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Henry shakes his head. “Here’s another lesson, fellas. Don’t let your victim bait you. It makes you look weak.”
Dickhead sneers at me.
“But I can’t blame you for wanting her. She’s a beauty, isn’t she?” Henry’s gaze rakes over me in a way that makes me feel exposed and vulnerable. I wonder how long it will be before he gives them a play-by-play of all the ways I allowed him to touch me.
I spit on him, my saliva landing on his smug face. It's a small victory, but it's all I have left.
Henry combs his fingers into my hair and jerks my head to the side as he leans in close to me. "Hold on, baby. This will be over soon." For a moment, I see a flicker of warmth in his eyes. Apparently, in my weakened state, I still hope this is all a nightmare, that Henry is here to save me.
I try to pull away from him, but he holds me in place, his grip tightening in my hair.
"Let me go," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. I try to appear defiant, but my eyes fill with tears. I close them, not wanting him to see me cry. I won't give him that satisfaction.I force myself to laugh. “Look at you. Four men to take down little ol’ me? You’re weak and pathetic. You act tough because deep down, you’re all insignificant and you know it. You wish you were men enough to be mobsters, but you’re just a bunch of fucking losers.”
Henry watches me, and I almost feel like he’s proud of me while also wishing I’d shut up. "That's the spirit, Lana. Keep fighting."
I want to scream. I close my eyes, unable to bear the sight of Henry's cold, mocking gaze any longer. The darkness behind my eyelids offers no comfort.
I can't let this break me. I won't. I open my eyes, staring into his eyes so he knows that I will fight. As I hang here, battered and bleeding, I vow that they won’t break me. Maybe I’ll survive this. And if I do, I'll make them all pay—especially Henry.
32
HENRY
Ifeel like I'm going to be sick. Seeing Lana strung up, her back bloodied from Peter's whipping, the sight of her in pain, twists my gut. But I force myself to maintain a cool, cruel exterior. I have to play along, to buy time for Elio to arrive. It's the only way to save her.
My hand twitches toward my holster, wanting more than anything to put a bullet in Peter's skull. But with Rogers and Johnson here too, I’d be assuring Lana’s death along with my own. No, I have to be smarter than that. Even as it guts me to see the way she’s looking at me, believing I’m a part of this horror. I’d hoped she’d understand my words to her. "Hold on, baby. This will be over soon,” and, "That's the spirit, Lana. Keep fighting,” were meant to let her know that help was coming. But I can see that she doesn’t. How could she? It’s not like I can say them in a reassuring tone. Not with Peter and his goons watching. I have to sell this act, no matter how much it kills me inside.
"You know, there are so many ways to violate a woman," I say, letting my gaze roam over Lana's body. "Pain is just one."
“I’m all ears,” Peter says.
“There’s always this.” I trail my fingers down Lana's neck and lower, fighting the urge to vomit.
Peter lets out a low whistle. "Who knew you were such a kinky bastard? I like this side of you, partner."
I smirk, though inside, I'm dying a slow death at the cruelty I’m inflicting on the woman I love. "What can I say? Some appetites can only be satisfied through domination."
My fingers continue their path along her collarbone, my touch light but invasive. Every fiber of my being revolts against this act, but I have to make it convincing. I let my hand wander lower, skimming the swell of her breast.
"Such a beautiful body," I muse, loud enough for Peter and the others to hear. "It's almost a shame to destroy it."
Lana jerks away from my touch, her eyes blazing with fury. "Don't fucking touch me.”
I’m going to hell for this. As well I should. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm just getting started."
My fingers slide between her breasts where her shirt hangs in shreds. Lana thrashes against her restraints, trying to knee me in the groin. I sidestep her attempt, tsking mockingly.
"Feisty little thing, isn't she?" Peter laughs.
"You goddamn bastards!" Lana spits. "I'll kill every last one of you!"
The other cops guffaw, clearly enjoying the show.
"That's it, Lutz!" one of them calls out. "Show the bitch who's boss!"
I grab Lana's chin roughly again, tilting her face up to mine. "Keep talking, sweetheart. I love it when they fight." But in my gaze, I’m trying to tell her to knock it off. I love that she’s strong and defiant in the face of such cruelty, but there’s only so long I’ll be able to keep the others at bay. Her pissing them off will only make it worse for her.
Lana snaps her teeth at my fingers, nearly catching them. "Go to hell, you fucking bastard!"
