Page 46 of Missing Piece (Neon Scars #2)

I ’m going to die. Can’t breathe. Going to die if they drag me back in there.

Petrov’s arms were around his chest like a vise, slowly squeezing the life out of him.

Matteo and Luka found him huddled in the bathroom, gasping like a fish on dry land, paralyzed by the thought of what would happen once the vampires found him.

He didn’t even have time to scream before Matteo pressed a finger to his lips and his jaw locked shut, just like Tariq said it would.

He was going to die and he wouldn’t even get the chance to beg for his life.

He forced his eyes shut as Petrov walked through the curtain. He couldn’t look at that room again. How had he been so comfortable just napping there next to a horrifying monster? How fucking stupid was he to think that he was safe with Vincent? He’d never be safe. Never. Never.

“Put him down and make it so he can speak,” Adam heard Vincent say. Petrov dropped him like a load of laundry that would never get folded. Even with the carpet, the agony of the fall made him groan behind his locked jaw. “Where was he?”

“Restroom,” Petrov said flatly .

Adam flinched as a hand touched the top of his head and his jaw unlocked.

He pushed himself up onto his knees, willing his eyes open to stare down at the somewhat soft flooring beneath him, trembling as Vincent loomed over him.

How could he have been so stupid? Thinking that things would be okay with a literal monster beside him?

Letting that monster hold him and touch him?

It was a lie. All of it. A twisted game to gain his trust before ripping it away. His chest tightened at the thought, a broken sob caught in his throat.

“Look at me, Adam.” Vincent’s voice held a sneer that turned his name into a taunt. Harsh fingers grasped his chin, forcing his head up. There was no more warmth in Vincent’s eyes. No affection.

This is the real him. The real Vincent.

“Pl-please,” Adam choked out. “Just let me go…”

Vincent smirked. “Why would I do that?”

“Vincent, what is going on? What happened, this isn’t-” Petrov began.

“ Zamol?i! ” the blond snapped.

Adam’s eyes darted to Matteo and Luka, hope flickering as they signed at each other rapidly. Matteo met his gaze, and for a moment Adam hoped he could help, but then Matteo only shrugged, shaking his head with a solemn face.

They were in on it. Adam slumped in despair right as Vincent grabbed him by his hair. “Look at me,” Vincent snarled.

Adam trembled but obeyed. He searched his mind for anything that could help, grasping for some memory of the caring creature the monster had pretended to be.

“Y-you said you didn’t want to kill me,” he whispered.

Vincent’s mouth fell open as though he were just remembering that as well. “Adam…” Vincent sounded soft. Kind. Bordering on concerned.

Adam’s stomach knotted. “Please let me go. S-something’s happening…”

Vincent’s grip on Adam’s hair tightened, the stony look returning to his face. “I’m not letting you go,” he growled, his cheek twitching as a grin formed across his face.

Vincent yanked him viciously to his feet. His eyes locked onto the fresh bite wound marring Adam’s neck. Vincent sneered as he pulled Adam close, inhaling deeply and breathing in the scent of the other man. “I’ll make sure no one ever touches you again.”

Adam’s terror rose like bile in his throat, realizing any hope of escape had dissipated. There was not an ounce of mercy in Vincent’s eyes; only an impending vicious delight. His rage would drag out for days, punishing Adam until nothing remained but a broken shell of who he once was.

“End this,” Adam begged hoarsely through tears as he fought to remain standing. Death was more bearable than what Vincent had planned for him.

Vincent’s reply was swift and merciless as he backhanded Adam across the face, sending a stab of agony through his skull. Vincent’s next punch sent Adam staggering backwards, his ankle giving out beneath him as he crumpled to the floor.

“Just fucking kill me already,” he croaked as he pushed himself onto his elbows, trying to fight the dread racking his body and making every inch of him tremble.

There was a familiar burn somewhere deep in his temples—anger.

He closed his eyes, wading through the relentless onslaught of panic crashing into him over and over, trying to hold onto the burning feeling .

This wasn’t him. He didn’t lose himself in terror and despair. He never did. He always got pissed and fought back, even when it was ill-advised and likely to destroy him, but this feeling…

It was that fucker in the bathroom. The other vamp. He did this to me. And he did something to Vincent.

“You can die when I’m done playing with you, and not a moment before,” Vincent threatened.

