Page 55 of Torment

“Don’t you fucking talk about her, youmurderer,” Hunter shouted.

Brent let out a mocking gasp and placed his hands in front of his mouth. “Oh dear. Did you finally figure out that your dearly beloved Blue’s accident was, in fact, not an accident after all?”

How did he…

“Yes,” Brent continued. “I know everything there is to know about you, Mr. Keaton. I’m an intelligent man, and never venture into any kind of business transaction without making sure I know everything there is to know about the other party.”

The slick, sly, suit-wearing ugly rat motherfucker.

Hunter jerked, trying one last time to free himself—but failed. Out of breath, he glared at Brent with enough hate to fuel an entire legion of demons. “Well, if you’re that intelligent, you also know that I’m going to be the one that drives a knife through your fucking heart.”

“Temper, temper, Mr. Keaton. No need for any more violence. But I have to say, I do have one regret.” Brent walked up, coming so close Hunter could feel the fucker’s filthy breath against his face. “I regret not fucking little Willow too.”

And then Hunter lost it.

He screamed like a demon being tortured, begging to be set free—to kill. “I’m going to kill you, you sick motherfucker! I swear to God I’ll rip your goddamn throat out!”

While Hunter thrashed and pulled and tried his motherfucking best to get loose so that he could tear the bastard in front of him apart, Brent just stood there looking at him with his freaky eyes that seemed like they were laughing at him—mocking him.

Now,” Brent straightened the sleeves of his navy blue jacket, “our time is almost up. So I’m afraid we will be unable to finish our little chit-chat.”

When he turned around, walking straight toward Scarlet, Hunter thrashed some more, but to no avail.

“Mr. Riggs,” Brent started, slowly dragging his finger down the side of Scarlet’s face, causing her to jerk away from his touch. “I think it’s time we get our plan underway.”

Colton tightened his hold on Scarlet. “Our deal?”

Brent’s gaze flitted up to his. “I’ll keep my end of the bargain, Mr. Riggs. I’ll introduce you to Rex and make sure you are accepted into our circle of—how can I put it?—traders of the flesh.” He smiled wickedly, and Colton just nodded.

Who the fuck was Rex? Why did Colton want in to this circle? And why the fuck didn’t Colton look like a man who just got what he wanted?

Hunter glanced at Scarlet.And why the hell does she suddenly look like someone who had an epiphany punched right into her?

Brent brought his face closer to Scarlet’s, placing his hand behind her neck. For a moment, Hunter was sure she would vomit, judging by the sudden faint look on her face. Jesus Christ, the fear that had to be pulsing through that woman right now…and there was not a damn thing Hunter could do about it.

While brushing his cheek against hers, Brent closed his eyes as if he relished the feel of her skin. “It’s going to be so much fun getting reacquainted with you after all these years apart, Little Red.”

“We were never together, you fucking psycho.” Scarlet thrashed violently, desperate to get away from him, but Colton only tightened his hold around her chest.

Brent smiled. “On the contrary, Little Red, we were together quite a few times, weren’t we? And I remember one specific time when it was just aspleasurablefor you as it was for me.”

Scarlet jerked her head up, and Hunter saw the tears in her eyes. She told Hunter about the one time her body betrayed her as Brent ripped a climax out of her. That was when Brent finally managed to break her in half. The time he tore her soul to pieces. And by God, the fact that Brent knew about it, that he knew what he made happen to her body, had to be her worst fucking nightmare.

“Scarlet, don’t let him get to you,” Hunter yelled, and she looked at him. The moment their eyes met, Hunter stopped struggling against the hold two men had on him. “Scar,” he said softly, “whatever you do, you fight. You fucking fight, you hear me? Do not let him win.”

Tears started to stream down her face, and Hunter felt the warmth of his own tears sting his eyes. He didn’t know whether he wanted to cry because he knew what was about to happen, or because he felt so goddamn helpless just standing there, unable to do anything.

“Mr. Riggs.” Brent let go of Scarlet’s neck and gave a step back. “Why don’t you take care of Mr. Keaton here while we escort my Little Red down to the vehicle waiting for us?”

“No!” Hunter screamed, starting to violently thrash and jerk again.

No fucking way. He promised her. He fucking promised her that he would keep her safe, yet here he was doing everything but that.

“Brent, you motherfucker! I swear to God I will find you and I will tear you the fuck apart!”

Scarlet kept staring at him, her eyes nothing but orbs of defeat. Hunter couldn’t breathe—he couldn’t fucking breathe.

His entire body was numb. His insides felt like they had been twisted with barbed wire, like the blood in his veins had turned to venom, poisoning him from the inside.

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