He lifts my arms, hooking them on a hook attached to one of the big steel pipes above my head. My shoulders pull tight, making me moan out in pain as all the muscles are stretched full.
Then he turns, his feet heavy on the steps, and the sound of the door shutting pulls me back to reality, takes away the numbness I had hidden in, bursting like a needle to a balloon.
I scream, scream until my throat burns, until the tears dry salty against my skin; scream out the pain, the wrongs, the hurt, betrayal. I let it all loose into the world, not caring if it will break me apart, a secret part of me wishing it would tear me open wide. I try pulling at the rope, but every movement hurts; blood trickles down my arms from my struggle. Hayden had taught me how to get out of most restraints, but I’m weak, my arms burning from being stretched high above my head, fingers going numb, stopping me from being able to undo the knot. I scream in frustration, until I can’t scream anymore, until my body grows weak and I have no choice but to succumb to the darkness.
Sweat glistens on my skin, rolls down my temples and back. My hair is wet, stuck to my face, and my eyes flutter.
“Princess?” My eyes dance open, blinking and scratchy, like sandpaper against my retinas. I see a smudged figure twirl in front of me.
“Hayden?” It can’t be. My mind wars between reality and mirage. Tears I didn’t know were possible burn my eyes. “No, you’re not real. You’re dead!” A sob breaks my chest. This is too much, anything but this. It's too cruel, heart wrenching.
I feel his finger on my face, tracing my bruises. It feels so real that I lean into it, to be met by air, and reality punches through the illusion I am draped in. I twist and turn in my restraints, trying to escape.
“What did I tell you, princess?” he asks, his voice so far yet so close, surrounding me.
I don’t answer, shaking my head, causing the rope to dig in deep. A slow wetness runs down my arms, causing me to groan as the pain comes back, making me hover on the edge of consciousness.
“What did I tell you?”
His is voice is strong.
I lick my dry lips, and my voice comes out as a husky whisper. “Don’t throw the towel in. Never give up.”
I repeat the words he told me over and over again, until I can’t fight it anymore; the pain, the hurt, it all collides within me, slicing me open.
My eyes fall shut.
32
Prince
“You need to get back in bed.” I go to my wardrobe, grabbing the first thing I touch, hissing as I pull on my shirt and the material brushes over the sore skin underneath. I reach in my draw, grabbing three guns and a knife. I turn to look at Declan, not answering his comment and instead giving him one of my own.
“Where’s Marcus?” I growl, pissed they kept me under for four days. For four days I slept like a baby while Lilliana was out there.
He huffs out a breath. “In Gag—your office. He’s locked himself in there for the last two days.” I nod, grabbing my jacket, clenching my jaw at the ache in my muscles and the pounding in my head.
Men stand out of my way as I walk through the main room. I come to stop dead in the middle.
“What are you all standing around for? Go find her!” They are standing there, eyes wide in fear as I pull my gun out. “Did I stammer?” They all race through the door.
Declan stares at me. “You’re fucking losing it.”
I am. Every bit of me rages, every molecule vibrates with it, and there is fear beating through me like a war drum, something I’ve never dealt with. I didn’t fear any test my father put me through: I wasn’t scared when I used my first bullet; I wasn’t scared when I watched as my father killed men in front of me, as a metallic smell surrounded me; I wasn’t scared of the nightmares that haunted me, not just in my dreams but in the light. Right now, it’s crippling me, holding me its prisoner. Everyday feels as if I’m closer to losing her, to never seeing her again. Anger and fear battle furiously against each other to win, battle to dominate me. For years I’ve been calm, cool, held back. I was the hunter that stalked its prey, laying in waiting, watching as it helplessly went on its way, giving false hope that it was safe, that danger didn’t circle it, cover it from all angles. I bided my time, until I was so close, I could smell its blood pumping through its veins, taste it. Then I struck, went straight for the throat.
But now, I’m not lying in waiting. I’m on the hunt. I’m tracking my prey, and it won’t be a simple kill. I’ll make them scream for each day they’ve held Lilliana. I’ll kill them, only to bring them back, make them die a thousand deaths.
Declan already told me a team had been sent to Toby but when they got there, he was already dead. His whole family died with bullets to the head. Which pissed me off for two reasons; one, I can’t torture him for the answers about the trap he set up, and two, it leads to more questions. Is there something else at play?
Ignoring Declan, I continue to walk through the room, only for Iris to step in my way.
“Declan is right, you’re losing it.” My brow rises at the bite in her tone, and she quickly looks away, playing with her necklace as her eyes return to me. “Have you ever thought she’s run away, that it was her choice to leave?” I narrow my eyes at her as she runs her fingers through her hair, trying to rein my anger in as she looks to Declan for back up.
“She has a point. You bought her, killed her father. She hates us,” Declan agrees. I bite back the truth. Yes, I killed Jack because I wanted to save him from a beating that would have taken days, weeks, until they let him die. All the torture was done after to make it look like it was a brutal killing. The officers were on our payroll, and Jack’s folder now laid at the bottom of the pile, gathering dust, no leads. It was a dead case.
Letting Iris’s words sink in, I shake my head, dismissing the idea. “Someone has taken her.”
Iris rolls her eyes. “You have no evidence! Nothing! Forget about her. With Gage dead, you can focus on all this; you don’t need to run around London looking for ghosts. It’s time to take your place.”
I walk up to Iris, seeing the truth to the veil she had over me. She’s a lot stronger than she made out. That sweet as honey act was just that, and now she’s showing me her hand, revealing the truth behind the poker face. She reminded me of Lilliana. That's why it was so easy to like her. She was shy yet had an unbreakable force underneath. She had been through hell but was still standing. She didn’t blame the world or have some vendetta.
I can’t believe I hadn’t put it together until now, but as I study my sister, I realise she’s nothing like Lilliana. They are worlds apart.
Lilliana never hides her emotions. They are always clear in her eyes. If this had been the other way around, Lilliana would be walking the streets for Iris. She would never give up, and neither will I.
“Nothing will stop me looking for her, nor making those who took her pay, bit by bit.” Iris takes a step back at my voice, nodding, looking toward Declan before back at me when he doesn't say anything.
“I am sorry.”
I don’t wait around, play any more games. I head toward my father's office, Declan hot on my heels. “You shouldn’t talk to her like that.” I ignore his whines as I push open the door.