Page 89 of Always A Villain

“Travis has been dead a long time. Which explains why those bastards didn’t know about the new perimeter sensors.”

I crouch in front of her.

“You see, Alicia…when someone betrays me, when they harm what’s mine…”

Dragging a knife acrossthe floor, I let the blade scrape the concrete.

“…they pay for it.”

I watch her body shudder.

“And they pay…painfully.”

I hover above her. Close enough that she can feel the warmth of my breath against her clammy skin.

“But before that? They suffer. I make them bleed. I make them beg for death. Do you understand?”

Her cry is soft, barely a breath.

“Axel, please.”

Forcing her to look back at me, I grip her jaw.

“Do. You. Understand?”

Her lips quiver. “Y-yes.”

“Good.”

I let go, watching her body slump.

“Because this will hurt.”

I grip my knife tighter.

“And you won’t die until I decide you can.”

Her sobs break loose.

I smile. “You blackmailed Rory. Sold my security to the enemy.” I glance at my bloodstained shirt. “And one of those motherfuckers stabbed my dog.”

Her whole body goes still.

I exhale.

Then I lean in once more, my lips brushing against her ear.

“When you get to hell, make sure you tell that cunt sister of yours the Reaper sent you too.”

It’s pitch-black and reeks of must and mold. Something cold and damp presses into my back. I try to shake off the fog, but I’m weak, disoriented, every muscle a weight I can barely move. A rag’s stuffed in my mouth, tasting like salt and blood, and ropes bite into my wrists and ankles.

Where the hell am I?

My mind scrambles to piece together the last thing I remember—walking to the Range Rover, then...nothing. Just black.

Fuck.

How long have I been out? Hours? Days? A rush of panic hits me.