Page 138

Story: Reclaimed

“I’ve had it with your complaints,” Sean snarled. His eyes blazed with fury—even the scarred left one—as he gripped my upper arms. He was Steph’s twin, but he didn’t look a thing like the man I loved—or who I thought I had loved before he betrayed me again.

I shoved that thought from my mind. Steph didn’t matter right now. All that mattered was getting away from this psycho and back to my son.

I could only hope Dylan had gotten away. That he was somewhere safe and far away from Sean’s goons.

Sean shoved me into a small, dilapidated room. It had no furniture, just stained hardwood floors, dark walls, a single dirtywindow, and a bucket in the corner. “Keep your mouth shut,” he said with a sneer. “Unless you want to lose your tongue.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” I snapped.

“You think?” Before I could even blink, Sean wrapped his hand around my neck. I gasped, icy terror coursing through me as his grip tightened. “You’re nothing but a pawn in my game, bitch,” he said in a low, dangerous voice. “I’d love to kill you where you stand. Just give me a reason, and I’ll do it.”

If he got his hands on Dylan, we’d both be dead.Please, whoever is listening, please let Dylan be safe.

“Boss.” A scrawny young lackey, with a full sleeve tattoo and a shaved head, crept up next to Sean like he was afraid of getting strangled himself.

Sean looked over, then released his hold on my neck. I collapsed to my knees, sputtering and coughing as oxygen flooded my lungs.

The kid leaned close to Sean’s ear and spoke quietly to him. Sean’s expression darkened. “Then find him!” he snarled. “Now!”

In that moment, in my heart, I knew Dylan had evaded capture. My shoulders slumped with relief, and I braced both hands on the cold hardwood as I caught my breath. Thank you, I prayed to the universe.Thank you.

The kid hurried out of the room. Sean loomed over me, and rage poured off him like a bad smell. “This is nothing but a little setback, you know that, right?”

I looked up with a grimace but didn’t say anything.

“I’m going to gain control of Lakeview. It’s my clan. My birthright. That pesky little heir is the last obstacle in my way. And now that I have you”—he stepped on my hand with his steel-toed boot, pressing down hard—“I’ll have him in no time. We’ll do a little swap. I know Ace will do anything for hisfated mate.” He spat the word at me like an insult.

I gritted my teeth against the pain in my hand, but still I said nothing.

Sean glared at me. Maybe he’d been hoping I’d keep talking back so he’d have an excuse to knock me around a little more. “Keep quiet in here. Otherwise, I’ll come back andforceyour silence. Don’t think I won’t.”

I didn’t doubt him. He thrived on violence. Craved it.

It didn’t matter. As long as Dylan was safe, I couldn’t care less what Sean did to me.

He stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. The lock clicked closed with a decisive snap. I didn’t have to check the door to know I was trapped.

I got up on shaky legs and paced the perimeter of the room. Of course, the window was locked—more than locked, actually. It was nailed shut. I traced my finger over the rusty nails buried in the windowsill. The glass was thick, and even if I was strong enough to shatter it, there was no way I’d be able to do that without the dragons in the house hearing me. Sean was a psychopath, but he wasn’t stupid. There wasn’t a damn thing in this cold, empty room that would help me.

I sat down against the wall across from the door and pulled my knees to my chest. Pressing my forehead to my knees, I took a few slow, steadying breaths. Now that it was quiet, all my fear and pain and rage cascaded over me. I didn’t even try to stop the tears from flowing. What was the point? There was no one here to see. Nothing I could do to get out. I was truly trapped here—truly at Sean’s mercy.

Despite how things had ended between us, there was no doubt in my mind that Steph would come for me.

The memory of him in bed with Blakely only made the tears flow harder. After everything we’d been through, everything we’d struggled with, all those conversations… He’d still betrayed me. Still gone back to her for an easy fuck. I didn’t understand it.I was so sure he loved me. I’d believed him when he said I was his fated mate. Yet he’d turned his back on me in a heartbeat the second he had the chance.

It didn’t make sense. That wasn’t the behavior of the man I thought I knew.

Maybe I didn’t know him at all.

Even if that were true, there was no way he’d agree to a trade. He might be a cheating jackass, but he had a lot of pride. He’d never let Sean walk over him like that.

Steph loved Dylan. Even if what I’d thought was real between us wasn’t, there was no way he didn’t love his son. It simply wasn’t possible. Even if there was no other reason, he’d come for me because that was what was best for Dylan.

Right?

Steph wouldn’t leave me here to languish, would he?

Yesterday, I wouldn’t have doubted that at all, but after seeing Steph with Blakely, I wasn’t so sure.

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