And my urge to kill hit me again, wakening up inside when I saw a message painted on the wall. I ran toward the door that entered the room where we held Brian and pushed it open, the room smelling of iron.
My fingers swiped through the liquid, and I rubbed it between my fingers. It was cold, slick, and when I brought it to my nose, I knew it could only be one thing.
Blood.
“Jaxon.”
I turned my head over my shoulder to see the guys pointing at the wall, their faces grim. Pointing the light in the direction of the message, my stomach tightened, and my heart stopped beating, and I felt like I was about to pass out.
“Good luck finding me before I slit her throat.”
“Quinn,” I whispered. I ran toward the door, but it slammed shut, bolting into place. “No!” I screamed, stepping back and then kicked it with every ounce of strength I had.
The lights came on, and Brian’s voice slithered through the intercom. He could see us, but we couldn’t see him. I regretted that mirror right about now.
“Look who is trapped now,” Brian chuckled. “You guys look a bit rough and sleepy. Did I wake you?”
“You mother fucker—”
“Sister fucker if you remember correctly. If you’re going to insult me, do it right. You’ve always been all brawn and no brains,” he said, and my fists clenched at my sides, wishing I could turn back time and snap his neck.
“I should have killed you.” My chest heaved as I spoke through clenched teeth.
“Yes, but you let your selfish desires control you. You always do,” Brian said.
I knew he was right beyond that door, tempting me to launch myself at him and wrap my hands around his neck. I didn’t care about the confession anymore, the torture, the need to see him suffer; I just wanted him to die.
The air kicked on, but as soon as the cold hit my skin, it felt like frost.
“I lowered the air. I hope you don’t mind. You’re trapped, and you’re going to freeze to death in your own home.”
I punched the door with my fist. “I’ll fucking kill you!”
“Not if I kill you first,” he deepened his voice until it sounded like a grinder against a rock. “Maybe I’ll bring Quinn down here when I grab her, have a little fun with that tight body I never took advantage of before. I should have.”
“You fucking touch her and I will rip you limb from limb.” Spit flew from my mouth and landed on the door.
“You won’t be able to,” he said, a true psychopathic edge to his voice. He breathed against the intercom, and static sounded in the room. “I think I’ll press this button that allows you to see me, and then I’ll hold her down and fuck her. And oh, I bet it will feel so damn good,” he moaned. “Filling that tight pussy, and I bet it’s tight. It is, isn’t it? I know you’ve fucked her. Ah!” he hissed. “My cock is getting hard just thinking about her.”
My eyes burned with hopelessness as he spoke that filth. I couldn’t protect her in here. I needed to get out. I had to save her.
“I’ll make sure you see my come dripping down her thighs. Maybe I’ll keep her around, get her all swollen and pregnant, and then I’ll slit her throat. I’ll be the poor widower, mourning over his wife’s death, a newly single parent. The story writes itself.”
“You son-of-a-bitch!” I rammed my shoulder against the mirror, but all it did was shake. “I’ll get out of here, and I’ll kill you. Do you understand me? I won’t let you touch her. Ever.” I screamed, smashing my fist against the glass repeatedly. “I will fucking kill you.”
“No, you won’t,” he said. “You won’t kill me. You didn’t before. You wanted your precious confession. Aww,” I heard his mocking pout, and it only pissed me off further. The room was so cold now that my breath showed with every exhale I forced out of me. “You won’t get it. Ever.” His finger lifted off the button since I heard a click.
“Hey! We aren’t done talking. Get back here,” I shouted, pounding on the mirror again with my body weight. “Brian!” I roared, but he didn’t answer. “No. No. No.” I stepped back and ran toward the mirror, throwing myself into the glass, wishing it would break. Quinn was sleeping, unprotected, and once again, I failed her by not being there. Tears broke from my eyes when I thought about her fear. She’d wake up with him hovering over her, and her memory would play tricks on her.
I was sweating from the exertion, repeatedly trying to break the glass. “Quinn,” I said on a tired whimper. My body slowed, my strength leaving me, but I still pushed myself against the glass.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
The rhythmic sound of my body pounded on the mirror in weaker and weaker attempts.
“Jaxon,” Sebastian tried to get my attention by saying my name, but it was useless. My mind was on Quinn. I didn’t give a damn about anything or anyone else. My focus was only on her. It was too late.
It seemed like she was going to die anyway. No matter what my intentions were to save her from Brian, everything always came back to him. He was going to kill her after they got married, and he would kill her now.
“Quinn.” I sounded so pathetic, calling her name out like that.
Sebastian gripped my shoulder and spun me around, away from the glass, and then punched me right across the face. I snapped out of my trance and shook the ringing sensation in my eyes away. I held my cheek and got myself to my feet, wiggling my jaw left and right.
“Thanks,” I grumbled through a sore mouth and swallowed the blood.
“You were losing it,” he said, shaking his hand free. “Holy shit, you have to be made of stone. Fuck, that hurts.”
I ignored him and inspected the room. There was the hospital bed, some medical equipment, and the chains on the one. “How did he get out?”
“He had to have broken his thumbs and slipped his hands through the cuffs. It would be the only way,” Grayson said, picking up one of the chains, which had Brian’s blood on it. “I’d assume that is exactly what he did. The metal could have cut his wrist, which would have given him enough blood for his message.”
“We have to get to Quinn. She’s in a delicate state right now, guys. I could lose her forever. After everything she and I have been through, I will not lose her like this, not to him. There has to be a way out of here.”
“You designed it, Jaxon. What do you remember?” Owen asked, watching me as I paced.
I thought long and hard, bringing up the blueprints in my mind. “I made sure that I didn’t want anyone to be able to escape. How the fuck did he?” I surveyed the room, but since it was too dark, I couldn’t see everything I needed to. I pointed the flashlight around the walls, and my teeth started to shiver when the room dropped to a dangerous temperature.
My head tilted, and my eyes squinted when I saw something above the bed. Taking a step forward, I realized the error of my design.
There was a vent.
And Brian had taken advantage of it.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Quinn
An arm wrapped around my waist, and I grinned when I felt Jaxon pulling me against him. I was between being asleep and a dream, so right now, while it felt real, I couldn’t tell. His mouth landed on the back of my neck, and he pressed a kiss there.