Page 108 of The Devil's Pawn

“London.”

That’s something. At least he hasn’t smuggled me out of the country.

“Why am I here?” My throat feels scratchy and dry. I swallow and lick my lips. “What did you give me?”

“Ketamine.” He shrugs. “The benefits of working with horses.”

Ketamine. No wonder I feel so out of sorts. It’s as though my brain is wrapped in a thick coating of tar, making italmost impossible to think clearly. “What do you want with me?”

“I want him to suffer, and he will, through you.”

Him. He means Alexander. A chill rolls down my arms, the hairs standing on end. “If it’s money you want, I have money. I can pay.”

He snorts. “You think it’s money I want? You stupid, gullible girl.” All pretense is gone. The Will I knew was fake. This is the real man. I shiver as he leans back and grips the arms of the chair. “Do you know your husband is a murderer?”

Slowly, I sit upright, helping my blood pressure to equalize. When it does, I square my shoulders, the desire to defend Alexander giving me a shot of courage. “I know he puts wrongs right.”

Will’s lip curls. “Is that what he told you? He’s a liar. A cold-blooded killer. He murdered my brother. He took from me the only person I had left in the world, and now it’s payback time.”

My throat thickens. His brother must have been an abuser. Alexander wouldn’t have killed him if he wasn’t certain. That’s what he told me. He and his team make sure they’ve got the evidence to back up the vigilante justice he doles out.

Will’s motivation unfurls before me in horrific detail. An eye for an eye. A scream bubbles up inside me, but I swallow it down. Goosebumps pebble my skin, and I break out into a sweat.

Stay calm. Breathe. Think your way through this. Let him talk.

“Originally, I got the job at Oakleigh as a way of getting close to him, of quietly observing until I found a chink in hisarmor, but I got nowhere. I was starting to lose hope and then you appeared, a gift dropped into my lap. I saw the rebel in you and knew it was only a matter of time before you fucked up and I could snatch you from right under his nose. Then he fired me, and I was forced to make a new plan.”

Adrenaline pumps through my veins. I need to keep him talking, to give me a chance to figure out how to escape. I refuse to accept my fate. If Will wants to kill me, he’ll have a fight on his hands.

“How did you know I’d be here today?”

“Ever since I lost my job, I’ve had you under surveillance. I know people who hate the De Vils as much as I do, and they were only too happy to help. I admit, though, I didn’t think you’d make it quite this easy on me. A De Vil walking the streets alone.” He laughs. “Big mistake, Imogen. One you and your husband will pay dearly for.”

“If you hurt me, Will, he’ll kill you.”

“Probably.” He shrugs. “But not before I’ve sent you back to him in pieces. Knowing how I tortured you, keeping you alive with drugs as I cut off individual body parts and mail them to him will slowly drive him crazy. He has no idea you’re here. No way of tracking you. Yes, I checked for a phone while you were unconscious.” He gives me a smug look. “Wandering the streets alone,andwithout a phone.” Tutting, he shakes his head. “Rookie mistake.”

Nausea swirls in my stomach. I can’t afford to wait for Alexander. It could take him weeks or months to find me, and by then I’ll be dead, and in the most horrific way, too. The thought of the pain sends bile crawling into my throat. The only way I’m getting out of this situation is to save myself.

I don’t know how close we are to civilization, but it’s stilllight out, which means we can’t be that far from where he took me. There must be other houses around, or shops, or cafes. Places with people who can help me. All I have to do is get out of this house and onto the street.

I lick my lips, then swipe two fingers over them. “I’m so thirsty. Could I have a drink of water?”

For a moment, I think he’s going to refuse. He stares at me with that creepy look I never noticed before, and my skin crawls. Eventually, he gets up and disappears from the room.

The second he’s out of sight, I spring to my feet. The room spins, and I skirt along the wall to help my balance until I stop feeling dizzy. I peer around the doorframe that goes into the hallway. The sound of running water reaches me, that fading echo as a glass fills to the brim. There isn’t much time.

To my left is the front door. I make a dash for it. I grab the chain, my fingers trembling, and slide it from its housing.

My skull smashes against the wood, and my head explodes in pain. Will’s breath is hot on my neck as his full weight pins me to the door.

“Stupid, stupid girl. Did you really think you could escape? Guess your husband will get his first body part delivery sooner than I planned.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

ALEXANDER

Rows upon rows of terraced houses line the street where Imogen is being held. Cars are parked on either side, leaving a narrow channel down the middle of the road for a single car to pass. I still don’t know who’s taken her, but it doesn’t matter. They’re dead already.

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