Page 36 of Darkest Game

“You can’t be serious?” Liam scoffs. “Irina is raped or killed?”

“If you let her be taken by these men, she’ll be released. Free like you can be. You can even be with her if you want. But make the choice, Liam.”

“Why don’t I get a choice?” I ask.

“Because I don’t like you,” she snaps. “Liam chooses. Death for both of you or the girl is raped and you can walk free. And then she’ll be free too. I’m not completely mean.”

“You’re just a bitch,” he hisses.

“Slow down with the language there. I’m a lady. You’ll speak with respect when I’m around. Now, make your choice Liam. Choose to be selfless or selfish.”

“Choosing to end both of our lives seems pretty selfish,” he says.

“Not when you have the option to walk away without a scratch on you. Death is the selfless option. The one where you leave and the girl is raped? That’s the selfish one. Now. Which one will it be? My patience is wearing thin. Choose.”

Liam glances at me but I don’t know him well enough to understand his expression. But I do see a flash of guilt in his face. My stomach drops. I know which option he’s choosing before he even says it.

“I’ll choose to walk away free,” he finally says. “But untie me first.”

“No. You’re going to watch as she’s raped.”

The moment my wrists are untied, I scratch out the guard who untied me. My nails rake down his face. His scream of pain is satisfying.

Another guard grabs my arms and drags me past Liam.

“Irina,” Liam hisses. “My coat pocket.”

I frown before it takes me a second to realize what he’s saying. He left the knife he killed Jack with in his coat pocket.

I lunge forward and grab the knife out of his jacket but I don’t know how to use it on another person.

“My hands,” Liam whispers.

I wrap my hands around the small knife so the guards and Elaine and Jack’s men can’t see it.

“Get her on the ground,” Elaine orders.

I kick the guard closest to me right between the legs, sending him to his knees. I use that chance to run behind Liam and set the knife in his hands right before another guard throws me to the ground.

My wedding dress is covered in dirt and grime and blood. There’s no saving it now.

It’s just like my innocence. Ruined. Taken from me.

I scream and kick and flail around with all my might until one of the guards holds my hands above my head and the other one holds my legs down. Elaine stares down at me with a satisfied smile. I’ve never thought anyone deserved to burn in hell until my uncle Denis entered my life. Now I’ve known two people who deserve to burn down below.

The guard holding my legs spreads them wide and motions at Richie. “Up first.”

Richie hesitates. “You know, it’s not exactly easy for me to have sex in front of others.”

“If you won’t do it, I will,” another one of Jack’s men says, rushing towards me. He’s a lanky man with sunken eyes who looks more like death than a real person.

He unzips his pants and I catch a sight of his penis.

I want the chance to live but I’m not sure I can live through this. I squeeze my eyes shut.

“Open them,” Elaine barks at me. “You’re going to look at their faces as they take you.” When I don’t do as she says, she grabs my face and digs her nails into my skin until I open my eyes. “There. Don, get to it.”

The sunken eyed man nods. “I’m looking forward to it.” He kneels before me and opens my legs wider. “Did Jack get to fuck you first?”