Page 99 of Coercion

My phone rings in my pocket and I pick it up as I walk over to where the knives are hanging.

“Nico.” I say.

“Where the fuck are you?” He asks. I pretty much stormed out of the compound without a word, too desperate to get to my wife, too eager to prove that Jace was wrong, that Ruby wouldn’t fuck me over like that.

God, what a fool I’ve been. What a complete fucking idiot.

“You need to get here.” I reply.

“Where?”

“My house.” I turn around, making eye contact with my wife. Her gaze drops to the blade in my hand and I see her head shake again. “Ruby is involved.”

“What?”

“Just get here.” I hang up before I have to say anything further. If I hold off on this, if I don’t take this step now, I know my foolish love for this woman will override all sense and I won’t be able to do what is necessary; I’ll be as much of a traitor to Nico as my wife is.

“Preston.” She whimpers.

“This is your last chance, Ruby.” I say holding the blade in a way that I know will scare her the most. “Tell me everything you know or so help me god I will cut every last secret out of you.”

She screws her face up. “I didn’t… please you have to believe me.”

Only, I’m done hearing her excuses, hearing her pathetic attempt to try to trick me.

Does she think I’m so stupid I’d believe her?

Does she think that she’s dug her claws into me that deep that it will override my loyalty to Nico?

She’s not who I thought she was.

She’s not the woman I fell in love with.

This woman here is all Gunnar’s creature and none of mine.

She bites her lip at first slice of the blade, like she’s refusing to make a sound, but within seconds she gives in, screaming, jerking, trying to get away.

“It’s very simple, Ruby.” I say, keeping that ice cold grip on my heart, refusing to let my love for this woman override my senses. Override my loyalty. “Tell me what you know and all of this will end.”

“I don’t know anything.” She screams.

I take another cut. Another awful slash down her back. Crimson blood flows over her perfect skin, mingling with the sweat and the dirt at her feet.

And yet still, the woman refuses to talk.

By the time Nico bursts through the door, she’s covered in blood. It’s dripping from her body as she hangs limply from the chain.

“Fuck.” Nico growls.

“She knows.” I say, turning to face him. “She knows everything.”

“What has she said?”

I shake my head because somehow my wife seems to be the strongest fucking person I’ve ever met, she hasn’t said a thing, nothing beyond pleas and whimpers. I even tried whipping her to see if that would make her talk but she gave me nothing.

Not a word beyond her screams.

He narrows his eyes, stepping up to her. I’m not even sure she knows he’s in the room. He grabs her face staring at her dazed, unfocused eyes.