Page 69 of Knot Forever

My eyes burn as I remember Marcus’s gift falling from my hands. He won’t get it now.

I might never see him again.

Asher. Seth. My pack.

A hard foot kicks into my back. “Princess is awake.”

Jeans appear in front of my face as someone kneels beside me. A hand twists into my hair, yanking my face up, and I cry out in pain as Julian grins down at me.

“Welcome back, Nova,” he purrs. “We’ve missed you.”

He drags me upright as I fight not to be sick, the pain in my face and my scalp and my heart fighting for which is worse.

“Let me go,” I rasp. “They’ll be looking for me.”

Julian glares at me. “They won’t find you here, sweetheart.”

My eyes slide around. The room is dark and dingy, a tiny window at the very top of the room letting in a sliver of light. It’s almost empty, just a few chairs scattered around a rickety looking coffee table, covered in old cups and trash.

There’s nobody else here, and terror claws at my chest as Julian pulls me over to a chair. He drops into it and drags me into him, his hands moving over me as I try to pull myself away.

“Stop that,” he snaps. “You’re back where you belong, bitch.”

His hand slides up my thigh, grabbing the skin and twisting it hard enough to bruise.

“Making us chase you,” he grunts. “We lost everything because of you. Luckily I kept the bench, though.”

My body locks up, and he turns my chin to him with a smirk. “Knew you’d like that.”

His kiss is brutal, his mouth smashing into mine as he shoves his tongue into me, his hand gripping the back of my neck. I gag, and he breaks away with a snarl.

“You need to learn your place, Nova.” He stands, dragging me with him as we approach a door.

“Julian, please.” He’s not listening to me, his eyes wide and pupils blown as he pushes me into another room.

The bench.

My breathing stutters as I back away into his chest, and he shoves me forward.

“Get on there.”

I fight as hard as I can, but my head is pounding, and he easily manages to strap me down, my arms pulled out and my neck covered with a thick leather strap as he shoves something into my mouth to muffle my cries.

My eyes squeeze shut as a sob breaks free. I never wanted to be here again, but here I am, and it’s so much worse.

He’s not going to stop this time.

“Need to take this dress off.” His hands reach for me, but there’s a shout from outside, and his hands clench into a fist as he pulls back from me with a snarl.

Adam walks in with a shopping bag in his hands. His eyes tighten as he takes me in, and he turns to Julian. “I told you to wait.”

“Fuck off,” Julian snaps back. “This is well overdue. We get this done, and we leave.”

“We need to be careful,” Adam hisses. “The Kings will be looking for us. They’ll find out she’s gone soon, and we’re the only ones left since the others fucked off.”

Julian cackles. “Oh, they know. Had to send them a little something, put them in their place.”

I hold my breath, hope expanding in my chest as Adam pales. “You fuckingwhat?”

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