Page 71 of Cruel Savior

“I’m not going to ask again,” he said, rubbing his finger lightly over the button in his hand.

“Okay,” I said, releasing my tight grip on my gun and twisting it in my hand so it was no longer pointed at him. I took the seat farthest from his at the opposite end of the table and when Natalie approached, I handed her my gun.

“Nat,” I whispered, her tears threatening to shatter me.

“The one at your ankle as well,” he smirked.

I squeezed my eyes shut, unsurprised. We both knew no trained agent would enter a situation like this without some kind of backup, even if that only came in the form of secondary weapons. I lifted my jeans and pulled the smaller of the two guns I carried and handed it over as well.

He sighed. “Now the knife. Stop trying to play games. I don’t have the patience or the time.” I couldn’t take my eyes off the remote in his hand or the way he kept fondling it. It was as if there was a burning itch for him to push it. I wasn't particularly concerned about my life, but Nat was terrified and I had to do something—fast. I couldn't leave her to him and his vices. If they were half as bad as his father's she would wish she were dead.

“Time?” I questioned.

“Of course. Your friends will be here soon and we need to be ready. Although I have to admit, this trap was far too easy to lay. You all fell into it like little marionettes. While I don't think they can cause me any real problems, one can't be too careful."

Now it was my turn to be horrified. I'd counted on my life being at risk, not all of theirs. Or hers. I didn't dare give her another glance. I wouldn't put it past him to push that button just so I could watch her explode into tiny pieces.

"Then why wait?"

He frowned at me across the table. "Are you not enjoying my game?" Since I refused to give him the satisfaction of an answer, he stood and walked towards me. "You still haven't given me your knife. Take it out now and slide it to me on the table." His finger rubbed along that button again and Natalie’s tears got louder.

I reached into my vest and pulled the knife I'd shoved in there earlier out by the blade. I fondled it much like he did that damned button and contemplated for about two seconds what would happen if I threw it at his throat.

I could kill him almost instantly from this distance, but there was no guarantee he couldn't press that button first.

"You'd like to sink that blade into me, wouldn't you? How satisfying would it be right now to feel the knife push through my flesh and into my heart? Do you think you could do it before I killed your precious Natalie? Would you like to find out?" He smiled, a sickening twist of his face that left me no option but to cooperate—for now. He likely planned to kill us both, but nothing was over until it was over.

I pushed the knife across the table, and it stopped halfway. We could both still reach it, but neither of us made a move for it. He stared down at me and laughed and I closed my eyes in the face of it. Somehow looking at him and waiting for what came next made it all worse. The sickening betrayal, the memories of the past, it all mixed together in a toxic mess that threatened my very sanity.

That was my second mistake. My first not seeing that he would find a way to get to me no matter how prepared I'd been.

Before I could react, he pounced, grabbing the knife and swiping it across first one bared wrist and then my other. He moved faster than I'd imagined possible and when I brought up my other hand to fight back, he grabbed it and manacled it to the table, as well as the other while the knife clattered to the ground.

Natalie’s screams filled the room.

"Shut up and come here, little girl," he ordered her. She shook her head, her fear making her shake, although her screams turned to whimpers. "Come here or I will press that fucking button and be done with you. If you aren't useful then I don't need you. Now get your sweet ass over here."

She was shaking so violently now I wasn't even sure if she could function. "Leave her alone. I won't fight you. Just let her go and I’ll do whatever you want." I looked down at the wrist he'd already cut to see he had not missed his mark. He'd sliced vertically across my vein and deep enough to be a problem. I'd be lucky if I had ten minutes to figure this shit out before it was too late.

"Oh for fuck's sake. Just bring me the fucking rope," he ordered.

She stared at him like a deer caught in headlights. Frozen. Unable to move. But she had to or this was all going to end now.

“Natalie, look at me!” I spoke sharply, hoping I could get her to focus. When she turned her head and caught my gaze, I breathed a sigh of relief. "Do what he says. Whatever it is. You do it, okay?" She slowly nodded, but I wasn't sure she comprehended much beyond the fear seizing her. "Trust me. Now go get the rope."

She disappeared through the doorway and returned thirty seconds later with the rope in hand. Obviously, he'd lain his trap in a variety of ways and methodically prepared for my arrival.

I'd been wrong and I should have seen it. He'd stood by and watched Frank do the vile things he was so infamous for. He might have been a bystander then, but that was over now. If given half the chance I believed he would live up to his father's reputation and more. Left unchecked, Anthony could become even more psychotic than his father.

"Tie her arms to the chair," he ordered. "Hurry."

I looked up at him to find him breathing heavy. Heavier than he should have been. My heart hitched. I wasn't ready to count my chickens yet, but there was still hope.

Natalie walked closer, and after a brief hesitation did as she was told. When she was done, he released my wrists and finished tying off the rope. It wasn't tight enough on my arms to staunch the blood flow by much, but the knots were not going to budge.

He pulled an old-fashioned handkerchief out of his jacket pocket and proceeded to wipe my blood from where it had splashed on his face. He wiped his hands as well and I prayed to God that wouldn't ruin my plan.

He returned to his seat and plopped down, looking worn out from our scuffle. "You're strong, I'll give you that. But not strong enough. You still made my job too easy by coming here."

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