Page 90 of Tabitha

The grin he gives me is more of a baring of teeth, the maniacal glee in it giving him a malicious edge. My stomach tightens with dread. Just as I leap toward him, something smashes into the back of my skull and the world goes dark.

Chapter Twenty-eight

RIVER

Itwist my wrists back and forth, using my blood to coat the ropes, but the damned thing is too tight to wiggle loose. My left eye is swollen shut, my nose is no doubt broken, a couple of my molars are loose, and I think my shoulder is out of joint. A moist cough rattles my chest, and I hock up bloody phlegm and spit it at my jailer’s feet.

The fucker doesn’t even bat a lash, his gaze barely flicking up from the knife he’s using to clean my blood from under his nails before going back to his task.

My ribs are a mess, and if the bruising on my torso is any indication, I have some internal bleeding. Maybe I should be worried, but I trust my guys to come for me. If war has taught us anything, we don’t leave anyone behind.

Not to mention what happens when Tabitha learns that I’ve been taken. I smirk, almost pissed that I won’t be able to see her storm the castle and demand they give me back to her.

I might not have known her long, but she’s the type of woman that, when she puts a claim on a guy, she owns him. And I’m totally okay with her owning my ass.

I’ve killed too many people in my line of work to be afraid of death or dying, but things are different with Tabitha in my life. I have something to live for now, and my chest twinges at the thought of never seeing her again.

The only reason they didn’t kill me yet is because they want me for something. Too bad I’m not some virgin to be fed to a dragon or some shit.

No, I’m alive for only one reason—bait.

More determined than ever to get free, I shift in my chair, then hiss in a sharp breath when pain riddles my body. Unfortunately, the bindings hold firm. I don’t give up, just continue to twist my wrists, causing the ropes to dig deeper and deeper into my flesh until the bindings turn slick with blood.

I need to get free before Tabitha does something foolish.

Because there is no doubt in my mind that she will risk her life to get to me, and I can’t allow that.

As if my thoughts summoned her, the door slams open with a bang, and Banks appears…dragging an unconscious Tabitha. I roar, struggling against my bindings in earnest while he roughly tosses her into a chair. I’m helpless to do anything as he cuffs her hands tight.

“Get away from her, you fucking prick!” My chair scrapes against stone as I struggle to rise, blood now flowing freely from my wrists, and I swear I feel a slight give.

Banks straightens with a mocking grin, but he does back away.

Giving me an unobstructed view of Tabitha.

My anxiety only increases when I see her head resting against her chest, a trickle of blood dripping from her temple. I take comfort that she’s still breathing. He wouldn’t have tied her up otherwise.

“Here…let me help.” Banks grabs the back of her chair, tips it back on its hind legs, then drags her closer, jostling her so hard she would’ve fallen if she weren’t bound to it. He stops when he’s three feet away, then spins her before dropping the chair onto all fours.

I open my mouth to blast him when Tabitha groans at being jostled so roughly, and I ignore him to focus on what’s important—her.

Her head bobs as she struggles to lift it, and I toss my weight forward, scooching my chair closer until our knees touch. I’m determined to be the first thing she sees when she opens her eyes. She blinks, her unfocused silver eyes meeting mine, and my breath catches.

Banks grabs her hair, then yanks her head back, and it’s all I can do not to throw myself at him. I curse when the ropes refuse to release me, the cords cutting into me brutally, but I don’t feel the pain.

Only one thing matters—making sure that bastard never touches her again.

Tabitha grits her teeth to hold back her groan, her eyes sharpening as she takes in the cavern where they’ve stashed us. She scans me quickly, her mouth tightening as she notes every injury they’ve inflicted, and I give her my best smile.

“Fancy meeting you here, baby girl.” I give her a wink, but the effect is ruined when only one eye works, so I have to settle for a cocky grin.

I’m not sure if she will panic—no one can know how they will react to being captured until it happens to them—so I do my best to show her that everything is okay.

Her eyes narrow, and I can’t help but chuckle at the rage that darkens them.

“There’s my girl,” I purr, getting hard, despite the pain and blood loss.

What can I say? Tabitha just does it for me.

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