Page 85 of The Heart of a Villain

“The underworld knows them as Dark Protégés.

I call them family.”

Aileen

Aileen

Sitting up and rubbing the sore spot on my nape, I press my back against the cage’s bars while studying the environment around me.

Lavender sits several feet away from me, rocking back and forth as she hums some— annoying under the current circumstances—song, while Jesse shivers, her teeth chattering against each other despite the humidity being so strong here.

Probably from fear, as we are locked in a huge cage in the basement that must be Rush’s dungeon, as various weapons are spread through the perimeter.

Gun and knife collections on the right, poisons and drills on the left, with ropes and chains in the middle.

He has several metal cages for his victims, and there is even an electric chair attached to a TV, as if he likes to record his victims or something.

The scent of chlorine pollutes the air and makes me cough while I wonder about the irony of it all.

Just two days ago, I’d been terrified to end up here among all this armor he uses to keep his demons at bay, but now? Now I wish he were here, so he could punish all these despicable men who kicked us and dragged us inside, while we watched them beat William and George before they locked them in another cage.

I glance at it, the two old men sitting and hugging each other while breathing heavily as blood drips from their foreheads.

George musters up a smile for me, but it slips away when the man holding us hostage, one of Jade’s goons, laughs and rattles the cage. “Look at all of you.” He swipes his gaze over us before licking his lips. “Going to enjoy fucking each one of you while the old fuckers watch.” Nausea assaults me and I send daggers his way. “Serves them right for all the disrespect they have shown me.” I recognize this guy; he’s the one who gave me the creeps on the first day here.

I guess I should always trust my gut; it’s never failed me before. He must have always worked for Jade, or he paid enough money for them to follow his orders.

Greed will end humankind someday.

“Should I start with you?” He points at Lavender, who stops rocking and raises her eyes to him, pure rage in them while she smiles maniacally at this. “Nah, I’m into crazy, but I’m not allowed to. Although…” He trails off before laughing again. “What Jade doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Crazy people don’t talk right, and no one believes them anyway.”

“Shut up!” Jesse shouts at him. “The only crazy person here is you.”

“Fucking asshole,” I hear Lavender mutter while she grips her knees, once again this weird feeling coming over me, as if she’s indeed acting.

Did Jade do something that made her hide her mental state and play the part so he’d leave her alone?

He shifts his attention to Jesse. “Oh, I’d love to fuck you. Always giving me attitude while kissing Mark. You practically begged for it, dancing around in all these outfits in front of me.”

“She isn’t responsible for your sick mind, you fucking perv,” I snap at him when Jesse is lost for words, fear flashing in her gaze at the prospect of being touched by this guy. “Who’d willingly sleep with you anyway?”

Judging by how his cheeks redden, I hit a nerve, and his grip on the bar tightens. “I will start with you. The boss treated you like a precious stone, as if you’re anything special. Bitches like you need to learn a lesson that a woman is good for nothing but being on her knees.”

I hold back the grin threatening to spread on my mouth as he plays right into my hand.

If I evaluated his character correctly, he’d want an audience, so he could show off in front of them. This way no one would question his nonexistent power.

He rattles the bars again. “Prepare to suck a dick, bitch. I will be back with my buddy.”

Ah, people are so predictable.

With this, he goes up the stairs, presses in the code, and disappears, probably in search of his partner, who dragged us here, as they both dreamed about torturing us, finding it hilarious.

The minute the door closes, I remove my track jacket and then fish inside my T-shirt, taking off my bra.

The girls gape at me in shock, as if I have lost my mind, and Jesse whispers, “Are you actually… getting naked?”

“No. I just need this.” I tear off the bra and fish straight for the underwire beneath the padding.

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