The Bonds We Break by Becca Steele

TWENTY-TWO

“How did I ruin your life?” My throat was so sore, but I forced the words out in a hoarse, cracked voice. My only option was to keep Petr talking in the hope that I could buy myself some time. No one knew where I was, so maybe it was pointless, but I wasn’t about to lie down and take whatever he had planned for me.

Instead of answering, he crouched down in front of me. Lifting his hand, he placed the tip of the knife to my thigh and pressed down before drawing away. A gasp fell from my throat at the sudden sting, a bubble of blood appearing where he’d cut me.

“How?” I whispered again, whimpering as his other hand came to my cut thigh, his fingers digging into my flesh as he bared his teeth at me in a snarl.

“Whore. You ruined me.”

“What did I do?” My fear was temporarily overridden as I stared at him, racking my brain for what I could have done that would have been so bad that it had drawn him to this.

“You ruined me,” he repeated, spitting out the words through bared teeth. Gesturing to his crotch with the knife, he snarled something that I didn’t know the meaning of—kastrirovala—but a memory flashed through my mind, and a dawning horror came over me.

The photo he’d sent.

The bloody screwdriver object.

The way I’d wildly jabbed it up, and his agonised howl as it had pierced easily through his jeans and into his flesh.

Guilt like I’d never felt before raged inside me, warring with the voice in my head that insisted he’d brought this on himself.

A choked sob fell from my throat, tearing painfully at my abused vocal cords, but I couldn’t stop it. Was this my punishment? Was this how it would end?

The tears came thick and fast as he continued to snarl words at me, his gaze filled with retribution. Standing, his hands went to the button of his jeans, and he yanked them down in a quick, jerky movement.

My jaw dropped.

I stared in horror, helpless to look away, facing the evidence of my panicked movements that night at the docks. Instead of the normal…equipment…there was a misshapen stump—a mess of angry red scarring… My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out the sound of my panicked breaths, my brain unable to process just how awful it looked—

The punch came out of nowhere, directly into my midsection. Gasping, I curled my body instinctively, jerking back when my bound arms stopped my movement. Pain throbbed through my body, filling me until I couldn’t even breathe, or think, or do anything except remain frozen in place. Another punch, and I heard a crack, and a sharp, agonising burst of pain swept through me, starting at my ribs and radiating outwards.

He laughed at my choked whimper.

Through the haze of burning agony, I dimly registered a loud clang coming from somewhere and Petr’s footsteps heading away from me. Holding myself very, very still, I closed my eyes and took an unsteady breath. Then another. Then another, my lungs burning with every inhale and exhale.

There was a rustling sound, like plastic sheeting being moved. “He is here for you.” The amusement in Petr’s voice pierced through my consciousness. “He came alone. Stupid boy.”

Instantly, I knew who he was talking about.

Cassius.

I had to protect him.

Fear for the man I’d fallen for overtook the pain, shocking my body with a burst of sudden adrenaline.

Opening my eyes, I stared straight at Petr.

No,” I rasped. “Don’t…hurt…him.”

His gaze flew to mine, his flinty eyes narrowing and his lips twisting into a mocking sneer. I vaguely noticed that he’d pulled his jeans back up, and that was something I was more than grateful for, because I was struggling to even speak right now, and if I was confronted with the evidence again…

Cassius. His gorgeous, smiling face came into my mind, and it gave me the strength to push the words out. “Please. I’ll…do anything. Anything.”

“You would give yourself for the boy?” Surprise flashed in his gaze before it was replaced with a cold, calculating look.

I nodded once. I no longer noticed the tears that fell or the hurt that encompassed every part of me. All of that was unimportant. Nothing mattered except keeping Cassius safe.

Because I loved him.

“Stay quiet, and do not move. When he reaches us, I will incapacitate him—”

The panicked noise that came from my throat gave him pause, and he shook his head, a short, impatient movement. “I will not harm him. I will allow us time to leave. And you will willingly agree to be mine, suka. Mine to break, until you cannot be repaired.”

Crossing back over to me, he gripped my throat, squeezing until my vision swam. “Yes?”

“Yes,” I choked out with the last of my breath.

“It is done.” He released me, and precious air filled my lungs.

The adrenaline drained from my body in a rush. As long as Cassius was okay, I could handle it. Even if I wasn’t going to make it out alive.

My eyes fell shut.

Darkness came, swift and blissful.