I’m free. Truly free. I almost can’t believe it. The day started out like a nightmare and now everything feels like a dream.

Johnathan came for me. He fucking rescued me and put my father in his place. Thanks to him, I won’t have to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, on the run, or trapped in my father’s prison.

“Are you cold, baby?” Johnathan asks me as he, James, and I step out of the car.

I shiver as the cold night breeze hits me and smile at him. “Just a little.”

He shrugs out of his leather jacket and drapes it over my shoulders. His warmth envelopes me and I swallow back a contented moan. Fuck, this man…. This man has done nothing but take care of me and protect me.

I owe so much to him… and I all have to give in repayment is me.

“Johnathan…” I say and reach out to touch his arm as he and James start to walk across the gravel parking lot.

We haven’t had a moment alone, and I still need to apologize and thank him for everything.

“Yeah?” Johnathan stops and arches a bushy brow at me.

“Can we talk for a second?” I ask.

I don’t know where we are or why we’re here. All I know is that Johnathan has some kind of surprise for me. A surprise that lies in what looks like a dark, abandoned warehouse…

James glances back at us but Johnathan waves him on. James smirks knowingly and nods his head before walking up to the concrete building that lies at the end of the parking lot.

Johnathan turns to me and I step up to him. I don’t know how to say this. How do I properly thank him for what he just did? How do I properly thank him for changing my life?

I tip my head back, peering up at his face. In the moonlight he looks so dark and foreboding, but I’m no longer afraid of him.

For whatever reason, this hard, powerful man has a soft spot for me.

“I’m sorry I broke my promise to you,” I start and Johnathan scowls. “I fucked up, and I know I shouldn’t have—”

He grabs me by the hips and pulls me close, causing my words to cut off with an unladylike grunt.

Even when he’s being gentle, landing against his chest feels like landing against a wall of bricks.

“Don’t worry about it,” he growls.

“But—“

He cuts me off by growling again. “Shit’s in the past.”

When I open my mouth to argue, he shakes his head. “It’s dead and buried, Beth. Leave it.”

I want to argue with him. Just letting it go feels too easy. I feel like I should grovel and plead for his forgiveness.

He stares down at my face and he must be able to read my mind or something. “If it will make you feel better, I can always spank you later for it.”

I blink up at him, unable to tell if he’s being serious or not…

And then he grins.

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. “Yeah, I think I’ll have to take a pass on that.”

His grin takes a devious turn and he gives me a light smack on the ass. I squeak in surprise and end up jerking closer to him. “You sure, baby? I think you’d like it.”

By the hard bulge in his pants, I can definitely tell he likes it. A warm flush spreads through me and I lock my knees together.

“How can anyone like that? Being hit like a child?” I ask even as the little slap he gave me makes me very aware of my ass.

Something flashes in his eyes and he groans. “Fucking hell. Sometimes I forget you’re so damn innocent.”

I’m feeling playful and rather exuberant after tonight’s accomplishments so I lower my lashes coyly and say, “Innocent? Who, me?”

“Yes, you,” he growls and his mouth comes crashing down on mine.

There’s pain at first. My lip is still busted from my father backhanding me, but the ache only seems to add another dynamic to the kiss.

I need this. I need him.

Trapped in my room, I was afraid I had lost him forever, and I regretted every second I held myself back from him.

I regretted all the time I wasted fighting this crazy thing between us.

I’m tired of living in fear. I’m tired of just existing and waiting for a slim chance of freedom.

Life is short, too damn short. Tomorrow I could be dead.

I’m ready to experience everything life has to offer, and I want to experience every crazy moment with Charlie and Johnathan.

I press closer to him and lift up on my tiptoes, molding my breasts to his chest, my hips to his hips. The jacket he draped over me starts to slide off my shoulders as his hands roam over me.

I’ll never get enough of this.

The total chaos of his every kiss. Each time is different but no less passionate than the kiss before it.

His mouth devours mine. His teeth nipping at me like he wants to eat me. His tongue diving deep.

