Page 83 of Final Vendetta

“No,” I whispered.

Gideon staggered but didn’t falter. His hands remained empty, his feet steady as he danced around Liam’s frenzied movements. He wasn’t fighting. He was enduring.

Liam was nothing but an animal now, rabid and cruel, driven by instincts that had long since overtaken reason. His chest heaved as he slashed and swung with reckless abandon, his grip on the knife white-knuckled. Spittle flew from his mouth as he let out a guttural yell, his face twisted in a grotesque mask of rage and desperation. His movements lacked any precision, but it didn’t matter. He was relentless.

I bit down hard on my lip, trying to block out the sounds — the sharp intake of Gideon’s breath, the sickening crunch of a fist connecting with flesh, Myers’ vile amusement. But I couldn’t.

I wanted to scream at Liam. At Myers. At the guards standing motionless by the exits. But most of all, I wanted to scream at Gideon to stop being so noble. Stop holding back. Just fight.

I had a feeling he wouldn’t out of principle, even if it cost him his life.

Another blow sent Gideon staggering, and he fell to his knees, his breath ragged as blood dripped steadily from his wounds. Liam hovered above him, the blade poised for the final strike, a wild animal ready to kill to save himself.

And that was precisely what he was.

Myers had remarked that the cage changed people.

I’d just witnessed it first-hand.

“Enough!” I screamed, the word ripping from me with a primal force. “I’ll do whatever you want, just stop this!”

Myers gave one of the guards a signal, and he approached the cage, sticking a long pole inside and zapping Liam, forcing him to his knees with a painful jolt of electricity.

“No, Imogene,” Gideon managed to say, his voice a broken rasp as he lifted his gaze toward me. His face was scrunched in determination, his eyes burning with his plea. “Don’t.”

I shook my head, tears streaming down my cheeks. “I can’t... I can’t watch you die.” My voice cracked, and I felt my resolve shatter.

Myers’ laughter cut through. “How touching.”

He yanked me to my feet and pushed me toward the cage. A guard opened the door and Myers dragged me inside.

Was he going to makemefight Liam in Gideon’s place? Or something else? Something much more depraved?

With a sinister grin, Myers moved toward Liam and snatched the knife out of his hands. He used it to cut the zip ties from my wrists before forcing me to take it.

“Kill him.” He nodded at Liam.

“What?” I asked, unable to mask my surprise. “I can’t?—”

“Rules are rules, Ms. Prescott. The match doesn’t end until one of the fighters is dead. You want to end it? You need to kill one of them.”

“Don’t do it,” Gideon whispered. “You’re better than this. Better than me.”

“Remember what Liam did,” Myers taunted. “He shot the man you loved, then paid someone to cover it up. He manipulated you into inviting him into your bed, between your legs, when all along he was the one who wanted him dead. All so he could have you to himself. It was never about money to him. It was always aboutyou. He tried to kill the man you loved. And you’re going to let him get away with it?”

I looked between Gideon and Liam, my insides twisted up. “I… I can’t...”

“You can,” Myers urged, his voice low and hypnotic. “You’ve imagined it, haven’t you? What it would feel like to have that kind of power. To be the one in control. To make someone pay.To makehimpay. An eye for an eye, Ms. Prescott. He deserves this.”

“No one deserves this.”

“Oh, come on,” he sneered. “You’ve spent your whole life pretending to be good. Pretending you’re not your father’s daughter. But deep down, you know the truth. You’re just like him.”

“Imogene, look at me.” Gideon’s voice cut through the fog in my head. “You are not him. You’re good. You’re strong. You don’t have to do this.”

My hands shook. My heart pounded. Myers’ voice dripped into my ears, smooth and venomous. “He’s lying to you. He knows you want this. He’s just afraid you’ll realize it’s true.”

I clutched the blade tighter in my hand, as if it were the only thing keeping me grounded. My vision blurred, my breaths coming in ragged gasps. Gideon begged me to stop. Myers taunted me to act. If I did what he wanted, he’d win. But if I refused, he’d win, too.

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