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Tomas simply smiled. “Oh, I have many better things to do,” he said nonchalantly. “But I do enjoy getting one over on Sebastian and his bastard son.”
His words were like a slap in the face, and I snarled at him.
“Mariah, Mariah,” he clucked, shaking his head. “You are a feisty one. That’s why this is going to be so fun. You may not be a dragon, but you have the temperament of one.”
His comment stung, but I refused to let him see how much it affected me. I didn’t even want to imagine what he meant by “fun”, either. So, I clenched my fists and narrowed my eyes, staring him down with all the defiance I could muster.
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” I said, ignoring the pounding in my chest.
He leaned forward, his cold eyes boring into mine as the smile fell from his face. I felt very exposed in front of Hawthorne, and he looked as if he were sizing up a piece of meat. It made my stomach turn, and I recalled when he’d run his fingers over my body the last time. My throat stung with tears, but I managed to blink them away.
“It's an observation,” he said. “I think you'd make a lovely dragon.”
The look in his eyes left me even more frightened, and despite my best efforts to hide it, I knew he could smell it. A smirk danced across his lips.
“Oh, yes, Mariah. I have big plans for you,” he said, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on me. “Don't worry, my dear. You'll get used to the idea soon enough.”
I swallowed hard, controlling my breathing. What did he mean by that? Was he planning to turn me into a dragon? Had he found a way to make the serum work on a predatory species? Or was he simply willing to risk my life for another attempt?
I didn't have much time to dwell on it before a gruff voice cut through the silence. “Don't you dare lay a finger on her, Tomas.”
My head whipped around, and I rushed to the front, searching for the source of the voice. I hadn't paid much attention to the other cage in the room, but from where I stood, I could see it was occupied.
“Jax!” My heart sank at the sight of him standing there, his hands plastered against the glass of his cage, his battered face a testament to the beating he’d taken. Bruised and bloodied again.
He stared, his jaw locking when our eyes met. The way he looked at me, like he was utterly distraught, like he’d failed, was heartbreaking.
“It’s okay, Jax,” I said. We were both trapped in here together, but knowing I wasn’t alone also made me feel better. It gave me hope.
He shook his head. “I should have seen this coming. I’m so sorry, love. I’ll find a way to get you out of here.” The fierce protectiveness flashing across his face momentarily replaced the pain etched on his features.
“Shut up, Jax,” Tomas snarled, turning his attention to his son. “You're an idiot if you think you’ll find a way out of here. Just as much of a disappointment as your sister. Maybe if I'd been harder on Rosalind when she was younger, she wouldn't have turned out so spoiled and useless. Don't worry, though. We'll find her, and she'll be dealt with accordingly.”
I felt a strange sense of relief when I realized Rosalind had escaped Tomas's grasp. She might have put us through hell with the custody case, but she’d come through in the end, and I was glad she wasn't here to suffer with us.
“Leave her out of this,” Jax said, growling, glaring at his father. His knuckles turned white, and he clenched his fists.
“Ah, yes, the ever-loyal brother,” Tomas said. “Maybe if you spent less time worrying about your siblings and were a better son, we wouldn't be in this mess.”
“Maybe if you weren't such a despicable father, we wouldn't defy you at every turn,” Jax shot back.
“Enough!” Tomas said, his face contorting with rage. “I’m not here to argue with you, Jax. Stay out of my way, stay out of this, and maybe I'll let you live. For now.”
Tomas’s phone rang, and he growled into it, eyes boring into mine.
“What?” Then he listened for a moment.
“Fine,” he said before ending the call. He pointed at Jax, and for the first time, I noticed there was something around his neck: a collar. “Don't even think about escape. Remember, that collar will shock you if you attempt to shift.”
He gave Jax a menacing smile, then stormed out of the room, leaving Jax and me alone in our cages.
I looked over at Jax. His face wasn’t just bruised but swollen, and it was nearly unbearable to witness. This man was beaten by his own father on countless occasion, and now he’d put him in a cage and collared him.
“Oh, Jax,” I whispered. “How did you get caught?”
He stared hard at the ground. “I was ratted out by someone I thought I could trust. I thought he was a friend.” He glanced up at me then, his eyes full of regret. “Apparently, he called Tomas when he knew I was coming in for a part in my security system. They were waiting on me. My guard was jumped, then they beat me to a pulp and brought me here.”
I shook my head, tears stinging again at the injustice of it all. Tomas was a monster, and he couldn’t get away with this any longer.
