Page 27 of His Fury

“I don’t know how long I was there. It was in there that Ifound out that I’d lost my phone.” I blinked back more tears. “I realized no one would know I was gone. Julian thought I was going to Zayn to speak with him on his behalf.” I saw Rye flick his attention over my head, the look of disapproval evident. “Zayn and I…well, we aren’t together anymore. That’s misleading…I mean, we aren’t sleeping together anymore.” I shook my head as thoughts crowded my mind. “I’d texted him, and he’d told me he wasn’t at Elixir, but the likelihood of him texting back after that message was slim.” My eyes dropped once more. “That’s not how we left things between us.”

The silence behind me felt tenser.

I looked up at Rye. “Do you know how hard that was?” I asked, my voice a whisper. “To know that no one was missing you?”

I saw his guard drop, a flash of understanding in his eyes. “I do,” he said, his voice just as quiet. “I never want to feel that way again. I’m sorry you had to.”

I believed him. Pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes, I tried to stop the tears. That simple admission was too much. “I’m trying not to cry,” I mumbled. “Can you stop being human?”

He gave a low laugh. “Switching back to heartless bastard.”

“Thank you.” We shared a look, and he gave me an encouraging nod. “Where was I?” I wasn’t expecting an answer, and I didn’t wait for one. “When they came for me, he told me he was owed money. That’s when I knew it was because of Julian that I was there.” I ignored the muffled sound of despair behind me. “He thought I was his girlfriend or something. He called him lover boy.” I brushed away a tear, mad at myself for crying.

Rye’s head tilted slightly, his blue eyes watching me too carefully.

But still, he didn’t interrupt.

“He wanted his money. He said Julian had something of his, so he was taking something ofhis. I remember I told him that the kind of money he wanted would take time, but he told me they weren’t willing to wait for him to find it.” I drew in a breath.

Even pretending I was only telling Rye this, knowing the others could hear me, didn’t make it easier.

“The main guy came in and got me out of that room. He handed me a handkerchief for my hands and made sure I noticed the wall covered in blood.” I shuddered. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to sleep with the light off.” It was meant to be a throwaway comment, but it came out solemn and heavy. “I went outside with him. He offered me the choice to walk out of the room or be dragged out. I chose to walk.” My hands looped behind my neck as I processed everything, my head drooping slightly. “He asked me what an event planner does. I think I had a moment of hysteria because I started laughing. He asked if I was having a breakdown and if my job brought in money. I made some quip about it not being enough to interest him. He then asked if I lived alone, and I said they probably already knew that since they picked me up outside my door. Right?”

“Mmhmm.” Rye was watching me closely. Listening. Not reacting. Not judging.

“Yeah, I figured out he was calming me down. Talking about generic stuff, making me comfortable. Or trying to.”

“Seems like it,” he confirmed.

“He said my friend, lover, or whatever… I asked him if he meant Julian and he asked me how many boyfriends I had.” I exhaled loudly. “I said I had no money and he said he didn’t wantmymoney. He wanted my boyfriend’s money. Then he said Julian had friends in high places.”

I swallowed hard, keeping my eyes locked on Rye. Not on the way the room had gone completely still. Not on the way someone shifted uncomfortably behind me, and I knew it was Julian without looking.

I took a slow breath. “He handed me my phone. I thought I dropped it at my apartment. But he told me to call Julian. He told me that he’d been avoiding him, and it was time to make Muhammed come to the mountain or the other way around, I can’t remember, which way is it?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Rye said smoothly.

I tried to remember. “I think he told me that before I was in the room with no light and the bloody wall.” I frowned and looked at Rye apologetically. “I think I may be getting muddled up.”

“You’re doing great.” He gave me another smile. “Keep going.”

“He gave me my phone, told me to dial Julian or…” I choked.

I could feel the way Zayn’s tension spiked. I could feel Julien’s guilt radiating from across the room. But I didn’t look at either of them.

Just Rye.

“Isla…”

“Or I wouldn’t see tomorrow.” The room was so quiet I think I was the only one breathing. “He said it so… casually,” I continued, voice quieter now. “Like I was just another number on their books. Just…someone who could be thrown away.”

I didn’t say the worst part out loud. That I had believed it, that for a terrifying, gut-wrenching moment, I had thought I was going to die.

Rye’s gaze flickered, something unreadable passing through his face, before he gestured for me to continue.

“He said Julian would find a way to come running with his money. So I called Julian. Then he spoke to him and told him if he didn’t pay I would. In blood.” I tore my gaze off Rye’s. “And then,” I scoffed, disgusted with my reaction. “I was such a badass, I fainted.” I dared not look at him. I couldn’t cope if he laughed. “When I came to, I was back in the black room.”

“Did he say anything about Zayn?”

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