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Aisling cocked her head to the side, her green eyes hyper-focused on me. “The member could be blacklisted. Beaten… or killed.”
I felt my eyes widen.
I didn’t know that.
In my father’s organization, all of those were rules, too, but the harshest punishment was torture and exile. Death was never on the table.
“Are you going to pull the trigger, Sloane?” Aisling purred. “Are you going to shoot another woman who’s struggling the same as you in this male-dominated world?”
Slowly, she reached out—as if to take the gun, thinking she had me—but I stepped away quickly.
With a huff, she said, “I’ll find out which of Finnan’s men has touched you. If he means anything to you, you’ll try to save him.” Aisling’s gaze flickered from my face to something behind me, and as I spun, I was hit in the head…
And the world faded to black.
* * *
When I came to,I was tied to the bed frame, and the hoodie was stripped from my body, so I was shivering in my dress once more. My head was pounding. Using my shoulder, I tried to push away whatever was running down the side of my face, my eyes widening when a bright red smear remained on my arm.
Fuck, I was bleeding. I didn’t even know how long I’d been unconscious but judging by the flow of blood, it couldn’t have been too long. Why couldn’t I have just shot Aisling and been done with it? I had the chance, but she’d kept me talking—kept me distracted—so one of her men could come in and take me out.
Blood was flowing more quickly from the head wound now I was conscious. Pain throbbed in time with my pulse, and I knew I had to calm down. Rapid heart rates increased blood pressure, which would pump it straight out of my body. I needed to get myself under control, take a deep breath and figure out my next move.
There was a sound outside the door that drew my attention away from my pity party, and I stilled—straining to hear. The bolt on the door slid across, and I held my breath. Was it Aisling back to finish the job, or was she sending in one of her men to do her dirty work? Honestly, I would’ve taken her for the kind of woman who didn’t mind getting her hands dirty. Maybe even relished the fact that she got her hands bloody every now and again.
So, when Torin slipped inside the room and shut the door, I couldn’t speak for a full minute. His dark eyes traveled over me, unable to hide the wince when they landed on my head wound. “Christ, lass, are you okay?”
I blinked as he approached, noticing the gun tucked into the front of his slacks. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen my face yet.”
He got a little closer to the wound, inspecting it without touching. “You might need stitches.”
“What are you doing here?”
He stepped back, his eyes darting away before returning to my face. “I’ve come to rescue you.”
Hope flared inside my chest, making me suddenly lightheaded. Or that could’ve been the blood loss. Who knew? “Grayson is here? The other sentinels?”
Running a hand through his hair, he looked down and shook his head. “Just me. They thought it was best if only I came in.”
I pulled against the cable ties that were binding me to the bed frame. “Honestly, I don’t care who came as long as I get out of here. Mind getting me out of these things?”
Torin reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folding knife. After severing the plastic ties, he repocketed the tool and helped me to stand. My legs gave out almost immediately. It was only Torin’s arm around my waist that kept me from falling.
“Whatever you see and hear out there, Sloane, I just need you to trust me, okay?”
I stared at him for a heartbeat. “Okay?”
He nodded—resolute. “Let’s go.”
He helped me to the door and opened it. I braced for James or any number of Aisling’s guards to stick their guns in our faces, but the hallway was empty.
“Where is everyone?” I asked.
“Shh. Keep quiet.”
Torin started down the hallway—not moving cautiously like I thought he would—but moving with purpose. With authority. We were on the stairs, just hitting the first landing, when a group of men began their ascent from the ground floor.
“Just play along,” Torin said softly, pulling the gun from the waistband of his pants and pressing it to my ribs. I jerked away, and it was only Torin’s strong fingers wrapped around my upper arm that kept me from making a break for it.
