Page 43 of Shifting Gears

I slowly reached over and grabbed it, seeing a video waiting to be played. It was a dark screen, but as soon as I pressed the button, I instantly felt sick to my stomach. With the volume fully up, I could hear my and AJ’s moans as we made love. I watched in horror as the phone lowered to the floor, where there was just a big enough gap for the camera to see inside the room. Ourheads were out of frame, but there was no mistaking my back tattoo as I rode him, facing away from the camera.

“At first, I didn’t want to believe that you—the meek woman that you are—would be brazen enough to do something like this. But the back tattoo leaves no doubts. So, tell me, is his cum still dripping out of you, whore?” he sneered.

I dropped the phone back onto the desk. The video had stopped not long after my body was shown. But I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of answering that question. I sat there in total silence, looking straight at him. Not allowing my gaze to waver.

“Not that I needed any more confirmation after they secured that video, but they still stuck around until the morning. Where they saw you two against the car he drove and you basically climbing down his throat as the two of you made out in broad daylight.” He grabbed the phone and placed it back inside his pocket.

His smirk grew, flashing his teeth at me.

“Raven, do you want to know something fascinating about your name?”

Kaito’s voice was so calm and level; it was unsettling every fiber of my being as I sat in the chair across from him.

Suddenly, his large desk felt so small, like the space was closing in on us, forcing me to be closer to him as I swallowed.

“What about my name?” I asked, my heart pounding as every muscle in my body bunched tightly inside me.

“A group of ravens is called the most peculiar thing. Anunkindness. Much like what your betrayal is to me. You sit in my home, as my fiancée, my soon-to-be wife. And yet, I find out that you have been sleeping around like a whore one could buy for the night. Do you know what people would say if they found out about this? They would call me a fool. Do you think I am a fool,Raven?” He stood up, placing his hands on his desk and looking down at them.

“Depends,” I whispered to myself.

“What was that?” His voice was deeper, dangerous-sounding.

“No, Kaito,” I said loudly.

He laughed, and I clenched my hands together to keep from digging my nails into the chair’s armrest.

He walked around his desk and came to a stop in front of me. I kept my eyes straight ahead, refusing to meet his gaze. Of course, that didn’t work for him. He grabbed the chair on either side of me and leaned down, his mouth by my ear.

“You aren’t a real raven. You are as timid and small as a crow. And you are soon going to share something else in common with them. Do you want to know what a group of crows is called, my stupid whore of a fiancée?” he said at a rapid pace next to me.

I didn’t reply, knowing he would simply tell me what he wanted to say anyway.

“Amurder.”

I reacted instantly. This wasn’t just a reprimand this time. No, he didn’t plan on letting me leave this room alive.

I shoved against him, but his grip was strong, and the struggle tipped the chair. He let me fall sideways, and I rolled away from the chair onto my stomach, panic filling my mind as I desperately tried to get up.

His laughter filled the room as I felt his hands wrap around one of my legs and yank backward. I twisted onto my back and watched as he dragged me to the back of his office behind his desk.

I kicked at him—hard. It connected with his knee, and he swore as his grip loosened, barely enough for me to free myself. I moved backward and pushed myself to my feet. Not waiting around, I ran toward the doors. I threw myself at them, twisting the knobs, but they wouldn’t budge.

Locked from the outside.

There was no use in screaming for help. No one in this home would betray him for me. I was on my own. If I wanted to leave here alive, I would have to do it by killing Kaito. Even then, the chance that any of his men would allow me to leave after killing their boss was slim.

“You’re not going to get away. I’ve put up with your obstinance for so long, but now I’m done. Your other sister will make a much more willing bride than you. Time to clip your wings forever, Little Bird.”

I looked around the room as Kaito walked over to a bookshelf, opening up a drawer and pulling out a knife.

“You’ll touch my family over my dead body,” I snapped at him as I prepared to fight.

I didn’t know if Kaito had any real fighting experience, so I needed to proceed with caution. But I wasn’t going to let him touch me again if I could help it.

“That’s the plan.”

With that, he lunged at me, swinging the knife. I dodged, but he twisted the blade and swung backward, catching my thigh cleanly. I swore. I aimed to distance myself from Kaito as much as possible, but the cut was deeper than I’d thought, and blood was flowing down the side of my leg onto the floor by the time I got a few feet away.

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