Page 49 of Glorious Sinner

My bare feet didn’t make a sound as I walked over the tile floor, across the foyer, and to the door. I had no intention of opening it, no matter who was out there, but something squirmed in my belly as I stood in front of that door. It’s just because you’re alone for the first time in weeks.

I knew I was safe. Tomas had the best security system you could get. The place was basically impenetrable. So why was my heart pounding out of my chest as I leaned forward to look through the peephole?

I blinked, trying to make out what I was looking at. It was Arthur and he was standing very close to the door. He was wrenched aside suddenly and Ryan’s face was there, his familiar cold eyes staring back at me.

“You’re there, aren’t you, Steph? Are you looking at me?” he said, the expression on his face sending a chill down my spine. Arthur was jerked back, giving me a better look at him. Ryan held a knife to his throat.

My hand flew to my mouth and I yanked the phone from my pocket, hitting Tomas’s number.

“Are you there, Stephanie?” Ryan called again. “If you are, you better open this fucking door or I’m slitting this old fucker’s throat.”

Arthur shook his head. “Don’t open the door, Stephanie—”

Ryan pressed the blade into his skin and blood bubbled to the surface. Tomas’s voice echoed down the line, asking to leave a message.

“Ryan’s here,” I whispered, trying to hold back my sob. “He’s outside the door. He’s going to kill Arthur.”

A loud bang against the door had me jumping. My phone fell from my hand and hit the tiled floor, shattering the screen.

“Open the fucking door. You’ve got five seconds,” Ryan called.

“Don’t do it, Stephanie,” Arthur choked out.

I stared out at Ryan, and I knew that look on his face. I’d looked into those wild eyes. It was the look he got right before the pain started. He wasn’t bluffing. He was going to kill Arthur if I didn’t do something. If I complied, if I cowed and apologized, he might not hurt me right away. It might buy us some time.

“Three. Two…”

With no other choice but to hope like hell that Tomas got my message before it was too late, I flicked the lock. I couldn’t let anyone die, especially not for me. My heart pounded, palms sweating as the door opened on silent hinges. When Ryan saw me standing there, he grinned.

“There you are,” he said and shoved Arthur inside.

“Now let him go,” I said.

He made a tutting sound as he kicked the door closed behind him. “Who do you think you’re talking to? You know better than to tell me what to do, Steph. You know what happens when you give me attitude, or have you forgotten? Maybe you need a reminder?”

I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I’m just, I’m scared. Please, Ryan. Please don’t hurt him.”

His eyes lit up. He loved making me scared. It got him off, made him feel like a big man. “You should be scared,” he said. “You left me, then you sent your fucking boyfriend after me. He tortured me. Did he tell you that?” He lifted his left hand. Two fingers were missing.

When he saw the shock on my face he smirked.

“Prince Charming isn’t so charming, Steph. He’s a drug dealer and a pimp, and you chose him over me?” He shook his head. “You really are a stupid bitch, aren’t you?”

I stared at him, waiting for the self-loathing, the feeling of worthlessness to wash over me. It didn’t. Instead, I felt angry. Furious. I wished Tomas had cut off more than his fingers. I wished he’d buried him.

Ryan saw something in my eyes and his face reddened, his grip tightening on Arthur. “Answer me! Say I’m a stupid bitch,” he said in a singsong voice.

“I’m a stupid bitch,” I forced out quickly.

His shoulders relaxed a little. “Say I made a mistake. I should never have left you.”

I curled my fingers into fists. “I made a mistake. I should never have left you.”

He smiled like the cat that got the cream.

“We can talk, if you want. Please, just let Arthur go.” I had to try, even though I knew I was wasting my breath.

He snickered. “You think you can convince me not to kill you both? There’s nothing to stop me. Your boyfriend isn’t here. I know because I watched him leave.”