Page 78 of Midnight Torment

I nodded and closed my eyes. A lot of people seemed to die in the world of the Council. “That has nothing to do with Jordan.”

“I asked you a question,” he said in a low tone. “I tend not to have to ask twice.”

I crawled back onto the bed and lay back against the headboard, all my energy spent. “Jordan doesn’t know his real name. His parents died when he was three. In his grief, Horatio removed all photographs and mention of his parents. Jay only has one old photograph of his mother and nothing of his father.”

“You expect me to believe that?” he queried, taking his place at the window to watch out.

“I don’t care what you believe. It’s the truth. He told me once that he wished he had died instead of them because he wasn’t worth saving.” I closed my eyes and tried to breathe without hurting my lungs. “What drugs did you give me?”

“A hallucinogen that you reacted badly to. It hasn’t happened before.” He moved silently across the room to stare down at me, his fingers lifting some of my curls before letting them escape. “I could get a lot of money for you. Rich men pay a lot for beautiful women.”

I swatted his hand away. “Rich men need to take up hobbies.”

Dante chuckled, a sound that was deep, masculine, and disturbing since there was no good in him. “You’re spirited as well. Some men would pay a small fortune to tame a woman like you.”

I crossed my arms over myself in the universal symbol of hands off. “The only man I kneel for is Jordan.”

“Let me assure you, I’ve seen stronger women than you kneel when they’re broken, and when their master has broken them, they discard them.” His smile sent a tendril of fear growing through my body. “But I will forgo any payment for you just to stand and watch the precious Berkeley heir crumble when you are killed in front of him.”

“Fuck you,” I snapped.

“No thanks,” he replied smoothly. “I wouldn’t touch anything associated with that bastard.”

He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, leaving me sitting terrified with goosebumps raised on my skin. I curled into a ball and tried to figure out my next move. Caine had talked me through these scenarios, but they mostly entailed hostage situations for a ransom. Dante didn’t seem interested in money, which took most of my tactics off the table.

I crept across the room and checked the window. The sun was setting, leaving shadows that stretched across the gardens outside. In the distance I saw a beach and knew that I was on an island. I’d overhead the guys discussing Dante and knew they had always suspected that he lived on an island. Running didn’t seem to be an option unless I was prepared to be eaten by sharks depending on where in the world I was located. Also, the bruising on my body would slow me down in the water and I would tire quickly.

“I wouldn’t think of trying to escape.” I spun at the sound of the male voice. It was the same man who’d been nice to me on the plane. “This is an island and quite a few miles from the nearest stretch of land.”

“What’s the point?” I replied. “If you were able to find me on holiday, then you’re able to find me anywhere.”

“True. I was sent up to ask if you need anything since you still haven’t eaten.”

I shook my head, my arms snaking around my waist as I continued to stare out the window. “Prisoners here are rare,” he continued in idle conversation. “But the crimes you are here to atone for are huge. It’s nothing personal.”

I didn’t want to hear any more, so I continued to stare out into the darkening sky. “You keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night,” I whispered. “No one has the right to keep others against their will.”

His reply was the quiet closing of the door as he left.

I was still standing there, lost in my own contemplations, when I heard the door opening again. I assumed it was him coming to try and make me eat again. It was only when my hair was pulled hard from behind that I realised the danger I was in. Amy glared down at me as my ass hit the floor. Her foot connected with my stomach as she stomped down on me.

“I can have any man I want,” she hissed, spittle landing on my face. “Except him. He looked through me as if I was nothing.”

Her foot ground into my abdomen and I struggled to get onto my feet. If I was on the ground, then I was at a disadvantage.

“I even tried to seduce him and do you know what he did?” She crouched over me. “He politely declined and told me I wasn’t his type. I. Wasn’t. His. Type.”

She was clearly deranged, the look in her eyes telling me that her sanity left on the last train to psychoville long ago. I used what little energy I had to throw my bunched fist. Men were not the only ones with a sensitive area between their legs. A pussy punch made any woman wince.

My leg swept around to knock her off her feet and onto her sanctimonious ass, my elbow jabbing up to hit her chin. I crawled back to give myself space to stand.

“You need to keep your filthy hands off what doesn’t belong to you,” I said with a sneer. “And Jordan most certainly does not belong to you.”

Amy slowly straightened, tilting her head from side to side. “All Dante said was that I wasn’t allowed to kill you. He didn’t say you had to be in one piece.” My gaze moved to her hand as she produced a flick blade form her pocket. “I think I should start with your pretty face and all that hair. He won’t recognise you after I give you a makeover.”

She lunged forward, the expression on her face filled with pure evil. I jumped back when her hand arced up with that blade aimed at my face. In that moment, I found the headspace that Jordan talked about, the place where everything fell away except the ebb and flow of the fight. My bruises didn’t matter, my aching body taking second place to my focus landing on the woman intent on killing me.

My instincts took over, the constant repeat of the exercises devised to keep me alive. My foot connected with her shoulder to push her back, my fist jabbing forward to keep her out of my fighting space.

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