Before a spotlight shone down onto our faces.
“Good God,” I groaned.
“Turn that off,” West grumbled.
“Not until you tell us what your club’s next move is,” the man said with a thick accent.
“We aren’t telling you shit,” I hissed.
West chuckled. “You might as well kill me because I’ll never roll over on my family.”
“Yeah?” the man asked as he stood to his feet. “Well, maybe this’ll loosen your lips up a bit.”
“No! Stop!” I shrieked.
The second I watched that man cock his hand back, he slapped it across West’s face. His head turned off to the side as blood fell from his nose before someone stepped on his ankle. He roared out in pain, like a lion being gutted, and it was all I could do to keep from spilling everything I knew right then and there.
“No! Please! Stop it! You’re hurting him!” I exclaimed as my voice grew hoarse.
“Then, talk,” the man glowered.
West looked over at me with pain rushing behind his eyes and he simply shook his head. The look in his eyes pleaded with me not to say anything. He practically begged me to keep my mouth shut. And I cared about the man so much that I was willing to endure watching him get beat all to hell just to protect the only people he considered family.
So, I drew in a deep breath and prepared myself for the worst.
“Go to hell,” I hissed.
“As you wish,” the man murmured.
Punch after punch landed against West’s body and I sobbed. I hung my head in shame because I couldn't watch as West gurgled on his own fucking blood. I tried to block out the sounds. I tried my best to stay strong. I tried to dig down deep into the mire of my soul where my own darkness lay.
But the second he choked out my name, I couldn't stand it any longer.
“Stop it!” I bellowed.
Someone threaded their hand into my hair and tilted my head back.
“Please, just stop hurting him,” I said breathlessly.
The man tilted his head off to the side. “He means something to you, doesn’t he?”
West gagged and vomited on himself before he spoke. “You leave her alone. Your issue is with me.”
And that was when a disgusting smile crossed the accented man’s face. “Take her into the other room. I have plans for them.”
“No!” West roared.
The man holding onto my hair dragged me out of the room as I stumbled around on my legs. I watched over my shoulder as another guy clocked West in his gut, causing him to gasp for air. I reached out for him with my foot. I tried anything I possibly could to get closer to him. But, as the man dragged me out of the room—away from West as he clamored to try and get to me—he tossed me into a corner.
Before cracking his knuckles as a wry chuckle fell from his lips.
“Let’s have a bit of fun, shall we?” the man asked.
Seventeen
West
I had no idea how long the beating lasted. I had no idea how many punches had been landed or even how much blood I had lost. All I knew was that Chloe was no longer in sight, and the sheer fear that gripped my heart threatened to swallow me whole.
