Page 83 of Lawless

“Where is Victor?” I demand as a way of a greeting.

“Hi, Reid. How are you? It’s so lovely to hear from you,” she taunts.

“Aubs, this is serious.” I growl.

“I don’t know. Been nothing but radio silence for a few days.”

“What the fuck am I paying you for exactly?” I bark, irritation exploding within me.

“I’ll find him. Anything else you need to know.”

“He has…” I hesitate, unable to find the words I need to explain who Alana and Mav are to me.

Enemies?

Allies?

Fuck. Everything is so fucking blurred, the line that was previously drawn between us all has been obliterated and I’ve no idea where that leaves any of us.

21

MAVERICK

Pain slices through me, but I’m long past the point of crying out.

It doesn’t stop anything. All it does is cause Alana more pain. And she’s already experienced enough of that.

Her cries and pleas for them to stop ring in my ears, making the agony in my chest far worse than what they’re inflicting on my body.

If it means they keep their hands off her, I’ll allow them to continue this as much as they like. But something tells me that this is just the start.

Another strike lashes across my back. Blood floods my mouth as I bite down on the inside of my cheek as the unforgiving leather whip burns across my flesh.

“No, please. Stop, stop.” Alana sobs. “Hurt me instead.”

“NO,” I roar, finding my voice again. “Don’t you dare fucking touch her.”

I don’t care what they do to me. I can take it as long as they don’t lay a finger on her.

Another strike comes, dragging a scream from Alana’s lips.

I can’t see her; they’ve turned me around so that my back is to her, letting her get the full effect of their punishment.

I want to say it’s the first time I’ve felt it. But I’d be lying. Just like I have been to her since it happened.

It was barely a month after we announced our wedding.

I told her that I’d been sent on a job out of town because I knew what was coming. I could see the promise of pain in the eyes of the three men standing behind me now.

As far as they were concerned, I betrayed them.

I guess I did.

I took their beloved little human toy and I locked her away and kept her safe. Then I made her mine.

If I weren’t so determined to keep her safe and help her to rid the world of their toxicity, I might have revelled in the success.

They had no idea.

---