Merciless Hunter (Dark Syndicate 4)

“That’s something you have to ask him then. Not me.”

“Because you people think I’m working with the people who took his son?”

“You tell me.”

I look away from him. It’s a lost cause talking to this guy. There’s nothing human in him.

I pour some water in the empty glass on the tray and take sips. Any more than a few sips here and there will make me sick, and there’ll be nothing to vomit because I haven’t eaten in days.

When my hands shake, I know that’s from the weakness in my body. They’re right to worry because I don’t want to starve myself the way I did when Jude took me.

As the shadow of death crosses my mind, I see something that catches my eye when the guards down below move away from the wall.

It’s a gate, hidden by the neatly trimmed hedge. It’s one of those old-fashioned gates with a padlock on it like the one in the park near my home in San Francisco.

I can’t hack a system, but I can pick a lock. Eric taught me how.

The gate looks like it opens to another area by the wall. I’m guessing from where we are it could lead to the docks. The beach must be on the other side of us.

A hand grabbing mine and a fist slamming down on to the table makes me snap around to see Maksim right in my face.

He glowers at me and holds my hand down on the table. It hurts.

“Don’t even think about it,” he snarls.

I just manage to calm my heart before it leaps out of my chest with fright. “Think about what?”

“Escaping. Don’t even think about escaping. Either we’ll shoot you, or the sharks will get you if you fall down the hundred-foot drop.”

My mouth falls open and I press my lips together.

He releases me but I can see something in his eyes like worry. It makes me think that could be a way out and he’s worried I just figured it out.

Before I can say anything else the hair on the back of my neck raises. My skin tingles and the combo reminds me of the way you’d expect to feel when someone is watching you.

I look to my left to see I’m right.

Aiden is standing at the floor to ceiling glass windows watching me.

The desk behind him makes me guess he must be in his office or the study.

We’re probably forty feet apart but I can feel the heat in his gaze. It’s just like last night.

His dark foreboding features are painted with that wild fascination that weakens my resolve.

He keeps calling me angel’skoye lichiko—angel face, like he sees something inside me which reminds him of purity.

I’m so far from that I can’t remember what it ever felt like to be pure.

That devil Jude Kuzmin dirtied me up and blackened my soul.

I’m a shell of my former self trying to make my way back and I can’t just give up.

I can’t allow this man to get to me, even if I don’t know what to do with myself when I’m around him.

I have to find a way out before all is completely lost, including me.