“No.”
“You should be.”
“I’m not.”
An evil grin spreads across Daniel’s face. “Oh, Isobel.” He lets out a sharp whistle.
From the shadows—they step forward.
Men. Armed. Silent. Clad in dark tactical gear. Dozens. Emerging from side corridors, maintenance hatches, behind stacked crates.Surrounding us.
Then Tex.
Two men drag him forward. There’s a cut on his head. Blood running down the side of his face. Two men holding his arms tightly.
My stomach drops, my pulse quickening. Every sound dulls except the rush of blood in my ears.
My hands tighten into fists.
We’re boxed in.
“Oh, look what I found,” he says, a deranged laugh ringing through the air. “A little birdie told me this one’s important to you.”
I keep my face blank.What bird?I mentally shake off his words. He’s toying with me. He always does. I won’t give him my fear.
“You’re so full of shit.”
“Oh, Isobel.” He tsks. “You are so beautiful, so strong and determined,” he adds, voice almost tender. Then, low and gleeful, “Wonder if you’ll still have that same look when you take me in your mouth. You looked so good on my cock.”
Rage tears through me.
Jace raises his gun.
Daniel lifts his hand. “Ah-ah, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He holds a gun pointed at Tex.
I don’t flinch. I don’t look away from Daniel. “You’re pathetic.” I can’t help but grit my teeth. “You had to rape an eighteen-year-old girl.”
“Oh, but you wanted it.” He looks at the guys, taunting them. “She barely fought me. She just laid there and took it like a good girl.”
Tex fights against the two men holding him but he can’t break free.
I raise my weapon, eyes locked on Daniel.
“I wonder if you suck better cock now.” He licks his lips.
“You sick fuck! Keep running your mouth and see what happens,” Tex yells at him.
One of the guys punches his ribs. Tex huffs a breath. Daniel laughs.
“You’ve trained this one well.” Daniel glances at me then back to Tex.
I tear my eyes away from Tex. I can’t let the panic show on my face.
“So, what do you want?” I call out to him, trying to stall for time.
“Oh, Isobel, I want you to be mine. Mommy’s getting a bit old, and honestly, she’s not so lively nowadays.”
I hate my name in his mouth, it makes me grind my back teeth. Something in me goes still. The fear burns out, replaced by heat. My eyes move to Tex—bloodied, restrained, breathing through the pain— then the men holding him, at Daniel, standing like this is peak entertainment. All I can think about is tearing him apart right now, shooting him right in his stupid, smug face.