And I offer myself up eagerly.

Somehow I’ve become a willing sacrifice on the altar of Johnathan.

A low rumble begins in the base of his throat, like thunder off in the distance. It grows louder and louder until he’s tearing his mouth away from mine.

Breathing harshly, he rasps, “You’re going to be the fucking death of me.”

He yanks the jacket back up before it meets the gravel, and then grabs me by the back of the head. His fingers lace into my hair as he presses his forehead against mine. I pant and stare into his eyes as I catch my breath.

“Why did you stop?” I finally ask once I have enough oxygen. “You worn out, old man?”

His eyes spark with mischief and then I’m rewarded with another slap to my ass.

I yelp and he laughs. “As much as I want to finish this, we’re expected inside.”

Now I’m curious. I got completely swept up in the moment and forgot he has a ‘surprise’ waiting for me.

“What did you get me?” I ask as he draws my arm into his and leads me up the parking lot.

I can’t decipher the look on his face when he grins this time. His eyes go cold but he looks like a kid about to dive into a mountain of chocolate.

“Revenge.”

* * *

As we step into the warehouse, every little hair on the back of my neck stands on end. Outside, the night is growing darker and colder, but in here the air is thick and full of something I can’t place.

Anticipation?

Menace?

Johnathan’s grip on me tightens as he leads me across the dusty floor, weaving me through old industrial-sized machines that probably haven’t been used in ages.

We finally reach the back of the warehouse and push through a door that leads to what must have once been an office.

Lucifer is the first person I see. He straightens as we step inside and turns towards us in greeting.

His lips stretch into a smile. “Ah, so glad you could join us, Johnathan.” His eyes flick towards me and his smile seems to warm a little. “Beth.”

I nod my head and offer a polite smile in return. I can’t quite thank him for having us here because I’m confused as fuck and don’t know what is about to happen.

Johnathan just grunts and his eyes scan the room. He’s searching for someone or something.

“He still alive?” Johnathan asks as his searching gaze narrows in on Lucifer.

“Of course,” Lucifer says, his bright eyes flashing with humor. “I wouldn’t dare dream of depriving your wife of her wedding gift.”

My wedding gift? What the fuck? Why would I want some mystery person?

A pain-filled grunt comes from behind Lucifer.

Lucifer grins and steps to the side, revealing the rest of the room. “We’ve only… tenderized him a bit for you.”

I blink at Lucifer, not understanding the hidden meaning, before another grunt draws my attention.

I look to the center of the room and see Andrew bending over someone seated in a chair. At first, all I can see is their hairy legs, and it strikes me as being strange that they seem to be completely bare. Are they not wearing any pants?

Andrew straightens and turns. “’Bout fucking time.” He shakes out his right hand as if it’s paining him and then he walks up to Johnathan and gives him a friendly slap on the back with his left hand. “He’s all yours, buddy.”

“Thanks for keeping him warm for us,” Johnathan grins and once more tugs me forward, but as soon as I see who is sitting in the chair I freeze in shock.

Sasha, the man who killed Lindsey, groans and slowly, as if he’s in a great deal of pain, lifts his head and his eyes lock on mine.

I see my own shock reflected in his eyes before they fill with hatred. “You…” he hisses.

I glance towards Johnathan, my heart fluttering with panic. “Why is he here?”

Johnathan opens his mouth to answer me, but before he can Sasha yells out, “I knew you would be trouble.”

Johnathan’s face hardens and he releases his grip on my arm.

“I should have killed you and all your worthless friends!”

Johnathan reaches into his pocket and walks up to Sasha in three big steps. Pulling his hand out of his pocket, his knuckles glint in the overhead light before his fist connects with Sasha’s mouth.

There’s an awful crack and I can’t help but wince.

“Shut your mouth, you fucking waste of flesh.”

Sasha moans and as Johnathan pulls away, I can see his mouth is now a bloody mess. Johnathan punches him again, this time in the ribs. Sasha doubles over, all the air whooshing out of him.

