Page 46 of Ink Deep Devotion

My body trembles so strongly that my knees give out.“Stand up!” Dom kicks my feet and then pulls me to stand.

I stop functioning; my body obeys his commands.

“I needed you to see everyone around you was a viper trying to trick you.”

“You’re the viper,” I mutter as my sneaker catches on the transition of grass to pavement.

“I was protecting you.”

“You’re insane.” I need to get away from him.

The phone! Damian gave me my phone this morning. I feel the weight in my pocket as it begs for me to use it.

Dom snickers evilly,“I’m determined. I know what I want, and it’s you as my wife dancing on a stage for the world to see what they can never have. We’re perfect, Mila. Don’t worry; I forgive you for loving Dash. You’re still young, and he tricked you. We’ll make him suffer for it.”

I try to break free, but he swings me closer; my stomach hits him as he faces me, and that’s when I feel it; the tip of the knife starts to press into my side, breaking skin. I let out a pierced scream.

“Cry louder, and I’ll end you here.” He starts to twist the knife. It’s only an inch deep into my flesh, but it feels like it’s carving out my bones from my skin.

“Stop! I’ll listen!” Dash’s face flashes in my mind. It’s a shade of grey lighter than the dark chaos surrounding me.

Dom violently yanks the knife free, forcing my compliance as he moves the blade toward my spine. He presses the tip against my vertebra.“I could make sure you’d never be able to run from me again.” He murmurs to himself, his lips wrench up.

He’s…he’s going to sever my spine!“But then, how would I dance for you?” I bait him.Please don’t paralyze me!

His smile falters.“You’re right. You will dance for me; even if it’s in a cage, you will dance.”

We reach the front gates, and my two guards nod at Jared; one spots the bloody knife in his hand, but he does nothing.

“Make sure no one follows us,” Dom orders them as he shoves me into his car. I push my palm against the small cut. It won’t kill me; that fact somehow makes this all worse becausenow I’m trapped, alone with Dom, as he enters the car and begins to take me away.

We’re speeding past the front gates when Dom slaps the steering wheel.“I’m sorry.” He snaps.“I wish I didn’t have to do that.” He looks over at me, at the blood staining my clothing.

I don’t hide it. I let him see what he did.

“Buckle your seatbelt.” He mutters as he looks in the rearview mirror.

I snort,“Will it protect me from you?” Reaching up, I press my palm against the wound.

“It’s shallow.” Dom rolls his eyes.“I didn’t hit anything important.”

“I thought… I was important to you.” A new confidence slithers its way into my tongue.“Make up your mind, Dom.”

His eyes glue to the small trickle of blood seeping out from my side. Each inhale I take causes a small pestering burn. It’s not going to kill me; he just broke the skin to scare me. It worked.

I curl my knees up to my chest, hoping it will block Dom’s view. The trembles in my body are not part of the act. Slowly, I slip my free hand inside my pocket and feel for the phone.

“You are.”

“Liar!” I shout as I slip the phone free. I glance away from Dom as if disgusted and look down at the phone.Keep him talking so he doesn’t notice.“You smacked me; you stabbed me, and Blaze and…Jared.” All the information he revealed comes tumbling back in horror.

“Jared was hardly innocent.”

Glancing at the phone screen, I open the contacts and see the names. Dante, Nico—that’s Dante’s brother. Then there is Dash,Damian, Titan, and Cillian. There are two more names I don’t know, Leo and Anders.

My thumb hovers over Dash, but I glide it up and call Damian.

Dash would only leave me to suffer.

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