Page 71 of Into the Blue

I squirm and squeeze, unable to help how his voice and his mouth are doing things to me that I can’t control.

“Different blade today. Don’t worry. It will scar.”

I can’t see what he’s doing to my hand. All I know is that the anticipation of what he will do next is killing me.

Four more cuts follow and they hurt, like he’s cutting deeper than before. It hurts with the first, but by the time he gets to the fourth, I scream.

“Let’s try an easier question.” His face is above mine now. A tiny droplet of my blood just at the corner of his mouth. He’s untethered—Rage in his eyes though all his words are calm. “Why are you here, Racquelle? You prepared to die for the secrets you’re keepin’ from me?”

I want to come out of my skin. I wish I could tell him, but I know I can’t.

Am I willing to die for this?

I have to be. It’s not only my life on the line.

If I die then too much will fall apart without me. Too many people rely on me now. Whatever I do from this point forward, has to be around getting out of this house.

Or at least to my phone—a phone.

Tears track down my face, as I think quickly. He wipes them away with his thumb, pressing the finger to his mouth taking that alongside the blood still slowly dripping from my hand.

It’s crude.

So crude and wrong.

Still my mind skews the wrong direction.

Just like the first time he showed me his blade in malice, I throw caution aside and lean into the possession he has over me.

If Milo wanted me dead, I would be.

I know that without a doubt.

He’s already executed multiple men just to have me to himself.

Changed hisbusiness.

Changed his lifestyle.

My voice is tentative and broken when I say his name softly. “Milo, please.”

His eyes meet mine, depths soaking in everything of me at his mercy. It’s not only anger simmering in those eyes, but betrayal.

I betrayed his trust.

Something he doesn’t give to anyone.

“Listen to me, please,” I beg. Pride long gone when I am so vulnerable.

His jaw works, but he sits back. Giving me space.

Rocky, you have to make this work.

You have no other choice.

“After my mother passed I went looking for my father.” I swallow deeply, allowing the pain of her passing to bleed into my words because it is the truth. Missing parts of the truth, but still true. “Searching led me here to Clayton Terrace. Off Topz was hiring and I got the job… and you found me.”

Skepticism remains on his face, but he asks, “Did you find him?”