Page 11 of Darkest Game (The Dark Mafia #3)

Chapter Six

Liam

J ack stands up and claps his hands, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “It is time for the wedding night.”

A lot of the men whistle and holler. Irina sinks deeper into her seat, looking utterly miserable. Not surprising since she’s about to be raped tonight.

I clench my hands under the table. If I could kill Jack, I would. But I never try to do anything that would ruin my life and killing Jack would put my life into a tailspin. It’s better to just let this happen. I have no care for Irina. She’s just some Russian girl I was forced to marry.

“Now,” Jack continues, “normally it’s the groom who claims his bride on his wedding night. But for tonight, it’s going to be me. As boss, I am going to take this pretty girl’s virginity.” He runs his fingers down Irina’s face and she only ducks her chin more.

The men in the room let out a cheer while the few female guests look disgusted. I guess not everyone is happy about this. But what can the women do? Even Jack’s own wife can’t make him stop.

Elaine is still glaring daggers at Irina for failing to hurt her.

When I saw the knife at Irina’s throat, something shifted inside of me.

The urge to protect Irina like I’ve never felt before.

I shouldn’t care one bit. Hell, if Elaine had killed her, it would have made my life a million times easier.

Then Jack couldn’t hurt Irina tonight. Then Jack couldn’t hold Irina over my head and make a fool out of me.

Then I wouldn’t have to deal with this fucking feeling inside of me. One of pure, hot anger and… guilt.

I feel guilty for not saving Irina, even though I shouldn’t. She means nothing to me.

But when I glance at her in her pretty wedding dress stained with blood from the cut on her arm I can’t help but feel the urge to comfort her. To make sure she’s safe.

“Once I’m done with her,” Jack says, “then her husband can have her. But I already told him that any man can have Irina after tonight. She’s a plaything for us all.”

It takes everything inside of me to not grab the steak knife from the table and chuck it at Jack’s face.

The men in the room only laugh more and share hungry little expressions that make me want to kill them all. Irina is going to be gang raped if I don’t stop it.

But to stop it, I’d have to go against Jack. I’d have to put my own life in danger to make it happen. I’d be going against everything I’ve worked for to get where I am… just to save a girl I don’t care about?

“Now, we’re off,” Jack says, grabbing Irina’s arm, forcing her to her feet. There’s no expression on her face. No fear. No anger. Just blank. She must be stealing herself for the night. It only makes me more fucking angry and guilty.

I watch Jack and Irina leave the ballroom together. There’s a lodge next door to this where I know he’s taking her. All the guests are going to spend the night.

Elaine storms over to me. “You need to stop this.”

“How?”

“Go in that room and kill the girl.”

“Right in front of Jack? He’ll kill me for it.”

“Do I look like I care?”

I stand up, towering over her. “I’m not going to put my own life in fucking danger for you, you crazy bitch. You tried to kill Irina earlier.”

“Like you care about her.” When I don’t reply, she raises her eyebrows.

“You… you don’t actually care about her, do you?

Because that would be very stupid if you did.

She’s not yours and she will never be yours.

You’d be doing her a favor by killing her.

I know I’d rather be dead than raped by countless men. So what are you going to do about it?”

“I know what you’re doing,” I growl. “You’re trying to get me to stop Jack from fucking her. You don’t care at all about her or me.”

“Does it matter my motives if they align with yours?”

“Your motives are for Irina to be dead.”

She crosses her arms. “So what’s your motive?”

To see Jack dead . The thought comes unbidden and strong. The only way to stop Jack tonight is by killing him. But can I put myself at risk like that… and all over some girl I don’t love?

Maybe it’s because Irina is technically my wife now but I don’t want her to be anybody’s but mine.

There were no weapons allowed at the wedding today. The only people who have guns are the guards on duty and there’s multiple at the entrances to this place. I’m sure Jack is going to have a guard stationed outside the wedding night suite.

I could easily be killed for this.

But I can’t stop this anger and guilt from going away. Anger at Jack for turning me into a fucking fool and guilt because, well, Irina doesn’t deserve this. She wasn’t even supposed to be here. It was supposed to be her sisters.

And now she’s paying the price for my mistake.

I grab the steak knife and place it in my jacket.

Elaine’s eyes light up. “You’re making the right choice. End that poor girl’s life.”

