“For as long as I can.”
“Okay.”
There’sa sharp burn against my cheek.
I hiss and raise my hand to my face to find blood dripping off my fingers.
A hand grips the back of my head, and I gasp as I stare up into the cold, dark eyes of my brother. There’s a sick, twisted smirk on his face that sends a shiver down my spine.
“You don’t want to be like us,” he hisses. “Fine. But you’ll watch.”
My head is sharply turned towards the horrifying sight before me. Ava is on the ground—dirty, bruised, bleeding. I tremble and release a soft cry as she weeps on the floor.
“Every single second. If you dare look away, I’ll make it worse for her.”
Tears stream down my cheeks as I attempt to fight his tight grip, but it’s no use. I can’t move. Damon, my brother’s second-in-command, kicks Ava onto her side, and I get a view of her damaged face.
The sound of her screams echoes around me as she begs him to stop, but he continues hurting her to the point my ears feel like they’re bleeding.
“Don’t,” I heave. “Stop.”
“You’re a coward,” Lucien says through gritted teeth. “You did this to her.”
“No,” I cry.
“Yes. You let her endure years of violence while you sat back and did nothing.”
I choke out a sob. “I let her go.”
“What about all the other girls, huh?”
My eyes squeeze shut.
“Look,” Lucien says as he grips my jaw. “I’m not going to tell you again.”
I open my eyes to look back at Ava as she sobs on the floor. My teeth clench together.
“All those other girls we did as we pleased with and discarded their bodies,” Lucien chuckles darkly. “Where were you then? You let them die.”
I struggle in his hold, still unable to get to Ava.
“You let them all die.”
“I wanted them to live,” I cry.
“You didnothing.You are as bad as we are. It’s your fault.”
My stomach churns. “No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No!”
My body joltsawake from the nightmare that has haunted me for years. Tears are streaming down my face, and my entire body is covered in sweat. I look down to find Caleb asleep beside me.
