Page 198 of Deviant

“See? That right there… that’s where you messed up. You showed us your hand when you were supposed to keep it close to the vest. An amateur move if I’ve ever seen one.” She tisks, disappointed. “Everyone in this room knows where your true weaknesses lie, and they begin and end with her.” She lays her head on my shoulder, forcing me to chuck her off me.

“Mackenzie, I’m warning you,” Elias says through gritted teeth.

“Threats from a man currently bound to a chair don’t frighten me. Not when I have the backing ofThe Scourgeto do this next. Boys… tie her up.”

David and Big Mike immediately jump on me, holding my arms behind my back to keep me still.

“Let go of her!” Abbie shouts from behind me.

“Stop fucking hitting me, Abbie, and grab me some of that leftover rope,” David orders as I try to wrestle from their hold.

“No!” she yells just before I hear a loud slap. Abbie falls to the floor beside me, a large five-finger mark reddening her cheek.

“I’ll get it myself,” Big Mike says, eyeing Abbie in disgust.

“You’ll pay for that,” Elias snarls over at Big Mike.

“Yeah, whatever. But if I were you, I’d be more concerned about what we’re going to do to your girlfriend next. You can’t kill us like you killed Chris tied up to that chair, now can you?” Big Mike throws him a skin-crawling smile.

Elias starts frantically trying to break free as real fear begins to claw at me.

“See? What did I tell you?” Mackenzie asks with a smile. “We haven’t even touched your precious Rowen, and already you’re losing your mind. Torturing you is easy. All we have to do is hurt her. And believe me, I’ve been dying to get my hands on this bitch,” she scowls as David and Big Mike tie me up and push me to my knees.

“Do you have your switchblade with you?” I hear her ask David.

“I never leave home without it.” He chuckles, handing Mackenzie the knife.

Mackenzie skips over to stand between me and Elias, pointing the switchblade to my face.

“Now… what shall I do to you first?” she sing songs, pointing the tip of the switchblade to my eye. “I could take out her eye first… or maybe I should start with her tongue. Or what if I cut her pretty little face so she isn’t so pretty anymore? Would you love your precious Rowen if she looked all twisted up and deformed?”

“Yes, he would,” I say with conviction, my gaze fixed on hers so she sees that I’m not one bit scared of what she could ever do to me.

“I didn’t ask you, bitch. I asked him.” She points the blade over to Elias.

“You have your answer. Rowen already gave it to you,” Elias deadpans, his eyes on me.

But where I show unwavering bravery, I see true fear hiding behind his gorgeous eyes.

Luckily no one here seems to notice it but me.

“You say that now, but men are fickle.” Mackenzie scoffs. “Just tell my bitch of a mother. She’s gone so many times under the knife to look young for my father, and still he fucks around with any young thing that sits on his lap. He might be disgusting, but she’s the one that’s pathetic.”

“Is this what this is about? You have unresolved mommy issues?” I taunt. “Because get in line. We all have our baggage.”

“Did I say I have mommy issues, you bitch? No, I didn’t. I couldn’t care less about either one of them. They are just a means for me to get out of Blackwater Falls. Nothing else.”

My forehead bunches at the confusing remark, but I don’t have time to analyze it since Mackenzie grabs me by the hair and places the switchblade on my throat.

“Ruby was right not to like you. You think you’re better than all of us, don’t you? I wonder how superior to me you’d feel if I sliced your throat right this second?” she raves, like the true psychopath that she is.

She presses the blade so hard to my flesh that I can feel it cut into my skin.

She only stops when Elias begins to chuckle behind her. It sounds like a low rumble at first, but soon, his laughter rings loudly across the room.

“What’s so goddamn funny?” she seethes.

“You. You’re what’s funny.” He continues to cackle.

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