Page 19 of Lady of Darkness
I texted the guys…
I close my eyes, piecing everything together. It’s like wading through tar. My mind feels sluggish and my whole body aches.
What happened next?
Where am I?
How long have I been asleep?
The bedroom door opens, and a man swaggers inside. He smirks as he walks up to me, wearing a crisp all-white suit. His dark hair is slicked back, and his brown eyes swim with wickedness and mirth. My stomach drops when I see the gold ring on his finger.
The same one Armin was wearing the night of the dinner–the night I killed him.
Acadia.
“Hello, Harlow. Or shall I call you by your full title, Lady Blackwell?” He reaches forward and rips the tape off of my mouth. It stings like hell, but I keep my face neutral. My eyes water as I take deep breaths.
Will the guys come after me? Do they know I’ve been taken?
It would be so much easier if they just let Acadia have me.Especiallyafter what I did to them. I wouldn’t blame them if they left me here to rot.
“Where am I?” I growl, pulling against the chains. My throat is dry, and my voice is hoarse as I speak.
He smiles and looks down at his watch, making a tsking sound. “I think you can guess where we are.”
“Montenegro,” I tell him.
Fuck, I don’t even know where that is on a map.
“Do you know where that is?” The man laughs, and my silence is my only answer. “Stupid girl.”
My stomach is in knots when I remember–when everything slams back into me.
Gemma.
New York.
Luka Jovovich, that must be who this man is. The new leader of Acadia.
“Where is Gemma?” I ask, my voice shaking.
“She’s safe at home, but I have two of my guys watching her. I think you and your Lords underestimated us. We killed your men instantly, and now she’s unguarded. So you will do as I say, or we will hurt her, yes?”
His accent is light, but as I thrash and look around, I realize I’m in enemy territory.
Andthey have access to Gemma.
“What do you want?” I ask. Everything hurts–every muscle, every joint. I can tell by my foggy vision and the way my bladder is screaming for release that I’ve been chained up for a while. Maybe a day, or more.
“Your cooperation,” Luka says slowly, assessing me with his cold eyes. “We’ve been working for years to take down the notorious Lords of Darkness. They are our biggest rival. When you killed Armin, it gave us the push we didn’t know we needed. We had a reason to go after you, and we set the plan in motion.”
I swallow as my heart beats in my chest. Whenyoukilled Armin. Do they know it was me, specifically?Don’t say anything. Don’t incriminate yourself.
Luka continues. “This is our chance. The Lords have weakened themselves with their love for you. Capturing Armin was a mistake–one they could’ve avoided, had it not been for you. So it was easy. I found out what mattered the most toyou. My dear Gemma.” He holds out his phone and hits a button, and to my horror, Gemma answers. Luka holds a hand to his lips, telling me to be quiet.
“Hi, baby,” Gemma says sleepily.
It’s her, though. I’d recognize her voice anywhere. Tears prick at my eyes. If I say anything, if I shout or call out to her, Luka will hurt her.
