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When the door opened again, I steeled myself for what was to come. If I was going to get out of here alive, and untouched by Tyler, I was going to have to give the performance of my life. Viki had been easier to fool, but I wasn’t sure anyone else would have accepted that I’d taken this path so quickly.
“They don’t trust you yet.” I recognized Kyle’s voice before I realized the silhouette approaching was him.
“How appropriate. I don’t trust them, either,” I said.
“You’re really going to go through with it?” He sounded surprised.
My brow furrowed and I peered into the darkness, trying to make out his expression. “Why do you sound so surprised? Isn’t this what you all wanted? You won. I lost.”
Even saying the words made my stomach lurch uncomfortably. I wasn’t planning to go through with it but the thought of giving in was almost too much for my mind to process.
“Sure, I suppose,” he said. “You know, when I heard you’d survived the cave, I really thought you had a chance at escaping.”
“Quit talking to me like we’re friends,” I snapped.
“You go through with this and you’re going to have to play nicer,” he said.
I forced my jaw closed and didn’t respond. Keeping up this rouse was harder than I anticipated.
“They sent me to get you to the bathroom. I was told to beat you into submission if you try to flee.” His tone was warning but fell a little flat.
“You don’t sound like you enjoy your position as much as you used to,” I said.
“You know nothing about me,” he said.
“I know a lot more than you think.” Kyle was weak. He followed whoever would give him the best chance at survival. Like me, he’d grown up in the trailer park, but after he’d gained Tyler’s favor, his family mysteriously inherited a home away from the trash I grew up with. “Tell me, Kyle, just what is the going rate for your loyalty these days?”
He growled and I could feel the tension filling the room. For a moment, it almost felt like my wolf was stirring. I hoped she was waking and ready to help me get the fuck out of here.
“When I untie you, you will not run. They have every exit blocked and they will take you to the brink of death so Tyler can complete the bond.” Kyle walked closer to me. “Do you understand?”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t run or the mate who supposedly cares about me will force himself on me.” I shook my head. “Am I the only one who sees the absolute insanity in this whole situation?”
“Believe it or not, Lola, you’re not the only one who had to make difficult choices,” he said.
“Yeah, your life seems real hard,” I said.
“Just stop talking.” His fingers worked the knots around my right ankle.
“You think you’re one of the good guys, don’t you?” I asked.
“I told you to stop talking.”
I scoffed. “Truth hurts, doesn’t it?”
He didn’t respond and I got the sense that our conversation was over. He freed my right ankle and moved to the left. It didn’t take long before all my restraints were off.
I swayed when I sat up, my head spinning as I got used to sitting again. Rubbing my wrists, I gave myself a moment to take a few breaths. I was grateful to be free and needed a shower more than I ever had in my life.
I could see Kyle better now that he was closer and I realized he had a new scar on his jaw and visible signs of a nearly healed black eye. That had to be very recent since shifters usually healed in a day. What had he gotten himself into while I’d been away?
“Here.” Kyle handed me a granola bar. “It was all I could grab.”
Since it was wrapped, I accepted it and tore it open. I hadn’t eaten since they tossed me in here. My stomach growled in response to the thought of food. I moaned when I took the first bite. My face heated. I hadn’t meant to do that but when you’re that hungry, anything tastes amazing.
Quickly, I finished the bar, then reached for the bottle of water Tyler had left on the nightstand by the bed. I washed down the food. “Thank you.”
