“Here’s the angel we’ve been waiting for.” The wide grin of one of the MacKenzie brothers sends a chill down my spine as he eyes me.
How has no one realised how sick and cruel these two monsters are?
“Are you ready?” the second brother asks, and I raise a single brow as he steps forward and removes the cuff and chain from my wrist. “The only way you’re walking out of here is by fighting to the death.” He points his thumb over his shoulder to the cage behind him.
I shrug. “That’s fine. I can kill easily enough. But before we do that. Where’s Asher? You said I could trade myself for him.”
“And you will.” He gestures to the cage, stepping out of the way to give me a better view.
My eyes go wide before strong hands shove my back and I stumble into the cage, falling to my knees, coming face to face with my worst nightmare.
“No.” His rasp is pained, his whisky eyes shattering right before me as we both realise what’s happening.
“Asher,” I whimper, my eyes filling with hot tears, before I launch myself up, spin, and bolt for the opening in the cage.
Laughing, Monty slams the gate shut, latching it on his side just in time for me to leap on it like a crazed beast as I roar with bared teeth at the MacKenzie twins.
“You fucking cunts! I will fucking kill you!”
They both throw their heads back, laughing, and the crowd follows suit, all of them entertained by our suffering.
“We told you to trade your life with his. If you want him to live, you just have to let him kill you,” one of the twins snickers. “Or kill yourself. Either way works for us.”
“Who’s ready to see a lovers’ quarrel?” Monty asks the crowd, his voice blaring through speakers in each corner of the large space.
The crowd goes crazy, and I leap off the gate, doing a lap of the cage, searching the crowd for a friendly. Foranysign that we aren’t here alone right now.
Where the hell is Barrett?
“They say if you love someone, set them free.” Monty’s voice continues to fill the room. “I say if you love someone, watch themdie!”
The crowd goes ape shit, people jumping up and down, drinks getting thrown in the air as music starts to blare through the speakers for a few moments before Monty continues.
“Would you believe these two arelovers?” The crowd ooooh’s like it’s juicy gossip. “Yes, I know, she’s an old bat, and he’s a pimple skinned teenager, yet they stillloooooveeach other.”
“I’m not doing this.” Asher’s voice comes from behind me, and I turn to look at him.
Shit… Asher.
My heart splinters as I take in the bruising and swelling around his eyes and lips. He’s been beaten badly, yet he stands tall and strong before me.
But shit… this… we are absolutely fucked. I have no doubt that if we refuse to fight, they will kill us… shit, they will kill Asher first just to make sure I feel that pain, I just know it.
“You have to do this,” I whimper as I take a step closer, tears threatening. “It’s the only way for you to walk out of here alive.”
His eyes flare with anger. “I’d ratherdiethan hurt you, Lily. My life isn’t worth living without you in it, so there’snoway I’m walking out of here without you. Whereyougo,Igo.”
Shit. Now’s not the time for me to get all teary, yet here I am, my heart aching for this man before me.
Stepping closer, Asher’s warm hand comes to my cheek, cupping it.
“I love you, Lily,” he admits so easily, his eyes dancing between mine as he does what I’ve been too scared to admit myself. “I’ll end my existence before I let them take yours.”
“Fuck, Asher.” Pressing my hand over his, still cupping my jaw, I finally open my heart and tell the truth. “I love you, too.”
His brows hitch. “You do?”
“Yes.” I nod, offering him a small smile. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I was… scared.” I gulp, trying to clear the lump from my throat. “This is all my fault.”