Johnathan looks over his shoulder, towards Lucifer. “You get everything you need out of him?”

Lucifer nods his head. “Yes, he was surprisingly easy to break. By all means, carry on Johnathan,” he grins.

Sasha gasps for air and makes all kinds of horrible wheezing noises.

Lucifer points to a cart covered in a variety of shop tools and medical instruments. “You’re welcome to use my personal collection if you wish.”

Johnathan glances towards the cart and makes a disgusted face. “I don’t need all that shit when I’ve got my fists.”

Lucifer smirks and nods his head. “True, but your wife might find something of interest.”

Both men look at me expectantly, and I feel like the floor was just yanked out from beneath me.

Do they expect me to torture Sasha? Have I somehow given them the impression I’m capable of such a thing? I know I expressed my hated for the men who hurt my friends and me, but this…

I don’t know what to do. The world around me is spinning out of control. How could Johnathan possibly think I’d want this? That I’d be okay with this?

This is evil and sick.

Johnathan hovers over Sasha as the man tries to breathe.

After a few minutes, Sasha finally draws in a couple of deep breaths and straightens. I cover my mouth with a gasp as I catch sight of his mangled mouth. His teeth are broken and he’s bleeding profusely. Steams of saliva and blood drool down his chin.

Sasha mutters something but it’s a completely unintelligible, slurred Russian mess.

“What was that?” Johnathan asks.

Sasha spits out a wad of blood and a couple of teeth before sneering at Johnathan. “I said your wife is a dirty whore.”

Johnathan punches Sasha again in the stomach. Again, the air seems to go out of him, but he recovers more quickly this time.

Sucking in a breath, Sasha wheezes out, “So dirty and ugly, even my men wouldn’t touch her.”

Johnathan takes another swing at Sasha, aiming at his head, but stops at the last second.

Sasha cringes, expecting the hit, as Johnathan looks back at me. “You want a piece of this, baby?”

I shake my head slowly back and forth and take a step back.

No, I don’t want a fucking piece of this. What I want to do is run far, far away from here and pretend it never happened.

Sasha starts laughing as if he finds this hilarious. His bloodshot eyes lock on me and there’s a manic quality to them. “They wouldn’t fuck your disgusting pussy, but they fucked the shit out of your pretty little brunette friend.”

Oh my god, is he talking about Amanda?

“Shut the fuck up,” Johnathan bellows and punches him in the head.

Sasha’s head goes flying back and for a second I think Johnathan might have broken his neck.

I hold my breath, wondering if it’s over now.

But then Sasha’s chin drops back down and he spits out another thick wad of blood and spit.

Sasha can’t seem to look up when he groans, “They fucked her in her mouth.”

Johnathan punches him in the gut.

“Stop,” I hear myself whisper, but the sound is too small.

Sasha wheezes and it sounds like something inside him is rattling before he chuckles. “They fucked her in her pussy.”

Johnathan takes another swing, his fist connecting with Sasha’s jaw again. There’s a crack, and this time my voice is louder when I cry out, “Stop!”

Sasha’s head whips to the side and seems to bounce right back. He groans pitifully and a gush of blood spills from his lips. It takes him several tries before he can successfully spit out more teeth.

I don’t know how he survived the punches Johnathan just threw at him.

The man should be dead.

He coughs and hacks, and sounds like an old man when he wheezes out, “They fucked her in the ass.”

Johnathan pulls his arm back, prepared to take another swing when I scream out, “Johnathan, stop!”

Johnathan freezes in place and shoots a worried look back at me.

“The more she cried,” Sasha coughs out. “The harder they fucked her.”

Johnathan’s face contorts with rage and I’m afraid he’s about to follow through with his swing.

“Johnathan, please,” I plead and his face falls.

Slowly, with a look of regret, he lowers his arm and then walks over to me. “You okay, baby?” he asks while pulling me into his arms.

I shake my head and feel the tears I’ve been crying splashing against my cheeks. How could I possibly be okay after hearing all of that?

“You want to leave while I finish him off?” Johnathan asks as his arms squeeze protectively around me.

