“But I’m also the one with all the power. Sit the fuck down, Chief.”
Options. I weigh them, but I have none. He has everyone I love in the palm of his hand, and with one word, he could crush them.
I shove him away from me, going to Lina and cupping her face. Her cheek is already showing the beginnings of a bruise. “Are you okay?”
She nods. “I’m fine. Honestly.” I believe her because she’s tough, but I’ll never get that image out of my head.
Reluctantly, I return to my seat. Sawyer adjusts his shirt and tie before approaching Lina again, and she appears mildly bored as they face off. She lifts her chin, brow arched, looking every bit a queen.
He hits her again.
Lina falls to the ground, and I’m half out of my seat when she raises her hand. Blood drips down her lip and sheruns her tongue across it before lifting her violent gaze to Sawyer. “Not a bad hit, Sawyer. Maybe one day you’ll learn how to throw a real punch.” Sawyer boots her in the ribs and points his gun at her as I stand.
“Take one step out of line, Chief, and I will shoot her,” Sawyer says, attention locked on Lina. He crouches, and I track his movement as he brushes Lina’s hair behind her ear. She grimaces at his touch, and I want to tear his fucking fingers off. “You know, I saw the photos, but they don’t do you justice. You sure did grow up, Lina. I should’ve married you.” He leans close. “Being a widower has its perks, though.”
She punches him so hard it’s like a whipcrack. Miraculously, he doesn’t fall back. I hold my breath, ready to move, but when one of the men holds a gun to Ella’s head, I stay in place.
Ella closes her eyes, and Gable’s dark glare lands on the man. “I swear to fucking God, your entire bloodline will never know peace if you even so much as graze her with that weapon.”
The man has the good sense to look rattled but doesn’t lower the gun.
Sawyer touches his bleeding nose, then lunges for Lina and stands. He grips her hair, yanking her to the table and shoving her in the chair next to me. She almost topples over but steadies herself.
“Nice hit,” Y says, and Lina nods her thanks, just as someone presses a gun into Y’s cheek.
Silence lets out a quiet sob. “Please don’t.”
“I’m okay,” Y says, taking her hand. Her knuckles turn white, she squeezes his fingers so hard, but he doesn’t let go.
My gaze darts from one armed man to the next, tryingto calculate if we can turn the tables. But they’re all large, armed, and seemingly happy to pull the trigger if Sawyer demands it. The risk of Ella and Lina getting hurt is too high, but we also can’t sit here and see how this nightmare of an evening plays out.
Sawyer says, “As some of you may know, Lina here killed my brother. It’s only fair I get to even those odds.”
She bares her teeth at him. “You killed mysister.”
“She killed herself,” he sneers.
“Because you fuckers raped her!”
“Old fucking news, Lina!” Sawyer says and begins a slow circle of the table. “In order to even those odds, we’re going to play a game. I’m sure you’re all familiar with Russian Roulette.”
Ella closes her eyes and whispers something under her breath. Gable looks at me, panic and rage in his eyes. Lina steels her spine, unwilling to react. A tear slips down Silence’s cheek, and Y keeps hold of her hand.
“Come on, guys!” Sawyer cheers, clapping as well as he can with a gun in his hand. “Smile! It’s supposed to be fun!”
“And what if we refuse to play?” Y asks, his voice calm, demeanor totally relaxed. He looks like he’s at a normal dinner party, and not in a position where he could die.
Sawyer shrugs. “Then you all die.”
Gable closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “It’s been three years since I’ve killed anyone, but when I get out of here, I’m going to take great pleasure in tracking you down and removing your fucking spine!” he shouts, his voice booming across the lake. I’ve never seen Gable this angry. Indifferent, yes. Bored, constantly. But never like this.
Ella opens her eyes. “Are we spinning the barrel?”
“Finally, some decent conversation.” Sawyer sighs. “No, sweetheart, we aren’t.”
“So …” She swallows, her eyes becoming glassy, but her spine straight. “Someone is guaranteed to die.”
He grins. “The game ends when someone dies.”
