Page 66 of Broken Surrender
“Mr. Callen hasn’t been initiated yet,” Bloom said.
“What’s left?”
“The sacrifice.”
“Didn’t you already do that?” Zira asked, tilting her head at me. I waited for her to speak. “You sacrificed Lena at the last masquerade, didn’t you?”
A flash of recognition crossed her pupils. She was covering for me. I nodded.
“Who was it with?” she continued. “I had the knife. Finn had the roulette gun. And—” she snapped her fingers, spinning around, “—Toben. Yes. Toben.” She turned to her father. “Toben choked her until she passed out.”
“Toben?” Bloom asked hesitantly.
“Which makes Mr. Callen our newest member.”
A flash of heat ran through me. “Is it true?” Bloom asked, turning to me. “Toben enjoyed choking your mistress?”
My eyes flicked away, considering the best way to lie. I clenched my jaw; she was not my mistress, but so much more than that. But right then, I needed their cooperation. “A few enjoyed torturing her. I wasn’t sure how much was needed, otherwise, I would have brought it up.”
“Living members are prioritized over dead ones,” Zira said, meeting her father’s eyes.
Bloom nodded at his daughter. “You’re sure you want to vouch for him?”
“I wouldn’t lie, father. But you can ask Logan. He was there too.”
Bloom narrowed his eyes at her, then stepped back. “Help Mr. Callen with whatever he needs. The staff will obey your commands. But if something goes wrong, Zira, it will beyourmistake.”
“Yes, father.” She motioned to follow her. “We’ll call off the soldiers now.”
Zira brought me to a surveillance building at the far end of the property, then made a short phone call. “The guards will stand in place, waiting for my command to evacuate. But you have permission to enter. You’re set.”
“Order the soldiers to fight with me,” I said. I didn’t care how it happened, as long as I destroyed Vaughn before he hurt Lena.
“This is technically an issue between a member and an initiate. We can’t interfere.”
I understood that. I had my own security, but together with Marked Blooms Syndicate’s soldiers, there would be absolutely no chance that Vaughn could escape.
“They won’t block my men?”
“They’ll stand down. But you have to make this quick, efficient, and discreet.” I nodded; that was what the Marked Blooms Syndicate promised. “Our soldiers guard the buildings and properties. But Vaughn has his own security team—two men—which you’ll have to take care of. If too many people go to the laboratory, it will alert the company’s original owner, and ifhegets involved, then we will have no choice but to join as well. You must take care of Vaughn yourself.”
I wouldn’t have it any other way. I reached for the door, but I stopped. “Why are you helping me?”
“I like chaos,” she winked. I wasn’t sure if she meant toying with her father’s network, or if she meant watching the drama unfold between Vaughn and me. She tapped one of the surveillance screens, and it switched to the lobby of Shin & Co Inc. “Make it a good show.”
I shook her hand. “Thanks.”
She smiled. “Go get her.”
CHAPTER 23
Lena
A hood shrouded my head. My body ached. The stench of sweat filled my nose, my skin clammy. The men dragged me forward by my arms, my ankles bound in rope. An elevator clunked open. They brought me inside. It descended, the vibration rumbling through the compartment.
The doors clicked open. The tips of my shoes skidded across the cement floors until we stopped. A set of beeps zinged through the air, then an air-pressure lock hissed open. The men shoved me inside and I stumbled to the ground, tripping over the rope.
The ropes were cut, then they moved me to a wall, locking my wrists in shackles. I pulled, using all of my weight, but it was no use. The hood was removed and I blinked, squinting my eyes, the room coming into focus. The pointy chin and sunken eyes beamed back at me.
