Page 60 of Debt of My Soul

Only two men have left the circle surrounding me, claiming boredom and aching to get back to the multitude of women around here somewhere.

I listen intently, trying to focus on snippets of their conversation like that may somehow help me.

It’s not.

They’re talking about their next lay and shipments from down south. Two things that do nothing to help my fractured spirit.

“Dig faster.” Blitz comes over, checking that the red light is still lit on the camera recording my progress. Footage meant to encourage Adam to pay up.

If he hasn’t paid yet, he isn’t going to pay. I want to be mad at him. In my mind, I call him a lazy coward, but in reality, why would a man who’s known me for only two months come to my rescue? Why would he care about me when he allowed his own brother to pay his debt price—with his soul.

“I can’t,” I hiss out. Sweat and tears mingle together to swamp my face. “The ground is too hard for me to move any faster.”

Snickers rumble around me as I focus back on the hole I’m digging. While it’s true the red dirt is hard and unyielding, I’m also stalling. Every few minutes, I get the urge to chuck the shovel and bound into the woods. When I think the men are distracted enough, I count down from ten, but usually around the number three, they have refocused their attention on me. I’ve tried over five times.

Another hour passes and I want to fall in exhaustion. I’ve had no food or water, which means zero fuel for this pointless torture. I lean into my shovel, eyes rolling back in my head as I sway, trying to gather my strength and bearings.

Through my hazy vision, the men part, and my breath catches as Liam strides into the clearing, moving quickly. Both of his arms swing at his sides, reflecting the long strides he’s taking toward Blitz. Hair pulled into a bun exposes his severe expression. Lips pulled taut into a scowl, his eyes narrow on where I cling to the shovel like it’s my lifeline instead of the tool digging my death.

“Blitz!” His cold tone pierces the enjoyment of the other guys, and they fall silent. “What the hell is going on?” His eyes flick to the camera and he slows, eyes skirting around the outline I’ve dug in the ground and landing on me. He says nothing as he turns back to Blitz.

“Motivating your brother to pay up. That’s what is going on,” he answers.

“Not going to do much good if you bury her in the ground.”

Reality crashes over me, and warmth seeps through my pants, trailing uncomfortably down the insides of my legs. I lower my head and eyes embarrassed and craving privacy. I’m terrified, and I just peed myself.

Glancing to the side, most of the men are trained on the exchange between Liam and Blitz. They don’t notice my now wet jeans. But when I look back at Liam, his eyes are on me, lowering to my pants. His jaw works back and forth. Heat roars to life in my cheeks and I squeeze my eyes shut, praying the tears don’t fall again.

“Who knows,” Blitz continues, “maybe we’ll all just take a turn to show Adam what he’s really missing.”

Liam doesn’t hesitate. As fast as I could snap my fingers, he reaches behind him and pulls out a pistol, the sleek black metal aimed straight at Blitz’s face.

Chapter 25

Liam

I’ve made the worst mistake. Jeopardized my entire position here by aiming a weapon at my second’s face. What a fool I am.

I harden my resolve, staring into Blitz’s eyes.

When I got back to the compound from a drop-off, I instantly went down to check that Fleur had water brought to her. I even had a pack of crackers to sneak in. It’s no surprise there wasn’t a cup in her cell, but what was surprising and equally disturbing was she wasn’t there.

Panic surged in my chest, and I banged on each of the six cabins to find them empty. Two guys by the fire outside the clubhouse mentioned seeing a girl dragged out into the woods and I knew immediately she had been taken to the clearing.

The place where people die and are buried. Darrin rarely uses this tactic, and if he’s killing anyone, it’s never a woman. I dialed Darrin on my way to confront Blitz to ask for permission to do something about this.

He was shocked. I had stunned him with my request. But what am I supposed to do?

We’ve had average townsfolk and even law enforcement tortured and killed out here. Knowing she was going to be raped and murdered because ofmybrother’s actions … well, I guess I’ve assumed another responsibility.

Blitz narrows his gaze down the barrel of my gun before peering over the top, meeting my stare.

“You’ve now earned yourself a punishment.”

I don’t flinch at his words. “This is over,” I tell him, and he snorts.

“The hell it is.” He goes to move, but I straighten my other arm up to join my hand tightened around the trigger and he stills.

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