I know because his grin widens.
“Been a while,” he says.
“Not long enough,” I grit out.
He laughs. “See? And here I was, thinking you’d missed me.”
Like a hole in the head, motherfucker.
“About as much as I’d miss genital herpes.”
He laughs again. Louder. “This is why I’ve always liked you, Daisy. Never afraid to say what’s on your mind.” He rubs the side of his face with his gun. My eyes track the movement. “And I’m sorry to drop in out of the blue like this, but I’ve been hearing things…”
My stomach hollows. “Such as?”
“These wild, crazy ideas that you have about me being the reason you went to prison.” He’s still smiling, but his gray eyes have hardened like granite.
Jason.
“And where have you been hearing those things?”
The smile widens. “Come on, Daisy. You know Jason never could keep his mouth shut. Some beers in him, and it was like fucking confession time.” He laughs a low, cruel sound. “I mean, Jason coming to see you, I should’ve seen that coming the moment I heard you were out. He always did have a weak spot when it came to you. Had to smack him around a bit for that. I mean, I can’t exactly let him off for fucking up. Fucking idiot, that he is. But then he did kinda do me a favor by coming to see me, as I got to hear all about what you’ve been saying.”
I feel a sharp sting of betrayal. But then it’s not like I could have expected more from Jason. He’s a bastard and a coward, just like his brother.
“I haven’t said a word to anyone else,” I rush out. “And, even if I did, who would believe me anyway?”
“True.” He nods, running a tattooed hand over his shaved head. “But, hearing that stuff, it makes me feel uncomfortable. Like I’ve left a loose thread. And I don’t like feeling uncomfortable, Daisy.”
Fuck.
I swallow fearfully, trying to hold myself together.
I see Damien’s eyes go to the bottle of champagne on the floor by my feet.
He nods at it. “Celebrating something?”
Fists clenched by my sides, I shake my head. “No.”
“Drink champagne every day, do you?”
My eyes meet with his. “Yeah. I live a champagne lifestyle nowadays, didn’t you know? I mean, with all that money I got from the jewelry heist—oh, wait. No, that was you.” I’m pushing it. I know I shouldn’t, but my anger is getting the better of me.
He laughs. The sound scrapes through me like rough nails over soft skin.
“Hmm, I think I’ll have that champagne for myself when I’m done here. Do a little celebrating myself.”
“Done here.”
Fuck.
“And…what are you doing here?”
“Cleaning up a mess.”
I just had to ask, didn’t I?
Fear twists my gut into knots. It takes everything in me not to cry. I bite the inside of my mouth—hard.
I have to get us out of here. I can’t just let him kill us.
I need a plan.
What would Kas do?
Kill him. Without a second thought.
God, Kas, where are you? I need you.
But he’s not coming. There’s only me.
I need to keep Damien talking until I can figure out how to get us out of here.
My eyes move to Cece. Tears are swimming in her eyes. She looks so afraid. I silently try to convey to her that everything’s going to be okay.
Then, I force myself to look at Damien, and I bolster myself with false bravado. “I’m really good at cleaning up messes. Did you know that?” I tell him. “Maybe I can help you with your mess.”
He chuckles. “Honey, you are my mess.” He lifts his gun and scratches his temple with the barrel of it.
I silently wish for it to go off.
No such luck.
He lowers the gun and rests it on Cece’s shoulder, making her flinch and me dig my nails into my palm.
“This has nothing to do with Cece,” I grit out. “It’s between you and me. Let her go and—”
“You don’t get to make demands. Hello? I’m the one holding the gun here.” He waves the gun around, laughing.
He’s laughing like it’s a fucking game.
It probably is to him.
He presses the barrel of the gun to Cece’s temple.
“No!” I cry.
Cece squeezes her eyes shut, tears running down her cheeks, as her body shakes.
“I’m in charge here, Daisy. And I’m not letting you or your pretty friend go anywhere. I want to have some fun first.” He trails the barrel of the gun down Cece’s cheek and her neck before moving it across her chest.
My body is shaking with fear and rage. I have never felt as helpless as I do right now.
He hurts her, and I swear to God…
Damien leans his face down to the side of Cece’s, and he presses his nose into her hair. She flinches, trying to move away from him.
“I’m gonna fuck you good and hard, honey, and you’re gonna love every second of it,” he says to her.
“You touch her, and I will kill you.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
But I don’t regret them.
Sick, evil grinning eyes lift to mine. “Are you and she…fucking?” The grin reaches his disgusting mouth. “Because I’m down for some girl-on-girl before I fuck the both of you.”
Bile rises in my throat, acid flooding my mouth, and I force it down. “You won’t touch Cece or me. The only one who’ll be getting fucked anytime soon is you. Fucked up by my boyfriend when he gets his hands on you.”