Page 166 of Hymns of the Broken

The mask gleams in the half-light, his body sprawling in the same chair as before. He’s been watching. Waiting. Maybe the whole time. I never heard him move. I never even knew he was there.

He cockshis head. “Don’t bother. You’re not getting out. Not unless I want you to.”

The chains bite into my skin as I curl tighter, eyes fixed on him, refusing to show how scared I am.

“Don’t worry, Sawyer. You’re right where you belong.”

His modulated laughter crawls under my skin, but I lift my chin, forcing my voice steady even as my hands tremble.

“I don’t care how many locks or chains you use,” I say, my voice scraping up from somewhere deep. “Someone’s coming for me. When they do, you’d better hope they get to you before I do.”

The mask tilts as if he’s surprised, maybe even amused. “Is that so?”

I glare, refusing to drop my gaze. “Yeah. And you’d better pray I never get my hands free. Because if I do, you’ll find out just how much damage this ‘baby girl’ can do.”

He leans forward, elbows on his knees, fingers drumming on the armrests.

“That’s the fire I always loved about you, Sawyer… But let’s see how long it lasts.”

I look away, trying to ignore him and act like I’m bored and unbothered.

His boots thud against the wood floor, coming closer, each step scraping against my skin like a warning. I force myself not to flinch, not to look, not to beg him to stop. If I can hold still—if I can just pretend I’m not here—maybe he’ll get bored, leave me alone.

But then I feel his gloved fingers graze my ankle. I jerk my leg away, chains clanking, disgust and fear twisting inside me.

“You were always so beautiful,” he says, voice distorted but unmistakably hungry.

“Don’t touch me.” My voice is barely more than a whisper, but the venom in it is all real.

He cocks his head, mask shining in the dim light, the knife flashing in his hand as if he conjured it from thin air. “What are you going to do about it, pet?”

I don’tanswer. I can’t. I’m still staring away, heart hammering so loud it drowns out everything else. Thenhishand shoots out, grabbing a fistful of my hair, yanking my head around until I forcefully meet his masked gaze. The blade presses against my neck, cold and sharp, a promise of pain.

He leans in, voice trembling with rage and need. “I will do whatever the fuck I want to you. You’remine. You’ve always been mine. If I want to fuck you in these chains, I will. If I want to cut you up into pieces in these chains, I’ll do that too.”

The pressure of the knife burns. My breath stalls in my chest. But I keep my chin lifted, my eyes defiant even as tears sting them. If he’s going to hurt me, I want him to see that I won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me beg.

But inside, I am screaming.

Inside, every inch of me is praying for Jasper, for Riot, for anyone.

Inside, I know I have to survive. I have to outlasthim.

The blade at my throat bites in, not quite breaking skin, but close enough to make me go still. Terrifyingly still. I feelhis breath, hot and shallow behind the mask. I can’t tell if he’s grinning or snarling, but the violence in his hands is unmistakable.

He traces the edge of the knife slowly down my neck, letting it drag along my collarbone, then down my arm, leaving a burning trail. My whole body trembles with rage, terror, and another unfortunate reaction that I’m trying to ignore. I don’t give him my tears. I won’t.

His gloved hand tightens in my hair, yanking my head back soI’m forcedto see the black eyes staring out at me from behind the mask.

“You’re not going anywhere, pet. Not until I say so. Not until you remember who you belong to.”

He presses the knife flat against my cheek, cold steel and cruel intent, just shy of actual pain. “You want to be brave? Go ahead. Scream. No one will hear you. Beg me for mercy, and maybe I’ll be gentle. Push me, and I’ll carve my name into your skin just so you never forget me again.”

My heartis practically on the verge of exploding. I want to spit in his face. I want to bite, kick, fight until there’s nothing left of me, but I’m chained. I’m helpless. My voice wavers, but doesn’t break.

“You can chain my body, but you’ll never own me.They’llcome for me. They’ll find you. You’re not as smart as you think.”

The mask tips, like he’s studying prey he plans to break. The knife trails lower, slicing the hem of my tank top just enough to show he could do anything, at any second.