Page 130 of Saint

And on that roller coaster, I felt it. Fear and anticipation swelled in my stomach as we climbed, and when we reached the crest, I finally exhaled.

I screamed as the air ripped from my lungs, and I fell with the angels, losing their wings, wondering if that’s why they did it. To break free. To claw out of the casket our souls spend our lives in and just let go.

I didn’t understand myself then, but I hoped someday, someone would.

Kole did.

Blinking my eyes open, searing pain steals my breath. Something hot licks my skin, but when I try to scream, I choke around a ball gag that’s stuffed into my mouth. It clasps around the back of my head and digs into my scalp.

Every part of me burns and aches. My skin feels like it’s been raked over coals, and I’m hot but shivering.

“There she is.” A familiar voice filters through my pain as a figure looms over me.

Braxton Westwood.

Liam’s brother.

He steps closer, and I blink him into focus as my body begins to wake. The burning on my ribs hurts worse as my mind clears, and when I try to reach for my side, my hands can’t get there.

They can’t move at all.

Blinking again, I look around and recognize the basement at Sigma House. I’ve been here once, and it didn’t feel any more comforting then than it does now. This is where they hold their trials, which likely means no one can hear me, and there’s no escape.

I try to move my hands again, only to realize my wrists and ankles are bound. I’m stretched along the full length of a table in the center of the room.

My T-shirt is pulled up, baring my stomach, and a hot ache scalds my ribs.

Brax holds up a knife. It’s bright from being held over a heat source. And my heart races faster with the realization of what he’s doing with it.

Lowering the knife, he holds up Liam’s phone. “Your boyfriend really should have gotten rid of the evidence. At least he made this easy.”

Tossing the phone to the side, he brings the knife to my ribs again.

Tears spill from my eyes as I struggle to get away and fail. The burning knife sears my skin as he draws a line down my side. The ball gag muffles my scream. I’m choking on sobs and spit as the smell of burning flesh fills the room.

Brax grins, pulling the knife away and stepping back to admire his handiwork.

Daring to look down, I’m thankful I still have most of my clothes on, even if the look in Brax’s eyes tells me what he’s done so far isn’t the worst that’s to come.

I try to mumble through the gag—to reason or beg—but it’s no use.

“Shh... No one wants to hear that pretty mouth of yours, Violet. It’s only good for two things.” Leaning close, Brax taps the ball gag before whispering in my ear. “Telling lies and sucking cock.”

It’s so crude my stomach sours. I don’t know Braxton well, but any image of his innocence strips away as he stands in front of me. He’s just as terrible as his brother.

“Don’t look so scared.” He roughly rubs a tear from my cheek, lifting his thumb to look at the evidence. “Liam said this is what turns you on.”

That’s nowhere near the truth. Even if I enjoy Kole being rough with me, this isn’t the same. I didn’t ask Braxton for this.

But I can’t argue or fight with the restraints holding me back. All I can do is try to hold in the tears steadily streaming down my cheek.

“Or is this not quite right? Do you prefer it when you can’t see behind the mask?” Brax reaches for something on the table, slipping it over his face.

He turns to me, and those familiar neon blue Xs glow in my direction.

“Say hello to the camera, kitten.”

I hate that Brax is calling me that. The only one allowed to use that name is Kole.

---