Johnathan is big and warm and safe, but I can take no comfort in him.

“Is it true?” I hear myself whimper.

Johnathan goes stiff and I know the answer before he mutters it. “Yeah.”

Fuck! I can’t believe Amanda had to go through all of that. I don’t want to imagine it, but after everything Sasha just said, I can’t stop the horrors she must have endured from filling my head.

Amanda cried so much, and she was the most afraid out of the three of us…

“I thought you said she was safe,” I sob, a fresh wave of sorrow slamming into me for my friend.

“She was,” Johnathan explains reluctantly. “Once we rescued her.”

“Oh god,” I groan.

I push away from Johnathan and he lets me go. Bending over, I start to dry heave, overcome with sudden and intense nausea.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Johnathan apologizes as he pulls my hair back for me. “I was just trying to protect you…”

His big, warm palm comes down on my back, rubbing in soothing circles as my stomach clenches and my body tries in vain to force something up.

Thankfully, or not, I haven’t eaten in hours so the nausea passes with no results.

A shadow appears over me and I look up to see Lucifer. He holds out a bottle of water for me.

I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and straighten.

“Thank you,” I croak out as I accept the bottle.

Lucifer nods his head and watches me with keen interest.

I take a moment to gather my composure and drink from the bottle. Johnathan continues to rub my back and lingers by my side. Once I think I can handle it, I look back to Sasha.

Just the sight of him makes me sick, and it’s not because of his poor physical condition.

“Come on,” Johnathan says, his arm coming to wrap around me. “Let’s get you home. This was a bad idea.”

I nod my head and can’t help but agree with him. This was a very bad idea, and I have no clue what Johnathan was thinking.

I don’t belong here. I don’t belong in this kind of world, and right now all I want to do is escape it.

The thought of returning home, of curling up in Johnathan’s arms and crying my heart out, gives me the energy to put one foot in front of the other.

We make it halfway to the office door before Sasha starts laughing.

And that fucking laugh will haunt my nightmares.

“I let them fuck your friend before I fed her to the pigs!” he yells out with glee.

I stop in midstep and it feels like someone just ripped open my chest and yanked all my insides out.

“What?” I gasp in horrified shock and spin around.

Vaguely, I’m aware of Johnathan murmuring, “Don’t listen to him,” but it’s so hard to focus on him over the roar in my ears.

I take another step towards Sasha and have to shrug off Johnathan’s arm. “What did you just say?” I nearly scream at Sasha.

Sasha tries to grin, but it ends up just a horrifying spread of his mangled mouth.

He has the gall to shrug his shoulders. “She was still warm and beautiful, even with her brains leaking all over the place.”

Oh god.

Oh god… oh god… oh god…

I know he’s not lying, he’s too damn smug about it, and I don’t know how to process it.

How? How could someone do that?

Only a monster…

The majority of my brain has shut down, overloaded by the information. I’m not even aware of walking up to the cart and facing Sasha until I have the gun in my hand.

I look down the barrel and aim it at his ugly head.

My hand is shaking as I stare at him.

I’ve never wanted to kill someone so much in my life. I would be doing the world a favor by putting an end to his evil existence.

How many times did I wish I had a gun when they held me captive?

My finger twitches over the trigger as Sasha stares back at me, and there’s a look of such pleased triumph in his eyes that I wish I could kill him twice over.

With the gun in my hand, staring at his forehead, I can’t help but remember my last vision of Lindsey.

Her hair spread around her face.

The blood staining it red and leaking into the carpet.

Her empty eyes.

Her life snuffed out like she was nothing.

To them, she was just an inconvenience.

Something to get rid of.

And knowing, even in death, they abused her fills me with such a sad rage my entire body is shaking from it.

Sasha spits out another glob of blood mixed with spit and leans forward in his chair.

His eyes are focused and intense as he says, “She was the best fuck I ever had.”

I blink at him, seeing the lie instantly for what it is.

Does the evil fucker actually want me to kill him?

