Page 173 of Viper

“Like I said, they are all tied up at the moment,” he says, holding his hand out to me. “They will remain that way, unharmed, as long as you remain calm. Upon your return, they will be released.”

My chin quivers, and I move forward.

“Good girl,” he coos, making bile rise in my throat. “Once the mission is back on track, you’ll see them again. Promise.”

The Snyder Group. Slowly inching forward, placing my hand in his. He curls his fingers around mine and eases me off the bed. Once I’m on my feet, that gentleness disappears, and he yanks me forward, then places a hand on the back of my head and shoves. I stumble, crashing to the floor. My knees hit the cold wood, and I gasp, stunned at his sudden roughness.

“Restrain her,” Fallon barks.

The two soldiers march forward and grab my arms. The urge to fight, to defend myself, just as I’ve been taught for weeks, almost wins, but I bite down on my lip, keeping useless threats, vile curses, and terror trapped inside, willing myself to remain calm.

The two soldiers wrangle my arms behind my back. I wince at how rough they are, wanting to snap and bite and resist. One steps in behind me, and cold plastic weaves around my wrist, and the familiar grating sound of a zip-tie cuts through my skull.

My pulse skyrockets, tears stinging my cheeks. “I’m fucking cooperating,” I growl.

“I promised not to hurt your lovers,” Fallon says, circling until he’s in front of me. Those pale eyes and cold, cruel smirk burn into me. “I never said anything about not hurting you.”

My lovers.

Not his sons.

“Take her downstairs.”

One soldier grips my shoulder and shoves me ahead, guiding me out the door. In the hall, I trip over my feet, my breath seizing in my lungs. Soldiers line the far wall, one after another, all the way down the hall, to the stairs. As I’m led forward, more come into view, a black line of hard, stiff bodies snaking down the steps, eyes of various colors watching me as I descend.

There must be at least fifty, if not more, black-clad soldiers framing the foyer, blocking the doors.

“How many are there?” I ask, my words breaking the deadly quiet.

“There are currently fifty here,” Fallon says. “More in training at my new facility.”

My stomach tumbles. They are horribly outnumbered.

The men can’t just leave him. Fallon has far too much power over them.

The only way they can escape is if he relinquishes his control.

Or he dies.

“Why?” I whisper, stopping at the foot of the stairs. Fallon descends, stopping next to me, taking in the sight of pure, militant power, all under his command.

“Revenge,” he says simply. “Everything Rune has built must be destroyed.”

I open my mouth to ask why he just doesn’t send them to kill Rune now, when I remember. I sweep my gaze around the room and lock on Fallon’s face. “What do you need to get out of Rune’s safe?”

He takes a deep breath. “Something Reaper refuses to let go.” Fallon clears his throat, then reaches in his pocket and pullsout a syringe, and faces me, tapping at the plunger. Clear liquid spits from the needle, and a smile quirks his lip. “Hold still, this will just pinch a little.”

Chapter 54

Cora

It’sbeenfourdayssince they left. Each day, I have woken up in Clyde’s guestroom that’s now littered with my belongings, and dressed for work, putting on my armor of finely cut suits, and stiletto heels. Then every day after work, I return to his house and spend the evenings with him in his home range. My aim has improved tremendously, and I can reload any gun within seconds.

Each day, I think about marriage and murder and how in this family, they seem to go hand in hand. Rune gave me to Zane so he could marry me, breed me, steal my money, and then what?

The truth hangs over my head, heavy and dark. Zane would have taken a hit out on me the second I gave him what he wanted. What the families wanted. A kid to inherit his wealth and my money.

The fact Rune knew this and still made the deal leaves a dull ache in my chest. Even after everything, it still hurts that I’m so expendable.