Joseph continued, “You can have her back, Rhys, so long as you give me what I want. It’s a fair exchange. But the longer you take to come to me, the more I’m tempted to sample her and find out what it is she has that you’ve traded everything for.”
I didn’t think he could wreck me more than he already had. I was wrong. The thought of him touching Tatum delivered me into a new state of madness. Complete and utter madness.
“Text me where you are. I’ll be there.”
I jabbed at the phone to end the call and slammed my hand down on my bike. “Fuck!” I roared, letting it all out.
This was unbearable.
It was every fear I’d ever had come to life.
To be the reason her life was in danger was a living hell.
And to even think about losing her spiralled me into a dark abyss full of violence and brutality.
He would pay dearly for this. And for everything else he’d ever done to my family and me.
40
Tatum
“Russian Roulette” by Rihanna
Pain radiated down my cheek where Joseph gripped it, his fingers digging into my skin. Hard. If there was one thing this asshole knew, it was how to inflict agony.
“He says he’s on his way, but we shall see,” he said, his crazy eyes boring into me. “We shall find out if he really cares for you or not.”
I wanted to spit in his face and claw out his motherfucking eyes. I also wanted to cut his balls off and shove them down his throat to shut him the hell up. This man never stopped talking. He loved the sound of his own voice.
I didn’t doubt Nitro.
I knew he’d come.
It was just a matter of time, and I was good at getting through shit, so I could handle myself until he arrived. I refused to allow Joseph to scare me. Nitro would come and he would kill him. Just like he’d done to that goddam biker months ago.
He won’t fail me.
“I’ve done my research on you, Tatum. You were a lawyer and a good one from what I can work out. How the fuck did you end up with a biker?”
Go to hell, asshole.
I’m not telling you a thing.
He squeezed my face. “Tell me!”
I struggled under his hold, trying to shake my face from his grip. It worked, but only for a moment. He didn’t squeeze me again, but he did slap me so hard that the force of it knocked me over. Me and the chair I was tied to.
My head hit the cement with a thud and I saw stars. My ears rang and more pain tore through my body. It especially hurt in my shoulder, which had slammed into the concrete.
Joseph’s men moved me back into a sitting position. He had five men in the room with us and I’d heard more outside. I wasn’t sure where he’d brought me. All I knew was that the room I was in was fairly large and seemed like an industrial warehouse with a cement floor and high roof. It was warm, too. No air conditioning.
Joseph crouched in front of me and placed his hands on my legs. They were tied together, as were my hands. I wanted to shove his hands off me, but I couldn’t, so instead I took a deep breath and reminded myself that Nitro was on the way.
“You and Rhys are a perfect match. Both as stubborn as the other. I’m only going to ask you this once more, Tatum, and if you don’t answer me, we’re going to have a problem. How did you meet him?”
I didn’t conceal the hate I had for him. “Why the fuck do you care?”
He jerked up and nodded at someone behind me. Hands landed on my shoulders, pulling me back against the chair. A second later, Joseph’s fist slammed into my face. He punched me so hard I struggled for breath. It was like I was drowning and couldn’t work my way back up for air, all while excruciating pain consumed me.