But then they’re laughing again, and Alonzo’s unzipping his pants, and before I even realize what’s happening, he’s pissing on me.
My back is on fire again.
I want to disappear.
“Please,” I gasp, one last time. “You had your fun, okay? Just let me—”
A bright light illuminates the tunnel at the bend, stealing my words and kicking my heart back into overdrive.
“Dude!” Metal shouts. “Train!”
“It’s early!” Alonzo tucks his dick away, then they’re all shouting at each other, scrambling to grab their bags from the tracks.
“Get her up!” Jake yells, and someone makes a half-assed attempt to untie me, but it doesn’t work and I can’t tell what’s going on and they’re all yelling and then they’re leaving and…
“Wait!” I shout, drawing on the last of my strength and tugging viciously on the binds, but it’s no use. They’re so tight, the rope is cutting into my skin. “Don’t leave me like this! Cut the ropes! Cut the fucking ropes!”
But they don’t. They’re already back up on the platform above me, shoving each other, fighting. I hear the words “murder” and “prison.” Jake shouts something like, “We were supposed to keep her alive!” and Metal says, “Fuck this. It’s not even worth the money,” and then the train is on the straightaway barreling toward the station, the force of the air ahead of it extinguishing most of the candles.
Sobbing, I press my cheek into the sickness and muck, squeeze my eyes shut tight, and send another desperate prayer to the goddess, to the devil, to the demons they couldn’t summon, toanyonein this realm or the next who might hear my pleas…
I don’t want to die I don’t want to die I don’t want to die…
The sound of the approaching train is deafening.
The boys are long gone.
They brutalized me. Tortured me. And then they left me here, injured and bleeding and humiliated.
A dark realization sweeps over me, and I know with utter certainty—as I lay here shivering and sobbing in the darkness, covered in blood and piss and filth—this is the place where I’m going to die.
Chapter Three
DRAEGAN
It’s only been a few hours since we got things sorted with the fire inspector on the Forsythe blaze, and despite my best efforts to wrap up my evening in peace with a nice, hot cuppa from Stella’s café, it seems fate is determined to ruin it for me.
Tonight’s particular ruination comes in the form of an ambush by my dear friend, DetectivefuckingReedsy.
Bloody hell.I’ve been in the city all night dealing with bullshit urban planning officials and zoning restrictions and then the damn fire inspector, and now, all I want to do is pick up my tea, hit the skies, and get back to the manor without incident. Jude and Rook left right after our meeting, which leaves plenty of time for Jude to get into trouble. I’mfairlycertain he was only bluffing when he threatened to turn the inspector’s torso into a footrest, but when it comes to my enforcer’s antics of late, we can’t be too careful.
Unfortunately, dealing with Reedsy means leaving Jude unsupervised a bit longer.
“Good evening, detective.” I give him the briefest nod as I open the café door and gesture him inside. “Out for a late-night coffee run?”
Unmoving, Reedsy shakes his head, eyes glimmering with his usual disdain, the scent of whiskey heavy on his breath. Through a fake smile, he says, “A moment of your time, Caldwell? If you don’t mind.”
“Actually, I do mind. I need to—”
“It wasn’t really a request.”
I release the door and fold my arms across my chest, the gargoyle beneath my glamour stirring. “Have you been waiting all night for me?”
“Figured you’d show up eventually. Stella’s is practically your second home.”
“So you’re following me. Wonderful. Well, let’s get on with it, then. Do I need a lawyer present?”
“Nah. It’s just a few questions between old pals.”
