Tempted Heir (The Heirs 7)

Josh’s hand connects with the side of my head, and it sends the device skidding across the floor. “Please,” I cry, and then the sole of Josh’s shoe connects with my ear, and darkness drags me under.

Chapter 19

DASH

As I open my eyes and my eyes focus on Josh, my body automatically convulses at the sight of him.

“What the fuck, Dash. You betrayed me again?” he hisses as he stares at me with lifeless eyes.

Knowing it’s only a matter of time before he kills me, I whimper, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I love you.”

Josh grabs hold of my hair and yanks me up, causing unbearable pain to throb in my head. When he has me tied up again, and my body limply hangs as he disappears behind me. I feel his hands on my back, and it makes me convulse, then the sound of fabric ripping fills the air.

I hear him take off his belt, and knowing what’s coming makes a sob build up in my chest. “I’m sorry,” I sob. “I’m sorry.”

“You won’t betray me again. I will fucking beat it into you if I have to,” Josh growls.

Then the leather lashes at my already raw skin, and I let out a broken cry. “I’m sorry,” I whimper desperately. “I love you. I’m sorry.”

He rips the rest of the material away, leaving me shivering in my underwear. Then it feels as if the leather is tearing my skin from my back. I scream until I taste blood in the back of my throat.

I can’t fight anymore.

I just can’t.

I can only gasp to get air into my lungs.

I tried so hard.

I’m sorry I’m not strong enough to face this.

I’m sorry I couldn’t fight harder.

My body stops jerking as Josh continues to hit me, each lash accompanied by a growl from him.

I’m sorry.

I begin to slip in and out of consciousness, and when the door slams open and Alexei comes in, I wonder if it’s my mind playing tricks on me.

Darkness begins to edge around my vision, and the last thing I see is Christopher running toward me.

CHRISTOPHER

Getting out of the car, Alexei gestures toward a dirt road. “There’s a cabin up ahead.” He and Tristan got to the location first, where Dad, Uncle Jax, and I followed behind them. If it weren’t for that call, we would never have been able to track Dash’s location.

Alexei and Tristan take the lead, pulling guns from behind their backs.

“Don’t kill him,” I order. “He’s mine.” After that call, I’m going to strangle the fucker with my bare hands.

Dash’s voice… God… she sounded defeated… broken.

When a cabin comes into view, screams fill the air, and it has me breaking out into a run. Alexei’s faster, and with the throw of his shoulder, he slams through the door.

The moment I’m inside the cabin, and I see Dash, hanging with Josh coming from behind her, it feels as if my heart stops beating.

Holy fucking Christ.

Horror shudders through me, and instinct takes over.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

There’s so much blood, and Dash looks unrecognizable. My heart shrinks until it feels like it's barely there.

Uncle Jax helps me untie Dash’s wrists. Every bruise, every drop of blood, chills the blood in my veins. Her body slumps against me, and not wasting a second, I lift her to my chest.

While Alexei and Tristan subdue Josh, I rush out of the cabin, needing to get Dash to Aunt Leigh. Uncle Jax runs up ahead to get to the car. He opens the passenger door and darts around the front to the driver’s side.

Neither of us can manage a word as he speeds away from the cabin, and it’s only then, I get a good look at Dash.

My lips part as the horror grows inside me.

My God, what did he do to her?

There’s almost no sign of my Dash. Bruises cover virtually every visible inch of her in angry red welts. She’s lost so much weight as if he didn’t bother feeding her.

Her eyes flutter open, and seeing her green irises staring back at me, fills me with an unspeakable emotion. Only when a tear drops on her cheek do I realize it came from me.

“Dash,” I groan, the pain unbearable.

A heartbreaking expression washes over her bruised face before her eyes drift shut again.

I’m too scared to move a fucking muscle, not wanting to cause her more pain than she’s already in.

“Leigh will fix her,” Uncle Jax murmurs, his voice cracking over the words. “Leigh will fix our baby.”

I can’t stop the tears, and I’m not sure if they’re from the relief of finally having her back in my arms or the shock of the horrific state she’s in.

What the hell was she forced to endure?

The drive to Aunt Leigh is pure torture. When Uncle Jax brings the car to a screeching stop in the driveway of their home, I have to wait for him to run around the car and open the door for me.