Page 39 of Red Dreams

“Oh God.” My hand flies to my mouth.

She’s wearing her preferred leather catsuit that clings to her lithe frame, her raven hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. She circles Ethan like a shark, her fingers trailing across his shoulders.

Ethan grimaces at her touch, but he doesn't move away. His eyes dart to the camera again, pleading.

Cassie knows Ethan is my weakness, the one person other than Kaden I would do anything to protect. And now she has him.

A strangled sound escapes my lips. My legs give out, and Kaden’s arm is the only thing that keeps me from falling to the floor.

“We need to get to him,” I say, clinging to Kaden’s forearm. “We need to get out of here andget to him.”

My voice rises to a shriek, and I tear from Kaden’s hold and race to the door.

“Layla—” Kaden says, but nothing he does will be of any use unless hebreaksthisgoddamndoor.

“She can’t kill him.” I press my hands against the door, then start pounding on it. “She can’t kill him!Let me out! Let me out, goddammit!”

“Wraithling, please.” Kaden’s hands come down on my shoulders, pulling me away.

“I told you I'd find your pressure points, kitten,” Cassie says, her voice suddenly filling the room. “And look, isn’t this the perfect one?”

I spin to the monitors with heaving breaths.

Cassie’s smile is all sharp edges as she leans in close to Ethan, her lips moving with words we can’t hear. He tries to jerk away, but she digs her nails into his cheeks, forcing him to look at her.

My heart pounds against my ribs as I watch helplessly, my mind racing to find a way out of this godforsaken place.

Ethan's gaze flicks to the camera again, and this time, I spot the desperation in his eyes, the silent plea for us to understand. He's trying to tell me something, but what?

Cassie follows his line of sight. Her lips curve into a smirk as she steps behind Ethan and drapes her arms over his shoulders in a mockery of an embrace.

Ethan shudders, his Adam's apple bobbing. “Layla, don’t?—”

Cassie clamps a hand over his mouth. “Shh. It’s not your turn to speak.”

Rage boils under my skin at the way she touches him, the possessive gleam in her eyes. But it's the pure fear in Ethan's face that kills me and the knowledge that he's suffering because of my choices.

“Cassandra GraceBlack,” Kaden snaps. The threat of the impending doom in his tone even makes me stiff with apprehension.

He steps around me and prowls toward the monitors, his hands curled into pissed-off fists. “Get thefuckaway from that boy and air your disagreements with me. No one else.”

Cassie reaches into the holster at her hip in answer and pulls out a gleaming knife, pressing the point under Ethan’s chin. He goes perfectly still, save for the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

“It's quite simple, really.” Cassie's tone is conversational as if she's not holding a blade to my best friend's neck. “You have achoice, kitten. Either you slice into Dad or I paint this room with your little hacker's blood.”

My heart stops. I can't breathe, can't think.

Kaden grabs me and pulls me in tight.

“Cut into me yourself,” he seethes. “Stop making others do your dirty work.”

A slow, wicked smile spreads across her face. “By the way, it’s Cassandra Morelli now.”

I feel more than see Kaden’s sharp intake of breath. His heartbeat thunders beneath my cheek.

“Morelli,” he repeats, the name dripping with venom. “You are not his daughter, Cassandra. You aremine.”

Kaden’s fingers dig into my arms as if I’m the only thing keeping him tethered.

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