Page 76 of Pervade London
Xander slipped into the man I once knew, wrapping his arms around me and resting his forehead against mine, his warm breath against my skin. I clung to hope, but at the same time grief wracked my body at the thought of losing him forever.
With his firm body crushed to mine, I couldn’t imagine him not being in my life. Xander was more than a part of me.Thiswas both sublime and unbearable as I prolonged the agony of him leaving again.
His fingertip caressed my mouth. “Who did this?”
I felt too dazed to answer.
“Em, who did this to you? They cut your lip.”
Trembling uncontrollably, I tried to speak but no words came out. I was too drenched in panic.
Xander spun round. “Who?”
“Step back,” said James.
“I’m going to rip every last one of you apart,” Xander yelled.
“Enough,” James said coldly. “Stay calm.”
If terror bore a name it would be Ballad. His intensity burned white hot, as searing as a furnace of wrath.
The men observed his every move and even Xander gave a nod of compliance and stepped back. Even now, after what Ballad’s men had done, Xander deferred to him.
“Who has the key?” asked Xander. “I want her out of these.”
James raised his hand to quiet him. “My orders were clear. No one touches her.” He assessed the cuffs, reaching up and running his hand along the metal. “Who put her in these?”
The one with the cigarette threw it down and extinguished it with the heel of his boot. “We used the necessary force.”
“There are four of you,” James replied.
The man with the gun tapped his holster. “She made a scene. We made sure no one heard.”
James blinked. “You pulled your gun on her?”
The bully shrugged. “No one saw.”
My teeth clenched. “You threatened me.”
“Emily, your silence is appreciated.” James turned to face the man. “Show me.”
“Show you what, sir?” he replied.
“What you did with your gun?” James closed the gap between them. “You cut her lip.”
“I made her quiet down, sir.”
“Give it to me.”
The gun was unclipped from its holster and handed to James. It happened fast, with James grabbing the man by his collar and shoving him to his knees. There was no struggle, just compliance from his victim to prove Ballad owned this room and everyone in it.
James shoved the gun into the bully’s mouth. “Is this what you did to her?”
The man’s eyes went wide as he tasted the metal barrel.
“Nod to answer,” added James.
The air seemed to crackle with tension.
