Page 31 of Deadly Intentions

“Why are you doing this?” I tilted my eyes toward him.

“Because money talks.” He grunted. “Shut up and you’ll be fine. Javier plans to use you to get money out of your brothers. He knows who you are, Catarina Anastasi.”

“If you know who I am, then you know you won’t get a dime from my family. The only thing you’ll get is death.”

Javier stepped through the door, clapping. “Nice performance. I am not afraid of death, but you should be.” He squatted beside me. “Such a shame.” His finger trailed down my jaw and along my collarbone. “I could have made you a queen.”

“Fuck you.” I spat in his face.

Javier laughed as he wiped the spit off his cheek. “Stupid girl.” His arm lashed out; his fingers wrapped around my throat. He pulled my body toward him, causing the chair to tilt toward him. The stench of his cigar-stained breath wafted across my skin, his lip mere inches from my own. “I said I wouldn’t hurt you. But you need to be taught a lesson.”

Javier slipped a knife from his pocket, the blade glinting beneath the fluorescent lights. I watched as he slipped the blade beneath my scrub top and drew the blade toward my face. The fabric separated with ease, falling open to bare my skin beneath. He pushed the material further apart and cupped my breast.

“I’m going to break you in. A woman like you needs to know your place.” Javier used the knife to cut my bra from my body.

The cool air caused my nipples to pebble as soon as they were exposed. Tears leaked from my eyes as he ran his hand down the center of my chest. “You will learn your place.” His voice whispered into my ear.

I turned my head away from him, refusing to look at the monster touching me. He continued his exploration of my body, his rough fingers tracing the contours of my exposed breasts.

“Javier.” Dr. Brooks spoke. “This wasn’t part of the plan.”

“You’re not in charge, Gringo. I am. I will do what I please with her and you will watch, or I will cut off your head.” Javier gripped my chin, forcing my eyes to look at him. “When I am done with you, no man will want to touch you.”

“Please.” I begged, knowing my cries were falling on deaf ears.

His tongue flicked out and traced the line of my jaw to my ear. He pressed his lips close to my head and spoke with such venom, my body shook. “Maybe I’ll just keep you for myself.”

I gasped at his words. My body shifted, trying to pull away from his hold, but he tightened his grip. The sensation of something sliding down my hip brought a renewed sense of hope. The tiny screwdriver I’d hidden inside my scrubs was still there. It hadn’t fallen out when I was thrown to the ground. Now, if I could only get my hands free, I might be able to save myself from the future hell I was facing.

“I need to make some calls.” Javier stepped back, allowing me to breathe. “When I return—" he smirked at me, his eyes filling with lust. “—we will become better acquainted. Stanley.” He turned to Dr. Brooks. “Have one of the guards help you clear the table off and strap her to it. I’ll need it when I come back.”

I watched through tear-filled eyes as Javier stalked out of the warehouse, leaving me with Dr. Brooks.

“I didn’t take you for a monster.” My voice was hoarse from being choked. “Is this what you wanted? To watch that monster rape me?”

“Shut up,” he spat, moving toward the table. “Women throw themselves at him. You should be so lucky he wants you.”

“Wants me?” I laughed. “Javier doesn’t want me. He only wants to humiliate me. My brothers will kill you when they find me. You think Javier is scary? You should be scared of La Lama.”

His eyes widened at my threat. “La Lama? He’s not real. That’s a ghost story told to scare people. And I’m not afraid of your brothers. They don’t know Javier and what he is capable of.”

I snorted. “You’re a fucking twat, and I hope my brother cuts your dick off and shoves it down your throat.” For the first time in my life, I was grateful for who I was and where I came from. Because being an Anastasi might have come with a burden—but it came with loyalty too. And that meant my family was coming for me.

Dr. Brooks cleared the table off as Javier requested. He disappeared out the door, only to return with another man. “Help me get her onto the table.”

The guard squatted beside me and used a knife to release the zip ties holding me to the chair. His eyes trailed my body, shimmering with interest when he spied the tattered shirt hanging open.

“I wouldn’t touch her. Javier had made plans that don’t include you marking up her body,” Dr. Brooks snapped, causing his hand to drop to his side. “Grab her while I cut her hands free, and then we’ll carry her over there.” He tilted his head toward the table.

He freed my hands, giving me only a moment to react. I tugged out the small screwdriver and jammed it into the guard’s neck. Blood spurted out, coating my already ruined scrubs in crimson droplets. His eyes widened in shock as his hand covered the tiny instrument protruding from his throat. I pushed off his stunned frame with my feet, causing the chair to tip backwards.

“Mother fucker,” Dr. Brooks screamed as he grabbed me by the hair. “You dumb bitch.” The blow to my face had me seeing stars as he dragged me across the cement by the strands he had tangled in his fingers. My hands reached for his hold; the pain was nearly unbearable as he jerked me harder.

His hands scooped me up by my arms and tossed me face first into the metal table. My stomach connected with the edge, knocking the wind out of my lungs. The hard barrel of a gun pressed into the back of my skull as he spoke.

“Get on the fucking table or I’ll pull the trigger.” Through swollen eyes, I eased my leg onto the surface and pulled myself up. “Lay on your back and don’t move.” I rolled to my side, easing over to my back. “Spread your legs and put your arms over the sides.” When I hesitated, his fist connected with my ribs. A sob echoed through the vacant space as I eased my legs apart and draped my arms over the table.

“Make one move and I will kill you.” He managed to zip tie my hands to the legs of the table with a speed I didn’t expect. “If you so much as kick me, you’ll die.”

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