Page 32 of Prettiest Little Thief
“What the fuck do you mean she was taken? By who?”
“The Crimson Brotherhood,” a woman said through the speaker. Evie, I assumed.
“Why would a gang take Monroe?” I picked up my phone and stalked to the bathroom to start to pack up my belongings with swift movements.
“You’re asking too many questions. Just get back right away.” Fox again.
“Before we hang up, we’re going to need backup. Call Jericho and the others. Meet at the airport in four hours, and we’ll go directly there.”
“How will we even know where to find her?” Evie asked.
“I have my ways.” With that, I hung up and opened my tracking application.
Chapter Eighteen
Monroe
Pain invaded my senses. My lip throbbed, my head ached, my eyes puffy from crying.
Rocco had thoroughly thrashed my body. I had pegged him for a woman beater the moment he shoved me from the car, but this…this was more than a few scrapes and bruises.
The moment he was left alone with me, he took advantage. He didn’t use any of the devices on the wall. No. He used his fists. The brute force of his masculine hands. Knuckles against my face and gut. Blood flowed from my nose and flooded my mouth.
With the chains secured to the wall, there was still enough length for me to sit on the concrete floor. Albeit uncomfortably, with my hands by my face. Sleep evaded me. With the bruising, throbbing pain in my face, there was no peace. No blissful dreams to escape the nightmare of my reality. I would have taken the darkness of a dead sleep for a reprieve. Anything.
My mind wandered to what the people in my life were doing. If they were searching for me. If Fox was in big trouble with Lucas. Grumpy Lucas would be angrier that he hadn’t gotten his hands on the key than he would be about my abduction. And Evie… I was sure Evie was losing her mind. It was a miracle she had even let me walk away without her hopping into the backseat with me. If she had, I would have bargained my life for hers. This was my mess, and no one else deserved to be punished for it.
The door of the torture room creaked open, making me jump. The tension in my limbs immediately returned. Expecting to see Rocco, I was on high alert. Relief rushed through me at seeing Evan striding toward me.
“Christ,” he murmured as he stepped closer. He squatted in front of me, gently taking my chin in his hand. I flinched, but he didn’t take his fingers from me. His gaze inspected my injuries. His dark eyes were hard to read. “Fucking Rocco.”
“You had to know this was going to happen,” I said. My voice was raspy from a night full of screaming and pleading.
Evan swallowed and released my chin. “I didn’t think he’d go this hard.”
I scoffed in disbelief. If it didn’t hurt so much, I would’ve headbutted the jerk. “Really? You’re surprised? He threw me out of the car without any remorse.”
He stood to his full height again and stared down at me. “I’ve seen Rocco do plenty of shit to men, but I never… I never thought he would dothisto a woman.”
A frown creased between my brows, causing a jolt of pain to lance through my head. “You’re just as pathetic as him. Youlefta monster with me. Don’t you dare feel sorry for me when you knew what he was capable of. Don’tactlike you didn’t know,” I seethed.
Somewhere down the line, Rocco started hating women. Whether it was his mother or sister or an ex-girlfriend… now I was his punching bag. My chest rose and fell quickly. Spots dotted my vision.
Evan didn’t seem angry at what I had said. He knew I was right. Guilt settled behind his gaze, and he stiffened. “I camedown here because Lucas Knight is upstairs with a gun to Charles’s head. He claims you’re his.”
My anger evaporated and I sat up straighter. “What?”
“Lucas Knight—”
“I heard what you said. Why didn’t you lead with that?” I asked.
“Because sometimes, I think men like Charles need to be knocked down a peg or two every so often. “A grin appeared on Evan’s face.
“So, you’re just letting Lucas scare the bejesus out of him?” My mouth popped open. Never would I have taken Evan for someone who would mess with his boss like that.
“Don’t tell anyone, though.” He gave me a very un-Tweedle-like wink.
A breathy laugh left me, the split in my lip stinging. Evan reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to my restraints. When the lock clicked and released my wrists, they dropped. Achy and stiff from being in the same position for hours on end.