Without a word, I leave the ballroom and head for the lodge. Irina called me a coward and not going to lie, it fucking stung. I’ve never thought of myself as a coward in my entire life but she was right. I was acting like a coward. I was letting Jack dictate my life and make a mockery out of me.

So, it’s time to fucking end this and show my wife that I’m not a coward at all.

Irina

Jack brings me to the lodge next door. It’s a beautiful space decorated in dark woods and even darker furniture. It would be a lovely place for a wedding night… if I wasn’t so scared out of my mind.

I shut my emotions down. It’s better if I just close my eyes and get this over with. Jack is physically larger than me. There’s no way I can beat him in a fight.

I could try to ask for help but I’m sure Jack as paid off everybody in this lodge. A man like him would want to make sure nothing went wrong.

The room itself is a large, rustic, cozy space. Or it would be if I wasn’t about to be raped.

Jack shuts the door behind us. I catch a glimpse of the guard on duty outside the room. Just one but he has a gun on him. No way I could make a run for it. I’d be shot down before I could scream for help.

“You look beautiful in that dress,” he says, his eyes raking me over. I keep my eyes glued to his shoulder. “Answer me.”

“What should I say?” My voice is monotone. I’m just a doll for his amusement tonight.

He grabs my chin. It would hurt but right now, I have decided that nothing will hurt tonight. That I won’t feel a thing. “You should tell me that I’m handsome and that you’re grateful a man like me is going to be the first man ever inside you. Isn’t that something?”

“Yes.”

His eyes narrow into thin slits. “You’re not fighting back like I thought you would.”

“No.”

“Can you speak more than one fucking word? Jesus.” He lets me go and runs his hand down his face. “I want you to tell me how grateful you are to me.”

“Why?”

That only makes him more angry. “Why? Because… because I said so.”

He wants his ego stroked but I’m not going to give it to him. I’m not going to make him happy at all tonight.

“Ok,” is all I say.

I don’t see the slap happen until I feel it. A harsh sting spreads across my face and I stumble back, clutching at my cheek. A cry escapes my mouth.

“She finally makes a noise,” he mocks.

I’ve been lying to myself. I can’t ignore the pain Jack is going to cause me tonight. It was foolish of me to even think so.

“Get on the bed and pull your dress up around your waist. I want to fuck you.”

No getting naked together. No romantic moment where we giggle in the dark as we fall onto the bed together. No love whatsoever. Jack is all about control and that’s what he wants tonight: just to control me.

He seeks power because he doesn’t feel like he has enough. Not when Mikhail and Nico are taking over the city. But despite their power, they haven’t saved me.

When I don’t move, Jack throws me onto the bed. Another scream leaves my throat. He clamps his hand over my mouth.

“You will only scream my name in pleasure. Is that understood?”

I look back at him. The last thing I’ll do is give him the satisfaction of an answer.

“Is that understood?” he snaps, lifting his hand from my mouth. “Tell me.”

“No,” I whisper.

“Tell me!” He smacks me across the face again. The only saving grace is that it hurts less this time. Maybe I’ll be able to get used to the pain. That thought brings me peace and I smile.

“You’re happy,” he says, smiling back. “Good. I’m happy to.”

He shoves my dress up around my waist and rips my panties down. I avert my eyes and try to go to a different spot just so this can be over.

Jack stands up to shove his pants down.

A sound from outside the room makes me frown. It’s like a grunt and a thud. Jack notices it too and he turns to the door… right as its kicked open and Liam charges in.

With a gun in his hands.

Pointed right at Jack.

“Step away from her,” Liam growls. I can’t even feel happiness in this moment since I don’t understand it. What is Liam doing? Is he… actually saving me right now?

“You’re not going to kill me,” Jack scoffs.

“I am. So step away from her.”

“My men will swarm this place within minutes.”

“If they figure it out. I killed the only guard on duty. The others are still paying attention to your guests. You’re so fucking full of yourself that you thought you could make a fool out of me over and over and over again and I wouldn’t do anything about it? Seriously?”

“Ah, so this is about your ego. Not because you care for the girl. Don’t get your hopes up, Irina. He’s not here for you. He’s here for himself.”

Liam’s eyes flick to mine for a second and in that time, Jack moves a step. Liam lifts his gun higher. “Don’t.”