Page 22 of No Promises, No Lies

He knows it. His eyes glitter with the challenge.

It’s an intimidation tactic. Or at least it should have been since, now I’m even more determined not to react the way he’s expecting me to. To fall apart into a crumbling mess where I ramble out every useless fact I can think of about the Bratva to save my own skin.

No. He can thank my brother Niko for that. Years of being bullied at his hands, and I’m unshakeable. A goddamn CIA lock box.

All Aidan’s managed to do so far is piss me off. I lift my chin and meet his eye. I was already on thin ice, dead anyway, so...Fuck it.

“More or less,” I shrug. “Have I given you a reason not to believe me?”

He stares at me.

And damn it all to hell, I stare right back. Keeping my face carefully blank, I refuse to back down. Though, my eyes—I fear—betray me.

If I didn’t know any better, I could’ve sworn the corner of his mouth ticks up. The alarm in my head going off once more at the faint smile. But just as he takes another step, leaning in toward me so only inches separate us, a knock reverberates off the heavy metal door.

Aidan’s mouth snaps shut. Neither of us turns, not wanting to be the first to break our little stare-off.

I choke down a swallow. At least an hour has passed since they locked me in here. I’ve had plenty of time to take in my surroundings. This room, thisbuilding, all of it, serves a purpose.No onewould hear me scream. No one heard what I’m sure were countless others screams as they met their end in this very room. I think of the drain just under my chair, but I still refuse to look away from the devil before me.

In the end, it’s he who finally caves, when whoever’s outside bangs once again, louder this time.

He turns back, shouting out to whoever is waiting outside, “One sec!”

I try not to flinch at the sudden boom of his voice. I refuse to be afraid of this man. I have spent every single second of my entire life terrified. At least I could say I wasn’t a coward when I stared down death.

Aidan O’Rourke turns back to me, a scowl on his face. I know he’s being beckoned to go. Pissed off sure looks good on that jawline.Aidan is muscled and honed to perfection, the product of relentless discipline. With dark brown hair and piercing green eyes, he’s like a beautiful storm, untamed and lethal.

He reaches again, this time into his pocket, flicking open a knife as he walks toward me. Instinctively, I lean as far back as the chair will allow, but he circles around until he’s behind me. Where I can’t see him.

Fuck.Not the way I’d expected to go out. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. But instead of cutting my throat, the knife slips through the ropes. With a sharp tug, I’m cut free.

Slowly, I bring my sore wrists into my lap. My shoulders ache from being stuck in the same position for over an hour. My eyes stay on Aidan, keeping the danger in my sights.

“Sit tight. We’re not done here.” He barely looks at me again before banging on the door. The heavy metal vibrates with the sound of his palm hitting it, reverberating through my brain.

The door slides open effortlessly to let him out before slamming shut again. The voices fade in the hall—they’re leaving.

I look down. He didn’t cut the ropes from my ankles, each still bound to a leg of the chair. It’ll take ages to untie them.

I sigh, looking around. I’m in what I’ve worked out was, at some point, an old freezer room. And I’m good and stuck in here. He wouldn’t have cut me loose if I could escape.

Reaching down, I get to work loosening the impossibly complicated knotsLiamwas kind enough to supply. I wonder what the hell their plan is. And how do I survive it?

14

MINE

AIDAN

Iexit the lockers with a glare in Liam’s direction, even though I know if Liam interrupted my interrogation, it was for good reason.

“Your office,” Liam advises as he strikes up a guard position outside of the locker we’ve got the girl in.

Rory.

I play her name over and over in my mind as I make my way down the hall.

My hand balls into a fist alongside my long strides. I’m worked up. Something about the girl set me right on edge.

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