MAX STARED BACK at me from the small screen.
Charles waved the phone in front of my face, taunting and laughing at me.
I had been stupid, letting my emotions get the best of me and found myself knocked over the head only to wake up in this damn room.
After telling Stone to go home, I did a tour of the grounds around Max’s house but couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. Everything in me wanted to break down her door and check on her but after what I had already put her through, I didn’t want to take the chance that it could push her away for good. Stupid me. I should have listened to my gut. I should have broken down that damn door. I should have done a shit ton of stuff. But I didn’t. And I would pay for my mistakes.
I struggled against my restraints, the ropes holding me captive. Tyler was on top of Max from what I could tell and I swore to myself that I would gut him like a fucking pig. I would rip off every inch of him that touched her. I would skin him alive and bask in the sounds of his screams until he begged for me to kill him.
Charles chuckled. “I don’t think he believes your threat,” he told Tyler.
Tyler sneered, his hand wrapping around Max’s throat.
She kept her gaze locked with mine. “You don’t scare me,” she said but the waver in her voice proved her wrong.
The last thing I remembered was standing outside Max’s house. I was jumped from behind and I stood no fucking chance against the men who attacked me. It was how Charles rolled. He didn’t play fair. He was a pussy, only hitting his target when they were least expecting it.
“Mmm …” Tyler cupped Max’s mouth. “Your girlfriend’s nice and tight.”
My pulse elevated, my vision clouding over. I yelled behind the gag, my body shaking and protesting against the ropes wrapped around my wrists and ankles.
Max shoved her head from behind his mouth. “Dale,” she cried. “He’s not—”
“Shut the fuck up,” he yelled and the screen went black.
“Well, that was fun,” Charles sneered.
No. Tyler wouldn’t. He was a dick but there was no way … He had known those girls forever … Who the fuck was I kidding? He was an abusive asshole. Jay was living proof of it. Fuck. I needed to get out. But I was stuck. There was no way I could escape. Even with all my years of training, I couldn’t get out of this mess. Max’s life depended on me figuring out what the hell I could do to break free but I had nothing. And then a thought came to me. I started rocking back and forth, the chair creaking under my weight.
“Whoa.” Charles snapped his fingers. “Keep him still. I don’t need him getting free before it’s time.”
Whatever the hell that meant. I struggled and shook, protested and pleaded with whatever higher power that was listening to let me go. Help me. Save Max. Fuck my life. Fuck all that I was worth. I couldn’t go on if something happened to her. Pulling all the fear and pain from within, I allowed it to wash over me, giving me the strength I needed.
Charles eyes widened. “Do something,” he yelled to his band of merry bastards.
They grabbed and pulled at me, beat me, and tried to break me down but it didn’t work. It only made me rock even harder. The fuckers weren’t the brightest. Lock a man up when his woman’s life was on the line was like locking up a rabid animal. I channeled that beast, letting it unleash all the power onto to these sick fucks.
The chair broke, coming free from the ground. Ripping off the tape wrapped around my head, a wicked grin spread on my face.
Adrenaline rushed through me before I charged for Charles. All his men couldn’t keep me away. Not when Max was involved.
Charles yelled, putting his hands up to protect his face but there was no point. I didn’t want his face. I wanted his fucking soul.
***
(Max)
The look of utter shock on Dale’s face over Tyler’s words ripped at my heart. The bastard made him think he was raping me when he hadn’t even touched that part of my body. Although I was naked and completely bare for him, Tyler only touched my inner thighs. The searing pain from when his cigarette burnt me still screamed with agony. The marks would be there forever. Dale would see them every time he looked at me, if we even got to that point again.
Tyler’s life was over. As soon as I got out of this shit, I would end him. If it wouldn’t be me, it would be one of us. No man, no matter who he was, made it out alive when fucking with another’s woman. Vice-One had respect from every MC we had dealt with. Tyler would get ripped apart as soon as he was caught.
“You won’t get away with this,” I told him.
“Maybe not.” Tyler ran a finger over the searing flesh between my legs. “But my marks will be with you until the day you die. I will be in your nightmares.”
“Just get it over with then,” I ground out, wincing at the pain in my thighs.
“Nah.” He inhaled his cigarette, blowing the smoke in my face. “I’m not into rape. I just like making my women squeal like a fucking pig.”
“You’re a bastard,” I whimpered.
“Yup.” He kissed my cheek, moving off me. “I am. It’s funny, though. We catch girls and boys but I’ve never actually kept one for myself. Maybe I should keep you.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” I mentally slapped myself. Of course he would. The things he had done to Jay already were enough to prove he was fucked in the head. “Just let me go. You got what you wanted. You made Dale believe you raped me.”
“I did …” his voice trailed off.
I looked over my shoulder. “Please, Tyler. You don’t need to do this. I won’t tell anyone.”
“But Dale knows.” He rubbed his jaw before pressing a button on his phone. “Yeah,” he said a moment later. “Tell him it’s done,” he said, flipping his phone closed before turning to me.
“What’s done?” I demanded, fear taking up permanent residence deep in my soul. I squirmed against the restraints. “Tyler, what the hell is done?”
