Page 79 of Lawless God

“No,” I push past a clenched jaw. I hit the barrel with my open palm. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Sam,” Nate says casually, his smile coming back to his face. “Remind me to get that gun checked. I can’t walk around with a weapon that jams in life-or-death situations.”

I feel hope being sucked out of me, like death itself would steal my soul. I’m helpless as I eye Nate’s fingers shifting on the gun. The barrel disappears as he puts his weapon away and softly takes the one I was holding.

My fist curls, and I’m ready to fight again. I’m going to punch him, beat him to death.

“Kayla…” The pity in Sam’s voice is almost reassuring, like he’s got my back. He doesn’t, but he clearly doesn’t want to see me hurt. “Stop fighting. It’s useless.”

“Listen to the wise man,” Nate confirms. Not even looking at me, he grabs something from the inside pocket of his jacket.

As Sam shifts behind me, his gun presses a little harder one last time before it disappears. I see something flash at the corner of my eyes, and a cold, metal cuff is forced around my right wrist, where my fist still hasn’t relaxed.

I fight. Fuck, I fight with all I have. I manage to get one last punch in Nate’s jaw with my left hand before Sam cuffs them both behind my back.

The devil in front of me works his jaw from side to side before he turns to me.

A smile tips the corner of his mouth when I tremble. My eyes flutter shut, then snap back open, and nothing has changed. I’m still held hostage by a man who wants nothing but my suffering.

And he’s now pointing a syringe at me.

Before I can even get my lips to part, he pushes the needle into my neck. The same way he did a few nights ago in my bathroom.

He’s too weak to fight me. He does this because I’m a worthy opponent.

I blink a few times as my vision blurs. Nate holds me delicately as I faint. I can feel the way he cups the back of my head, helping me to lay back against the seat as he caresses my cheek.

“Oh, little sunflower.” His free hand tugs at a strand of my hair like a little boy crushing on me. “You’re in for a very long day of punishments.”

“I hate you,” I growl as the world goes dark.

17

KAYLA

Victim - Halflives

There’s a ringing in my ears. That’s the first thing telling me I’m still alive. I can’t open my eyes, but I can slowly make out what the ringing is. Words.

“Huh?” That’s Nate’s voice.

“What?” I croak. Talking suddenly makes me aware of my own body.

I’m not sitting or lying down. I’m standing, or rather hanging, my toes barely touching the floor but enough so that the entire pull isn’t on my shoulders.

My wrists ache from what feels like leather cuffs around them. They’re high above my head, probably attached to the ceiling.

“I said, how many times do you have to wake up in my basement before you learn your lesson?”

I almost want to ask what lesson, but I think that’ll just get me into more trouble. When I open my eyes, I know instantly that his promise of punishment is going to be more than I can handle. Because no matter how gorgeous Nate is topless—his abs prominent below his countless tattoos and his shoulders already flexing from the excitement of hurting me—I know that it announces nothing good for me. He’s clearly planning on…exercising.

I do my best to ignore his beauty, the way his golden skin contrasts so sharply with mine, the way the V at his hips getting lost beneath his pants makes him look like a Greek god. A statue of bronze crafted by the hands of a lover.

Fuck. Nothing good is coming my way.

Apparently, he ditched my suit jacket since I’m only wearing the delicate corset and pants. I look up, craning my neck so I can see my hands. It’s not the leather cuffs that make my stomach drop, it’s the wedding band that’s been added to my engagement ring.

I think I’m going to be sick.

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