Page 19 of Saving Her

“Yes, I do.” He inclines his head. “And you can start now.”

I wait for him to lower his zipper and demand a vile act. Instead, he surprises me by reaching into his suit jacket to pull out two white tubes.

He hands one to Tobias and the other to me, the warm plastic smooth against my fingers.

“What’s this, Baba?” Tobias asks.

I glance down at the instrument in my fingers, the cylindrical device resembling something akin to an EpiPen.

“Be very careful.” Luther kneels in front of his son. “What you have in your hands is a device that can put someone to sleep.”

Someone? Or me?

My thoughts rage into a tailspin.

I fight and claw not to show panic but I know Luther too well. I’m certain he’s concocted an elaborateHunger Game-type scenario where I’m pitted against a child I would never harm and a sister I adore.

Luther turns his focus to me. “Both of you need to do something really important. And there’s no room for error.”

“You want us to put someone to sleep?” I straighten my shoulders. “Who?”

“My son’s associate.” He pushes to his feet as I clench my fingers around the device, attempting to stop the shake of my hand. “I assume you’ll enjoy the task seeing as though you felt inclined to attack him earlier.”

Shock overwhelms me.

Shock and a whole lot of confusion.

“What about me, Baba?” Tobias’s voice trembles. “What do I do?”

Luther pats the boy’s head. “Your task is your brother.”

My stomach bottoms out as Tobias gasps, his jaw slacking.

“Why?” I swallow over the drought taking over my throat. “And how do you expect a woman and a child to overpower two full-grown men?”

“You don’t need to overpower them. You only need to get close enough to stab that device.”

“But Baba…” Tobias pleas. “I don’t want—”

“You’re not going to hurt your brother, son. You’re only going to put him to sleep so we can bring him here.” He crouches in front of the child again and places a hand on his knee. “His friends haven’t been very nice to him. They’re teaching Cole bad things about us. But once you put him to sleep, we will bring him back here and talk some sense into him.”

It’s a kidnapping. Of his own adult son. Facilitated by a fucking child.

“And what happens to Luca?” I stare at my tormentor, searching for answers.

He glares. “That’s none of your concern. If I were you I’d take this opportunity as a godsend. You’re not my most-favored possession at the moment.”

Despite the fear coursing through my veins, I return his pointed look. I curl my lip and hope to remind him why I’ve always been his favorite.

I’m strong.

I’m a fighter.

The tactic works. His eyes soften. His tight lips twitch into a sly grin.

I raise my chin. “I’ll do whatever needs to be done.”

I know this task won’t buy my forgiveness. The only way I can earn back my coveted position in this house is in the bedroom, under his body and beneath his fists. But I may be able to forego a far bigger penalty.

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