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“Go ahead, scar her up a bit more. She doesn’t mind, do you Lily?”
“Uh-uh,” I tried to say. My head shook impatiently as I looked at Alec. Really, I didn’t care. If he could use me to ease his suffering, I’d take whatever damage was caused. It would help the guilt I knew would follow.
“You have to stop this, Jonathon. You have to—”
A scream echoed through the room and blood rushed out at the slice across Alec’s upper chest. I jerked against the rope restraining me, screaming. Not from fear, more a silent threat. Alec didn’t deserve this.
“You’re going to tell me what to do? After you turned your back on your family,” he exploded. “You’re a Brighton, Alec. This cunt ruined everything. She killed our father and brother, and you try to date her? To fuck her!” His eyes widened as he looked down at Alec’s wound. It drove his hand up again, causing Alec’s forearm to shoot off the table he was bound to. Only a few inches gave way before the hemp caught and his body jerked.
“Let her go. Lily didn’t do anything wrong. She’s paid for what she’s done.”
“Two months in a mental health facility for murder? That’s a slap in the face and you know it.”
Jonathon’s eyes lifted to mine. It was like I was staring at Jordan all over again. Only…a younger version. They almost looked like twins. From their same perfect, thin noses, to their full lips. Even Jonathon’s hair was cut short like Jordan’s had been.
“You took what was rightfully ours. Brighton Corp should have been left to us! We should have been taken care of, but were we? No,” he said between clenched teeth. “Your brother bought out what my father worked his whole life building. All for what? To sell it off piece by fucking piece?”
Jonathon’s large frame flew around the table and I moved back and forth against the chair, wishing I could run. I’d never been afraid to hold my own, but not being able to protect myself was the worst. Another beating was coming and there was nothing I could do about it.
“Do you know what you’ve done?” he roared. Pressure tightened around my throat as his fingers grasped onto my neck tightly. “You ruined our lives! You turned my mother into an alcoholic whore who’s looking to marry herself off to anyone who will take care of her. My sister, her reputation is destroyed because of what you exposed. No one wants to date the daughter of a criminal.”
A gargling sound came from deep within as I fought for air. Darkness edged in while I tried my best to thrash.
“You’re going to die before this is over with, Lily. Both you, and my traitor brother. And you know what?” he asked, forcing my stare to meet his. “There’s nothing you can do about it. If you think you’ll be saved, you’re wrong. No one will find you here. And they’ll never know it was me. As for Alec, there’s a chance the suspicion might lead back to him due to his disappearance. That’ll depend on my big surprise, of course. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
The grip on my face loosened just in time for him to remove it and follow through with a hard slap to my cheek. The force sent my head spinning to the side. Blinding pain left me trying to curl into myself, no matter how hard I fought it. I’d been here before. Saul used to beat me every chance he got.
“Oh, how much fun it is watching you suffer. Now, grab her fucking arm,” he yelled at Alec, turning away from me. With a quick movement, he reached toward his brother’s fighting body, only to pull his hand toward mine. “Leave it here or else I’ll cut it off.”
My wrist tried to rotate and we somehow managed to clasp to each other’s fingers. A sound was muffled through my gag as Jonathan walked around and picked the knife back up. His gaze stayed fixed on my and Alec’s connection. In one swift downward motion, he buried the blade in what looked to be his brother’s shoulder. An agonizing cry had my chest wracking with heavy sobs. Not just from seeing Alec suffer, but because of the crushing grip he had on my fingers. The combination left my walls crumbling.
“I said to grab her fucking arm, not to hold her hand. God dammit. Does she mean so much that even now, facing death, you’d try to comfort her? Let go.” The last word was barely audible through his anger. The pure malice from what he was seeing between us was evident on his face. The hate he held left me pushing more into my chair, but for the life of me, I couldn’t rip my hand from Alec’s. He’d have to be the one to let go. I wasn’t turning my back on him as he went through this pain. It was all because of me. I should have never gone on that date with him.
“I said!” His arms lifted over his head while he clutched the handle of the knife.” Let go!” The blade disappeared in Alec’s chest and I wasn’t sure who screamed louder. Me, or Alec. Nothing registered as I fought against the ropes. The pressure on my hand was so tight, I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore. The throbbing ache that was in tune with my pulse was the only reminder that they even existed anymore.
“Nnnnnn.” My protest was blocked by the fabric, but it was still loud. Jonathan paused, the side of his mouth pulling up just seconds before he brought the weapon down again, in what looked to be dead center of his brother’s chest. Bile burned my throat and I gagged, lowering my head so I could try to breathe. The pressure from Alec’s grip loosened from mine and a gush of warmth surged to my fingertip where the circulation rushed in. Panicked, my fingers fumbled to hold his hand again. To try to elicit any response I could. Alec was facing away now. I wasn’t sure when he’d turned his head. I’d been so fixated on Jonathan, I hadn’t even noticed.
The knife remained in Alec’s chest as his brother stepped away and grabbed a cloth, wiping the blood from his hands. Not once did he say anything to me as he continued to stare. Evil radiated between us and I could feel myself shaking almost violently in my chair. The door slamming had both of our heads turning toward the front. All of my fear extinguished as my stare connected with the one person who started it all.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Jonathon walked over, grabbing Bethany by the bicep and dragging her to the wall while she fought to break his hold. Blonde hair swayed around her shoulders as she tried to look around him at me.
“I told you I wanted to watch.”
“Stupid, stupid, fucking bitch,” he said, slamming her even more into the wooden surface. “When I give you an order, you follow it. How do I know you weren’t followed?”
The tall blonde jerked from his grasp, slapping him. “I don’t think you know who you’re talking to. Don’t ever insult me like that.” She started toward me, revenge written in her glare, when he grabbed her hair, pushing her back against the wall. The kiss he gave her was far from sweet. She fought against it only to submit halfway. My eyes widened as she pulled at his shirt, whispering in his ear.
Jonathan’s head pulled back and he turned to look at me. What looked to be amusement had him smiling before he turned back to her. “Bedroom, huh? You want me?” he asked, pushing her legs apart with his knee. “Hmm? Say it, you fucking slut. This turns you on?” He kissed her again. “Say you want my cock.” His hand gripped tighter in her hair and he pulled her head back so he could nip at her neck.
“Please,” she moaned. “Let’s go to the back before we start this.”
“Your husband? Where does he think you are?” He pulled harder.
“I kicked him out the night the detective left the house. He’s gone for good this time.”
Jonathan’s fingers eased under her short white dress and I tore my gaze from them while I squeezed Alec’s hand. Nothing. I didn’t want to let go, but I couldn’t continue this. I needed to try to escape. Days had gone by without any luck on getting free while they waited for Alec to take vacation. My time was running out, and fast.
Movement had my eyes darting up. Jonathan pushed his hands deeper between her legs while she moaned. It made me sick. If I could get out of these ropes, I’d grab that knife and slice them to pieces. As it was, my hand could barely move. Deep within, I knew I was in a losing battle. If they left me as I was, my life was as good as gone.
