Page 35 of Darkest Game
Liam tries pulling against his ties and gets nowhere. “You can’t be serious. I killed Jack to save Irina from being raped and now you suggest I just give her over to be raped by multiple men? You’re fucking insane, Elaine.”
“Language,” she snaps.
“Says the woman talking about letting another woman be raped.”
I look right at Elaine and hope she can see me for who I am: an innocent woman who doesn’t want any part of this. “Just let me go. You hated me anyway. Just let me go back home.”
She scoffs. “Why in the world would I do that? You would just get your brothers-in-law to come and kill me. It’s not happening.”
“I promise. I won’t. Jack was the one who tried to hurt me. You were against it. I’ll tell them that. You can make a deal with Mikhail and Nico. But you need me to help. Please.”
My pleading falls on deaf ears as she turns to the men behind her. “Who wants a piece of the girl first?”
“Please,” I sob, dropping my head to my chest. Knowing Jack was going to rape me was bad enough but now multiple men?
“You fucking bitch,” Liam shouts. “Just let Irina go. I’m the one who killed Jack. Punish me.”
“I never knew you were a selfless man, Liam. You shouldn’t have killed my husband. If you had just killed the girl, I would have helped protect you.”
“Bullshit. You would have let Jack kill me. Either way, I was dead the second I killed Jack. But let Irina go. She never asked for any of this. She’s just an innocent.”
“She tempted my husband!” A vein on the side of Elaine’s head throbs as she screams. “That cannot stand. She deserves to be raped for it.”
My breath hitches. How can another woman do this to me? It’s a betrayal that cuts deeper than if Elaine were a man.
“That is your way out of here, Liam. The girl will be taken by Jack’s men and you’ll be free to go. Of course, you’ll have to watch and then you’ll be free to go. I’m going to be taking over for Jack now.”
“You’re not a man.”
Elaine sneers at him. “I am the wife to a powerful man.”
“A powerful man who’s dead.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m still his wife. His men will respect me. Follow me. Now, I can choose for these men not to rape the girl. But to do that, you’ll both die. If you want to live, Liam, then you’re going to have to let the girl be taken by these men. It’s your choice. Death for both of you or life for you and rape for the girl.”
I look between Elaine and Liam. The reality is, while Liam may have saved me, I barely know him still. He could choose to let me be raped while he walks away scot-free. I know he partiallykilled Jack because Jack was belittling him. He didn’t only kill Jack just for me.
Liam has even admitted to me that he tends to do things only for himself. I have no hope that I’ll be saved. My options are either rape or death.
“What happens after I’m… taken?” I ask.
Elaine glares down at me. “What?”
“Once I’m taken by… these men.” I nod at them standing behind Elaine, looking way too relaxed given the situation. “What happens to me then? Do I die? Or am I free to go?”
“Irina,” Liam warns.
“What? I have to know.”
Elaine taps her chin. “You know what. I’ll be kind to you. I’ll let you live after you’ve been taken by the three men behind me. You can return to your family but you’ll have to tell Mikhail and Nico that I helped save your life. Otherwise, I’ll come find you and kill you myself personally. You know I’m capable of it.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
She presses her hands on top of mine and squeezes hard. I bite my tongue to keep from screaming. “Guess you’re just going to have to trust me.” The moment she releases my fingers, I let out a sob.
I do not want to be raped and to live with that trauma for the rest of my life but… I also don’t want to die. This could be my chance to go home. My life will be changed forever but that doesn’t mean it has to be over.
“What’s it going to be?” Elaine asks.
