Page 114 of Racing Hearts

Laughing, I spit it at her. “No, I’m not. I won’t ever be,” I protest. “You make me sick.”

“I will make you mine,” she growls as she pulls at my jeans. My eyes widen, and my heart skips a beat.

“Get off me!” I yell, trying to push her away, tugging my legs and arms, but they are tied tightly. She manages to undo my button, and I start to truly panic. No, no, no, this can’t be happening.

I struggle harder as she grins at me. “Let’s see how much you protest after this—” I ram my head into hers, unable to do anything else to get her away from me. She stumbles back with a cry, clutching her nose, her eyes widening.

I panic at the fury I see in her gaze. She’s crazy, and if I’m not useful to her, will she kill me?

“Evan,” she warns.

“I want to know your plans,” I tell her, hoping she believes it despite my outburst. “You’re right. I’ve been hiding for so long. I can’t just accept this.”

She sighs, prodding her nose, and gives me a warning look. “I suppose I can accept that.”

Jesus Christ.

A noise has her turning, and my eyes widen. I know that sound. It’s the tunnel. Someone is coming.

It has to be Alek. He would never let me go. Worried she will attack him, I blurt out my next words.

“Kiss me, show me.” She turns, distracted like I wanted, and despite feeling sick, I smile at her as seductively as I can. “Show me what it means to be yours.”

God, even the words make me want to hurl, but I hold it back, and desire gleams in her eyes as she heads my way. She places her hands on my shoulders as I keep working my bleeding wrists, and she lowers herself onto my lap, grinding against me as her lips find mine. I have to fight not to throw up in her mouth as she gasps and kisses me.

My eyes are open, locked beyond her as I see the shadows move. There is more than just one person sneaking in behind her. They are all in robes, Silent Rose robes, and I frown in confusion, but when she goes to pull away, I open my mouth and let her deepen the kiss despite the sick feeling running through me.

One robed figure pushes his hood back, and Bones lifts his finger, pressing it against his lips, and I blink to let him know I understand as they hide.

Another robed figure is pushed from the tunnel, stumbling out. The sound makes her pull away.

I look past her and smile. “Looks like we have a visitor.”

She turns, climbing from my lap to face the robed figure. The shape of them looks wrong, but I can’t quite put my finger on why, and the robe conceals who it is.

Turning my head, I wipe my mouth on my shoulder as best as I can, feeling nauseous, and my eyes land on Alek, who’s hiding in the dark. He winks at me and blows me a kiss, and I almost slump in relief, tears filling my eyes.

“I’m here, pretty boy,” he mouths.

“Who are you?” she calls, and I turn forward to see her staring down the robed figure. I want to warn them, but Alek is asking me to trust him, as is Bones. I sit back, working my wrists harder, the blood making it easier, and I feel the binding loosen enough to start slipping my hands free.

The figure stumbles again, and the hood falls back, exposing Stan Ford’s face. I just gape alongside her. “How did you get here?” she asks, hesitating, one hand clutching the needle she was going to use on me.

I need a distraction to get free. I need—an idea comes to mind, a bad one, but it’s all I have. I don’t know if this is what Alek planned, but it’s too late to ask. “Kill him,” I call. She glances back at me, and I smile. “He hurt me. If you love me, if you truly want me and say I belong to you, then kill him.”

She turns back to him as he blinks, his lips twisting in a snarl, and I realize what’s wrong—his arms are tied behind his back. “You,” he hisses. “This is all your fault?—”

“He wants to take me from you,” I say, egging her on. His eyes jerk to me, and he frowns. “He wants to kill us and run off with Alice. You can’t have that. He can’t have anyone else, and he can’t hurt me. Kill him and we can be together.”

“Shut up,” he orders me and then looks at her. “Where is she? Where is Alice?”

“Alice, Alice, Alice,” she repeats. “I am so sick of that name.” She lunges at him, and he falls backward as she stabs him. He screams, unable to protect himself. I watch as she brings the needle down into his chest and neck over and over. He chokes on his blood, his eyes wide as she kills him.

I keep my eyes on her as I finally get my hands free.

I lunge from my chair and into Alek’s waiting arms in the darkness. He cups my face and kisses me swiftly. “I knew you would come for me.”

“I’ve got you,” he promises. “It isn’t over yet.”

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