Page 123 of Dancing with the Devil

“Why? So that you can send your fucked up fiancé after him?” he coughed.

“You’re one to talk,” I scoffed. “YouletAlexander do all those things to me when I was nothing but good to both of you,” I snapped, feeling bile rise in my throat. “How could you?” I asked in disbelief. “You were acop, and I needed you.”

“How could I?” he laughed but groaned in pain. “Darling, who do you think gave him all those little ideas? Who do youthink watched as he took advantage of you?” he asked and my stomach dropped. “Who do you think watched when he let both men into the house?” he bitterly asked and my eyes stung with tears. “Who do you think watched when you got in and out of the shower?”

“What… h—how did you—”

“Camera’s,princess, I couldn’t miss the fun, now could I?” he chuckled. “I had convinced him to ask you to move in with him for the time being. It wasn’t long but it was enough.”

“Why?”

“I told you. Worthless, pathetic little girls like you, belong to powerful men like him and I.”

“How many?” I questioned. No answer. “How many others were there before me?”

“Too many to count.” He attempted to laugh but winced in pain. He cursed and I let out a shaky breath.

“And, when I found out you were Nereus’ sister, man did I—” he groaned, coughing out blood. I turned my head, taking a deep breath in as I suppressed my nausea. “I couldn’t let you go just yet.”

“You’re never getting out of here,” I shook my head, goosebumps trailing up my neck. “You’re not going to hurt me or anyfuckingone else, ever again. Neither of you will,” I assured him, stepping closer. “I will watch Antonio hurt you, over and over, so that you can feel just a fraction of what I would feel, every time I tried to be happy.”

He lifted his head, his expression clear. He was mad. “Your fiancé is pathetic,” he spat out. “He’s nothing but a psychotic killer who needs his head checked out. He’s no better than—” I cut him off with a smack.

“Youdon’t get to talk about Antonio.”

He scoffed, shaking his head carefully. “One day he’ll hurt you too. He’ll never be capable of being a sane human being. He’ll always be screwed up.”

Just then, the door opened and footsteps descended the stairs. I turned back to see Antonio stop at the bottom of the stairs, rolling up the sleeves of his white dress shirt to his elbows. I turned back to Sylvester and he shook his head.

Antonio stopped beside me and turned my face to him. Using his thumb, he wiped a tear—that had unintentionally fallen—off my cheek and looked over at Sylvester.

“You’re making her cry?” he asked and I watched Sylvester swallow hard.

Antonio walked over to the steel table. “Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

He opened a packaged box—it seemed new—and Cesar walked over to him.

Antonio pulled out a thick, silver chain and Cesar picked up the blow torch. I watched as they slipped on black gloves, heating the chain. I hugged my stomach, stepping back.

Antonio looked over at me and I gave him a single nod. “Wait!” Sylvester cried out, grabbing my attention. “If I tell you his location, you have to promise you won’t let him use that on me,” he breathed heavily.

“I don’t care about the torture. I just want his location,” I said and Sylvester looked between the three of us. “Just tell me,” I softened my voice to a plea. There was momentary silence before Sylvester spoke.

“Your first Christmas together,” Sylvester said and it only took me a second.I know where he is.

Antonio walked over to Sylvester with the heated chain and Sylvester shook his head.

“Nirah, you promised,” he said, eyes ridden with fear and I slightly tilted my head to the side.

“You were the first man I called that night. You promised me something too, remember?” I asked and he slowly shook his head with a plea.

“Nirah,please.”

“Don’t you wish you had kept that promise?” I asked and did not miss the grin of pride on Antonio’s face.

I walked as far back as possible and Antonio turned to face Sylvester.

The chain sliced through the air and when it came crashing down on Sylvester’s skin, I squeezed my eyes shut, whipping my head to the side. One whip. Two whips. Three whips.