Page 9

My skin was hot where those idiots’ rough hands had dragged me from the warehouse.

The new location was just as stank and unbecoming as the last and my thoughts were fuzzy from being chloroformed again after my refusal to oblige to their redirection.

But what I could focus on was the image of Titan on those monitors, moving through warehouse forty-nine like death incarnate.

The screens covered an entire wall of this makeshift control room.

Feeds from multiple cameras showed different angles of the warehouse, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away as Titan emerged from the shadows.

The way he moved—dominant and lethal—made my pussy wet, my clit throb, and my nipples sting as they knotted.

“Your boyfriend’s putting on quite a show.” The one they called Bones sneered from beside me. He wore an expensive suit that reeked of cigarettes, and his nose was still swollen from where I’d headbutted him earlier.

“I told you he’s not my boyfriend.” I shifted in the metal chair they’d tied me to, testing the new restraints. “He’s one of my kings.”

“What are you – a madam? And where is his palace? That fancy resort?” Bones laughed, but there was tension in his voice as we watched Titan snap another guard’s neck on screen. “He’s just a businessman playing gangster.”

A smile curved my lips as Titan pressed one of their men’s faces into the flames. The screams echoed through the speakers, highlighting a symphony of agony that made my pulse race. “You don’t believe that no more than your friend does over here.”

“Shut up.” But Bones’ eyes were glued to the screen, watching his comrades fall one by one.

On the monitor, Titan moved like smoke between the flames, each kill more brutal than the last. Pride surged through me as he took on three men in rapid succession. My arousal was at an all-time high and I needed to be fucked by him so hard that my flesh ached from his rapid plunges.

“Look how he moves.” I couldn’t keep the arousal from my voice. “Like he was born for this. Born to kill motherfuckers like you.”

“I said shut up!” Bones’ hand flew across my face, but I laughed through the stinging pain. Who was he kidding? He was scared shitless.

“You’re all going to die.” I met his eyes, letting him see my growing appetite for his demise.

“He’s going to find this place, and when he does.

..” I licked the blood from my split lip.

“I’m going to watch him tear you apart. Do you know what’s going to be even worse?

” I laughed. “He won’t be alone. I mean,” I teased them, “Can you imagine dealing with a guy like him at all, never mind with a team?” I shook my head and whistled.

“Call the coroner. Have ’em on standby.” I laughed again, unable to control myself.

Another guard, whom they called Aaron, shifted uncomfortably. “We should move her again. If he traced us to warehouse forty-nine, he could find us here.”

“He won’t find us. It was meant for him to trace us to warehouse forty-nine.” But Bones’ voice shook as Titan set another section of the warehouse ablaze. “This location is secure.”

I laughed again, the sound echoing off the walls. “Nothing is secure from him. Or them.”

“Who is them?” Aaron asked.

“The Paradox.” I savored the words, watching fear flicker in their eyes. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? If the grim reaper had a team, it would be the men coming for you.”

“Enough!” Bones grabbed my hair, yanking my head back. His other hand slid down my neck, across my collarbone. “Maybe we should show you what happens to mouthy bitches who?—”

I lunged forward and sank my teeth into his nose, holding on as he screamed and staggered back, but I was determined to tear his nose off his face.

He dragged me like a rag doll, then I was hit over the head with something that sent stars spinning behind my eyesight. It was the only thing that made me release his nostrils.

“You fucking bitch!” His fist lifted but I rolled and missed his first blow. That pissed him off even more because he lifted a brick from the floor and drew back to knock my lights out.

“Stop!” Aaron grabbed Bones’ arm. “We need her intact. She’s no good to us beaten half to death.”

“Did you see what she did to my face?”

“I saw!” Aaron’s voice was pitched. “But the boss was clear. She’s leverage. Nothing more.”

Bones snarled but lowered the brick then released it. Blood still poured from his ruined nose as he stormed from the room.

I raised my eyes to the monitors again. Titan had reached the third floor now, leaving a trail of bodies and flames in his wake. The fire he’d set was spreading fast, eating through the warehouse like a living thing.

“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” I whispered, more to myself than Aaron. “The way he burns everything he touches. The fire is an extension of him. He doesn’t burn, only everyone else.”