Adam opened his eyes, gritting his teeth as he tried to hold onto the anger to anchor himself. I just need to hold on. This won’t last forever. Meaning Vincent won’t be like this forever.

He opened his mouth, trying to think of anything that could snap Vincent out of it, but before he could say a word, the silver curtain behind him wrenched open. He glanced up, praying it would be Tariq or Ophelia who could help.

Instead he stared up into the face of the one person he hoped he would never have to see again.

Caleb Walsh stared down at him in horror, his brown eyes wide and filled with concern, the deep scar running from his forehead to chin taunting Adam as he kept one hand held up and out, covered in blood.

No. No, no, he needs to get out of here.

Horror wrapped around him again, smothering him until every particle of oxygen was squeezed from his body.

I can’t be the reason he gets hurt again. I can’t ruin any more lives.

“Run,” he whispered to Caleb.

But Caleb didn’t move. He seemed frozen, staring at Luka, Matteo and Petrov before glancing at Vincent, who only smirked in his direction.

Vincent slowly stood up, straightening out his suit vest as he did before grinning at Caleb. “Well, what do we have here?”

Adam reached to try and push Caleb away from the room, but Caleb grabbed his hand instead, yanking him up to his feet. “Come on!” Caleb urged, his eyes fixed on the brothers as they all stared at him.

They’re all monsters too. They’re going to kill him. They’re going to finish what you started and it is going to be all your fault.

Adam’s legs buckled beneath him as another surge of panic crashed over him.

He crumbled to the ground, gasping as it felt as though he was pulled beneath ice water, unable to come up for air, and curled into a ball as chills tore through him.

He buried his face into the carpet, placing his hands over his ears as he tried to drown out the sound of shuffling feet that echoed through his mind.

He couldn’t listen to what they were going to do to Caleb.

What they were eventually going to do to him.

It was better to not know what was coming.

No. That’s not right. Even when you were a piece of shit junkie, you didn’t walk into something blissfully unaware.

You didn’t just let someone fuck you over.

You’re not a coward anymore. This isn’t you.

He lowered his hands to the carpet, slowly curling his fists as his temples burned, spreading down to his arms as he held his breath. He was breathing too hard, almost hyperventilating. It was making the anxiety and the dread stronger. He needed to starve it.

Come on Adam. Come on. Even bad acid didn’t fuck you up this bad. Get a grip. You’re not scared. You’re not scared.

“My dear Adam, is he telling the truth?” Vincent asked.

Another wave of fear crashed into him, trying to pull him back under its icy depths to drown him with dread he knew was not his own. He felt a tap on his shoulder and flinched, a whimper escaping his throat as he tried to fight the surge.

GROW A PAIR, YOU PIECE OF SHIT. YOU’RE NOT DYING IN THIS FUCKING CLUB.

He forced his eyes open, letting out a slow, shaky breath before taking in another and holding it. Luka knelt beside him, his expression flat as he flashed the screen of his phone at Adam.

‘Something is wrong with both of you. We will stop it, but we need you to help,’ it read.

Adam nodded, digging his nails into his palms to give himself something else to focus on.

Luka gave him a single nod before standing up and moving away from him.

Adam blinked away more tears, biting down on the insides of his cheeks.

The ache was working, pushing the terror back as he tasted blood on his tongue.

No one gets to fuck me over except for me. No one gets to decide what happens inside my body. I decide. Only me.

His his throat burned as he swallowed and made his ears rumble. He could only vaguely hear the sound of blows landing, but he couldn’t look yet. If he watched what Vincent was doing, he was sure he’d lose his grip on his anger and anguish.

I didn’t ask for this shit.

He flexed his swollen ankle, sucking in a deep breath as the pain shot through the joint and up his shin.

I didn’t deserve to be left in that fucking car.

He bit down harder on the inside of his cheeks, a sob caught in his throat as his teeth pierced through the flesh.

No one tells me how to feel. How to think.

How to live my fucking life. He pushed himself onto one hand, jamming his fingers into his bruised ribs as heat ripped through his body.

The mixture of agony and anger felt like it would boil him alive, his body still trembling, but now seeming like it would burst into flames rather than freeze.

“Petrov, let’s take this one back with us, he can keep my Adam company.”

And no one gets to touch my fucking vampire!