Page 35 of Wreck and Ruin

I say nothing.

I want to say a whole lot, but Airlie is closer to him than she is to me, and my movements are otherwise restricted.

I can’t get to her.

He must notice me seething internally at his nickname for her because he raises a brow, and the corner of his thin lips tilts into an ugly, smuggish smile.

I will start with his mouth. I will use his head as a footrest and slowly peel back his skin. I will make them all watch, too. One by fucking one, so they each know what’s coming for them.

“Judging by your lack ofclothing, I suppose it would be right to assume that you and our Dove have become…acquainted,”his eyes rake over my body, from my feet and up to my face, disgust rolling off him. I don’t bother covering myself. I’ve got nothing to hide, and I doubt this asshole has half of what I have. But then I remember what me and my girl did last night and that I probably have Airlie’s dry blood all over me.

My eyes flick to my siren. Her long, beautiful hair is covering most of her nakedness as she stares at her feet, cowering like a small child.

I hate seeing her like this.

My girl bows her head to fucking no one.

She has closed herself off.

She’s locked herself behind the door in that little room in her mind again, and there’s nothing I can do or say that will get through to her right now. Not that I candomuch of anything, which is why I need to think.

My eyes shoot to the woman standing beside the scumbag, looking like the cat that ate the canary. Her too-tight shirt is tucked into her black skinny jeans, but it’s the belt wrapped around her waist that catches my attention. She’s wearing a pocket knife holster, and wrapped around a belt loop is a set of keys. They’re old and rusted, and I will take a stab in the dark and say that at least one of those keys will unlock these shackles. Why else would they be down here with them if not to take me somewhere?

They knew I was here.

Okay, so I don’t know that for sure. It’s just a feeling. But I’ve known for weeks that, eventually,someonewould come looking. Not for me particularly, but to tie up any loose ends they may have here on the island before doing a runner.

“What exactly did you hope to achieve, girl? Did you honestly think we wouldn’t find out about you sneaking out? Stupid, stupid girl,” the bitch says, and I narrow my gaze on her.

Do I know this woman?

I wouldn’t recognize her in a room full of people, but I swear I’ve seen her somewhere before. Straight hair, the color of dirt, that sits atop broad shoulders, and murky brown eyes that crease in the corners. Said murky eyes widen a fraction before she quickly schools her features.

Does she recognize me, too?

“Come on, Dove, we have a whole day planned just for you,” the asshole steps closer to Airlie, and my mask flies right the fuck off my face.

“Take one more fucking step toward her, and I’ll feed your nutsack to the sharks,” I threaten, my voice low and smooth. Calm. Which is the exact opposite of the unadulterated rage that I feel twisting through my insides.

He chuckles, shaking his head slowly from side to side, and he steps closer to me instead. Not close enough that I could reach him, which only tells me that he couldn’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag.

I stay resolute, ignoring my instincts to reach for him, knowing it would be pointless with these chains.

The less you give these types of people, the better. They don’t know me or what I am capable of, and I want to keep it that way for now.

“Feeling left out over there?” he chuckles again, smiling like I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of this going down the way I want it to. “Don’t worry, Ursa here has plans for you, too,” he says.

The audacity of this bastard.

“I meant what I said,” I reply, smiling right back, because unlike him, Icanput my money where my mouth is and fight. Hell, I could do it with my eyes closed at this point, and I haven’t trained or eaten properly in well over a month.

“No offense, man, but you are in no position to throw your weight around. Why don’t you just sit down and get comfortable so you and Ursa can get to know each other,” he says, then starts walking closer to my girl.

I fight back the urge to try to break free, but I’ve attempted to do so too many times, and it’s fucking impossible. I need to save my energy. If this is going where I think it’s going, I’ll need all the power I can muster to help Airlie and get the fuck out of here.

“She’s not going anywhere with you!”I spit, my voice laced with venom, and I pull at my chains instinctively. My throat is burning now. Lava surges beneath my skin, knowing that unless he is within reach of me, I can’t do fucking anything to stop him from taking her.

My eyes fall on my siren, still focused on the ground, her body a mere shell of who she was with me only moments ago. And I will be damned if we don’t get to share those moments again.

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