Page 197 of Deviant

My stomach continues to be in knots as the first text message from our tormentors comes through.

We warned you that no life was to be taken without our consent.

Elias Larsen didn’t listen.

And for that, he will be punished.

Tie him to the chair.

“Now we’re talking!” Big Mike laughs, rubbing his hands together in glee.

David shoots Elias a smug grin before using his crutches to walk toward the chair and pick up the iron chains from the floor. Mackenzie, however, stays rooted to her spot, casting a scrutinizing gaze over the man standing beside me, a mischievous smile forming on her lips.

“Did you not get the same message?” I ask when I catch Elias staring at my watch to read my text.

“No.” Is his clipped reply.

“But I heard your watch vibrate. What did yours say?”

“Nothing. Drop it.”

But I don’t drop it.

Instead, I grab his wrist and read his text for myself.

Follow our orders and take your punishment.

Should you fail to comply, Rowen will take your punishement for you.

Elias snatches his wrists away from my grip and walks over to the chair, where Big Mike and David await him.

“Let’s just get this over with,” he grumbles, taking his seat.

“Something tells me this is going to be fun.” Mackenzie’s eyes light up watching David and Big Mike tie Elias to the chair, first in ropes, then in those godawful heavy chains.

Once Elias is struggling to break free from his bondage, they all stand back, congratulating themselves for a job well done.

“What next?” Big Mike wipes his sweaty forehead with his sleeve.

But just as the question spills from his lips, so does our hosts’ command arrive.

Torture him.

“With pleasure,” Mackenzie beams, staring at Elias like he’s a snack.

“We don’t have to do this,” young Abbie implores.

“Shut up, Abbie, or you’ll be the one in chains next,” Big Mike warns.

Abbie lowers her gaze to the floor as I continue to watch Mackenzie vigilantly, as it’s apparent she’s the one eager to run this show.

“Look,” she taunts her watch in Elias’s face. “This is your punishment. What do you have to say to that?”

“Does it look like I’m scared?” Elias taunts.

“Oh, you should be. You should be very scared.” She flips her hair back as she approaches me. “See, our hosts want us to torture you, but they weren’t specific on how. That opens up a world of possibilities, don’t you agree?” she asks, pretending to flick lint off my shoulders.

“Mackenzie, don’t you even think about it,” Elias growls, tugging at his binds.

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