My eyes roam over his body, and it’s kind of funny, I was so focused on what was happening to his head I didn’t even realize he was naked.

He’s been stripped of all his clothes. His ankles are strapped to the legs of the chair and his wrists have been strapped to the arms.

Both his toes and fingers are bleeding.

Someone has pulled every single one of his nails off.

His upper thighs are an angry red and it looks like someone singed all the hair off with something hot.

Bruises are beginning to bloom all over his body. Most notably across his chest and lower stomach.

His private parts may be bleeding as well, but I don’t want to look too closely at them.

If I had to guess, I’d say he’s been in here awhile.

Good.

Noting my hesitation, Sasha’s eyes narrow and he hisses angrily, “Do it.”

And I want to, more than anything.

I want to kill him so bad I’m fucking crying, but I just can’t seem to do it.

I try and try to pull the trigger, and Sasha goads me on but it’s not right. He deserves so much more than a quick death.

He deserves to suffer like my friends and I have. Like Charlie has.

“Beth…” Johnathan’s voice comes to me. “Do you want me to do it?”

I shake my head and my sobs intensify. My body is shaking so hard now, the gun in my hand is swaying wildly.

If I’m not careful, I might shoot someone accidentally.

“Give me the gun,” Johnathan says gently, and I feel my arm being pushed down before the gun is slid out of my hand.

“Do it, you ugly fucking bitch!” Sasha screams, fighting the bonds of his chair. He’s hissing and spitting, and fighting with all his might.

Johnathan pulls me into his arms and turns me away from him.

“It’s okay, baby,” Johnathan murmurs, stroking my hair back. “We’ll take care of him.”

“No,” I sob out in misery and cling to him. This is the gift Johnathan gave me, and now that I understand what it is, I can fully appreciate it, “I want to be the one to do it.”

I owe it to my friends. I owe it to myself to see that this man gets the justice he deserves.

“Baby…” Johnathan says, his coarse voice too gentle for the thoughts I’m thinking.

Grasping his shirt in my fists, I look up at him and say, “I want him to suffer, Johnathan.”

Johnathan looks down at me and slowly nods his head, but his eyes are full of hesitation. “What do you want to do?”

I take a deep breath and I know the choice I’ve made is right. After everything I’ve learned tonight, it feels right.

“Do you have any pigs?”

* * *

It’s the dead of night. We drove for three hours to reach a secluded farm after a call was put in to some guy named Harrold.

Above me, there are so many stars in the sky. Stars I can’t normally see and they’re beautiful.

“Fuck, he’s heavier than he looks,” Andrew grumbles as Johnathan helps him lift Sasha’s body.

“Doesn’t help that the fucker won’t stop fighting,” Johnathan grunts as he struggles with Sasha’s bound but still kicking legs. “Stop moving, fucker.”

“On three,” Andrew says.

Johnathan nods.

“One… two… three…”

They swing Sasha’s body in unison and send him flying over the fence, straight into the pigpen.

There’s a great deal of squealing and grunting as the pigs are abruptly awoken from their slumber.

Johnathan wipes his hands on his pants and walks over to me. Though this whole sick idea was my idea, I don’t think I can actually stomach watching what is about to happen.

I stand about ten feet away from the pigpen, keeping my distance.

“You okay?” Johnathan asks, walking up to me and pulling me into his arms.

He’s been asking that a lot. And during the drive here, I’ve had plenty of time to think about what’s about to happen.

I nod my head and look back up at the sky. The stars twinkle and sparkle, and a part of me hopes that Lindsey is up there, watching what I’m doing for her.

For all of us.

The noise coming from the pigpen increases in volume. The pigs are agitated and loudly grunting their displeasure.

“Shit, I don’t know how long something like this is going to take. You sure you want to stay?” Johnathan asks.

I nod my head again in answer, afraid to speak less I burst into more tears.

“Come here then so I can keep you warm,” Johnathan says pulling me closer.

Muffled cries begin to emanate from within the pen and I can’t help but shiver.

Are they eating him now?

