Page 56 of Fortress of the King

“Please,” I beg them. “I can’t go on like this.”

“You’ve earned a reward,” they say as I hear scuffling for a few moments. I run a hand through my hair, gripping tightly at the roots.

“Wait!” I call, thinking that they’re going to hang up.

“Rayne?” comes the voice down the phone after a second.

I almost drop my cell on the ground as my heart thrums in my chest.

“Mia!” Relief and adrenaline rush through me at the same time —she’s alive, thank God. “Are you all right?”

She sobs into the phone, and I want to break something. Seriously, if I had a baseball bat, I’d take it to their heads right now. I’ve never been capable of violence, even when Dane started to shove me around, I never fought back, but this is different.

This is nuclear. I’ll find them, and fucking kill them all.

“I’m okay…” she cries. “Please come get me, Rayne…please…”

“Have they hurt you?” I pace the room, pulling at my hair as I hear her crying.

“I’m okay … sort of….” There’s a commotion, and then I don’t hear her anymore.

Sort of?

“Mia!” I call. “Mia!”

I swallow hard, my throat thickening like I’ve swallowed cement and I think I’m going to pass out.

“She’s alive, there’s the proof you need,” that bastard says, coming back on the line.

“You won’t get away with this,” I whisper.

“Oh, but I am. And don’t go getting any fancy ideas. Remember, I have eyes everywhere.”

“She didn’t even get to speak to me!” I screech, losing all self-control.

“You’ll attend the Gala. We’ll send the details through, and that will be that.”

“That will be what?”

The line goes dead and I feel like I’m going to faint.

What fucking details?I try to calm down.Mia is alive,I remind myself.To hear her voice….that’s all that matters.

Tears well up in my eyes as I sob. They’ll probably be happy if I end up blowing my cover. What’s one more dead body to them anyway?

I have to be strong even though my mind runs rampant.

Whenever I think about just giving in and going to the police, I’m reminded that the man I’m currently sleeping with owns the police.

My phone rings again, making me jolt.

The devil himself is calling me, how fitting.

I clear my throat before answering and dab the tears from my eyes with my sleeve.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” I say, biting my lip, hoping my voice doesn't sound awful and shaky.

“Just thought I’d see how you are,Carina.”

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