Page 107 of Gilded Locks

“Our sister!” Stone roared, his mask of self-control gone. In its place, a bloodthirsty protector set on vengeance.

Marigold had been so engrossed in Hunter’s hold on Jordan, she missed the moment he returned. If she thought Stone had been frightening before, she’d poorly misjudged. The man on the screen now was an unapologetic killer.

“But that word means little to you, doesn’t it?” Stone sneered, slamming his fist into Jordan’s ribs as Hunter and Ash held him up.

Jordan gasped and sputtered blood, his head hanging limp as his knees softened.

“All your bullshit about family loyalty. You make me sick!” Another punch. “Meaningless words. Sounds strung together with zero emotion so you can fantasize you’re a decent man.”

Ash grabbed him by the hair, lifting his head so he could look in his unfocused eyes.

And I bet most people gobble your lies right up.”

Stone sank his fist into him one more time. Jordan crumpled like a paper doll, falling to the floor.

“You can’t do this,” he gasped, holding up a hand.

“I think we can,” Ash said with an indifferent shrug. “Probably from the years of torture and abuse we endured, from sociopathic pricks just like you.” He fisted his hair, lifting his head. “Tell me, did you always lack empathy?”

Stone slammed a fist into Jordan’s back, and the breath whooshed out of him. He leaned close to his ear. “That was your kidney, by the way.”

“Please,” Jordan whispered, all his arrogance stripped away. “Whatever you want…money, connections, anything?—”

“What we want,” Stone said quietly, “is for you to understand exactly what you did to those innocent girls.” Stone quietly removed his tie and tossed it on the table. “What you stole from them. What you broke.”

The men hoisted him onto his feet, but Jordan was too weak to hold himself up. They threw him down on the table as Stone slammed his knee into Jordan’s thigh.

“We’re going to enlighten you tonight. And then,” Hunter added with a smile depraved enough to make a monster shiver. “We’re going to make it so you can never hurt anyone ever again.”

Stone kicked his feet, and Jordan’s legs gave out. They dragged him back to the table.

Marigold had seen enough.

She wanted Jordan to know he’d caused his own downfall, that his lies didn’t destroy her, and she would go on to life a full and happy life, free to do whatever she chose.

“Where are you going?” Cole was on his feet, his eyes darting between her, the door, and the monitors as chaos unfolded on the screens.

“I need to be there.”

“Those aren’t the rules. You heard what they said. You stay here, unless one of them comes to get you.”

“That was before. Everything’s different now.”

“The rules stay the same.”

“Look, I’m a part of this.”

“I can’t let you leave?—”

“No!” She screamed when he grabbed her, fought as he tried to restrain her.

Cole was fast and professionally trained, twisting her into a restraint hold before she made it to the door.

“Let go of me!” It was just like when they held her down at Whitmore. The feeling of helplessness, the fear of having no choice over her body. Something inside of her snapped. “You can’t do this! I’m not crazy! You can’t keep me here!”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” He tried to restrain her, but she was through being confined against her will. He reached for something on his belt. Silver flashed as she lifted her feet, trying to slide through his arms as dead weight. When that didn’t work, she slammed her feet down and swung her head back.

He grunted. Silver handcuffs glinted in the blue glow of the monitor screens. “You’re giving me no choice?—”