Bound to Cruelty

I step forward, between Selena and the gun Margery is holding, and stare down into her eyes. “Kiss my cheek. Tell me you had fun. Walk away.”

My words are strained, and I hope Margery thinks it’s from the drugs. What she can’t see are the hot tears swimming in my eyes, or how hard I’m grinding my teeth together to keep my mask in place.

Selena sobs once, a tear trailing down her cheek. I swipe it away and lean down so she can do as I’ve directed. She dutifully brushes her lips across my cheek.

Upright again, I nod tightly, just once. “Tell me you had fun.”

She presses her mouth together.

Margery huffs from behind me. “Move, just let me shoot her, and we can all get on with our damn night.”

I don’t budge, keeping my eyes locked on Selena. An entire world passes between us. Everything I’ve ever wanted to say, and everything she’s kept from me. After what feels like a lifetime, she whispers, “I had fun.”

Each syllable slices me open. My knees wobble as my body fights the drugs and tries to keep me upright at the same time.

I swallow the lump in my throat, tears still swimming in my eyes, threatening to fall any second. “Now walk away,” I prompt.

She stares at me longer, the tears pouring down her cheeks now. I catch a whisper of, “I can’t.”

Equally as soft, I say, “You can, because you have to. You are the one who needs to live.”

Then I raise my voice, sharpening my tone. “Walk the fuck away.”

She jolts at my shout, and Margery snickers from behind me.

Selena’s shoulders settle back, her chin inching higher, and I know I’ve won. It’s a hollow victory. No one is a winner here. It’s just one broken heart after one broken heart, and people too dumb to admit the truth to each other.

She takes one step backward, one single step, and it’s as if my entire world’s been ripped in two. Of course, I want her to go, to be safe, away from all of this. But watching her leave is one heartbreak too many over a lifetime of nothing but trauma and fear.

The only thing that kept me going all these years was Adrian. The Five. My family. Selena is now on that very short list too. For however long I have left in this world.

I keep my eyes locked with hers. Each tiny step she takes is another blow. It’s all worth it if she walks out of here.

When she is finally—finally—near the door, I shift my gaze to Emmanuelle. I don’t have to say the words. He’s already moving to get to her.

He steps up behind her, his guards backing out the open door, already preparing to run. She tears her eyes from mine, her mouth drops open to say something, but Emmanuelle already has a hold of her.

She fights. Of course, she fights. There’s no other way she’ll leave me. I give him a nod in acknowledgment. Now it’s not only Kai who owes him; it’s me too.

He gives me one in turn, his arms clamped tight around Selena as he backs her out of the room. His guards surround them both. Once she’s out of my sight, it’s like something comes loose in my chest. A vital bolt holding everything together. I won’t survive whatever Margery has in mind for me, so I won’t let her get the chance.

I turn and face the first woman who ever paid for my flesh.

Now she’ll pay with her life.

30

SELENA

I take back everything nice I’ve said or thought about Emmanuelle. Right now, I want to murder him. I thought he was on my side here, but now…he let me walk out of there without Michail and fucking fuck him.

I fight him. Scratch, kick, claw, anything to get free, but his arms are like iron bars around my midsection, and this frivolous dress is nothing but layers that impede my blows from being effective.

I croak out a curse, my throat raw. I’ve been screaming at him this entire time and not even realizing it. “Let me go. Let me go back to him.”

Emmanuelle throws me into the back of an SUV and pushes in immediately after so I can’t scramble around him. The opposite door is locked and won’t open. I jab the button several more times and smack it. Nothing happens.

I have to get back to him. He shouldn’t have to face this alone. Not when I’m the one who brought him here. He followed me, and now he’s living out his worst nightmares. I swipe at the tears on my cheeks. My face is soaked, no doubt my makeup smeared, but none of it matters.

“Take me back,” I whisper, still swiping my hands over the door to find a way out.