Page 107 of Queen Of WildCards

Asmy last lifeline left the table to jump in the shower,Idebated taking the coward's way out and begging off to shower with him, butAce'seyes and his dangerous aura had me pinned to the spot, andIsat there like a good girl, refusing to leave untilI'dbeen told to leave.

Whenthe sound of running water had begun to drown him out,Aceturned his attention fully on me, and a dangerous smirk twisted his features into something unrecognizable.

Somethingdangerous.

"So, how long have you been in cahoots with theKings?"

Istiffened and faced the window, my arms still curled protectively around my middle, likeImight fall apart ifIlet go. "Idon't know what the fuck you're talking about,Ace."

Hisanswering snarl said more than words ever could.

Andthen he was jerking me from my chair and yanking me down the hall to the garage, too fast to even form a retort or yell for assistance.

Acethrew me in the front seat of his car and slammed the door, waving a gun pointedly at me with the real threat that shouldIrun, he'd shoot me.Isat stock-still in that front seat and hated myself for the tears that flooded my eyes, fighting them back, praying to whatever god was listening that they wouldn't fall in front of him.

I'dnever forgive myself ifIbroke down in front of a man who thought me capable of sleeping with him, giving him everything short of a declaration of love, and then turning around and having him killed.

Hesped away from the compound and raced down main roads, every building and skyscraper we passed blurring into one another, nothing but a continuous hodgepodge of shapes and squares, glass and metal and concrete that were indistinguishable from each other.Hisanger radiated off him in waves, but evenIknew better than to try and make a run for it.Atthe speeds he was clocking, ifIbailed now,I'ddie beforeIstopped rolling.

Weboth knewIhad nowhere to go.

We'dtraveled a few miles and left the familiar part of the city behind whenIfinally worked up the courage to speak to my twice-kidnapper.

"Whereare you taking me?"

Hedidn't take his eyes off the road, but his hands tightened around the wheel, his mouth drawn taut. "Tothe men you betrayed us for.Onlyfitting you should shack up with them now.I'msure you've promised them something worthwhile to get them involved with our daring yet foolish escape attempt."

"Sowe went from betrayal to escape, that it?Yougive me fucking whiplash."

Hishand darted out and wrapped itself around my throat, just like good times, but this time, instead of choking me whileIrocketed toward orgasm, he threatened to kill me with it and end me for good.Thelook in his eyes was one of deep betrayal, andIrealized even while he was balls deep in me, he'd still refused to believeIcould be choosing this—choosing them--for any reason other than pure survival.

AndnothingIsaid now would ever change that.

ButIhad to try.

"Ace—"

Heshook me by the throat, cutting off my words like a knife through butter. "Idon't want to hear your lies."

"Notlies,"Isqueaked, but he wasn't listening.Hewhipped his car into the drive of a lavish house, slamming straight through their decorative iron fence like he had not a care in the world.

Iclawed at his hand asIrealized what he planned to do, fear and panic and bile rising in my throat as my fucking heart broke.

HereIwas, once a captive, realizing belatedly, too late, thatIwas in love with my fucking captors, each and every one of them, andI'dnever bothered to let them know they meant something to me.Andnow,I'dnever get the chance.

IfIwas ever allowed to walk out of this house alive, they'd probably think everythingAcesaid was true, and they'd hate me, too.He'dmake sure of it.

Kohei.

Cassian.

Jonah.

Tyson.

Mykidnappers.Mycaptors.Myjailers.

Mywhole fucking reason for existence now.

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