Page 90 of The Devil's Secret

The corner of my mouth lifts into a taunting smile as I reach under my shirt.

“Taking off her clothes for us already, boys.” Agnelo rocks with a sinister chuckle, the men all joining in. “We’re going to have a show.”

But I ignore them, ripping off the wire I have taped to my stomach. That causes them all to shut the hell up for once.

I stomp on the wire, knowing Enzo probably figured out what I’m doing, so it won’t be long until he comes rushing in.

“Wired, huh? I should’ve known,” he says, his chest lifting with a heavy, amused sigh. “Are they here?”

“Not yet. But they will be soon. Give me Elsie and Kayla, and you can go before they kill you and your men.”

His guys burst into a fit of laughter.

“You think I’m scared of those punks? You think you could make me give them up?” he roars, the anger seething over every part of his face. “Weren’t you happy with stealing our boy? Had to be greedy and come back for more? You stupid bitches never learn.”

“He isn’tourboy,” I bellow. “He’smine.”

A chuckle boils out of him. “That’s where you’re wrong. Did you forget how he was made because I could remind you. Right here.”

They all laugh cruelly, and my stomach drops as I watch them mocking me. The wave of those memories floods into me until my heart squeezes too tight.

“You can have me. In exchange for their freedom. Isn’t that what you always wanted? For me to be—”

His shrill cackle of laughter interrupts the rest of my words. “You think you’re worth that much to me?” He catches his breath. “You aren’t worth shit.”

This isn’t working. What have I done? He’s going to kill me. I’m going to die and so will my friends.

“You don’t recognize this place, do you?” His question hangs in the air, thick as the grayed-out beard lining his round jaw. “I guess you wouldn’t. You were never up here. Most of your time was spent below, doing everything I made you do.”

I gasp at what he’s admitting.

We’re here. At the club.

At the place where evil was born, residing endlessly. The vileness seeped into its walls, marking them for eternity.

“Ahh, finally. She realizes the significance of all of us standing here.” He glances behind him, and at first, I don’t understand why, but as more footsteps shuffle forward, muffled crying filling the room, the fear, it grips me raw.

Who is that?

But my question doesn’t go unanswered too long. As the men separate, another comes toward Agnelo, and he’s not alone. Clutched within his grasp is Kayla, or what I recognize of her.

Her straight, brown hair is ragged now, worn down like the rest of her. The curves of her body have mostly disappeared, but my attention goes to the large red mark on her swollen cheek, her eyelids puffy from crying.

“What the fuck did you assholes do to her?”

“Whatever the hell I wanted.” Agnelo sneers. “Like I always do.

“It’s okay, Kayla.” I look at her, forgetting all of them. “I’ll get you out of this.”

Her chin trembles, more tears streaming down her face as she whimpers, but her eyes, they stay on mine. Pleading. Lost.

“Shut the fuck up!” The man who’s still got his grip on her jerks her hard.

“Don’t fucking touch her!”

“Or what?” Agnelo asks.

“I’ll kill you,” I spit through gritted teeth.

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