Alex groaned loudly, just as another hit flew into him, but I couldn’t see. I shuddered, all the words stuck inside me. The monster stood over me, watching me with that indifference in his eyes.Enjoyingit.
“Say it again,” he commanded, lifting his hand to signal for the men to pause. Pause their beating of the love of my life! “Say you’ll come back to me.”
My lips trembling, I swallowed my tears, realizing that this was just a show for him. Just entertainment!
“I’ll come b-back to you,” I sobbed, struggling to pronounce the words. “I’ll c-come back. Please just don’t kill him!”
Xavier melted into a small smile. “You hear that, Martinov? She said she’ll come back to me if I don’t kill you.” He chuckled and opened his mouth to say something else, but another voice sounded. Deep and caring. One that I’d grown to love. One that I was petrified I’d lose forever.
"No."
The word slashed through the air, and everyone paused. Slowly, Xavier allowed me to turn back to the horrific sight. Alex was slumped down on the dirty carpet, his hands bound behind him, working overtime to catch his breath, but even like this, evennow…he was on my side.
“She won’t come back to you.” His words were muffled, but loud enough for all to hear. “Keep your promise. Kill me…and let her go.”
“Alex!” I screamed, the whole world shattering into a million pieces. “Don’t say that, baby,don’t!”
I was lost. My mind was mush. My eyes couldn’t process reality, but Xavier reminded me who was in charge. He tugged on my hair again, as if it was a leash, turning me toward him once more and relishing the sight of mebeggingon my knees.
“Please, Xavier,” I spoke as calmly as I could, doing my all to convince him. “I’ll come back, please don't hurt him. I'm begging you. I'll do what you tell me—I'll do whatever you want, just let him g-go!"
I shook in Xavier’s arms, giving him everything I could; myself, my freedom, my life—just make it stop!
Xavier crouched down in front of me, tilting his head in amusement. “Okay. I won't kill him,” he murmured, flooding me with relief only to rip it all away. “But I didn't say I wouldn’t…breakhim.”
Xavier’s eyes widened and another punch sounded behind me. "Ruinhim.” He pulled my hair back and turned me toward Alex—allowing me to get a good look. "Cripple him.”
A man stomped his boot into Alex’s face, the crunch of bone exploding between us. “Destroyhim."
“P-please,” I wailed on my knees, addressing the men who watched my suffering and pummeled Alex. “Please stop!Please!”
And they did. They stopped and gave me a moment to look at him. Blood pooled underneath his crimson face, seeping into the carpet. I blinked through my tears, desperately waiting for him to move.
But he lay still.
Xavier let me go only to step in front of me and grip my jaw, slowly bending down to my eye level. I panted, ready to do whatever was asked, but Xavier withdrew something from behind his back instead. His index and middle fingers.
Crossed.
"Oops,” he snickered. “I lied."
It was like a switch. The men began to kick. Loudly, violently, grunting with every swing of their legs. Their boots flew into Alex’s face, his chest, his neck, his legs.
“Watch.”Xavier dug his fingers into my cheeks, keeping me on my knees and my face turned toward Alex. “Watch what happens when you disobey me, Jade.”
I shuddered with every kick into Alex’s body, but he didn’t move.
“Xavier, please,” I whispered, broken and subdued, forced to watch the death of the love of my life. “I’ll do whatever you tellme. I’ll doanything you want!I’ll come back to you—I’m all yours…please…just make it stop.”
I no longer had a voice.
I’d given it all up, promised myself to him, but it wasn’tenough. My shouts bounced off the walls, and then my whispers fell on deaf ears. My knees were raw from carpet burn, but Xavier didn’t want any of that.
He just wanted to break me.
I struggled against him—tried to crawl toward Alex, through my tears, through his blood, through my nightmare. But Alex could no longer respond. Alex could no longer see or hear reality. He lay on the floor, soaked in blood, his face broken and cut, his body jerking with every hit.
“You think you’ve learned your lesson, baby?” Xavier asked, but I couldn’t understand his words. Except that he lifted me up and was already pulling me toward the door. “Finish him.”
