Page 27

27

ELLIE

“Sean!”

I scream as I pound my fist against the door, though the heavy thumping does nothing to help the way my head aches.

Reaching up, I wipe more of the blood from the corner of my mouth, though my head still feels like it’s spinning as I look down at the maroon smear on the side of my palm.

Aiden makes a noise in the back of his throat. “You’re not going to be able to break the door down.”

“You shouldn’t be talking right now.” I take a step toward him, swaying on my feet. “Do you know where they took Sean?”

“No.” Aiden coughs, a little blood spraying onto his already stained white shirt.

He tilts his head back against the white epoxy floor, staring up at the fluorescent lights overhead. “We’re going to die here. Royce doesn’t know where I am right now. I told him that I had a meeting overseas. I would be back, but he probably wouldn’t hear much from me.”

“Idiot.” I clamp my hands to the sides of my head, trying to get the aching to dull as I head over to the sink and grab the rags that fell when Jace slammed my head into the wall.

Aiden chuckles, but it turns into a cough that has his entire body shaking.

It leaves him wheezing and gasping for air as he rolls onto his side, bile trickling from his mouth and onto the ground.

“Shit.”

I drop to my knees beside him, even though my entire body is screaming at me to stop moving and just take a moment to figure everything out.

There’s no time to pause though.

Aiden coughs again as I keep him rolled onto his side, waiting for the fit to pass.

My heart hammers in my chest, pounding against my ribs as Aiden finally stops coughing, his body done shaking.

As I get to my feet, I wipe his blood on my pants, but it still stains my hands. I feel like I’m going to be sick as I go to the sink and find a little bucket beside it. I fill the bucket with cool water and grab the pile of rags before kneeling beside Aiden again.

I dip one of the rags into the bucket and wring it out before cleaning away the bile and blood from Aiden’s mouth. His dark eyelashes flutter against his cheeks, his breathing ragged as his eyes close.

Rinsing the rag out, I glance around the room.

Only one door.

And the guard standing in front of that door doesn’t look too friendly. He doesn’t look like the meanest man I’ve ever seen, but I doubt he’s going to be accepting friendship anytime soon.

Not that I want to be his friend.

I only plan on doing whatever the hell I need to.

Whatever it takes to get out of here, save my brother, and find my husband.

Aiden groans as his eyes flutter open and he looks up at me, regret shining bright in his eyes.

He braces his forearms beneath him, struggling to push himself into a sitting position as his teeth grind together. “You know, if that sick bastard really is going to kill us, then there are some things I should have told you.”

“We’re not going to do this.” I wipe some of the blood from his chin, stubble scraping against the fibers of the rag.

“We are going to do this because he’s going to kill me, and we both know it. That’s been his entire goal since he came back, and right now, he’s going to get what he wants. There’s no way the three of us are getting out alive, but you and Sean might be able to get out.”

“So, what?” I ask, tone sharp as I toss the soiled rag to the side and grab a new one to wrap around the cut that’s still oozing on his bicep. “You get to throw yourself on the sword of nobility so we can live? Not happening.”

“Ellie, you have to be reasonable about this.” Another round of coughing breaks up his words, the wheeze he takes sounding more like a death rattle than anything else. “He’s going to kill me either way. You need to focus on getting you and Sean out of here.”

“Like fuck I’m leaving you behind.” I grab his hand, holding on tight until my knuckles turn white.

He shakes his head, lying back against the cold floor and closing his eyes. “You don’t get a choice. I’m telling you that you need to do this.”

“When have I ever listened to you?” I ask, keeping my tone light and teasing. I lift the hem of his shirt to see yet another cut to his skin, blood seeping out of the shallow slice, even as it congeals around the edges.

Aiden chuckles. “Good point. I’m sorry, Ellie. I never should have made you get married.”

“No, you shouldn’t have.” I get up and dump the dirty water down the sink, getting fresh water from the tap and returning to Aiden.

He smiles, though his eyes squeeze shut as I start cleaning the cut on his stomach. “I know. I just didn’t know what else to do. Making the alliance seemed like the only choice and when Malcolm demanded the marriage and insisted it was you, I was relieved.”

“Why?” I ask, though I can’t hold back the sting in my chest that his words produce.

“You’re tougher than the others. Hell, you spend your days elbow deep in gunshot wounds and stabbings and you don’t waver.” Pride shines in his eyes like I’ve never seen it before. “If there was anyone who was going to survive a marriage with Sean, it was going to be you. He’s not exactly an easy person to get along with.”

“You’ve got that right.” I smile and wipe more blood from his skin, but my heart sinks in my chest. I don’t know how much time I’m going to have to get him out of here and to help.

It’s going to have to be soon though; otherwise, my brother is going to bleed out long before a doctor ever sees him.

Aiden sighs, his hand closing over mine. “I’m proud of all that you’ve done for our family, Ellie. I know I don’t say it enough.”

