“What is it with you and your friends? You’re so worried about who I am, that you’re ignoring what’s right in front of you.”
God, I need to stop speaking out loud.
“And what’s that?” I ask through a hiss of pain as he flushes the wound. “If you’re not an enemy, then you have ulterior motives. Either way, your help doesn't come for free.”
He nods, pulling out some type of cream. Hopefully it makes the pain stop.
“You’re right,” he murmurs. “I do have an ulterior motive. Quite a few of them, in fact.”
This time I get a good hit in when I try to fight him off again, but he quickly pins my hands down. His icy blue eyes are narrowed in irritation as they flick between me and my cell door.
“This is your last warning, Maddox,” he snaps quietly. “Shut the fuck up and take my help, or die. Either way, I will finish what I came here for. I’d rather do it with you and your brothers intact, but not if it requires a fight. I will not allow you to get in the way of my plans. They’ve been written for far too long.”
I stare at him for a long moment. A life of abuse and painful lessons has taught me to question everything. Everyone.
But right now, I honestly don’t think I have a choice.
I’ve been in bad situations before. Have had close calls with death. Moments where I was sure I’d been meeting the reaper. This one tops them all. I’m alone, in a dirty place likely filled with infectious bacteria. I have no food, no water, and there’s a nasty situation happening in a toilet that doesn't work in the corner. I haven’t slept in days. I’m losing track of time.
But more than that, I’m losing my mind, and that’s what scares me the most.
“How do I even know this is real?” I whisper, ashamed when my voice breaks. “How do I know I’m not imagining you?”
His eyes flicker over my face, then shudder with something that looks a hell of a lot like understanding. They glide across the cell, taking everything in before sliding down my body.
Then, the fucking asshole twists my nipple.
I open my mouth to let out a sound that’ll likely haunt me in my dreams, but he quickly claps a hand over my mouth to silence me.
“Believe me now?” he whisper-hisses. I swallow roughly and nod. His palm tightens for a second before slowly lowering. “Now, are you going to let me help you or not? We don’t have much time before you’re due in the pit.”
“The pit?” I murmur.
He jerks a nod and pulls back. “Unfortunately, yes. While there are many things I’ve been able to stop, what’s coming next is not one of them.” His icy eyes flit to mine, and in them, I see genuine remorse. “Your brothers are safe—for now. As for your woman, she’s not here, and my sources tell me she’s safe as well.”
Relief like I’ve never known before fills me and my entire body goes limp. He chuckles, but I’m too happy to give a shit.
“If I’d have known that’s all it would have taken to get you to cooperate, I’d have led with it.” He goes back to my wound, butthis time, I don’t care. I let him do whatever he wants. “I’ll have to remember that when I go to Gage next.”
That gets my attention. My eyes snap to his. “Is he…are they okay?”
His cleanly shaven jaw pulses. “Okay might be pushing it, but they’re alive.”
“Fucking hell,” I mutter. “Where are we? Can you tell me what’s going on?”
“You’re at Bayview Penitentiary, five miles north of your home.” My brows dip. Why does that sound familiar? “It’s an abandoned prison near the northside docks. A place your father has used for years. A favored place for some of his more…unsavory business.”
“How did we not know this place existed?” I ask, though it's a useless question. We know nothing of what our father does. We thought we did, but it's clear we only knew what he wanted us to.
“As for what’s going on,” he continues as he pulls some thread from the pouch. I grimace. Is this guy even a doctor? He shoots me a look and I snap my mouth shut. Fuck. “I’m not a doctor, no. But I’ve got a fair amount of practice with stitching idiots like yourself together.”
“I’m not—” Again, I close my mouth and look away. Yeah, getting shot wasn’t my finest moment.
“Like I was saying,” he grunts. “All I know is that Augustus has a hard on for your pretty little girlfriend.” He holds his hands up before I can say anything, and clicks his tongue. “Before you keep spouting off your ownership, know that I have my own woman who I am incredibly happy with.” His throat bobs. “That’s why I’m here.”
My eyes fly around the tiny cell as if I’ll see a woman pop out of the shadows. “Is she here? Did you come for her and find us, or…”
“No,” he says quietly. “I saved my Lina long ago. I’m here for revenge.”
