“Dosed you both while you were out,” Darrow says, as if reading my mind. “Doesn’t bother me, but no reason to take a chance with where you two are going.”
“What do you mean?” Gabriel garbles out.
Darrow continues his casual stroll around the room. “Here’s the situation as it stands. Samuel— I’mallowed to call you that, yes? Itisyour real name, after all. You’re quite the valuable commodity, and I thought to myself, why let someone else claim the bounty when I’m more than capable of seeing the job done myself?”
His head cocks as he studies me. “And it might be alittlepersonal. You hurt my back when you shoved me against the bar. Had to go to my chiropractor and everything.”
I spit at him. “Fuck you.”
“I dare say there will be no fucking on my end.” He pulls out a handkerchief to dab at the glob of phlegm on his jacket. “We’ll save that privilege for your buyer, who should be here soon. He’s quite eager to make your acquaintance. Or should I sayreacquaintance?”
Cold dread pools in my gut.
Gabriel lunges in his restraints, body jerking forward despite the ropes, the chair strapped to him scraping across the floor. Even bound and bleeding, he fights to place himself between Darrow and me.
Darrow’s laugh holds no humor. “Such predictable biology. The Alpha rushes to protect what he considers his. Though I must say, Samuel, you made an interesting choice. Another Alpha? Really? Did you think his money would protect you?”
I twist within my binds, and the ropes cut into my flesh.
“As for our bonus Rockford…” Darrow pauses beside Gabriel, who stiffens under his attention. “Tony wants to prove no one in your family is untouchable. Hewantedyour brother’s pretty little Omega. Leo, is it? But he never leaves the manor, even having the baby without stepping outside, so you’ll be a nice appetizer to whet the palate.”
Guilt crashes through me, powerful enough that I choke on it. I brought this danger to Gabriel’s door. My presence painted a target on his back. If I’d stayed away as he asked, he might be safe right now.
“Fuck you,” Gabriel snarls.
“Charming.” Darrow checks the time on his phone. “Your buyer arrives soon, Samuel. Tony’s people won’t be far behind for our Rockford friend. I have a schedule to keep.”
He turns away, pulling out a phone and tapping at the screen. The momentary distraction gives me a chance to look around, assessing options that weren’t visible in my first scan of the room.
Gabriel catches my eye and tips his chin toward the dining table to my left, the gesture so small I almost miss it. I follow his line of sight and spot the glint of metal under the tabletop. A knife, strapped tothe underside. The kind of security measure an assassin like Caleb would install.
My pulse quickens. If I can inch toward it… But the distance might as well be miles with how tightly I’m bound. The way my shoulders scream from the strain of the ropes, every centimeter will cost me.
Gabriel taps his foot on the floor three times in silent question.Do you see it?
I blink once.Yes.
He jerks his head a fraction to the right, where a drawer sits ajar. Through the gap, I spot what might be a gun. How many other weapons are hidden around this condo? If I can just get my hands free…
I shift my weight, scooting my ass across the floor. The rope burns as it tugs at my wrists, but I grit my teeth through it. Another half inch. Another.
Darrow peers over his shoulder, and I freeze in an awkward position, muscles screaming at the strain. He stares at me long enough to draw sweat from my brow.
Then a knock breaks the silence, and Darrow smirks. “Looks like our first guest has arrived, Samuel.”
My pulse hammers at my temples as Darrow goes to answer it, and Gabriel’s eyes seek mine, raw panic reflected in the hazel depths.
Footsteps approach, two sets now instead of one, and as Darrow returns, my spine locks rigid as the tall man trailing behind him comes into view. My body recognizes him, my prey brain recoiling.
No. Not him. Anyone but him.
I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting to stay present. Dissociation means death right now. If I float away into that protective nowhere space, I’ll never come back.
“Well, look at that. You were right.” Darrow smirks at my reaction. “Hedoesremember you.”
A laugh bubbles from the guard’s throat, the sound unchanged by the years between then and now. “Told you he would. Some things stick with you forever, don’t they, Samuel?”
Bile rises, acid burning all the way up.
