Page 65 of Sinful Kingdom

Stupid, stupid girl.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asks, softening his voice in a way I remember all too well. Only now, it makes my stomach revolt.

“Stay away from me,” I try to say as he continues to prowl closer like a lion stalking its prey.

Alex watches our exchange with fury burning in his eyes. I don’t need to look up to see it. I feel it.

It gives me the strength I need to get my legs beneath me once more and clumsily climb to my feet.

For all of about three seconds, I might have a little control over the situation, but then I back up and gasp when I collide with a body.

“There, there, Evie,” Grant purrs, reaching up to pull my hair away from my neck. Dipping low, he drags his nose up the column of my throat, breathing me in. “As sweet as ever,” he murmurs.

My mouth waters as bile burns up my throat.

“I told you she was beautiful,” Pete says, his eyes eating up every inch of me. “And more than worth the money that stupid prick put on her head.”

I whimper as Pete pulls a knife from somewhere and holds it up in front of me.

“You’ve made us work for it, haven’t you, sweetheart? And while we understand that we might not quite be getting what we paid for, I think it might actually work out for the best.

“You see… that… that boy up there,” Pete says, pointing back at Alex. “He seems to think that you’re his. But that’s not true, is it, sweetheart?”

I have to fight not to vomit all over myself when he reaches out and brushes his knuckles down my cheek, his knife still in his hand.

Grant’s fingers dig deeper into my arms before he presses the length of his body harder against me, allowing me to feel just how much he’s enjoying this.

I glance up at Alex over Pete’s shoulder. He might still be silent, but he’s on the verge of losing his shit. It’s bubbling up behind his eyes.

I want to tell him that it’s okay. That I’m not alone. That soon, everyone who loves him as much as I do is going to storm this place and get us all out of here.

My breath catches as realisation slams into me.

Zay.

Where the fuck is Zay?

I frantically look around for any sign of him. But there’s nothing.

“You want him in here?” Pete offers. “He’s been so brave. You’ll be so proud of him.”

At the mention of Zay, Alex breaks.

“No,” he roars. “Leave him out of this.”

Despite knowing he can’t get down, Alex thrashes against his bindings.

As much as the sight rips me apart, it also makes my heart swell for how fiercely he’s willing to fight for my little brother.

With drool now running from the corners of my gagged mouth, I silently beg him to stop. The more he fights, the more he bleeds, and the more of that he loses, the weaker he’s going to be.

We’re going to win this fight. We are. I have to believe that. And when it happens, he’s going to want to be standing beside his brothers, watching this place go up in smoke.

A door opens somewhere to the side of me, and I look over.

A scream of horror rips from my lips at the sight of my sweet, innocent little brother also bound and gagged. Tears stream from his petrified eyes.

It’s okay, Zay. I’m here. I’m going to fix it all.

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