Page 208 of Never Die for a Sinner
I close my eyes, tears slipping down my cheeks at the sound of Levi’s voice. Dark and sinister. Deadly.
Alex looks over his shoulder at me and grins. I glare at him through the tears in my eyes.
“Hello, golden boy.”
My vision swims. Just the sound of him makes my chest ache. I want to crawl through the phone and fall into his arms. Hearing his voice, my body aches for him like it’s next breath.
“If you hurt even a single fucking hair on her head,” Levi says, venom in every syllable, “I promise I’m the last thing you’ll see before God.”
Alex chuckles menacingly, his menacing smile widening to show his teeth. “God doesn’t want me, Cross.” He squats back down in front of me, eyes black and soulless. “It’s the devil I’ll see, and when I do, I’m taking your pretty little whore with me.”
“You know I’m going to hunt you down.” Levi’s voice drops to a whisper, more terrifying than a scream. “And when I find you, I’ll feed your balls to you like hors d’oeuvres while you bleed out in whatever cesspool you’re hiding out in.”
Alex shrugs. “Relax, your little pet is alive for now. See?”
He thrusts the phone in my face, and I suck in a shaky breath, my throat cracking with emotion.
“L-Levi?”
“Baby, I’m coming for you.” I blink back tears, knowing that there’s no way we both make it out of this alive.
His voice is rough, vehement on the other end, and suddenly it’s like the last week didn’t happen. All I want to do is go to him and let him hold me. Forget everything that happened and just soak in the warmth and safety of his touch.
“Levi . . . I’m scared,” I whisper, and Alex laughs sadistically.
“I know, baby,” Levi says. “Just hold on. I’ll explain everything to you later, just don’t—”
“Time’s up. Sorry, I’m a very busy man.” Alex steps back, and I let out a hoarse scream of anger. “You have one hour to get me Nolan Marks. If you fail, I’m slicing her throat.”
Click.
Then silence.
Alex slides the phone back into his pocket and steps over to me. I shrink away from him, but he’s faster, grabbing the handle of the knife and ripping it out of my leg. I scream at the pain, arching against the brick wall behind me when he steps back, as nonchalant as if he were contemplating taking a walk.
“I’ll be back in a bit,” he says as he heads towards the door. He turns back to me, smiling with his hand on the handle. “Don’t forget to finish your dinner.”
AVA
Looks like your little boyfriend isn’t going to show,” Alex says, glancing at the Rolex on his wrist, his voice casual—mocking.
I don’t know how much time has passed—hours? Days? Time’s been eaten alive by the dread pounding in my chest—but I know my jaw aches around the gag, a dull, constant throb that’s begun to blur into the rest of the pain.
I glare up at him, defiant through tear-clumped lashes. My cheeks are raw, streaked with salt and desperation, but I don’t look away. Iwon’tgive him that.
Alex exhales as if bored, stretching like he’s just gotten out of bed, and rises to his feet with a grunt.
“Well, I guess that’s that,” he says, almost disappointed. “I gave him a chance. Unfortunately, you’ll pay for it with your life.”
Panic claws at my throat when he steps forward. I jerk back instinctively, a strangled cry caught behind the gag. The rope around my wrists bites deeper into my already raw skin as he hauls me up like I’m made of rags.
No!
I’m so damn sick of everyone thinking they can toss me around like I’m disposable.
I twist violently in his grasp, and the back of my head slams into his nose. The sickening crunch of bone meets my ears, followed by a sharp, guttural curse.
“Fuck,” he growls. “You’re more trouble than you’re worth.”
