Page 95 of Master of Lies

“Don’t move, bitch.” A gravely, unfriendly voice. Not Boer’s.

I waited. The crunching got closer. I gasped as my hands were jerked behind me, plastic cuffs jerked tight. A bag went over my head, smothering me.

Pain exploded in my head. Then nothing.

CHAPTER32

Jed

Iwas floating up to the surface. I could feel it happening, and I wished I could just dive deliberately back down. If only I could stay unconscious. Or better yet, die right now. Just cut loose, at will. Die on command before the horror began.

Before Boer filmed it to hurt Freya. If I could just spare her that.

But something dragged me upward like a hook, pulling me out of the miserable darkness. Noise, activity, on the other side of my bruised, swollen eyelids. It prodded and yapped at me. Boer’s voice. It sounded almost jolly.

Bad sign. The guy was practically chortling. The hell bitch replied, but she just sounded bored and irritated. Something was up. Something new.

I dragged in air, which made my broken ribs flare, bright as a red-hot coal. Stabbing pains, everywhere. Blood in my throat made me cough. Another drubbing of agony. I wondered if I had perforated organs. Internal bleeding from Boer’s kicking tantrum. I wondered how long it might take for that to kill me.

Too long. That would be too easy.

It didn’t really matter. It would all be over, sooner rather than later. I just wished I could just cut the lights of my own accord. Take away all Boer’s power by leaving him with a useless corpse. I should’ve gotten myself an emergency poison pill. Not my style, but hey.

Not that it would have helped me now, strung up like a side of beef. I had the long, hard road ahead, discovering the outer limits of pain. Not territory I had ever wanted to explore. It scared me shitless. But eventually I’d die. It would be over.

I heard the woman’s voice again. Nicole, Boer had called her. She liked to kick too. And the toes of her boots were pointy.

She was talking to a couple of big, fleshy bearded guys. New personnel. I had personally taken eight of Boer’s men off the board over the past week. Quick turnover. These guys should get hazard pay. It was a small satisfaction to cling to, before leaving this world. Hurray, I’d created frustrating logistical staffing issues for my archenemy.

Fuck, whatever. I’d take any win, however slight.

Boer’s laughter had a shrill, manic sound. He’d always been kind of an annoying asshole, though very tough and competent. But the fault-lines had never showed up so clearly before.

I forced my eyes to open. A needle of artificial light slid in, stabbing into my brain, like a spike through my eyeball. I would have vomited, but I already had. Many times. Nothing left in there to heave.

I dared another spike through the brain as I opened my eyes, focused…

Oh, fuck. Oh, no. Fuck, no.

Freya.Boer was clutching her arms behind her and shoving Freya in front of himself. She was in boots and jeans and a black sweatshirt. Her hair was wild and messy, glowing pale like a candle flame in the cold fluorescent light. Smeared with blood on one side.

Her face was ashy pale, but her hazel eyes burned into mine, taking in all the damage. I tried to say it with my eyes.Oh, baby. I love you. I love you. I’m so sorry. I would’ve done anything to keep this from happening to you.

Boer was holding forth, in a loud, triumphant voice, but I was so deep in Freya’s eyes, I couldn’t be bothered to understand the guy. Not until Boer spun Freya around and gave her a vicious slap to the face.

“Pay attention, you dumb cunt!” Board turned to him. “You, too, fuckface.”

Freya blinked, but she kept her cool. There was an angry mark on her cheek from his slap. I wanted to hurt him for that. But I was so fucking helpless.

That was the real torture. I wondered why the guy hated us so much.

“…understand me, you stupid fuck?”

I nodded, then endured the subsequent sick throb of pain that provoked.

“I understand,” I coughed out.

My voice was gravelly from yelling. Even though Boer knew I had never known the SmokeScreen codes, he liked to play with his prey just for the fun of it.

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