The oxygen outlined in razors.
Each breath strained and painful.
A short fuse burning quick.
One wrong move and things would blow.
“I’ll need to search you,” Oz said, and he began to pat me down. I knew he would. Which meant this whole thing was going to be tricky.
Trent and Jud assured me they’d had to get creative many times.
For years, this would have been a routine night for them.
I hated dragging them back into it, but there wasn’t anything else we could do.
No way to get Aster back if we didn’t take a risk and pray this time the dice landed in our favor.
When we were clean, Oz led us down the same corridor I’d traveled before, but tonight it felt like those odds were stacked against us.
Dead men walking.
Oz opened the double doors and began to lead us down the spiral staircase.
My chest tightened.
In dread.
In determination.
In the truth that I would do anything to set her free. This time I would see it through.
Jud and Trent followed behind, every muscle in their bodies coiled in severity.
Ready to strike.
I lost my fucking breath when we wound down and the scene in the basement came into view.
Haille was there, rocked back in his chair like the sadistic monster I should have truly recognized him to be.
Because Aster—Aster was on her knees at the side of his chair, a gag in her mouth, her hands bound behind her, a chain around her neck.
He held the opposite end.
Rage howled and screamed, sharp talons that tore up my insides, desperate for a way out.
To get to her.
To wrap her up and hide her away like I should have done years ago.
I wanted to tell her I knew what she had been through. That I hated myself for leaving her and would never do it again.
I bit down on my tongue to keep the words from spilling out.
Still, a small sound of pain escaped her gag when she saw my descent, and Haille’s grin only widened when he saw my brothers in tow.
“Ah, so this is a family event. I can’t say I am surprised. I suppose just this one time I will allow it.”
Sick motherfucker.