“And we’re not going to talk about it now, either.”

Aiden purses his lips together, cheeks looking hollow. “I know that there should have been a moment where I went back on the deal. I could have taken you straight from that wedding. You had more important things going on in your life than a marriage to a monster.”

My spine stiffens and I clench the rag tighter, pressing a little too hard on another cut. “I told you that we’re not going to talk about this right now. You need to save your strength so we can get out of here.”

“I’m not getting out of here and this is the most alert I’ve felt in a day.” He swats my hand away from him. “We need to talk.”

“We’re not going to talk about it right now.” I get up and help him stand, thinking it would be better to have him in a chair.

Aiden nudges me away from him, getting to his feet on his own, even though he’s slumped over slightly. He looks down his nose at me, a million different emotions flashing through his eyes.

“Sean isn’t a good man.” Aiden’s voice rings clear, the haze lingering in his eyes starting to fade. “He killed our father. I should have killed him years ago, long before we were ever dependent on his family to help us.”

“Enough.” My hands curl into fists at my sides as I look over at the guard. He’s standing there, watching us with interest, though as soon as he sees me, he turns away.

Aiden scowls and crosses his arms, wincing as he does. “It’s not enough. I’m your older brother and I should have been the one to protect you from that bastard.”

“That’s my husband you’re talking about,” I say, my tone deadly as I step closer to Aiden, tilting my chin up in defiance. “I love you, Aiden, but you better watch what you say next.”

He scoffs. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

“Ellie, he’s fucked in the head. He’s nothing but a murderer and I should’ve seen that all those years ago. Think of where our family would be right now if I had seen Sean for the monster he is instead of clinging to the friendship that should’ve died when Dad did.”

“Now you’re being melodramatic.”

“He killed Dad in front of you. He let you get your shoulder carved up twice. I know he’s been nothing but an asshole to you.”

I close the distance between me and Aiden, blood boiling over as I look up at him. “I told you to stop talking. Sean is my husband and whether you like it or not, our marriage is a good thing. It works.”

“He’s brainwashed you.”

“No. He just showed me who he is.” I step back, the fight leaving my body. “How easy is it for you to turn on him because you’re angry with him?”

“That’s not what I’m doing.”

“It is. You’re pissed because he made me a priority. For once, someone wasn’t running to you first. I didn’t run to you first. I let my husband take care of me, and now you’re trying to punish him for that.”

“When the hell did you start to like him?” Aiden shakes his head, looking at me like he doesn’t know who I am anymore. “You’ve spent your entire life hating him and now you’re telling me that you’re going to put him before the rest of the family?”

“He’s my husband!” I jab a finger into Aiden’s chest, careful not to hurt him more. “And you’re the one who arranged that, so if you’re going to throw a fit about my starting to like Sean, you have nobody to blame but yourself.”

“I still can’t believe this.”

“Believe it or not, my marriage is one of the best things to ever happen to me.”

The door to the room opens as I’m ranting, and there’s a large groan as Sean is shoved inside, Noah following behind him.

My hand flies to my mouth when I get a good look at Sean. He’s battered and bruised, his sun-kissed skin covered in glowing red marks that are going to turn into deep-purple bruises in a matter of hours.

There’s a long cut on his forearm seeping blood. It looks like it’s going to need stitches, but I doubt Noah is going to bring me a first aid kit.

Sean looks up at me, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Knew you were starting to like me.”

My cheeks flame as he struggles to his feet. “You’re not supposed to be making jokes right now. Look at you!”

Sean shrugs and slumps down into one of the chairs. “This marriage has been the best thing to happen to me, even if you do annoy the hell out of me at times.”

Noah pretends to gag and crosses his arms. “I don’t have time for this right now.”

I focus on him, trying to pull myself together. “You wouldn’t have to if you would just let us go.”

He snorts and shakes his head, stalking closer to me, though his gaze is locked on Aiden and Sean. “None of you are leaving; however, you should know that your husband here is going to bleed out unless you do something to help him.”

“Give me something to stitch him up with,” I say, my tone firm even though I feel like breaking down and screaming until my voice goes hoarse.

Noah laughs and motions to one of the men standing in the doorway behind him. “I was hoping you were going to say that.”

One of the men walks forward with a glowing piece of metal.

The end of the rod is twisted into Noah’s initials, glowing white-hot and ready to be pressed into flesh.

The corners of Noah’s mouth stretch wider. “If you’re both going to live, you’re both going to have to wear my mark.”

I think I’m going to throw up.

Noah takes the brand and holds it out to me. “You’re going to have to make a decision quick if you don’t want him to bleed out. This is going to cool down in no time.”

He chuckles and drops the brand to the ground in front of me before spinning and heading out of the room, leaving us with only one guard again.

The guard clears his throat as the door slams shut, but I feel frozen in place. I can’t look at him even though I’m sure that’s what he wants right now.

Instead, all I can focus on is the brand glowing on the floor and knowing that I’m running out of time.

