“I’m tired of your weakness. Get over here. You let him take her.” Fear flashes in his eyes as he slowly walks toward us. “Here.”
He drops the belt in Koda’s hands. I watch the way his chest rises. I kneel on the ground. “It’s okay,” I whisper. I turn around and put my hands up behind my head. I hear him step closer.
I can imagine his hand shaking.
Koda’s a dumbass, but he’s also a kid. A kid who shouldn’t have to live this life. He’s mischievous. Not violent. I look to the side and catch him in my periphery. “It’s okay, Koda.”
“Aiden, I?—”
“Now. Or I’ll have you bent over and bloody with him.”
“Do it.” My jaw clenches.
I swallow and give him a slight nod before looking forward.
I flinch with the first lash across my back, and I buckle even though I’ve been trained not to. No matter how many times this happens, I’m never prepared for the slicing burn on my skin. He does it again. And again.
I’m dizzy and nauseous. I’m starting to fall forward a bit, unsteady. “Enough,” Ivan shouts.
I’m shaking. I’m trying so hard to quiet my body, but I can’t. And as bad as I hurt, I know he didn’t do it his hardest. “Ah!” Pain slices my skull as Ivan wrenches me up onto my feet. He stares at me a moment before he slaps my face. “You have one week. If I don’t have that statue here, I’ll kill both of you.” My eyes go to Koda. “One week.”
Dismissed, I grab my shirt on the way out, using all my strength to pull it over my head. My back burns, but I push it away. Even the soft cotton feels like it’s soaked in gasoline. “Aiden.” I ignore him as I break, piece by piece. With every step, I feel the swelling.
I need to make it to the car.
I think I’m bleeding.
“Aiden!”
I whirl on him. “Go to her. Stay with her. She’s upset.” I don’t look at him as I rush out the door and head to the woods.
Every movement is soaked in pain, but my brain is numb. I make it to my car and get in, putting the seat back so I don’t press against it. I swallow. My skin is hot. I feel trickles as blood drips down my back.
I put the car in drive and head out of the woods.
My hands move, steering on autopilot, knowing exactly where I need to go.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SAWYER
There’ssomething about someone knocking on my door that gives me anxiety.
I don’t know why. It’s like this built-in defense mechanism telling me something is wrong.
I’m practically shitting myself.
I open my nightstand, grabbing the little taser of Jane’s she’d given me. It’s pink with bejeweled beading around the outside. It may be small, but this thing sucks. I accidentally set it off once, and now I always hold it carefully.
Not a mistake I’m going to make again.
Jane has pictures of me on the ground after it happened, I just know it.
BANG BANG BANG.
“What the hell?” Moving the small curtain, I see Aiden slumped against my door. “Holy shit.” I open it and catch him as he falls into me. I set the taser down on my table. No accidents. “Are you okay?” His naturally tan skin is pallid and gray, his lip swollen and split in the corner. Bruises cradle his eye.
“I’m sorry. I should have—” Holding him upright, I bring him inside and shut the door then lock it. Helping him through to the living room, I move him gently, settling my hand on his lower back.
