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“He didn’t…” I shake my head, growling under my breath. “Neither of us betrayed you. We never wanted to be here in the first place! You can’t steal people away from their lives then get angry when they want to go home—”
“Know your place!” he roars, his voice so powerful that it makes my ears ring.
I stagger backwards, bumping right into Abel’s chest. He grabs for me and I twist away from him, ending up against the wall, surrounded by Gideon and Abel as Ephraim watches from the threshold.
“My place is off the Rig,” I say. “It’s why I left. It’s why mom left, it’s why weallleft. If you want your grandbaby, you have tolet us go.”
Gideon gapes at me, emotions flitting across his features. I see rage, hurt, disorientation…and then that plain, characteristic cruelty.
“I’m not gonna argue with you,” he says. “You’re right. I didn’t do it to punish you, I didn’t do it because you betrayed me. I dosed up Javier because it wasfun to watch. And it’s going to be even more fun making sure you’re broken. Now…you’re going back to your room to watch him die slowly, Esther.”
I lift my chin and swallow my tears.
“That’s not my name anymore,” I say. “It’s Peaches.”
Gideon barks out a laugh. “A stupid name for a stupid girl.” He waves his hand, dismissing me. “Ephraim—get her out of here. Abel and I have things to discuss.”
Ephraim nods.
“Come here, Esther.”
He takes me roughly by the arm and drags me down the hall, so fast that I’m stumbling once again. We get all the way to the door before he wrenches it open and tosses me in to join Javi once again—but not before he leans down to whisper in my ear.
“They’re coming tonight,” he says. “And I want you to take me with you.”
I jerk back. “Are you serious?”
“If that Angel comes back, they’ll know I helped you,” he mutters. “Things are about to get a whole lot worse around here—and I don’t need to join your stupid little pack, I just want off the Rig.”
I narrow my eyes at him and pull my hand away. “If you get us out of here, you’re welcome to a ride. But don’t go looking for June. Her girlfriend will kill you.”
His jaw tightens.
“Noted.”
I slip inside the room and shut the door, but I don’t hear it lock again. Ephraim is leaving it open for me—forus—to escape. I face the door and breathe deeply, trying to collect myself before looking at Javi again, wondering if I’m about to find him dead.
I’m on the precipice…everything could change in the next few seconds.
I gather my strength.
But when I turn around, he’s gone.
I left him unresponsiveright here, and now there’s just an empty space.
I look around the room, but I don’t see any sign of him. The light is dim, a single lamp by the door, but my vision is good enough to see into the darkness. I scan each of the shadows, my heart pounding, remembering one of the side effects of kraken overdose.
Violent outbursts.
“Javi?” I whisper.
A low growl comes a few seconds later, from the darkest corner of the room. I go still and look toward it, and I find a pair of glassy green eyes staring at me, then sharp teeth. Acid green spines are the only other thing I can see, Javi’s coat so black that it blends perfectly with the shadows.
He looks like he’s ready to strike.
I stay by the door, prepared to flee if necessary but knowing they’ll just lock me in here again if I’m caught. And this is Javi—my mate, the man who’s promised to protect me, the father of our child. I trust him.
Even if he’s out of his mind, I have to believe he wouldn’t turn his rage on me.