Aiden groans and rubs a hand down his face. “You’re going to have to do it, Ellie.”

Sean shoots him a sharp look. “She doesn’t have to do anything. El, you can just bandage me up, and then we’re going to get the hell out of here, okay?”

Bile rises in my mouth, the acidic taste filling my mouth as I glance between the brand and the deep cut on Sean’s arm.

He might not bleed out if I don’t cauterize the wound, but that’s a slim chance. I don’t know how much blood drained from him before they brought him back, but I can see the color is gone from his face.

At least, it would be if it weren’t for the other cuts and bruises.

I swallow hard, breathing deep through my nose as I pick up the brand and look at Sean. Tears blur the edges of my vision. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

Sean clamps a hand over the cut, but the blood still pools between his fingers. “You don’t have to do this. We’re going to get through it whether you can do it or not.”

I don’t think I can do this.

I have to do this.

Aiden looks at me before his eyes shut and his breathing becomes shallow. I don’t know if he’s still conscious, and at this moment, I can’t worry about it either.

Sean has to come first, and right now, if I don’t deal with his arm, he’s going to die on me.

Stooping down, I take the cool end of the brand. “I’m so sorry I have to do this. I’m so, so sorry. It’s going to hurt a lot.”

Sean stands and crosses the short distance to me. His hand hovers for a moment before it drops to his side. There’s steely determination in his eyes. “It’s going to be okay. You just need to hold it there for a little bit. Long enough to seal the wound. You can do this. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. It’s one of the reasons why I love you.”

My heart collides with my ribs, the brand shaking in my hands. “You love me?”

He nods, drawing himself up to stand straight. “I do. Didn’t think it was possible. You drive me insane and I’m sure we spend nearly as much time bickering as we do fucking, but it works for us. I love it, and I love you, and I know that you’re going to get through this because that’s what you do. You get through things.”

“I love you too.” I place a hand on his cheek, feeling the rough stubble beneath my fingertips as tears roll down my cheeks. “You’re infuriating and impossible at times, but I can’t imagine getting through the rest of my life without you.”

Sean holds out his arm. “Do it and let’s get this over with. Then we’re going to get the hell out of here.”

“You need to lie down.” I nod to the ground. “This is going to hurt, and I don’t need you passing out while you’re standing up.”

He leans in, claiming my mouth in a searing kiss, the taste of salt mingling with the lingering tobacco.

We kiss until the air is stolen from my lungs and we both come up gasping for air.

Sean lies on the ground, grabbing one of the clean rags and stuffing it between his teeth.

As soon as he’s ready, he nods.

I press the brand to his skin hard, the sizzling sound of flesh and the horrible scent filling the room.

Hot rivers of tears stream down my cheeks as I try not to breathe, hoping that I won’t throw up from the smell of singed flesh.

It might not be the first time I’ve smelled it, but this is by far the worst.

Not once did I ever think I would have to brand Sean.

He groans, eyes rolling back in his head as his entire body tenses. His low groans send a shudder down my spine, making my stomach toss and turn.

Sean passes out, and for a second I wish I could join him. It has to be better than feeling the pain he’s enduring.

I drop the brand as soon as I can, the wound cauterized.

A sob rips from my body as I drop to my knees beside Sean, checking his pulse with shaking fingers.

He’s alive, but he still needs to see a doctor as soon as possible.

“I’m sorry.” I hold his face in my hands for a second before pulling the rag from between his teeth and tossing it to the side. “I’m so sorry.”

The door opens and Malcolm strides into the room. “You really shouldn’t apologize. Sean always gets what’s coming to him one way or another.”

Relief floods through me. “You’re here to get us out of here, right? Where’s Royce? Is he with you? He has to have noticed something’s wrong by now.”

Malcolm laughs and shakes his head, tucking his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “Why would I help you when everything I’ve been working for is within reach?”

It feels like a punch straight to the gut, the air forced from my lungs as I look up at him. “You bastard.”

“Now, Ellie, do I call you names?” He chuckles and strides over to us.

When his foot shoots out to kick Sean, I rush forward, smacking his leg down before tackling him to the ground.

Pain radiates through my body as he shoves me off him. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

He’s on me in an instant, grabbing me by the collar of my shirt and hauling me to my feet.

I kick him in the shin as hard as I can, gritting my teeth against the impact.

Malcolm’s fist comes sailing between us before I have a chance to stop it, hitting the same spot Noah punched me earlier and sending me sprawling to the floor.

With a smug smirk, Malcolm steps back and looks down at me. “I’m going to take everything you love from you.”

“Even at the cost of turning against your own family.” I spit the words out like venom, but they’re a little slurred from the swelling of my face.

He strides to the door. “I should have killed you too when I ordered the hit on your family.”

“Sean is never going to forgive you for this.”

Malcolm pauses, glancing at me over his shoulder. “Sean’s not going to live long enough to care.”