I glance towards the pen but I can’t see anything except for the pigs swarming around something.

Lucifer stands right up next to the fence with Andrew beside him. There’s this strange grin on Lucifer’s face as he watches what’s happening, and I swear, in the moonlight, it almost seems like he’s glowing.

Shaking my head, I turn my head back and bury my face against Johnathan.

Suddenly a piercing scream slices through the quiet and I tremble.

“Shit. The pigs must have gotten the gag off,” Johnathan mutters.

The screaming goes on and on. Sasha cries out, begging for someone to help him.

I burst into tears.

Johnathan’s arms tighten around me. “You sure you’re okay?”

I nod my head up and down and cling to him.

I just can’t stop thinking about how many women begged Sasha and his men to stop.

How many children begged him…

Did they cry out for help? Did they plead for mercy like he is?

Did they hope that someone would magically appear and save them? Someone like Johnathan?

I heard at least one child crying for their mother, but I know there were others. Others like my Charlie.

“Help! Please! Somebody please help me!” he cries out in English before switching to Russian.

How many are still out there? Sold to the highest bidder? Trapped in some hellish nightmare?

“Fuck, this shit’s messed up even for me,” Andrew grumbles. “I’m outta here.”

“Have a good night, Andrew,” Lucifer snickers at him.

I hear a car door opening then slamming shut. The car starts up and then tires are rolling against the dirt.

The screams go on and on, and I cry and cry, but I feel like something is finally being purged from me. Some horrible sick thing I’ve been carrying around inside of me ever since I was taken.

By the time Sasha’s cries begin to weaken, I’m no longer sobbing. My body is filled with this warm, fuzzy numbness.

“It’s almost over, I think,” Johnathan says gently.

I nod my head, wipe some of the tears from my eyes, and look up at him. “But the guy in charge, Alexei, is still out there…”

The man who wasn’t willing to get his own hands dirty, but who is truly responsible for all of this.

Johnathan’s face hardens and his eyes darken. “We’ll get him,” he says with such conviction I instantly believe him. “That fucker is number one on my shit list. It’s just a matter of time before I find him.”

And there he goes again, offering me the things I’ve never had before. Safety and protection and justice. He’s so fucking amazing, I’m not sure I even deserve him, but I’m not giving him up.

No, he’s mine now and I’ll do anything to keep him.

I stare up at him in amazement. I’m pretty sure I love this man. No, I’m fucking sure I love him.

Johnathan starts to frown and shifts uncomfortably. “What? I got something in my beard?”

I shake my head and laugh a little.

His eyes instantly light up. “I do, don’t I?”

I laugh again, and I’m on the verge of telling him what I’m feeling when the headlights of an approaching car draws our attention.

I look over to see a big, black Escalade rolling through the grass. The car stops just before the grass becomes dirt.

The car idles for a couple of minutes before the driver’s side opens and Simon steps out.

“Holy shit,” Johnathan says with awe. “I can’t believe Lucifer got him to a fucking farm.”

Simon scowls down at the dirt like it’s somehow offended him before slamming the door of his car.

“Simon,” Lucifer calls out. “So glad you could join us.”

The look Simon shoots Lucifer is pure murder.

Lucifer chuckles and motions him over. Simon walks stiffly towards him, cursing under his breath.

When he finally reaches the fence, after avoiding every little dip and groove in the ground, he stands so tall, so stiff, I just blurt out, “That guy seriously needs to get laid.”

Johnathan gives me a surprised look and then bursts out laughing. “He so fucking does.”

Lucifer and Simon glance at Johnathan, probably wondering what the hell is so funny.

Lucifer smirks but Simon is glaring daggers.

“Something funny, Johnathan?” Simon asks, obviously not amused.

“Yeah,” Johnathan says and then bursts into another fit of laughter. “Fuck it, James is off the hook.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Simon snarls.

“It means you’re next, motherfucker!” Johnathan continues to laugh. I don’t think he can stop himself at this point. “You’re about to get wifed up, Simon!”