved behind me. His cold hands brushed aside my hair as he brought the horrible thing beneath my chin. “Put your head up.”
Tears prickled my eyes as I raised my chin, staring at the ceiling. The square wooden panels kept me company as the fork buckled around my throat and diamond collar.
My neck arched, keeping the delicate skin safe from being stabbed. My teeth hurt from clenching, and my head pounded with a rapidly spreading headache.
You’re failing again. Don’t give in.
I blinked back tears, straightening my spine as if that would bolster my courage.
You’re breaking. They’re winning.
I wished I could tear out my brain from tormenting me. The Hawks did that enough without my mind disabling me, too.
Once the buckle was firmly fastened, Daniel inspected his handiwork. “You look rather regal like that. Guess I can’t make you blow me this round; otherwise, you’d kill yourself with every suck.” He cackled at his tasteless joke.
Vaughn groaned in the corner but I didn’t look over.
I let my vision unfocus, granting a small reprieve from everything.
Please, let this end soon.
Slapping my arse, Daniel commanded, “Walk a few laps. Show me how well you can move with your head high and your wrists bound.”
My heart chugged hard as my worst enemy swooped into being.
No, not now!
The room swirled with vertigo. Sickness fogged my head, and I lost all sense of balance.
Don’t fall!
I’d kill myself.
Moaning, I did my best to equalize.
It didn’t help.
The room shot black; I stumbled forward, falling,falling.
Someone yelled, “Catch her!”
Arms wrapped around my body as I plummeted. I jerked to a stop, hanging in some horrible embrace as the world dipped and swelled. Slowly, I traded oppressive blackness for the orange den.
Swallowing hard, I shoved away the remaining episode. “I’m—I’m fine.”
Daniel planted me on my feet. “Got a fucking death wish, Weaver?”
I wanted to shake away the cobwebs left in my head, but I didn’t dare. I trembled in place, itching with claustrophobia. My neck strained beyondcomfort, aching already.
“You gonna faint on me again?”
I calmed my breathing. “I didn’t faint. It’s vertigo, you arsehole.”
“She’s had it since she arrived,” Cut said. “Three laps, Ms. Weaver. Get through that without killing yourself and we’ll remove the fork.”
Three laps. Three lifetimes.
