Page 43 of The Devil of Hollywood

David made a grunting sound at the tall, younger guard with the freckles. “I’m about to be.”

“Me too. Look at her. She’s already in position. Did you miss us, rich girl? I bet you couldn’t wait for us to come back.

Harder, I blinked, watching Drayton disappear as reflex had me scrambling the few feet to place me against the wall. My breaths were coming out so heavy, the ache in my lungs had my entire chest cramping.

“Please. N-No more.”

“No more?” David sneered. “You knew the rules. You broke them. Now, we break you.”

“Please. I wish to speak to The Unavowed. He w-wanted to see me. I-I’d like⁠—”

Laughter echoed off the walls of the cell from David and the younger guard.

“The Unavowed is busy. You get to meet the next best thing. The Reeve is coming all the way down here just for you.” David walked the chair to the far side of the room, taking a seat. “They’re all coming… or will be.”

Tears raced down my face, and I tried to hold it together so I wouldn’t break even more in front of them. “A-All?”

“Oh, yes. You’ve made quite the impression. So many of us want to meet you.”

All. All. All. More… more men. More pain.

Pushing from the wall, I didn’t think. I couldn’t. To stay would kill me. Even through the pain, even with weakness from not eating, I gave my race to the door everything I had. David stood from the chair, and the tall, younger guard was ready, but both were too far for my speed.

I broke through the door, turning right. I had made a mental note on the entrance that would take me back to the large hall where I’d seen Penny. It wasn’t safe going there, but it was the only route that I knew that wouldn’t trap me.

“Get her!”

Feet were pounding up from behind, and I slowed, grabbing the handle and throwing the door open as I shot through the new hall. Terror left me sprinting. My feet slapped against stone, and the hall curved as I headed for the white and gold doors in the near distance.

“Bitch, you better not⁠—”

My skin tightened at the voice that seemed to be just behind. It’d been the younger guard, but I knew it was more than him. The pounding was too loud to be one person.

Grabbing the golden handle, I threw open one of the doors. Pressure locked around my waist, and the air gushed from me as the guard’s arm tightened, crushingly, pulling me roughly towards him. Heads from the rich men turned my way, and I let out the loudest scream I could manage as I twisted in the young guard’s arms, slamming my palm right into his nose. His arms immediately dropped to go to his face, but another guard was already grabbing me, and more were right behind him. So many hands were pulling me in all directions. I kept screaming. I kept clawing and swinging. The connections were solid, but so was their crushing hold as two guards I’d never seen before carted me back towards my cell.

“Let go! Let me go! Help!”

More screams. More fighting. I expected them to start beating me, but I knew if not now, it would come eventually. I couldn’t do this again.

“Someone, please!”

I was carried into the main hall holding my cell, fighting even harder as we approached a large man standing just outside the opening of my door. My gaze cut to the large contraption and group of men behind him, but it went back to the tall dark-haired man as my brain scrambled to figure out what was… off. It wasn’t just the authority that he emanated. Different… Different. The closer we got, I felt my eyes pull down. Yes, this man was higher in status. Even though he wore a blue uniform identical to theirs, his was special. Different. It was the white embroidery on the tips of his collars. They were the size of a dime. Yes… White upside-down crowns. It was what David had branded on his chest. It was what rested above my door—all doors—on both sides. And hadn’t David mentioned something else? Some… title… or thing? … The Reeve. Was that him? Was it that odd machine behind him? Was it the group of men, waiting?

“Please!” My mind raced. Manipulations weaved with desperation. “Sir, I beg you. Sir!”

“Center of the room.”

His order had me fighting even more as the men obeyed, taking me right back into the dimness of my cell. Just smelling the moldy scent had my body momentarily going limp as I sobbed.

“Please. I can’t—I⁠—”

Agony had me gasping as one of the men crowding in shoved their fingers hard into my already bruised side. It pulled me out of fear, and anger ruled me as I began to fight once again.

“Let me down! Stop… touching me. Let go!”

“Stand her up.”

My legs were dropped, but hands held tightly to my biceps as I tried twisting against the hold.