Page 23 of Empire

I can’t handle this, can’t take the fear.

The wall falls back, and I realize it’s a hidden door. Had my mind not been so foggy, I might have seen the narrow lines framing the door. It looks heavy and thick, made solely for the purpose of not being able to hear the person inside scream, but it’s the last thing on my mind the moment my three neighbors step into the room.

Zade.

Cross.

Sawyer.

They’re so tall, the intimidation immediately washes over me. They’re dressed all in black, their sharp eyes not missing a damn thing. Zade stands back, keeping his distance, his arms crossed over his chest and those dead eyes locked on me, yet somehow I can tell he’s the ringleader of this bullshit. Cross and Sawyer are just along for the ride.

They’re terrifying. Their ability to control a room is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

I shrink back against the wall, willing myself to disappear, but I’m frozen. I look between the three of them, my breath catching in my throat. It’s clear that Zade isn’t enjoying this. He’s not getting a thrill or any kind of rush . . . no, this is a necessity for him. He’s simply doing what he must, leaving all sense of emotion at the door. But from what I can tell, this man doesn’t have the ability to feel. The others though, Sawyer and Cross, there’s a sick hint of pleasure in their eyes. They look ready to jerk off at the thought of having me locked up, theirs to do whatever they please.

Sawyer crouches down, a sick smirk playing on his lips. “Well, well,” he says, his gaze flicking toward my hands that are no longer bound. He’s barely said a thing, yet with each word, he commands the room, and I find myself physically unable to look away. “It seems we’ve got ourselves a little problem.”

Cross takes a step toward me, and the fear that already consumes me only gets stronger. I shake my head, my eyes wide. “No, no,” I panic, terrified they’ll come any closer. “Don’t touch me.”

Cross doesn’t hesitate, stepping right in front of me and crouching down. His forceful fingers grip my chin, and he tears it up, forcing my stare to his. “Then you shouldn’t have been such a naughty girl,” he rumbles, his tone oddly delicious yet stony, cold, and terrifying at the same damn time.

I try to pull my chin free, but his grip is impenetrable, holding me hostage until he decides otherwise. His lips twitch, and like lightning, he rises, gripping my arms and pulling me up with him. He spins me, slamming my chest against the concrete wall as a raw scream tears from deep in my throat. I turn my head, my eyes locked on Dalton’s stare. His eyes are so wide, terrified of what’s about to happen.

Cross’s body presses against mine, and the dread rests heavily in my gut.

This is it. He’s going to rape me.

He dips his face, his lips right by my ear as he grips both of my wrists, his skin so chilling against mine. I try to pull them free, but he’s so damn big. Having his body pinned against mine is like having a concrete block pressed against me. “Don’t fight it,” he murmurs in my ear, his every word turning my blood to lead as he tries to wrangle my wrists back together.

I scream as he pulls against me, not shy about using force. “Don’t fucking touch her,” Dalton roars, fighting against his chains. “Leave her alone.”

Sawyer laughs and steps into Dalton’s side before his heavy boot kicks out, slamming into Dalton’s ribs, the blast sending him crashing against the wall and dropping back to the ground. Dalton groans in agony, and I try to hold myself together, my bottom lip quivering.

“Come on, now, Dalton. Surely you know better by now. If you hadn’t touched what’s ours in the first place, none of this would have happened.” A wicked grin pulls at the corner of Sawyer’s lips, his dead, chilling eyes sweeping toward me as he crouches down in front of Dalton, taunting him. “She sure is pretty, isn’t she? I bet you enjoyed her,” he says. “Tell me, just how sweet does she taste?”

Bile rises in my throat, but before I can voice my opinion, Dalton’s pained grunt tears through the concrete prison. “Don’t fucking touch her,” he spits through a clenched jaw as Cross finishes rebinding my wrists. Only this time it feels different. It’s not the same tape that was on me before. This feels cold and heavy, like some kind of metal cuff.

Sawyer laughs, and the sound makes my stomach clench. “Oh, I’m gonna do more than just touch her. But don’t worry, you’ll be able to watch.”

“No,” I breathe, the terror reaching right through to my chest and squeezing with a vice-like grip.

Sawyer rolls his tongue over his bottom lip, his eyes taking me in like the worst kind of predator, imagining all the disgusting things he’s going to do to me. I’m just about ready to try and fight my way out of here when Cross tugs against my bound wrists, dragging me backward. He’s so damn strong that I have no choice but to move with him, and when he shoves me hard to the ground and hooks my wrists around a metal lock embedded in the wall, all sense of survival begins to plummet.

After making sure I’m secured with absolutely nowhere to go, Cross backs up, positioning himself just slightly to Zade’s left, almost as though he’s flanking him. Sawyer laughs and straightens up, almost looking bored of the situation before moving to Zade’s right, the three of them like some kind of lethal force to be reckoned with.

My gaze sweeps over the three of them before locking onto Zade’s. He’s clearly the leader of this little performance. “What do you want with me?” I spit. “I’ve done nothing to you.”

Zade doesn’t move, doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even blink. It’s as though I didn’t say a damn word, and it’s clear this man is void of all emotion. He’s dead inside, and nothing in this world could possibly be more dangerous. This is the kind of man nightmares are made of, the kind you see splashed across wanted signs with the warningdo not approach for your own safety.

He just stares at me, and it’s so damn intense, my hands shake with fear. The corner of his lips flinch with the slightest smirk, and it changes everything. His whole demeanor shifts for the worse, and a chill sails right down my spine. This asshole is psychotic.

Zade nods toward Dalton, and as though releasing his hounds, Cross and Sawyer move to Dalton, and just like that, I watch as they beat him senseless. Dalton grunts in agony, and I scream, tearing against my cuffs until my wrists bleed. “STOP IT,” I wail. “OH GOD, PLEASE STOP.”

It goes on for another minute before Zade’s powerful tone rips through the cell. “Enough.” And like good little henchmen, Sawyer and Cross immediately stop, stepping away from Dalton before silently making their way out the door.

Zade remains, not even bothering to look at Dalton, just keeping his deadly gaze locked on mine. The seconds tick by as he watches me fall apart, watches the blood from my wrist trail down my arm. Then without another word, he turns and walks away, pulling the big concrete door closed behind him.

Chapter 9

---