Killian didn’t notice. He couldn’t move or breathe. The whole world had stuffed itself in his chest, a jagged ball of steel and glass. The suffocation nearly sent the floor swaying beneath his feet. He barely managed to grab the desk corner when his vision blurred.
“Killian!” Someone was shaking him. “Do something!” Vi was hysterical. Her pretty face was a blotchy crimson smeared in tears. “Stop them!”
Like some sick joke, his eyes went to the destroyed monitor, his mind replaying Juliette’s screams.
How old was the video? Two, three days? That morning? What state was Juliette in now?
“Get the men.” The voice was his, but he had no idea who was speaking. “We’re going to find her even if we have to burn the fucking city to the ground.”
Chapter 28
All the world’s cold had found its way deep into the marrow of her bones, paralyzing her muscles and making Juliette all but useless sitting huddled in the corner of her cell. It had been hours since they’d dragged her down and dumped her where they’d found her, but her limbs refused to stop shaking. Her heart refused to stop threatening to burst free of her chest. There were tears burning the back of her eyes, but even they refused to fall. All she could do was sit and shiver and try not to think of Alcorn’s hands on her.
“Juliette.” On the other side of the bars, Maraveet sat with her shoulder pressed into Juliette’s. It was all the contact the other woman would give, to which Juliette was eternally grateful. “Tell me what they did.”
Juliette, face buried in the folds of her arms, shook her head rapidly. “They didn’t do anything,” she choked out for the tenth time.
Maraveet exhaled. “It wasn’t your fault.”
Juliette raised her head. “They didn’t do anything,” she repeated. “They started to, I think … I think for the camera…” Her voice warbled. “But they stopped and threw me back down here.”
A soft sound escaped the other woman. It was so quiet Juliette almost didn’t hear it. But it was brimming with relief and dread. Neither had to say it, but they both knew that next time, she wouldn’t be so lucky.
“We’re going to get out of here,” Maraveet promised. “We just need to figure out how.”
The door opened and the soft hiss of air punched into Juliette’s chest. Her arms tightened around her drawn knees and she prayed to God they were only bringing food.
There was no food, just Alcorn with his scuffed boots and smirking mouth. His hands hung at his sides and Juliette flinched at the sight of them. The bits of skin he’d touched throbbed like an agitated burn and she had to resist the urge to rub at the spot.
“Boss wants to see you,” he drawled, peering through the bars at Juliette.
The keys jingled as he found the one and inserted it into the lock. The sound mirrored the wild drumming of Juliette’s heart. Her head snapped towards Maraveet, but the other woman was glowering at Alcorn.
“It amazes me how someone who looks as smart as you would work for a boy,” she said. “But I guess getting paid in lollipops and special favors work best for pedophiles.”
Alcorn was unfazed by the jab. He laughed as he threw open Juliette’s door and stepped inside.
“Do you think I haven’t heard worse?” Shaking his head, he stalked to where Juliette sat and hoisted her up by the arm. “You girls never think of anything new to say.”
With that, he dragged Juliette from the cell. She had just enough time to glance back before they hit the stairs. The last thing she saw was Maraveet pointing at her pocket and mouthing something that looked like use it.
Juliette’s numb brain took longer than necessary to register that. Her fingers slipped into the pocket of her coat and curled around the makeshift weapon she’d tucked away. It wasn’t exactly as though she’d forgotten the thing, but they hadn’t let her take her coat when she’d gone up earlier. Possibly to make their assault appear more authentic without a bulky jacket getting in the way. But they didn’t tell her to leave it behind now and she clung to the weapon with all her might. Carefully, she tucked the flat end up her sleeve for better access.
Cyril sat in the same place he had been from the very first day, small and almost doll-like in his perfection. He wore a peach colored suit with a white shirt and white shoes. His pale hair was combed back, leaving those unfathomable blue eyes dominating his face like clear pools on white, sandy beaches. He watched her approach with the faint outline of a grin turning up the corner of his mouth.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
Juliette said nothing as she was shoved forward to stand in the center of the room. The other men sat in chairs on either side of her, making her feel surrounded and cornered.
Plan your attack and make sure you don’t miss. Plan your attack and make sure you don’t miss.
Maraveet’s words echoed in her ear, drowning out the words Cyril was speaking. His mouth continued to move and Juliette had to force herself to listen.
“Well?”
Juliette swallowed. “Sorry?”
A mild flicker of irritation shone across his porcelain face. “I asked, what you thought of the videos.”
The very mention of them made her insides roil, but she answered, “You haven’t asked for anything and you haven’t given any clues as to where we are even though you keep asking Killian to find you. So they are pointless if you’re trying to get what you want.”
Someone shifted in their seat. The wood groaned under their weight, but no one spoke.
“Clever,” Cyril murmured. “But I’m already getting what I want and I honestly couldn’t care less if he finds us or not.”
Juliette frowned. “I don’t understand. Then why are you doing this?”
“Because he took something very valuable from me years ago and I tend to hold a grudge.”
Her frown deepened. “Years ago? You can’t possibly be old enough—”
“I’m twenty three, but I’m told I look much younger. It comes in handy when dealing with certain people. They always mistake the appearance of youth for stupidity.”
“Okay, but why haven’t you asked for whatever Killian took back? Just tell me what it is and I’ll—”
“Unfortunately, that isn’t how it works.” He rose fluidly with the faintest whisper of silk. His feet barely made a sound as he started around her and headed for the bar. No one else moved, except Juliette, who turned to watch him. “My asking won’t give me quite the same satisfaction and I have waited too long for this moment to squander what little enjoyment I can garner from his misery.”
“It must be horrible holding such bitterness towards a single person,” Juliette muttered, no doubt a very bad idea, but he laughed.
“It has been.” He drummed nimble fingers on the table while he contemplated the rest of his words carefully. “For ten years I’ve waited and plotted and bided my time for this moment, the moment when I would finally have the Scarlet Wolf at my mercy.” He snorted and shook his head slowly. “I honestly never believed it would happen. Years I’ve watched while women paraded through his bed, one after another and nothing. I was just beginning to wonder if I needed to put him out of his misery and be done with it when the most remarkable thing happened.” Blue eyes glimmered like sunlight off clear waters as they lifted and fixed on her. “You.” He left his place at the bar and wandered back to her. “You, my beautiful Juliette, walked into his life and all that was missing was the heavens opening up and the angels singing the hallelujah chorus. Granted in the beginning I thought that you would be like all the others, just another whore to be cast aside, but then I saw it. I saw the way he looked at you. The way he touched you. I saw it all right there and it was like Christmas. You brought the beast to his knees and tamed him. You made him love you. You weakened him and left him completely open and vulnerable.”