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Even worse, Kingston wasn’t there, and I still didn’t know if he was even alive. Archer and Valen didn’t know where we were, and Penny was back in the prison cell, alone and scared and barely hanging on.
It was the world’s cruelest joke, giving me what I wanted but in the worst possible way.
And yet, I had to do it if that’s what Thackeray commanded, because dead girls didn’t get free. And dead girls couldn’t get revenge.
CHAPTER9
“You there,bring us a stage of some sort,” Thackeray demanded as a waiter rushed past. “We need it for a show.”
The waiter stopped, turned, and looked at me and through the mask I saw dull, uninterested eyes. I would never get used to being seen as nothing better than an animal. A piece of furniture. Something owned and not worthy of acknowledgment.
“We have rooms for that, sir,” the waiter responded and pointed towards the back of the room. “They’re private but can also accommodate a fairly large group.”
Thackeray agreed, and their table stood up, leaving the money in the center, but taking their cigars and drinks.
“I won’t do this to you, princess,” Ryker growled under his breath and gripped my upper arm. “I won’t let them do it, either. There’s got to be a way to get you out of this.”
“I don’t think there is,” I replied in a whisper. “They have us trapped here.”
“We can get out,” he said, his voice more determined and insistent. “I’ll save you, princess, no matter what it takes. I’ll fight them and you can run, escape.”
“I can’t leave Penny behind,” I said. As much as I wanted to get out and as much as I wanted him to save me, I couldn’t leave her behind.
“I’ll take care of her,” he insisted.
“No,” I replied. “I have to be here for her. I’m the reason she’s a prisoner.”
The head guard shoved his baton against my lower back at that moment, and I squealed in surprised and annoyance. “Keep moving,” he said.
I hated him. I realized that as we walked to the room, following Thackeray and his disgusting group of old men. I hated all of them, and I had a sudden image of lighting this place on fire and watching them all burn inside the flames.
But as I looked around, I noticed more girls like me and fighters like Ryker. Some of them were being groped, men and women, and some of them were being used as living statues. Just standing there holding drinks or cards for the Organization members. We weren’t the only ones who had to serve them tonight.
For a moment, I fantasized about the escape Ryker had suggested. Running away, or maybe burning the place to the ground on my way out. But despite my imagination taking me far from here, I was trapped, and I was forced to follow Thackeray and his men to a room in the back of the lounge. When I stepped through the doors, it was low lit and had a large bed in the middle. Chairs were arranged around it like it was a stage at a strip club. It was so gross.
“We don’t have to do this,” Ryker said, steadying me with his hand on my back. “I won’t let them strip you down like this, princess. I won’t fucking let them.”
“Get over here,” Thackeray called out, waving us over. “Both of you.”
The guards surrounded us as Ryker started to pull me away. I was conflicted. Part of me wanted to believe Ryker’s insane plan to escape right now. But most of me understood the implications of our confinement. There was no escape without one or both of us getting hurt.
And there was no way to leave without Penny. I wouldn’t allow it. I couldn’t do it.
Ryker tugged at my arm and pulled me against him. The guards surrounded us and two more joined in, making it six in total.
“Get her onto the bed,” the lead guard demanded. “Look, we don’t want to do this. We don’t get off on beating the shit out of you kids, but we’ll do it if we have to.”
“You don’t?” I scoffed and stood straighter. “Could have fooled me.”
“Listen,” the guard said. “Just fucking do it.”
“Don’t talk to her like that!” Ryker growled and put his arm around me from behind to protect me. “You’re not getting her up there.”
“Fine, you can get up there yourself,” the guard said in a bored tone. He nodded and five guards attacked Ryker all at once. He pushed me to the side and began to fight back, punching and wrestling with anyone he could reach.
The men around the bed jumped to their feet and began to cheer and make bets, but the guards pummeled Ryker and beat him with their fists. He was a monster, and he fought back like a wild man. I scrambled back farther and panic surged through me as more guards flooded into the room to bring Ryker to his knees.
“Leave him alone!” I screamed and watched as one huge guard got Ryker in a chokehold and clung to him. The guard’s muscles bulged under his tux and his eyes weren’t dead like the others. They were on fire with the elation he felt at being in control of a man like Ryker. He wouldn’t stand a chance if it was one-on-one, and he knew it, but he didn’t care. This thrilled him in an obscene way.