He strolled toward me, unbuckling his belt and pulled it from the loops with a snap.
I shook and fought against my bounds but they were too tight. The ropes restraining me bit into my skin, scratching and ripping apart the tender flesh. “No. Please. God.”
“Is that what you said to Dale? Did you beg him? Did you tell him to stop even though you didn’t want him to? You’re a filthy little whore, aren’t you? You submissive slut.”
The first bite of the leather against my flesh pulled a gasp from my chest. Tears burned my eyes, a sob locked in my throat.
“That’s it. Moan for me, bitch. You like pain. I’ve heard that too about you.”
I shook my head. He was lying. There was no way he could know anything about me.
A sharp sting enveloped my skin once again.
“Moan for me,” Tyler boomed, whipping me with his belt.
I bit my tongue to keep from crying out. I refused to give him any part of me. I liked it rough but I could feel my skin splitting with each impact of his belt. A sheen of sweat coated my skin. Ice cold fingers of fear gripped my spine. This was how it would be. I would never see Dale again. He would die thinking I was raped. Maybe Tyler would eventually go that far but for now, he only raped my soul.
The belt whacked over my skin, stabbing me in the heart.
My vision faded in and out, spots dancing in front of my eyes. Darkness threatened to take over but I fought against it. I couldn’t let him win. I had been weak for long enough, I refused to let another man bring me to the brink of destruction.
“You’re a tough little thing, aren’t you?” Tyler sneered, running his hands down the fresh welts marring my ass and thighs.
I bit back a whimper at the sharp pain.
“But you’re not tough enough.” His fingers dug into the cheek of my rear, ripping into a cut caused by his belt.
I cried out, tears welling in my eyes. “Just be done with it,” I pleaded, ashamed at myself for giving in.
Tyler chuckled, releasing me. “If I was a betting man” —he slid his fingers down the length of my spine— “I would bet Dale is losing his shit right about now. I can’t imagine Charles will be alive for much longer.”
“Just let—” Suddenly, my head was pulled back, strands of hair ripping free from my head.
“Shut the fuck up,” Tyler growled. “I should just fuck you and be done with it. Give Dale something to really bitch about.”
“Try it and see what happens, asshole.”
My eyes widened at the unexpected voice coming from the doorway. “Jay, what are you doing here?”
“Well, now this could be fun.” Tyler jumped off the bed. “Do you like what you see, Jenny? Care to join us?”
“I knew you were a sick fuck,” she said, ignoring me. “But I thought you were too good for this. Clearly, I was wrong.” Jay pulled a pistol from her back pocket and aimed it at her ex.
My heart hammered against my ribcage. There was no way I could let her shoot her ex. He had caused too much damage to her already. This would break her.
“Jay, help me.” I shook against the restraints.
She met my gaze, came toward me, but kept the gun aimed at him.
“What are you going to do, Jenny?” He glanced down at her swollen belly. “I could get a lot of money for someone as pregnant as you.”
“Jay,” I pleaded. “Please.”
She quickly untied me. “Shit, Max,” she said, concern dripping from her voice.
“Give me the gun.” I slid off the bed but when my feet hit the floor, they gave out beneath me.
Tyler chuckled. “Don’t be a pussy. You liked my belt against your skin.”
Throwing on shorts and a tank top, I bit back a hiss when the fabric touched my skin and snatched the gun from Jay.
“What the fuck?” she cried, reaching for it.
“You need to leave.” I pushed her back.
“Like hell.” She reached for the gun but I pulled it behind my back.
“No,” I said, my voice firm. “This isn’t your fight.” Careful not to hurt her, I gave her one final shove and slammed the door shut, closing me in with Tyler. Clicking the lock into place, I ignored the banging on the door and turned to Tyler.
His grin only widened. Leaning against the wall, he crossed his arms under his chest.
“Tell me why,” I demanded, my hands shaking. The searing pain rushing through my body forced me to waver on my feet.
Tyler shrugged. “I was bored.”
I shook my head. “You won’t get away with this.”
“Oh, baby.” He took a step toward me. “I already have.”
“This is for attacking me.” I cocked the gun and pulled the trigger. The blast rang out, the sound piercing my ears.
The bullet hit Tyler’s knee cap, shattering the bone.
He screamed out, falling to the floor. “You fucking bitch.”
I took a step closer, the release from shooting him giving me the strength I needed all along. I didn’t want to kill him but I wanted him to suffer. I wanted him to beg for his life like the girls and boys had that his organization had taken. “This is for all of those girls and boys that you and those sick bastards stole.” I shot him in his other knee.
“You fucking whore,” he screamed. “I’ll get you for this.”
“Words words. All I hear is blah blah blah.”
The banging on the door continued, Jay’s demands for me to let her in washing over me. But I couldn’t. I needed to avenge her. Her sister. Everyone.
I wasn’t sure where this new-found strength was coming from but after all the shit I had been through, I embraced it. “And this is for my best friend.” I aimed the gun at his crotch and pulled the trigger one final time before I collapsed to the floor.