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Her stunned silence fills the void of the car. Then: “I never killed anyone.”
Ah, but she’s not denying the cover up. “No, you let Sadie do the heavy lifting. But that still makes you an accomplice, I’m afraid. The law is very clear on that.”
“You’re working for the Alpha,” she says, seizing upon a connection. “You’re his inside connection.”
“Close, but no cigar.” I pull onto the shoulder of the highway and riffle through my purse for a cigarette. I spark up and inhale a deep drag, feeding my lungs the poison they crave. “You can do better.”
Avery takes this opportunity to try the door. She bangs on the window, frantically pulling at the handle.
“Please stop that racket.” I stub out the cigarette, then lean over the center console and grab her chin, dragging her face to me. Her breath skims my lips. She doesn’t pull away. Brave. “Look deeper.”
“You’re the Alpha’s whore,” she says defiantly. Then she spits in my face.
I let a smile grace my mouth. I grip her face tighter, running my tongue along my lips, tasting her fear. “I am the Alpha.”
Her beautiful brown eyes reflect her disbelief. Then sheer terror flares to life, gleaming in her shiny irises, and I feast on it. I press closer, close enough I could bite her lips, and latch her wrist to the door with handcuffs.
“So you don’t hurt yourself,” I say, then plant a kiss on those lips.
She yanks against the cuff. “You’re a woman.”
“You’re observant.”
“How… Why?”
I start back onto the highway. “Easy, really. No one wants to believe a woman can be so cruel. So malevolent. Even with the evidence right in front of you, your mind denies it. And the why…” I trail off, considering. “Money. It’s my one thing. I hated being poor.”
She groans as she fights the restraint, then gives up in a huff. “But the things you’ve done…to women. After what you suffered, how could you?”
I roll my eyes. “Power,” I answer honestly. Then, for her benefit, I try to explain. “Sex is a weapon. We all know this, even if we try to convince ourselves otherwise. Women use sex every day; it’s our one true power over all men. There is a bit of a dance between men and women, but ultimately, the control lies with the woman. For men, that power can only be obtained when it’s taken by force.” I look at her, stare into her eyes. She knows this is the truth. “It’s why rape is never about the actual sex with men. It’s about taking away our power.”
Her disgust is evident. “You strip them of their power.”
“You’re are so bright, Avery. It’s a necessity in my business. The girls have to fear me, just as the men in the trade have to respect me.” I lift my chin. “Everyone—regardless of sexual orientation—respects power.”
She gives the cuff one last tug. “Where are you taking me?”
I suppose it doesn’t matter now. “A private jet awaits our departure from Arlington. I had to do some fast preparations. Arranging overseas transportation for at least ten girls is a lot of work. And I was rushed. I hate being rushed. But everything is in order. They’ll arrive right after us.” I smile at her. “I made sure your test subjects wouldn’t delay us.”
“You really like hearing yourself talk, don’t you?” she says, making me laugh. “That’s a clear narcissistic trait, Lena. But you know what? I’m fucking sick of your voice.”
With her free hand, Avery grabs the wheel.
There’s a moment of suspended fury before she jerks the wheel…
…and the car rolls.
16
Pressure
Quinn
“Are you sure this is accurate?”
Larkin moves into view on the computer screen. “If Jefferson says it’s authentic, it’s authentic. I take it you have an idea whose voice this belongs to?”
I do, and fuck—I don’t want to believe it. Searching the wall of surveillance monitors, I note every person in the club, seeking the only one not accounted for during my initial mental log.
