Page 38 of Rebel
It was a standoff. The Trads had guns, and we had nothing but cover.
“How long before Marick comes around?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t measure out the dose. Could be another half hour, could be minutes.”
Shit. My heart sank. We were literally outgunned. One of the guys must have made a move because gunfire went off again. The guys were going to get killed, and it was because of me.
There was only one thing to do.
I braced to the wall, ready to swing out. “Marick wants me. Don’t fire. I’m coming out.”
“Rogue, no.” Lore grabbed my arm, but I shook him off.
“Do not fire.” I stepped around the corner, eyes scanning the scene. Just a corridor, an empty corridor, except for three armed guards in the center of it. The guys had to be ducked in one of the rooms. “Do not shoot, please.”
“Tell the Athions and the Trad to come out with their hands up,” one of the guards said.
“You let them go, and you can take me back to Marick. I’m sure he’ll give you a pat on the back.”
The guard sneered. “We can take you, regardless.”
I brought the scalpel up so they could see it glinting in the light and then held it to my throat. “But will you get me alive?”
He frowned. “You’re threatening to kill yourself.”
“From where I’m standing, I have two choices. Go with you alive to be experimented on and abused or end it now and be free. I know which one I’m leaning toward, so. You let them go, and I’ll come with you willingly. Alive.”
“Like fuck!” Xavier called out. “They’re not letting us go, Rogue. It doesn’t matter what you say.”
“He’s right,” Marick said from behind me.
I turned to see him holding a gun to Lore’s temple. The Athion looked pissed, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.
“Drop the scalpel, Rogue. You’re coming with me.” His expression was as cold as my heart.
It was over.
* * *
Light from the shuttles spilled out onto the ground and onto the guys. Each one on his knees, each one with a gun pointed to the back of his head. My body was frozen, my heart in a vise as I watched.
Marick gripped the back of my neck, shaking me like a rag doll. “Time to say goodbye, Rogue.”
Goodbye? How could I say goodbye to the men who had stolen my heart? How could I say goodbye to the men who had just begun to touch it? I’d vowed not to break for Marick, but their lives were worth more than my pride.
“Please, don’t do this.” The words were a whisper.
“Excuse me? What did you say?”
I cleared my throat. “I said, please, don’t do this. Let them go, and I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll let you do whatever you want to me.”
His grip on my neck tightened. “Is that what you think I want? You to be compliant. To give yourself to me?” He let out a bark of laughter. “I want you to scream and fight. I want you to break.”
“Then I’ll break.” Tears blurred my vision. “Fucksake, I’ll break, just let them go. You want me, not them.”
“Oh, you’ll break all right. You’ll break right now when you watch me kill them. And then, I’ll break you again and again.”
I clenched my teeth against his words. “I swear to you, Marick, if you hurt them now, you won’t see a tear from me. I’ll shut down, and you won’t get your fun. I swear to you, you—”
