Page 56 of Debt of My Soul

“Please don’t.”

I buck and twist to get free. It’s no use. The weight of this overgrown, dreadful man pins me in place.

“Blitz.”

My eyes pop open, following the voice and releasing a sigh of relief when it’s Liam. I’m not sure why.

“Back off, Liam. Get the hell out,” Blitz says, bringing my downed wrist to the other trapped beneath his palm above my head. He grips tight, using his now free hand to fumble with the button on my jeans. I buck again and Blitz hisses. “Yeah, you like that, don’t you.”

I growl, almost going feral with terror and rage at this point. The clinking of another key opening the iron bars barely registers in my attempt to throw Blitz away from where he has secured me to the wall. Glancing over, Liam comes in, holding my eyes, but I flinch when I see his cold stare.

“Blitz. Darrin said hands off,” Liam says again.

“I’m in charge right now,” Blitz responds as he shoves a hand over my stomach.

“No,” I whimper.

Liam halts Blitz’s hand, holding fast, while Blitz tries to yank away.

“Get off. Just because you can’t have her doesn’t mean you need to hinder my fun.”

They scuffle, Liam pulling back on Blitz until the pressure from where he’s pressed his body into mine abates, and I can finally suck in a deep breath of stale air.

“Easy, man,” Liam says calmly. He doesn’t look at me. He keeps his eyes trained on Blitz and laughs while patting him on the shoulder. “Trust me. My brother’s sloppy seconds aren’t my thing. I don’t want D pissed off, is all.”

His comment washes over me, and I ignore the sting his words cause. Sloppy seconds? Whatever. He can call me the worst names on the planet if it means this beast of a man stays the hell away from me.

“Darrin isn’t going to care.” Blitz spits on the floor near Liam’s boot. “I don’t appreciate you always interruptin’. She’ll be dead when Adam doesn’t pay up anyway.”

I freeze, my eyes darting down to my bare feet. Dead? I thought Liam covered Adam’s debts.

Blitz huffs past Liam, deliberately slamming his shoulder into him as he barrels out of the cell and into the hallway. The door slams with a thud.

My gaze moves to Liam, and I find him already staring at me. His jaw clenches as he takes in my tattered appearance. I wrap my arms around my uncovered torso, the lace bra allowing the chill of the damp room to prickle goose bumps along my arms.

Liam’s face is stone. I can’t read him at all, and I study his eyes, which seem to be the only thing I can look at right now.

“Dead?” I rasp out, unable to hold his eyes any longer. I move to the cot to pick up the puny blanket I was given and drop it in front of me to cover myself. He follows each movement, his chin lifting to meet my inquiring eyes. “I-I thought Darrin said your work for him paid Adam’s debt.”

Liam grunts and spreads his legs wide, arms crossing in front of him again. He likes this position, I’ve noticed. Oftentimes, people have tells when they’re uncomfortable. This might be his. The fists Liam’s hands are clenched into have a strange black soot on them, and it draws my attention until he answers me.

“Six years is what Darrin required for Adam’s first debt. He’s since acquired more.”

I blink. More? Adam went back to Darrin and dug himself into another debt hole even after his own brother took on the debt? That’s …

I’m still working through the thoughts in my mind when Liam strides over to leave the cell. I nudge off the back wall, reaching out to grab his arm. He turns, forcefully knocking me back while his searing gaze towers over me. Vulnerable, I flinch.

“I-I … thank you,” I say. When his brows knit together in confusion, I add, “For stopping him. Thank you.” I sniffle those last words, my eyes welling with tears as the trauma of what almost happened to me in this disgusting cell fully takes root.

“Don’t get used to it,” Liam grunts. With those callous words hanging in the air between us, he locks me back in my cell and leaves.

I spend the next several hours wrapped in my dirty cell blanket and crying into my pillow. I’m uncomfortable without a shirt, and with Blitz’s looming “dead” words echoing in my head, I can’t sleep. Muffling each of my cries and screams into my pillow, I try to stay strong. Try to pull myself together enough to think of a plan.

Help from Liam would be ideal. He always seemed nicer when we interacted outside of this place.You aren’t outside anymore, Fleur. You’re collateral.I reprimand myself for thinking Liam was anything different.

At some point, I fall asleep, waking the next morning to another creaking sound. Panic surges and I listen for footsteps coming down the hallway, but there are none.

Whoever it was must’ve been leaving. Thirsty and hoping for water, I roll off the cot to hunt for the stainless-steel cup I’ve been given a few times. I practically groan with appreciation when I find it sitting inside the cell bars filled to the brim.

---