Page 72 of Jump or Fall
She couldn’t stop the tears now. “Please, let me go.”
“Don’t make me say it again, sweetheart.”
Her fingers trembled as she tried to release the buttons. Eyes still shut, she clutched it in her hands rather than letting it fall away.
He stopped behind her, the weight of his gaze pressing down. Metal fingertips glided across her shoulders, making her flinch.
“How perfect—not a single stripe. If you do as I say, you can keep your job at Hyperion. Geller says you have promise, and if there’s anything I like more than fucking,” he stroked her hair, “it’s guns and armor.”
I’m not going to die?
“As for the boyfriend, though.” His footsteps left her side. He kicked a long, narrow box on the floor. “That I can’t allow. You belong to me.”
Her breath caught. “Lukas?”
“Come here.”
She couldn’t move.
Listen to him. It’ll be worse if you don’t.
Her legs wouldn’t budge.
He stomped across the room and seized her arm to drag her toward the box.
Please no, I don’t want to look.
“Open your eyes, doll.”
“No.”
He grabbed a fistful of her hair and jerked her head back, making pain erupt across her scalp.
“Stop!” she cried.
“Then open your fucking eyes.”
She did and he forced her head down to look at Lukas’s broken body inside the box. His face was torn to shreds, eyes missing, and his nose was split apart. The only recognizable thing was his clothes. The smell of blood was so overpowering, she had to fight the bile climbing up her throat.
Mara screamed and pounded her fists against her captor’s chest. “You’re a fucking psycho!”
He caught her wrists and spun her around, trapping her in a crushing embrace.
“Let me go!” she shrieked, sobs wracking her body.
“I’ll let that slide this time,” he murmured, his voice laced with venom. “But you won’t hit me again.”
A claw traced her spine and she shuddered. “It’s going to be so fun breaking you, my little doll.”
He hooked a finger into her waistband and with one quick motion, sliced through the fabric.
“No, no, no, no…” She squirmed, but couldn't break free from his grip. She pressed her thighs tightly together, trying to hold her clothes in place.
“I’m going to fuck you while you look at him.” He wrapped a hand around her throat and dragged his tongue along her cheek. “If you’re good, I won’t cover you in his blood.”
Her legs gave out. “Please… let me go…”
He dropped her to the floor. “Back onyour knees.”
