Page 101 of Dancing with the Devil

A large forearm wrapped around Logan’s neck, choking him and my eyes grow wide. “Run,” he choked out, fighting against Sylvester.

I jolted back in fear, seeing both men in an aggressive tussle. Slowly, I stepped back before bolting away from them—my pulse throbbing in my neck.

I sprinted in the opposite direction, running as fast as I could. Frantically looking around, I spotted the back door in the distance. I charged toward it, and as soon as I stepped outside the cold, late night air slammed against my face.

Goosebumps trailed over my skin, and a firm hand gripped the back of my neck. “There you are,” Sylvester wickedly said, and I turned to face him. “I’ve missed you, my sweet little girl,” he whispered in my ear, and my legs nearly buckled.

My eyes darted down to the shiny knife in his hand as he spun me around, grabbing my face in his hand.

“Don’t do this,” I shook my head, and he pressed the sharp point of the knife into my cheek.

“Do what?” he grinned, pushing it in deeper until I felt it prick my skin. He pulled the knife back and roughly let go of my face. He slapped me and pushed me back up against the wall—wrapping a firm hand around my throat.No. “You’ve been making my life a fucking nightmare for way too long,” he growled. “It endshereandnow.”

With my heart racing, I knee him between his legs and he squirmed, dropping the knife. I tried to run as he fell to theground but he grabbed my ankle, stabbing my leg. I groaned in pain, falling to the ground, and my forehead slammed against the hard concrete. I choked out a cry, rolling onto my back as my vision blurred.

He got up, unsteadily standing over me.

I held onto my bleeding leg and he kicked me in my stomach with a force so strong he knocked my wind out.

I cried in agony and he kicked me for a second, a third, and a fourth time. “Please stop,” I begged as the pain became overwhelming. “Please,” I sobbed and he crouched down in front of me. I curled inwards with my knees clutched to my chest in an attempt to protect myself from him.

He yanked my legs straight and I winced at the pain. I turned over but he grabbed my arm, forcing me on my back. He pressed his knee onto my bruised stomach and held his knife above his knee.

“No, no please,” I shook my head. “It hurts!” I cried as he stabbed my stomach, twisting the knife. “Stop!” I wailed and he twisted the knife even more. The booming music in the club trapped my cries for help, swallowing it.

My whimpers got caught in my throat, and I choked on my saliva. “Does that hurt?” he mused. “Because that’s what you’ll be going through from now on, you filthyslut. Youandyour little fiancé.”

“No,” I shook my head. “Don’t you dare—” I got cut off by him yanking out the knife and slicing a four-inch line down my arm. I groaned in pain as sweat coated my forehead. “Fuck you!” I stammered in pain.

His chuckle was dark—sinister. “You will, soon enough,” he smirked, and I felt the sweat dripping down my forehead. “And I’ll have you screaming my name, over and over. You sluts enjoy that, don’t you? Being thrown around.”

I felt my tears dry up and my chest tightened at the mere thought of him putting his hands on me,again. I fearfully closed my eyes and all I could see was Antonio’s face. I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting against the agonizing pain.

The weight of his knee shifted off of my stomach, and that was when I kicked him between his legs so hard that a sharp pain shot up my leg. He dropped the knife at my head, and I grabbed it, stabbing his leg repeatedly.

He wailed, dropping to the ground beside me, and I crawled away from him. I used my arms to push myself back inside, my wounded legs dragging behind me. Blood poured out of my stomach as I crawled, sobbing relentlessly.

The music turned distraught as a sharp ringing pained my ears. I looked around, desperate for help. I forced myself to my feet, limping to the first person I saw.Help me…

CHAPTER 21

Antonio

WITH MY HEAD thrown back against the wall, I sat in my chair with one leg bent and the other straight.

I spun my knife between my fingers, waiting for some sort of reaction.

My mind rushed back to before I sat in this chair,craving, to get my hands bloody and bruised.

Nirah’s hospital room.

I called the nurse in after I carefully laid her head down on the pillow. I was asked to leave the room as the nurses rushed in.

Everything around me stilled as I stared into the square glass window attached to the door. They stuck needles in her, connected her to the machines, and soon enough, she disappeared from my vision.

Anxiously—I paced up and down in the hallway outside of the operating room.

Fury burned in my core as my mind wandered to the worst possible scenario.Losing her.