Knox holds my hands behind my back while Carter runs his fingers down my skin.
“Fuck, Little Heathen.” He groans softly as searing pain snaps me back to reality.
Sister Agatha kneels in front of me, chanting some prayer for the wicked. I reach up and grab her rosary with one hand as I close my free one around her coif and pull her closer to me. I take the cross on her rosary and jab it into her throat as she gasps for breath. Her face is ashen white, the panic visible in her wide eyes. Her rosary is not sharp like mine were, but it hurts, nonetheless. The footsteps are loud as they get closer to me. I should let her go to defend myself against the priest behind me, but I can’t. The fury runs through my veins like a live wire. This is who I am—A killer. I may be a wicked heathen, but I wasn’t born evil—I was made this way.I want her life. The fear staring at me is intoxicating.Is she prayingto her God to save her? I bet she is. I can’t help the laughter bubbling out of me.
“God is dead.”
The pain is immediate as the priest hits me on the back of the head with something hard, and I slump forward, the world fading to black.
CHAPTER NINE
KILLIAN
Idial the number I swore I’d never call again. I’m not sure why I haven’t deleted it from my phone, but right now, I’m glad I didn’t.
“Killian Bonetti,” he says as he answers the phone, clearly still having my number as well.
“Yeah. I’m as surprised as you are, but I’m outside and I want to make a deal.”
I can almost hear this creepy motherfucker’s smile through the phone. Father Murphy owns the asylum, although not on paper. It’s registered as ‘St Dymphna’s Home for the Mentally Ill’. But he owns it. He has more than signing authority. Father Murphy is in charge of everything. And for him, it has nothing to do with healing the sick—it’s about money. So much for that vow of poverty. Not only is he not poor, but he’s fucking wealthy.
I drive up to the tall, black metal gates and stop. Rolling down my window, I wait as the armed guard approaches me and I hand him my driver’s license.
“Killian Bonetti to see Father Murphy. He is expecting me.”
He keeps his eyes on me as he confirms what I told him on his earpiece.
“Go through the gate and park in the Temporary Business Office Parking. Front door. Ring the buzzer. Leave any weapons in your vehicle. You will be searched.”
I don’t bother telling him I know the rules since I’ve done this before. After parking, I get out and walk to the front door. I press the button and wait. The door clicks open, and I step inside. Two armed guards approach me and pat me down, looking for weapons.
“This way,” the Russian one says, so I follow him. We walk into Father Murphy’s office, and he nods to the empty chair, so I take a seat. The guards stand behind me, and I know from experience that’s where they’ll stay.
He looks up from his computer and acknowledges me.
“What can I do for you, Killian?”
I drag my hand down my face and say, “Heather Mancini. How much to get her out?”
He shakes his head as he sucks in a sharp breath, dramatically.
“That will be tough because someone paid a lot of money to get her here.”
“Who?” I ask, even though I already know the answer to my question.
“I can’t tell you that. It’ll be expensive. In fact, it’ll probably cost youeverything. So, I think you need to decide how badly you want her. Is she worth—everything?”
This is different from last time. What the fuck is everything? I have no idea how much money he’s talking about, but she is worth everything. Knowing she’s here and I can take her back where she belongs—there is no question about it. I’ll do it, regardless of the cost. I created this problem, and I’ll be the one to fix it.
“What do you want?”
He grins wide, looking like the predator I know he is.
“Everything, son. Just like with your brother. A deathmatch from which I get 100% of the proceeds. You fight. Maybe you live, maybe you die. I don’t know. If you don’t win, I expect your family to honor our deal. And to keep you from backing out, Heather will be there, along with your brothers. I am warning you now. Back out and she dies, while you watch.”
My muscles are tense as I sit in the chair fighting myself from getting up and killing this motherfucker right here and now. Gritting my teeth, I hiss out my response.
“Fine,”
