Page 107 of Betrayed

Don’t give them the satisfaction of seeing your fear.

I reminded myself AJ would come for me.

But doubts crept in with each passing minute. Could I trust him? I thought I could, but I’d always believed I could trust my dad.

“You have a beautiful daughter, Stevo.”

I couldn’t hold back my shudder when he touched my cheek with his nicotine-stained fingers. I repressed my gag reflex as the scent of stale tobacco flooded my nose.

“You promised you wouldn’t hurt her,” my father said, sounding like he was begging.

Crowley laughed. “Oh, I won’t hurt her.” His hand slid down my neck and traced my collarbone. I jerked back and brought my hands up to cover myself.

I prayed AJ would get here soon, while giving my father a look that would make Medusa proud.If only he’d turn to stone.

“I’m sorry,” my father said before breaking eye contact and staring at the table.

“Want something to drink? Maybe something to take the edge off?”

“No.” No way would I drink anything they gave me and risk being drugged. Remembering what SSI said about the guy who tried to attack me at school, I panicked and brought my hands to my arms.

What if they inject me with something?

One of his guys rushed in, concern written all over his face. “Something’s going on outside.”

He’s here. I dug my nails into my arm to keep myself from smiling.

Andrew came.

Crowley turned to me, accusation in his eyes, before walking to the counter and picking up a radio on his way to the door. “Call everyone in,” he said before pulling the curtain to the side and looking out.

I wanted to know what was happening, but there was no way in hell I’d ask.

“Fuck!” He turned to the table, his face blanching as he pulled a gun out of his waistband and waved it at us. “Get up.”

Crowley, the driver, and two others rushed us upstairs and into a bedroom at the end of the hall. The first thing they did was close the curtains.

My heart beat against my ribs, and it wasn’t because we’d just run up the stairs.

“You two, guard the door. Kill anyone who comes up the stairs,” Crowley ordered. Leaving my father and me alone with him and the driver. Whose name I still didn’t know.

Not that it matters.

They nodded before stepping out and closing the door.

My heartbeat sped up to an impossible pace. My father didn’t look like he was fairing any better than I was.

They shuffled us over to the far side of the room, putting us between themselves and the door.

“They’ll have to shoot you to get to me,” Crowley whispered in my ear.

There was nothing I could do to control my trembling as I stood in the dark room and waited.

Except pray.

Chapter 50

AJ

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