“You’re as crazy as he is.” But Aaron kept his distance, watching the screens with growing unease.

“Crazy?” I smiled. “No. I just finally found where I belong. In their world of love and violence.”

On-screen, Titan grabbed the last man and held him in flames. The screams were perfect—a lullaby of agony that made my skin tingle.

“Your boss made a mistake.” I never took my eyes off Titan as he sprinted to the emergency exit and the cameras feed was cut as the building collapsed. “He thought separating us would weaken him and make him vulnerable.”

“But all he did was give Titan a reason to have some fun. And the sad part is it won’t stop with you. Your family is now an unfortunate casualty of war.” I tsked. “It’s such a shame.”

“The boss knows what he’s doing.” But Aarons’ voice lacked conviction as he typed on the keyboard to access cameras from across the street. He watched in utter horror as warehouse forty-nine folded in on itself. “This is all part of the plan.”

“Is it?” I turned my smile on him, letting him see Bones’ blood on my teeth. “Because from where I’m sitting, all I see is a lot of dead men.”

Movement caught my eye—Bones had returned with his nose packed with gauze. The sight of his ruined face sent satisfaction coursing through me.

“The boss wants us to move to location three.” He glared at me. “Now.”

“Already?” Aaron frowned. “But we just got set up here.”

“He’s not taking chances. Not after what happened at forty-nine.” Bones grabbed my arm roughly. “Get her up.”

I chuckled as they cut the zip ties.

“What’s so funny, bitch?”

I met Bones’ eyes, still giggling even as blood dripped down my chin. “You still think you’re in control. That’s what’s funny.”

“Shut up!” He shoved me toward the door, but I kept taunting them with my laugh.

“You don’t get it, do you? Your boss has lost what little control he thought he had.” I smirked. “This is about survival. That’s why he’s moving us again. And make no mistake about it, none of you will survive what’s coming.”

Bones’ hand tightened on my arm as he dragged me through dark corridors. “We’ll see who’s laughing when your kings find your body.”

“That’s your problem.” I didn’t resist as they pushed me into another black SUV. “You still think you’re in control. Tsk.”

The engine roared to life as Aaron slid behind the wheel. Through the windshield, I saw smoke reaching for the sky where warehouse forty-nine had stood. My men didn’t know how close they were, but I had confidence that they would soon.

My kings were coming.

Bones shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat, probably remembering the feel of my teeth in his flesh. The memory made me smile wider.

“You know what the funny thing is?” I opened my eyes to find him watching me in the mirror. “I used to be afraid of violence. I used to think there was something wrong with people who craved it.”

“There is something wrong with them,” Aaron muttered from behind the wheel.

“Says the man holding me hostage while trying to murder others.”

“This is different.”

“How?”

“If it wasn’t for?—”

“Shut the fuck up, idiot!” Bones yelled.

My brows rose, and I started putting the pieces together. This was personal. It wasn’t random, it wasn’t about money or madness. It was revenge for something.

“What difference does it make if you’re not going to let me live?”

“Who said that?” Bones shot back.

“Come on now. I’m not stupid. Your boss wants them dead, right? So, let’s say he gets what he wants. What will you do with me?”

Bones and Aaron eyed each other.

“Exactly,” I said. “So, if you’re confident that things will go as your boss plans, why not tell me the full truth? What is this all about?”

“She’s got a point,” Aaron said.

“She’s got no point, stupid. And even if she did, we aren’t privy to all the details.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Rookies. You’re not even leaders, just rookies doing someone else’s bidding. How pathetic.”

The SUV turned onto a quiet street lined with warehouses. They were different from the docks but similar enough. They really weren’t very creative.

“Almost there,” Aaron muttered, more to himself than us.

I closed my eyes again, relaxing against the seat as I thought of Titan, Cruz, and Storm. I shivered with anticipation as the SUV rolled to a stop. Bones grabbed my arm again, but I didn’t resist as they led me into another brick building.

“Get comfortable.” Bones shoved me into another chair. “You’re going to be here a while.”

I smiled at him as Aaron secured new zip ties around my wrists. “No. I won’t.”

The certainty in my voice made them both pause.

I licked my lips and sat back, closing my eyes to mentally prepare for my men’s arrival. This time, I wouldn’t just watch.

I would participate.