Page 103 of Jagged Souls

No.

I’ll kill myself before it kills her.

A chill runs through me.

And subject her to a lifetime of torture?

Hating the choice I might have to make, I concentrate on what my brother is saying.

“… want it.”

Fuck, I missed most of it.

“What?” I ask.

“Want it.”

I stare at him, waiting for him to expand on that.

He does not.

Realizing I’m not going to get anything more from him, I decide to ask Mother. “He’s killed and revived Micha,” I say as I move towards the house. “Once she’s pregnant, we will make a new soul doll of her.”

My phone buzzes inside my pants pocket, and I pull it out as I walk. The sight of Antonio requesting a video call makes me stop abruptly.

Dayne passes me a step before he turns around. Khalid is already beside me, looking at my phone.

“You don’t have to take it,” he murmurs.

I don’t acknowledge him as I stare at the screen. At the red or green choice in front of me.

We all know what it’s going to be. Another video of my wife. Live this time.

Still... I can’t ignore it. What if he wants to trade now that we’ve crippled his organization?

I finally look at Khalid. “Get him out of here.” I don’t trust Dayne not to give into his urges to rip the phone out of my hand and scream at Antonio. Hel, he might even be able to shock him through the device, but I know whatever he tries, the wolf will be faster. And he’ll take out his anger on my wife.

Dayne curses as he’s herded up to the house. Stormie stays with me, ready to contain my powers should I lose control. Trying not to feel the presence of the husks below the garage, I turn so my back is facing a wall, then hit the play button.

“If you’re calling to beg for your territory back, the only trade I’ll consider is for the alexandrite,” I say in a tone that is strictly business. I know he isn’t going to give me Micha without first trying to use her to manipulate me. I’d trade my whole kingdom for her in a heartbeat, but if I tell him that, he’ll just torture her more severely. He knows I can’t give him back everything Aleric and I have stolen from him, especially with most of his soldiers now in jail. All he has left is to hurt me like my mother hurt him, to make us feel that same loss he did. So I’m going to have to pretend I do not give a damn about either her or Rudy.

I’m just the cold, heartless Boss. The nightmarish bastard who’s so infamous in his cruelty.

“You’re going to choose,” Antonio says as he turns in place, his phone held out until a grubby mattress appears on the floor behind him. Single-size. Stained. They’re definitely in a fucking human trafficking house.

My wife is dragged into the shot by that fucking white-haired sadist, then shoved down onto the bed, and it takes everything inside of me to keep my face flat as he strangles her.

“She’s no longer my property,” I say, keeping my voice as emotionless as my eyes. “Do with her what you will.”

My heart hammering, I go to end the call.

“No!” Antonio snaps just as my finger hovers over the button. “You are going tofeelwhat I did when your mother killed my mate. I’m going to take her eyes or her eardrums. And if you don’t choose, I will take them both. Then I will take her legs, her hands. I will cut her apart piece by piece until you do. So… which one do you want me to take from your lovely bride?”

The bastard!I want to jump through the screen and beat him to death. I want to blurt out an answer to stop him from going through the rest of his threat, but Iknowhe will not stop. He will just keep me picking between the choices over and over again. Eyes or ears? Fingers or tongue? Breasts or clit?

Struggling to keep my arm from shaking, my rage and fear burning bright, I narrow my eyes. Pretending I’m only annoyed at him for wasting my time is the hardest lie I’ve ever had to sell.

But I do it for her. Because I know that if I break now, hewilltorture her for the rest of eternity to get to me. Micha is staying strong while suffering through this; I can’t fail her by being weak just for hearing what she might go through. I hurt her once, and that nearly destroyed us. I cannot hurt her again.