Page 114 of The Devil's Wrath

He crouched down to my level. “I already did that, and I quite enjoyed it. I can understand why Theo is so taken by you. That sweet pussy between those legs is divine.”

I recoiled from his vulgar words. Mustering what strength I had left, I gathered the blood and saliva in my mouth and spat it directly onto his face.

He wiped the bloody spittle from his cheek, and quick as a viper, his hand shot out, gripping my throat in a vice-like hold. Black spots danced in my vision as I gasped for breath that wouldn’t come. Just as darkness threatened to pull me under, he released his grip and threw my body to the ground. He stood up, looming over my battered form.

“Don’t worry, I’m not done with you yet.” He kicked me hard in the ribs, knocking the wind out of me. I curled into myself, gasping for air as pain lanced through my side.

He stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind himself. I didn’t know how long I lay there, drifting in and out of consciousness.

FORTY

WRENLY

Time ceased to have meaning in this hellish place. I didn’t know how long or how many times Igor tortured me before he left me alone, shivering from the damp air and blood loss. But eventually, I heard the door creak open once more. Footsteps approached, and I tensed, bracing myself for another onslaught of pain.

But the touch that came was gentle, almost tender. Soft hands brushed hair from my face, and I looked up to see Theo. He was speaking to me, but I couldn’t hear him. Was I dreaming? My vision blurred as I blinked up at the figure crouching over me. It couldn’t be real. Theo couldn’t be here, because if he was, it meant he had fallen right into Igor’s trap.

“Theo?” I croaked.

“I’m here, baby,” he murmured, gently cupping my face. “I’m here. I’m so sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.” Tears streamed down his face as he cut the restraints around my wrists and ankles and gathered me into his arms, cradling me against his chest. I clung to him, my fingers digging into his shirt, terrified that if I let go, he would vanish like a figment of my desperate imagination.

“How . . . how did you find me?” I managed to ask through chattering teeth. The cold seemed to have seeped into my very bones.

“Shh, don’t try to talk,” he soothed, shifting me so he could shrug off his jacket one arm at a time before he wrapped it around my trembling shoulders. His warmth and scent enveloped me, offering a small amount of comfort.

That’s when I remembered what Igor had said. “Theo, you can’t be here. It’s a trap.”

As if on cue, the sound of gunfire and shouting erupted outside the room. Theo’s head snapped up and his body tensed. He shifted me gently in his arms, reaching for the gun holstered at his hip.

“Stay with me,” he ordered, his voice low and urgent. Slowly, he rose to his feet, pulling me up with him. I leaned heavily against his side, my legs barely able to support my weight. Together, we limped toward the door, his arm wrapped protectively around my waist.

The door burst open before we reached it, and Igor strode in, flanked by two armed men. A cruel smile twisted his lips as he took in the sight of us. “Ah, The Ghost in the flesh. So predictable. I knew you’d come for your little whore.”

Theo aimed his gun at Igor’s head, his finger poised on the trigger. “Let her go, you sick fuck. This is between you and me.”

Igor tutted, shaking his head. “Oh but she’s a part of this now. You brought her into our game when you fell in love with her. Now you’ll both pay the price.”

“I swear to god, I’ll fucking kill you,” Theo growled, his hand steady despite the rage emanating from him in waves.

“Not before I make you watch as I break her beyond repair,” Igor sneered. “Drop the gun, or my men will paint the walls with her pretty brains.”

The click of a gun’s safety echoed behind us. Neither of us had realized that one of Igor’s men had been positioning himself out of our line of sight, too distracted by Igor. I tensed, feeling the cold metal press against the back of my skull. Theo’s eyes darted between Igor and the gunman as he calculated his odds. His grip tightened on his weapon, jaw clenched in frustrated helplessness.

The barrel was pressed against my temple, biting into my skin. Theo’s eyes flickered to me, anguish and fury warring in their depths.Slowly, he lowered his weapon to the ground, raising his hands in surrender.

“Good boy,” Igor mocked. “Now kick it over to me.”

Theo complied, sending the gun skidding across the floor. Igor bent to retrieve it, never taking his eyes off us. “Tie him up,” he ordered his men. “Make sure he has a good view of the show.”

Rough hands grabbed Theo, yanking his arms behind his back. He struggled against their hold, but a blow to his stomach doubled him over, gasping for breath. They bound his wrists and ankles, then shoved him to his knees, facing me.

Igor circled us like a shark scenting blood in the water. “I’m going to take my time with you,” he purred, trailing the gun along my jawline. “And your beloved will watch every moment, helpless to stop it.”

Tears slid down my cheeks as Igor’s free hand roamed over my body, groping and squeezing. Theo thrashed against his bonds, his eyes wild with desperation. “Don’t fucking touch her, you bastard!”

Igor chuckled darkly. “Oh, I’ve done more than just touch her. And I’ll continue to touch her until you beg me to kill her and put her out of her misery.” His fingers dug into the knife wound in my thigh, and I screamed. My vision went white as agony ripped through my body. He flung me to the ground at Theo’s knees. I lay there, trembling and sobbing, my blood staining the concrete. Theo strained against his bonds, desperate to reach me.

Igor smirked cruelly. “How touching,” he sneered. “The fearsome Ghost, brought to his knees by love. Pathetic.” He yanked my head back, and I cried out, my scalp burning. “Look at him,” he snarled. “Look into the eyes of the man who failed to protect you.”

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