Page 14 of Vengeful Union

Nothing.

My heart starts to race.

What if they just leave me here to rot? What if I die here on this dirty, rotting carpet? It isn’t like the Murphys care about my life. And they should know I’m never going to tell them anything.

I focus on the movement of shadows beneath the door, knowing that someone is coming. The door swings open slowly, and I look up to see Scott standing there.

“What are you yelling about, bitch?”

“I’m hungry.” This time my voice doesn’t shake.

If they haven’t killed me yet, they don’t have orders to. Besides, I’d overheard Oscar saying they weren’t supposed to hurt me. Starving me isn’t something that Niall wants.

Scott sighs and exits the room, leaving the door open.

The brief peer into the rest of the house makes me focus on possible exits.

I can see down the stairs. The front door is closed, but there appears to be a kitchen at the back. I can see just the edge of a stove.

Is there a back door through the kitchen?

When Scott returns, he’s got a sandwich on a plate, and my mouth is practically watering.

He chuckles when I look up at him.

“You look good on your knees,” he drawls, and my heart starts to pound in my ears.

“Fuck you,” I spit.

Scott backs up, holding the sandwich over his head.

“You’d better be nice to me, little bitch, or I’ll let you starve.”

“I bet Niall wouldlovethat.”

He blinks. “How the hell would you know?”

I roll my eyes. “I’m still alive, so he wants something from me. I’m guessing it’s not my starvation.”

He shrugs.

“Can I have the sandwich now?” There’s anger and irritation in my voice, but Scott just grins.

“Crawl to me. Beg me for it.”

A shudder passes over me. “No way.”

He raises a black eyebrow. “No? Well then, I guess you’ll just go hungry. Little thing like you, won’t take long to starve you to death.”

“You are willing to defy Niall Murphy’s orders?”

“You think Niall gives a shit about a Burke girl? The only reason you haven’t been killed?—”

He stops, but I need to hear the end to that sentence.

“Why? Why haven’t I been killed?”

“Because you know something.”