Crewe raised his hand to silence me. “Enough.”
I returned to my knees on the floor and cupped Joey’s face. “Joe, it’s me.” I patted his chest gently, trying to get his attention.
He was in a confused daze, like he had just woken up from anesthesia. “London…?”
“Yes, it’s me,” I said with relief. “Are you okay?”
“I…” He tried to sit up but appeared too weak.
Crewe’s feet appeared on the other side of his body, his shoes shiny and his slacks crisp. “He’s out of it right now. Gave him a quick operation.”
“What kind of operation?” I looked up, the hatred pounding in my ears.
He pulled out a small black device before he kneeled down so we were at eye level. “Joseph tried to pull another stunt against me. I warned him not to do it, but just like his sister, he never listens. So I have to punish him too.”
“Maybe if you stopped trying to control everyone, this wouldn’t happen,” I hissed.
Crewe ignored the comment. “I’m merciful, so I wanted to give you the opportunity to say goodbye. I’ve inserted an EMP through his skull and at the underside of his brain. Once I hit this button, he’ll have an aneurism and die.”
My hands began to shake when I realized I was just seconds away from losing my brother. “I’ll give you the money, alright?” My hand automatically grabbed Joey’s chest. “Just leave him alone.”
“It’s not about the money.” Crewe played with the remote in his hand, gliding his fingers along the smooth box. “And you know it.”
“Just…please.” I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t reason with this man. He was too cruel, too evil.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’m not going to pull the trigger. Joseph is going to do it.”
“What?”
“Yes. Because if he doesn’t kill himself…” Crewe reached behind his back and pulled out a loaded pistol. He cocked the gun before he pointed the barrel right between my eyes. “I’m going to kill you. So he has to choose. You or him.”
I’d completely underestimated this man. He was psychotic, insane. “You can’t do this…”
“I can, and I will.” He nudged Joseph hard in the side. “Did you hear that? You need to choose.”
“He’s totally out of it,” I snapped. “He can’t make a decision like this.”
“Well, he’ll have to.” Crewe looked down at my brother. “Now choose.”
Joseph opened his eyes and stared at the gun pointed right at my face. Then he glanced at the tracker.
I already knew who he was going to choose.
“What will it be?” Crewe pressed. “You or your sister?”
Joseph raised a shaky hand. “Give it to me…” He cleared his throat and tried to sit up, wanting to appear strong.
Crewe smiled before he handed the tracker over. “Just press the top button, and it’ll be over instantly.” He turned back to me, the gun still pointed at my face. “Watching your brother end his own life should be punishment enough for both of you.”
I turned red in the face because I was so angry. I let this man touch me, kiss me, and he was worse than the devil himself. Every day was worse than the previous one, and now I was going to lose the only family I had left in the world. “Crewe, please. I’ll do anything.”
“There’s nothing you can offer me,” he said coldly, holding the gun steady. “Hit the button already, Joseph. The rest of us have lives to live.”
“No.” I grabbed Joseph’s wrist and forced his hand down. “Crewe, there has to be something you want. I’ll give you anything in the world. Just don’t do this. Let my brother go. You’ve gotten enough revenge.”
“The only thing I want is something you’ve proven you can’t give.” He pressed the barrel against the skin between my eyes.
I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. “What?”
“Obedience. Absolute obedience.”
That was something I could never give to anyone—until now. “You want me to obey you? If I do what you ask, you’ll let him live?” If that was the case, he was asking for a lot. My body and mind would no longer be my own. Like a dog, I’d have to bark at his command.
“The only way I’d let this asshole go is if you agree to give me your absolute devotion. When I tell you to do something, you do it. No questions asked. You’re my slave, my property. Your purpose is to listen to me, to hang on to every single word I say. When I ask you to sit, you sit. When I ask you to suck my cock, you do it and enjoy it. It’s a price too high for you to pay. I know you, London. You couldn’t handle it.”
No, I couldn’t. But I would make it happen to save my last family member. “I’ll do it, Crewe. Whatever you want.” I would let him break me, let him control me exactly the way he wanted. If he wanted to fuck me, he could fuck me.