Page 56 of Dauntless

I shakily moved into the bathroom with my bag, and he followed me. “You filed for divorce, but it didn’t go through fast enough for you. Or did it? No,” Dimitri said then leaned against half of the double sink. Opening the cabinet next to him and threw a few things inside my bag. Apparently, he wanted to continue to show off what he’d done. I still had time, and maybe Kevin is getting help right now. I thought, trying to comfort myself.

“Patrick delayed,” I replied coolly. “He wanted both my trust and my company.”

“—And now he’ll have it after you give it to him. After you’re fixed,” Dimitri answered.

I scowled. “There’s no fix for me. Patrick doesn’t want me. Not after you sent Marco and Vincent to ruin my reputation.”

“I didn’t,” he answered. “You put yourself in Dane’s revenge game and ended up at Angel’s trade show. Her game was almost over, but you being there made Dane misbehave with Vincent and Marco and ruined the final act.”

I grimaced. “And what was that?”

“Seeing his Angel used up, feeble, and weak,” he said grinning broadly. “Dane would have seen her daughter and learned he wasn’t the father right then, but thanks to you and rent-a-cop Elliott, it didn’t go as planned. It worked out though. Vincent and Marco were our sacrifices, though they tried to mess with you with the video. Still, you were going to come with me ultimately.”

“And what were you going to do with me?” I dared to ask.

“My job,” Dimitri said matter of factually, re-holstering his gun. “I’ll admit Patrick didn’t like the video, but once he sees my work in honing the perfect, compliable partner, he’ll be back on board.”

“Why would he be?” I asked.

“Because I’m the best,” he answered smugly. “You’ll become the partner Patrick always wanted, a satisfied, dutiful humble wife. You will, like Loren, find religion. He gets the good accolades of devotion by taking you back. You’ll remarry and happily let him take over your financial trust. His old donors will be lining up again to work with him.”

I paused and frowned. “And what about me?”

“Your memory will be a little fuzzy,” he replied in a casual tone. “But you’ll keep a nice home with friends. I’m guessing it will take a six months’ timeframe, but that’ll depend on you. Longer if you’re stubborn. I’ll let the police find you with Patrick’s help. Game over.”

My hands shook so hard I dropped my bag. “Master Trainer? Memory fuzzy?” I shrieked. “Is that what you call what you did to Angel? You ruined her mind, and that’s fine with you as long as you’re paid?”

“That was unfortunate but necessary,” he said and shrugged. “Her game was tailored for Walter’s revenge. Angel was a wild whore. I made her easy to manage. In fact, Dane should thank me.”

His glory in ruining Angel’s mind was the sign of a complete sociopath. There was no reasoning with him, and I could feel despair taking me. He wasn’t leaving me alone, and I was running out of time. I needed to do something. As I reached back into the cabinet again, I saw my cosmetics bag. Using one of my brow pencils, I quickly scrawled “TOV + LOR” on the wood at the back of the cabinet before pulling out to put it in my large tote. It was the only thing that popped into my head. It was a crude, cryptic message. However, I was sure Elliott would decipher it. He’d ask Tove, and he’d remember he’d taken me to Loren’s.

“What are you doing?” Dimitri scolded. He stepped closer, and I fumbled, spilling the contents of the cosmetic’s bag on the floor and looked down, one of the lipstick marked the tip of his polished shoe.

He swore, then grabbed ahold of the back of my neck, and squeezed. “Next time you’ll clean that off with your tongue. You don’t comply, you’ll be punished. Last warning. I agreed with Patrick not to maim you, but there are many ways to break you.”

I bit my lip hard not to make a sound, and he tightened his grip.

“You answer, ‘Yes Simon,’” Dmitri barked his instruction harshly.

The loud sound of a car peeling out had Dimitri running to the row of windows in the bedroom. He cursed.

Did Kevin wake up and go for help or had Loren?

This was my chance. I yelled and ran through my bedroom door to escape, but he grabbed my arms and bent them backward, and I cried out.

“Change of plans.” He hissed. His light, chatty mood was over. He hauled me out the room and down the stairs not stopping or caring what I scrapped or wounded in his plight. No more Mr. Nice Guy act. This was the real Dimitri.

He dragged me with his hand over my mouth. He chose the back door instead of the front. There was nothing but fields and trees behind the fenced in yard. This could be my only chance. I had to break free. I couldn’t let him take me.

I chose the second we were outside to bite as hard as I could on his hand and scream. My voice came out hoarse, but loud before his hands tightened on my neck. Was it enough for my neighbors to hear? Was Kevin still here?

“You stupid, bitch,” he hissed. He shoved his fingers in my mouth and down my throat. I gagged instead of biting. My fingers dug into his hands as I frantically tried to breath. I choked. My wavered focus was all he needed. It gave him enough time to fix his grip on me.

“You seem to have forgotten: I still have people with your friends and family,” he growled. “One more scream and they’ll die along with you.”

The pain in my head and throat intensified as the pressure grew. My vision blurred, and my pulse went wild as fear took over. Would he kill me?

He hauled me on, controlling my breath. We were across the backyard when he loosened his hold on my neck for me to take in air.

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