AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nothing. Of course.
Opening my eyes, I look out over the city from where I’m seated on top of Dante’s desk. Finding him is going to be no easy task, but when have I ever turned my back on a challenge?
Hopping off the desk, I kick open the bottom drawer. Grinning to myself, I reach in and pull out several expertly designed, ornate blades.
I weigh each of them in my palm for a second before finding places to hide them on my person.
One thing’s for sure, whether or not I’m able to find Dante before tonight, Evi will not be left to deal with Valentine alone.
I’m going to make fucking sure of that.
15
Evelyn
Whether or not Valentine’s threat was real or simply used as a fear tactic, it worked. Keeping my eyes trained on the floor, I race through the lobby and straight for the stairs.
I don’t dare look up, even as I swear that I can feel every last one of his men’s eyes turning to watch me as I go. The stairs prove to be even more daunting as I’m forced to stop hiding my body just to crawl the long way up to the top floor.
Sweating and exhausted, I finally reach the top floor and allow myself a moment to breathe before sprinting down the long hallways toward Valentine’s bedroom. Throwing open the door, I topple inside, slamming it shut behind me before sliding to the floor where I lie on my stomach.
Humiliation, exhaustion, pain, and confusion rack my body as I try to regain some semblance of control over myself. Realizing that’s not going to be possible until I release every last bit of pent-up emotion in me, I sob. Gradually, the tears turn to anger as resolve begins to set in.
I’ve been here more than a week, and still, my father hasn’t come to save me. Luci is lost to Valentine, and God only knows where Seven and Dante are. It’s beginning to look more and more unlikely that I’ll ever escape this place alive, but I can’t just allow myself to shrivel up and die in fear.
After all, despite everything, none of this isactuallyabout me. For whatever reason, Valentine wants to hurt Dante, and I just happen to be the pawn currently in play.
I don’t know why this thought hasn’t managed to sink in before, but it does now.
If what Valentine wants out of me is a submissive pet, then that’s the part I’ll try to play. At least, until I figure out a way to destroy him for good.
Getting to my feet, I grit my teeth as I make my way into the shower. Surprisingly, instead of stinging, the water soothes the pain of the broken lashes streaking my skin.
Just as before, a panel opens up in the wall, and I’m careful to go by the previous shower’s rules as I shave and cleanse my entire body. Thankfully, this time I’m not met with blasts of icy water.
See? I can play by the rules.
Grabbing a towel, I carefully wrap it around myself before exiting the bathroom. Someone must have come in while I was showering, because there are now several black items of clothing laid out on top of the bed.
Crossing over to it, I frown down at the clothing, or rather, lack thereof seeing how all I’ve been given is a pair of underwear and what appears to be another corset.
Of course, I should have known better than to think I’d be given anything decent to wear.
Shaking my head, I carefully pull the underwear up under the towel, grimacing as the fabric slides over the welts crisscrossing my butt before turning my attention to the corset. Grabbing it, I lift it up in front of me.
“Need some help with that?”
I scream, nearly jumping out of my skin as I whirl around to find Luci leaning against a shadowy section of the wall. Breathing hard, I press a hand to my racing heart as if that’s going to help calm it down.
Talk about déjà vu.
“God, Luci, you scared the crap out of me,” I hiss, glancing around the room to see if anyone else is here. “What are you doing here? How did you escape?”
The questions spill out of my mouth as I wonder which version of Luci is actually here with me.
“I didn’t,” Luci says, pushing away from the wall, “at least, not as far as Valentine knows.”
I eye him warily as he steps out of the shadows, the afternoon light spilling over him as it reveals the heavy bruising across his face and neck.
