Page 8 of Sadist

I snatched them from her, turning and shrugging on the loose, plain white T-shirt. The fabric stuck to my damp skin, my hair instantly soaking my back as I flapped out the grey cotton sweatpants.

“No underwear?” I asked coldly over my shoulder.

“I’m not set up for guests,” she replied. “You can work with what I have, or you can go nude. Either way is fine with me.” She tilted her head. “Especially with that arse.”

Heat flooded my cheeks as I realized the towel had ridden up, and the dark laugh that came from her as she wandered back out didn’t help in the slightest as I quickly pulled on the pants, grimacing at the slightly too-tight fit across said arse.

A heavy fist on the small door startled me, and I froze behind the curtain as two deep male voices joined Theo’s.

I was too far away to hear the murmured words and risked a glance from behind the curtain, instantly locking eyes with a tall, bald man talking to Theo.

“What the fuck?” he snapped, pointing at me as he quickly averted his face. “What is this? Hotel de homo? Why isn’t she in a cell?”

“Oh, fuck off,” Theo drawled, not even bothering to look at me. “What is she going to do? Choke me with a towel?”

“She could identify you for a fucking start,” he snapped, hastily unhooking a mask from the back of his jeans and pulling it over his face as his companion did the same.

Theo snorted. “You look ridiculous.”

Bald Man ignored the comment, shaking his head as he strode past her.

The second man gave Theo a long look as he pulled a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and approached me. His mask covered his face, only the warm, deep brown of his angular eyes peering out from behind it, and the loose strands of his straight black hair were just visible around the edges.

“You understand what is expected of you?” he asked as he handed me the paper. His voice was soft and slightly accented, though I would be a fool not to recognize the steel beneath it.

I frowned at him, snatching it. “Dude, I have no idea what the hell is happening, except for the fact thatthatcrazy bitch”—I pointed to Theo—“locked me in a room for the past few days, and you have some business with my father that I want no part in.”

Theo rested her weight on one leg, smirking at me. “Oh, Sweets, you haven’t seen crazy yet.”

Unfolding the paper, I glanced at the neat writing, desperate for any information. There was nothing. No demand for money or anything else I had expected to see.

I, Octavia Vanguard, am being held in assurance. This video is to declare proof of my captivity. I am presently unharmed, and this will remain the case if contact is made.

“You need to read what is on this paper, word for word. No deviating, no embellishments,” he said. “And we will just keep recording until you get it right. So don’t bother wasting your time or mine. I really don’t care if you need a little encouragement.” His head tilted slightly as his eyes roved over my face. “It will only add to the urgency, if you ask me.”

“Good thing no one asked you then, Z,” Theo said, her tone dropping an octave.

He turned and aimed a glare at her.

“Don’t touch my marks,” she warned cooly. “I don’t interfere with yours, keep your hands off mine.”

“This is fucking weird,” Bald Man muttered to himself as the small camera he had set up on a tripod flashed once, the screen illuminating. “’Ere.” He pointed to a stool against a blank section of the concrete wall. “Sit.”

I crossed my arms. “How about get fucked?”

There was a flash and a burst of stars, my head snapping back as Z’s fist connected with my jaw. I staggered back with a grunt and covered my face, blood gushing from my tongue where I had just bitten it badly.

A rough hand grabbed my shirt and hauled me forward until I was looking at Z again.

“I warn?—”

He cut off with a disgusted sound as I spat a mouthful of blood at him, the scarlet splatter covering his mask and drippingdown onto his shirt. He shook me until my teeth clacked together, then froze suddenly.

“Let her go,” Theo warned, her voice promising violence as she stepped around to his side. “Now.” There was no room for argument in that one simple word, and I don’t know what kind of authority this woman had over these men, but I didn’t miss the flash of fear and contempt in Z’s eyes.

His mouth hardened into a thin line, but he released me suddenly, stepping away and raising his hands in placation, revealing the small blade Theo had pressed against his side. With a flick of her wrist, it disappeared before she clapped him on the shoulder once, squeezing it in what would have been a friendly gesture, if I didn’t see him wince.

Leveling a cool look at me, Theo slipped the crumpled paper from my fingers and cast a look over it, the corner of her brow twitching.

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