Page 117 of Undone

Gracie’s wide eyes were glued to mine, her body trembling against John’s cruel hold as he whispered something in her ear. The cold metal of his gun continued to press against her temple, the sharp, silent threat hanging in the air like smoke. I wanted to tear him apart right then and there, but Gracie was too close, her small body caught in the grip of a monster. My heart clenched. I couldn’t act yet.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” John said, the words dripping from his lips like poison. He swung the gun from Gracie’s head to a nearby exit to the left, the cold barrel gleaming under the harsh overhead lights. “I’m going to take these two”—he gestured to Ellie and Gracie—“and walk through that door. Then you all can spend the next hour or so trying to find us.”

“No!” Noah shouted, her face a mask of determination. She took a cautious step toward him, hands raised in surrender. Her gaze never left his. “Let her go. Please. Take me. Take me instead.”

“No,” John yelled. “You need to stay here and suffer.”

“I can’t get a good shot,” the security guard called out from behind the counter. His voice was tense, his gun aimed at John, but his hands were shaking slightly. “Put the gun down now, and we can all walk away from this peacefully.”

“I don’t wantpeace.” John chuckled, his eyes never leaving Noah as his smirk widened. “So, looks like you really have moved on then, huh?” His words turned cold, venomous. “Already forgot about me? I thought I meant more to you than that, Noah. You surely meant more than that to me.”

Her hands were still raised, her movements slow but deliberate as she took another cautious step forward. “You don’t want her, John. You want me. I’ll come with you. Just let her go.”

John’s laughter reverberated through the small hallway, dark and mocking, sending a chill down my spine. “Look at you,” he sneered, his eyes gleaming with twisted amusement. “How adorable,” he hissed. “Stepping in to try to save his kid. Already probably whored yourself out, haven’t you? Just like the worthless piece of trash you’ve always been.”

I glanced at John, now scanning the guards across the room. Seizing the moment while his attention was elsewhere, I mouthed to Noah,Trust me.

Noah froze at the taunt, her body turning to face me. “I’m going to keep her saf?—”

I cut her off with a shake of my head. “Stop!” I shouted, fists clenched at my sides, burning with the urge to lash out. “You don’t want either of them. Take me.”

I had a much better chance of getting out of this unscathed than Noah—or especially Gracie—did. If he wanted to make Noah suffer, I’d have to find a way to use that to my advantage.

“Dorian,” Noah warned, but I couldn’t stop.

John’s grip on Gracie tightened, his finger twitching near the trigger, while his other hand kept Ellie’s arm locked in place.

His eyes darted to me, and I saw the flicker of uncertainty in them.

That crack? I was going to push through it.

Gracie’s small body trembled, but she didn’t make a sound. Her wide eyes were still trained on me, pleading with every silent breath. I took a step forward.

“Take me,” I repeated, willing my voice to make it all believable. “Let me play this game with you.” I paused, letting out a fake sigh, hoping it came across as genuine. “Look, man… I’ve only gotten close to her because I wanted to get to you. It’s you I want to know, notNoah,” I spat her name, making sure he could feel the contempt in it. “I want to understand how… how you do it… what it feels like. I want to learn from you.”

I kept my eyes on him, hoping he’d buy it. My stomach twisted, but I kept my gaze fixed, unwilling to show the hesitation eating at me. This was about survival. For Gracie, for Noah.

“Dorian!” Noah shouted. It hit me—this was real. I knew it was real, but then she played along. “How… how could you do this? How could you do this to me?”

“Let’s hurt her,” I said to John. “Let’s hurt her together. Take me and put her through the pain of losing us both.” I hated that my daughter was hearing this, but I know Noah would explain everything to her later. I know Gracie knew me and I just hoped she didn’t fully understand.

His expression remained cold. “I don’t need anyone on my side,” he growled, his grip tightening on the gun. “My plan is already set… But”—he paused, his lips curling into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes—“I must admit, I do like the idea of hurting her together. How do I know you’re not lying?”

John’s eyes narrowed, calculating, and for a brief moment, I could see the conflict flash in his expression. The tension in the air shifted, the seconds stretching out, my heart thundering in my chest. I took another step.

“You don’t, but…” I let the words hang before I took a slow step closer. “But I think you know. You and me? We’re the same. You can see that. I know you can, just like I could always see you, even when we first met.”

John’s grin widened at the exchange, clearly enjoying that. He paused for what seemed like an eternity then continued. “Okay, fine. You can come with me. I don’t care about the girl anyways.” He motioned to Gracie dismissively. “But I do need her," he said, gesturing to Ellie, who stood frozen in fear beside us.

Noah stepped toward him, her hands trembling, but her voice didn’t waver. “John, please—don’t do this.”

John’s grip on Gracie tightened, the gun now aimed at her temple, and he hissed, “Stay where you are!”

The room seemed to freeze, but my focus never left Gracie, never left her terrified eyes.

“Come here,” he ordered, his tone sickly sweet. “Come here and I will let her go.”

“Follow his instructions,” the security guard said firmly, nodding in approval of the switch.

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