Page 10 of Fervent

Laughter. Footsteps.

I crawled to my feet, body swaying, and faced the three of them. With a roar, I launched at them, but the manacles around my ankles tripped me up and sent me crashing to the cement again. Pain shuddered through my injured shoulder, and I bit back a groan.

The four of us grappled on cold concrete, grunting under the fight to get the upper hand. One of them slammed my face into the ground, and stars swam in my vision for a few seconds. Strong hands wrenched my arms behind me and shackled my wrists together.

“I’m gonna enjoy this.” Cleft tugged my sweats down with a too-familiar laugh. He settled his bulky frame over me and straddled my thighs, just like in my nightmares, only this was real.

Happening all over again.

They held me down by the shoulders, pressed my ankles to the ground. Eager fingers slid between my ass cheeks, separating, seeking entrance. Cleft nudged his erection against my backside, a moment away from shoving it in, when the door burst open.

“Get the fuck off of him!”

I twisted my head, and my whole world shattered, everything logical lost to insanity. Jax stood in the doorway, the light from the hall casting him in silhouette, though I’d known it was him the instant he’d spoken.

“We’re just having a little fun,” Cleft said.

“Fun’s over. Fucking him isn’t part of the plan.”

Muscle Guy watched while I showered. His brother, the tall and lanky one, had left us alone. I braced myself against the grimy tile, my body still weak from the beating. The pipes overhead whined under the pressure of spitting out water, and the tepid spray sluiced over my head, slid down my stinging skin, and turned pink by the time the rivulets hit the drain at my feet.

The weight of his stare pressed on me, and the metal collar he’d locked around my neck threatened to choke me. He’d attached a chain to the hook at the center of my throat, and he held the other end in his large fist.

Every few seconds, he pulled on it to taunt me.

The water wasn’t warm enough to stop the chills from tickling my skin. His strikes ran through my head on constant replay, especially the part where he’d managed to break what I thought had already been broken. I’d lost control of my fucking bladder.

If I’d given in and sucked Lucas’ cock, would they have spared me this? Would my rebellion cost Rafe his life? The thought of what they might be doing to him tormented me, and I held my breath, unwilling to allow air into my lungs.

“Time’s up,” he said, voice echoing off the tiles.

Startled, I shot out a hand toward the faucet and shut off the water on the first try. Palming my breasts, I turned around. The room was one big shower stall with several showerheads on each wall, but it was empty save for us. His gaze dipped to my stomach, and he raised a brow.

“Wonder what your man thinks of that carving. Should I add my name to the mix?” He came at me, each step a calculated move of predator stalking prey. He raised a hand, and I froze, resisting the urge to flinch. I thought he was going to strike me again, or worse, but the door to the shower room opened, offering a perfectly timed interruption. A man I didn’t recognize dragged a girl inside by the same type of collar that circled my neck. She crawled on her hands and knees, and her wide eyes—a startling shade of blue that rivaled the sky in the dead of summer—zeroed in on me. Huge drops fell from her thick lashes, and a plea trembled from her lips.

“Please…”

“No talking!” The guy gave the chain a swift yank, and her blond head jerked forward. He yanked her up by the arm and pushed her to the wall, then switched on the spray. She sobbed, her arms wrapping around her naked body as the water drenched her hair.

“Got a new one, huh?” Muscle Guy said.

“Yep, but she isn’t gonna be much fun. She’s already half broken, and I haven’t even touched her yet.”

She shrank away from him with a strangled cry, as if his words alone were enough to cause her physical pain. Sickened by the terror on her face, I turned away, but she started screaming. I whirled, my heart in my throat, expecting to see the guy hurting her, but her stricken gaze remained locked on me.

“Wh-what happened to you?”

My backside flared in pain at the reminder of Muscle Guy’s cane, and he smirked before I could say anything.

“I want a shot at her before you start training,” he said. “She’s exactly the type of pussy our base wants to see on film. She’ll put up a real whiny fight.”

“No can do. She’s a virgin. Boss doesn’t want her on film. She’s going to auction.”

Her huge eyes begged me, as if she thought I could save her from a fate worse than a fiery pit. I bit my lip, hating how helpless we both were. They were going to ruin her—an innocent girl who barely looked eighteen.

And Rafe and I…

Lucas had his own agenda when it came to us, that much was clear. But we’d also seen too much in this place. There was no way they’d let us out of here alive.

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