Quin grabs my wrists and unhooks the restraints. When I feel my hands are free, I try to quickly stand, but my ankles are hooked together. I teeter forward from the momentum and land on my knees. My hands hit the ground, and pain races up my wrists and into my arm. I try to scream, but my voice only crackles out. My throat’s too dry and sore from screaming when he stabbed me.
My hand is wrapped tightly, but blood is seeping through the fabric. I don’t know whether it’s good or bad that I can’t feel the actual stab wound, only the pain radiating at the edge of my wrist and up my arm.
“Stupid bitch,” Quin snarls as he grabs me by my hair and lifts me back into the chair. “Try that again and I’ll cut your Achilles tendon.”
“Please…Just let me go. It was self-defense. He was going to kill me.”
*Smack*
My body falls off the chair from this hit without the restraints to keepme attached this time.
“Bullshit! I knew Declan better than anyone, and he was obsessed with you. You were his little broken dove. Made me sick. You were all he ever talked about if we weren’t dealing with business. He would rather cut off his arm than kill you!”
“It’s true! Why would I lie? You already told me I’m not getting out of here alive.” Tears stream down my cheeks as I try to get up. But between the car accident, my hand, and the fact that I just landed hard on my shoulder, I can’t get up.
Quin squats down in front of me. I try to look away from him, but he grabs my jaw to hold me in place.
“Declan, Tony, and Mac were not only my friends but also my employees. Mac was one of the best smugglers I’ve ever had. Like I said, Mina, you cost me a lot of money.” He tilts my chin, looking me over with a look of disgust before shouting, “Get up.”
I try again, but this time he grabs my hair again and lifts me to my feet. His fingers curl around the back of my neck putting pressure on my carotid artery. I try to shift in his grip, but he only tightens his hold more. I’m starting to feel slightly lightheaded.
He leads me out of the small room, then down a hall into a larger area. My jaw drops as I look at everything surrounding me. It’s a fucking torture chamber. He pushes me down into a metal chair. He grabs my wrists and handcuffs them behind the back of the chair again. I can feel the blood dripping down my fingers.
Quin doesn’t bother restraining my legs this time. I think he realizes his threats are enough to keep me in place.He grabs a chair and sets it in front of me before sitting down in it.
“Alright, Mina. We’re going to play a little game.” He pulls a knife off the table next to him and leans forward. The cold steel taps against my cheek. My body tenses as the tip of the knife barely touches me as he drags it along my exposed flesh.
He uses the knife to move the mangled excuse for a shirt off my breast. His eyes are dark as he looks over my body.
“Fuck! No wonder Declan was obsessed with you. You’re perfect.”
The way the word “perfect” slithers off his tongue has my stomach in knots. I turn my face away as his fingers brush against the soft skin of my breast before pinching my nipple between his thumb and forefinger. He rolls it and hums as my body reacts to his touch. My nipple hardens, and a small smirk appears on his lips.
“He always said you were his favorite. Always so responsive. So…Needy.” He pinches again, harder this time. A small cry escapes my throat, and he looks pleased. “Like I said, Little Dove, we’re going to play a game.”
Hearing him use Declan’s nickname for me is like a stab to my heart. Things weren’t always bad between us. In the beginning, he was actually quite sweet. He was even romantic. But it was when he drank that the true Declan came out. Vile, malicious, and crude.
“Are you paying attention, Mina?” His words are pointed and sharp.
I nod, and he continues.
“As I was saying, I’m going to ask you questions aboutthat day. You tell the truth, and I’ll move the chair back. If I reach the door, you can leave.”
My eyes widen, but my heart sinks. He’s lying. There’s no way he’s letting me go. No matter what I say or do, I’m going to die down here. His lips curl into a sinister grin.
“But…Every time you lie…” His hand flicks so fast. Like a snake striking its prey. The blade is razor sharp, and I didn’t even realize he cut me until the air hits the cut. The burning pain spreads along my chest from the two-inch slice he just made. Blood trickles down my breast and drips onto my lap. All I can do is stare at him in disbelief.
“Every time you lie, I’ll cut you. I’ve been trained to detect lies, Mina. My patience is running out. Not all cuts will be as fast as that one. The more you irritate me, the worse this will become. Now, first question. The night you met Myles, did you know who he was? When Declan sent you over to him at the club.”
“No,” I respond. My voice is steady.
He slides his chair back. The wooden legs scrape along the concrete. The sound echoes off the bare walls around us.
“Did you let him go that night? Declan told you to restrain him, but he said you told him Myles wouldn’t let you. Were you lying?”
“Yes…To both questions.”
His chair slides back.
