Page 9 of His Property

“Mae, I’m so fucking sorry. Please forgive me. I swear—”

“Shut up,” Victor snaps, his smile vanishing and his cold eyes burrowing into TJ. “You had your chance to speak.” His eyes move to me, and he dips his chin. “Your turn. Where’s the money?”

“Money?” I turn to TJ, trying to make sense of all this.

How does Victor know TJ? Why does he have a gun on him? What the fuck is going on?

TJ turns his eyes to the floor like he’s too ashamed to look at me. He usually looks older than his eighteen years, but his trembling body and hunched shoulders make him appear every bit the kid he is. I’ve never seen someone so scared.

I turn back to Victor who’s eyeing me up like he’s confused or searching for something.

He recognizes me.

But he doesn’t know from where.

“Do I know you?” he asks, moving his eyes up and down my body then landing on my face. I don’t need to answer. I see it in his eyes the moment he places me, and his lips lift into his signature sinister grin.

When he chuckles, my eyes dart to the gun lazily dangling at his side. “Hey, Mouse.”

I can feel TJ’s eyes on me, probably hoping I have some influence over Victor and can help us both. He’s about to be disappointed.

“What money are you talking about?” I ask, trying to sound as brave as I can. I subtly shift so that I’m partially blocking TJ. “What do you want?”

Victor licks his bottom lip and tilts his head while he eye-fucks me without shame. “Unfortunately, this isn’t about what I want.” He meets my eyes and smirks. “You’re lucky for that.”

Glaring at him, I tug my robe closed. His expression only becomes more amused.

Victor uses the gun to gesture at TJ, and both of us flinch. “The kid owes five thousand dollars, and he says you have a stash of cash hidden in your house. Go get it.”

“What?” My eyes widen. I dart my gaze between TJ and Victor. “I don’t have that kind of money.”

“Hm,” Victor replies. “Shame. I guess I’ll have to kill you both then.”

He raises the gun to point at TJ’s head.

“No!” I push TJ to the carpet then jerk in front of him and throw my arms up. I lower to my knees and tuck my face into my shoulder, squeezing my eyes tightly shut. TJ’s head presses into my back, and his hands dig into me like he’s trying to latch on.

“Wait,” I say. “Please wait.”

Victor laughs, and I peek at him through half-closed lids. The gun is lowered some, pointing at my midsection instead of my head, but his posture doesn’t suggest he’s about to shoot. He thinks this is funny.

“Please, I have money.” I hold my hands in front of my face and slowly climb to my feet. “Just hold on.”

“Not that I don’t have a deep level of trust in you, Mouse, but I think I’ll come with.” Victor lowers the gun, bringing minimal relief, and he steps toward me.

I look at TJ and give him what I hope is a ‘get help’ message, but I don’t know if he understands. It doesn’t matter. Victor puts a boot to TJ’s chest and shoves him to the floor. He steps on TJ’s neck and points the gun at his head.

“Get off him!” I yell, grabbing onto Victor’s arm and trying to yank him off TJ. Victor grabs my hair with his non-gun-wielding hand and pulls my head back, holding me at arm’s length. My scalp burns, and TJ’s eyes bulge as he tries to get a breath.

Victor stares down at TJ and ignores me. “If you move a muscle, I’m going to take my time with you both. I promise, you don’t want to see what I’m going to do to your pretty little sister.”

I still.

Victor looks at me, and he dips his eyes to the cleavage spilling from my top. I get the urge to close my robe again, but I can’t move.

“Well,bigsister, I guess. Half or step?”

For a moment I think his question must be rhetorical, but he waits for an answer. He’s still choking TJ, but he doesn’t seem to notice or care.

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