Page 26 of Barinov

My pulse roars in my ears. “Don’t.”

“I watched you,” he continues, pushing the silk of my gown higher. “The way you fit between them. The way you trusted them with your heart.”

“Stop,” I beg.

“Trusted them with your body.” He bites his bottom lip as his gaze drops to my exposed skin. “Do you remember my touch, Izzy? Remember how good I used to make you feel?”

I freeze as his hand reaches my hip, his fingers tangling with the string of my thong.

“How you used to scream for me and only me?”

Knock. Knock.

Luca, Jack—I don’t even fucking know what to call him at this point—quickly removes his disgusting fingers from my body. I shove the gown back down, wincing again as I move my arm too damn fast.

Zeke pops his head in, never once even looking at me. “Luca, you’ve got a call.”

“Okay,” he replies, pushing up from the edge of the bed. “I’ll be right there.”

The mattress lifts with him. He leans back down and presses a kiss to the top of my head. My body goes rigid.

“Get some rest, Izzy,” he whispers into my ear.

He straightens, smooths the blanket over my legs with one careful motion. He heads toward Zeke, stopping in the doorway to peer back at me. A sick smile curling on his face.

“I’ll come check on you when it’s time for dinner. See about getting these chains off of you too,” he says before turning and leaving my room.

Zeke pauses in the doorway. His body angled away.

“Zeke,” I cry.

His eyes cut back to me, just for a moment.

“Zeke, please. You can’t just leave me in here.”

His jaw tightens. “I don’t have a choice.”

“You always have a choice,” I snap. “How could you do this to me?”

“You don’t underst—”

“Make me understand!” I erupt, my voice coming out with a high-pitched burst I don’t even recognize.

“Come on, Zeke,” Luca calls from the hall. “Our Izzy needs her rest. Busy days ahead.”

Zeke’s gaze sharpens on me, something darker flickering in his already almost black eyes. “I’m sorry, Bells. I have to go.”

He turns.

“Psycho,” I spit.

Zeke halts mid-step, shaking his head once while trying to hide a small chuckle. But I hear it. He places a hand on the doorframe, glances back over his shoulder, and winks.

“Takes one to raise one.”

Chapter 7

LEX