Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 118042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 590(@200wpm)___ 472(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 590(@200wpm)___ 472(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Q glanced at the new cast around my forearm. “We X-rayed every inch of you. The break in your forearm needed setting. Even though it shows evidence of prior healing, it’s unfortunately broken again.”
I chuckled with black humour. “Yeah, I felt it go when I used a gun as a baseball bat on Roland.”
Q arched an eyebrow but didn’t ask questions. “The recent healing on your ankle seems stable enough. Your ribs show evidence of multiple fractures. The gunshot wound on your side turned out to be the least of your problems.” He rolled his eyes. “The bullet just went straight through the skin. It didn’t damage anything. However…your lack of body weight and the lacerations on your back.” He wiped his mouth and shook his head. “You might need a skin graft if the stitches don’t hold. Even with stitches, the scar tissue will always—”
“I’m fine.” I swallowed hard, cursing the fact that the painkillers kept ebbing the longer I stayed awake. “I don’t need a grocery list of my injuries. I’m aware.”
Clenching his jaw, he nodded once.
We didn’t speak for a long moment before he muttered, “Why were you wearing the collar of a slave? Why are you so badly beaten? You went in as a Master. You called me from Victor’s personal phone as his friend.” His gaze met mine. “What happened?”
I really didn’t want to take a trip down memory lane, nor did I have the strength to but…this would be the first and last honest conversation I’d ever have with my brother, so I answered him. “I tried playing a game with an opponent smarter than me.”
“Victor wasn’t smart. He was insane.”
“Either way, I lost.”
“Did he…rape you? Do you need to talk to someone? Are you—”
“I told you.” I glowered with as much strength as I could. “I’m fine.”
“Fine? It seems as though our definitions of that word are slightly different.” He scoffed. “You’re practically a corpse.”
“I’m still breathing.”
Unfortunately.
He eyed me. “Barely.”
Physical pain kept building but the emotional pain of losing Ily made me breathless. It hurt to breathe. To exist without her. To have images of her dead on the grass with Peter dead beside her.
I couldn’t recall her laughing because she’d hardly ever laughed on that despicable island.
I couldn’t remember her happy because we’d never gotten the chance.
That was the saddest part.
The hardest part.
We’d met in a nightmare, and we’d never gotten free.
And now I was awake and all I wanted to do was go back into the dream where I could find her.
Rubbing my bleeding heart, I forced myself to hide the depth of my despair.
Soon, I wouldn’t have to feel anymore. Soon, I was going to a place where discomfort and grief couldn’t hurt me. The sooner Q left me alone, the sooner I could join Ily and Peter and all the other jewels who’d lost their lives.
A question popped into my head. Utterly pointless now but still…curiosity itched. “Where was Victor’s island, by the way?”
Q stiffened. “A private atoll off the coast of Portugal.”
“Portugal? But we flew four hours to get there.”
“He probably flew longer than needed to disorientate whoever was on board.”
“Sounds like something he’d do.”
“Why did he collar you?” Q asked quietly. “Why did he hurt you so badly?”
I laughed on a painful exhale. “Let’s just say, I didn’t agree with the initiation ceremony.”
“What did that entail?”
“Killing.”
He pursed his lips and fell silent again, his pale green gaze churning with yet more questions.
Before he could ask any of them, I ran a hand over my face, dislodged the faint tracks of tears, and willed my mourning, throbbing body to stay alive for a little longer. “Speaking of Victor, I’m assuming he’s dead?”
He nodded slowly. “The slaves were…creative in his murder. I didn’t stand around to watch since I needed to get you to a doctor, but Franco—the team leader of the men still on that island—has relayed what happened.”
“Tell me.”
He eyed me as if assessing if I’d pass out again. “Perhaps we should wait until—”
“Now, Q.”
“You’ve only just woken. We’ve spoken too much as it is.” He shifted toward the door. “I’ll get the doctor to check on you and then we’ll—”
“No,” I hissed. “Now. Not later. Now. Tell me what happened to Victor. I need to know.”
Raking a hand through his short hair, he nodded. “Fine. But if you pass out again—”
“Just tell me, for Christ’s sake.”
Dropping his arm, he sniffed. “I’ve heard he was missing all ten fingers and toes. His cock was found in a fountain. His eyes are believed to have been carried away by crows. I can’t say for sure what killed him, but…he was barely recognisable. He had stab wounds. To every part of him.”
“And the jewels?”
“The slaves?”
I nodded and rolled my bare wrists, ignoring my new cast. “You cut my collar and cuffs off. Did you do the same for them?”