The Lies That Shatter by A.V. Asher

Chapter Fifty

Mercedes woke with a pounding headache. She blinked, straining to recognize anything in the darkened room. There was a soft, linen-covered mattress. Her eyes were like sandpaper, and she tried to rub them, but her arms wouldn’t move.

Panic clawed through her. Mercedes twisted against the rope binding her wrists, pins and needles numbing her limbs.

“Don’t struggle, babe.”

A cry escaped her when she heard his voice. The same one that haunted every nightmare she’d ever had.

The strike of a match echoed in the room as Jason lit a tall wax candle. Firelight flickered off his chiseled face, the scars of the bullets he’d taken in his chest last year shone in the light.

Then he slid his hand down his unzipped khakis, massaging his erection slowly.

Mercedes bit back another sob. There was no way she could survive this. Jason would get what he wanted.

For a second Alec came to her mind, and she shoved him away. The last thing she wanted was to associate this moment with him. She had to stay focused, control her breathing.

“Jason. You have to untie my hands.” She was failing at keeping the trembling from her voice. “Please. They hurt.”

“But I like you like this.” He sat next to her. On the surface, he was as gentle as a lover approaching his virgin bride. But he was stalking her, ready to strike when she least expected it.

The bed shifted as Jason laid against the pillow, his fingers still stroking the bulge of his exposed briefs. “I’ve missed you so much, Sadie. I don’t think you have any idea how much I’ve needed you.”

Think Sadie. What had Noah taught her?

Her training hadn’t gone over what to do when her arms were restrained behind her back. She had to get her hands free.

“Jason, please. I think I’m going to throw up,” she cried, tears streaming down her face. “Please . . .” She worked up a gag, and Jason was off the bed like lightning.

“Goddammit, Sadie. You’d better not puke.”

He flipped her over roughly, her face pushed into the pillows, stealing her breath. The full-on anxiety attack was taking hold, and she wasn’t sure she could control it.

When he freed her hand, Mercedes worked herself to a sitting position, inhaling deeply and rubbing her arms as her circulation painfully returned.

Jason was next to her again. He reached out a hand and rubbed her back. “Better?”

Stay focused, Sadie. “Yeah. Just, give me a sec.” Gulping air, her gaze moved around the dark room.

It was a residence. The bedroom they were in was large, with a king-size bed. It looked professionally decorated and not lived in at all.

The door had a keyhole instead of a lock. Damn it.

Then she caught sight of a tall dresser next to the door. She only looked at it for a fraction of a second, but she could swear Jason’s gun was on top of it.

Now that he was certain she wouldn’t throw up on him, he moved closer. The gentle rubbing on her back had become a caress, one that found its way under her shirt. Unless she could produce some real vomit, he was going forward with his plan.

“Your skin is so smooth,” he said, sliding her blouse up even higher.

Mercedes fought the urge to wrench herself away. Nothing pissed Jason off more than to have his advances turned down.

His fingers worked the clasp of her bra. When it fell away, he shifted on the bed, slipping his hands under her shirt to cup her breasts.

Don’t think about it. Think about what you need to do.

Her gaze shot back to the dresser. Jason was too preoccupied to notice her squinting at it, trying to see if the shadow was a gun.

Too risky. Even if it were, it was too far away.

“Do you ever miss us, Sadie? Do you miss what we were?” Jason was kissing her neck now, his fingers digging into her breasts.

He always expected an answer when he asked a question like that. Without thinking, she responded with a little noise of agreement. Just like she always had.

Mercedes scanned the room, but there were no other potential weapons. Even the candle he’d lit was only a flimsy taper. They had likely swept away anything solid she could use against him. An elegant prison for Jason to rape her in.

When he tugged her shirt over her head, her control slipped. She hated the touch of his bare skin on hers, his mouth roaming her body. Maybe she should let her mind go away, separate from herself. Let him take what he came for, so he’d leave her alone.

But when he was done, he wouldn’t leave. He’d either kill her or keep her.

“Do you feel it, babe?” Jason groaned. “This connection we have?” He sucked painfully on her neck.

He really fucking believes it. He believes I’m choosing him.

Then it hit her.

The only weapon in the room was Jason’s deranged obsession.

To fight, she would need to comply.

Mercedes turned her head and kissed him. Jason moaned and yanked her in closer, his fingers digging into the back of her neck. When he plunged his tongue into her mouth, she pushed down the urge to scream.

He was panting when he drew away, his hands still groping her. She licked his neck. “I’ve missed you, Jason. I’ve thought about you so much since we’ve been apart.”

Jason gave out a laugh. “I fucking knew it. I knew you’d come back to me again.”

Mercedes moved off the bed and pulled Jason to his feet. Bile churned in her gut, but she jerked his head down and kissed him hard. Holding on to his shoulders, she slid one leg up his body to his hips. Mercedes remembered what he liked and how he would respond.

She was right. He slipped his hands down her ass and picked her up. Mercedes locked her legs around his waist, kissing him deeply.

Jason groaned. “Holy fuck, Sadie. I can feel how much you want me.”

“Can you?” she murmured between deep kisses. “I do, Jace. I want this so much.”

She caressed his throat, searching for the ridge on either side of his Adam’s apple. There were no do-overs, she had to get this right the first time. Mercedes took a deep breath.

Then she squeezed.

He didn’t seem to register it at first.

Then he gagged and jerked. His fingers flew to his neck, and she lifted her shoulder to protect her hand from his grasp.

Mercedes’s pulse raced in her ears as she tried counting, but she kept messing up. Jason thrashed about, clawing at her over and over. She whimpered when he dug his fingernails into her, tearing apart the naked flesh of her back.

Shit. Maybe she had the wrong spot.

She adjusted her grip, searching for the artery that should shut him down. Jason staggered toward the dresser and slammed her into it. The pain of it nearly made her lose her hold on his waist. She tightened her legs around him, locking her feet together.

Finally, he swayed and sank to his knees. Even after his head knocked against the wood floors, she held on, gripping his throat until he stopped moving. He could be dead, but her brain was too fractured to stop and figure it out.

Mercedes untangled herself from Jason’s limp body and raced toward the door. The knob wouldn’t turn.

Fuck!

She was right. It was locked from the outside. No matter how much she jerked and tugged, it was solid. She was trapped in this damn room with him.

“No, no, no. Shit!”

Mercedes ran to the window. She had to be at least three stories up, with a straight drop onto a stone patio. She’d never make it.

Jason had to have a key. How else was he going to get out of here? She didn’t want to touch him, but she needed the damn thing. Scrambling to him, she patted his pockets until she found a small ring with a single key. She jerked it from his pocket.

A soft moan was her only warning that he was regaining consciousness, and it came too late.

Jason’s hand snaked out and grabbed her wrist. Mercedes landed on her ass next to him.

“You fucking bitch!” He crawled onto his knees. “I’m gonna fucking kill you.” Jason reared back and punched her in the face. The blow reverberated across her cheek, and she fell to the ground.

She screamed and scrambled away. But he was already on her, jerking her head back by her hair. “I was gonna make it easy on you. I was gonna take my time and be gentle,” he said, jamming his hand down the waistband of her jeans. “But now I’m going to make it rough, and it’s gonna fucking hurt.”

His fingers dug into her flesh, and she cried out, the lace of her panties giving way.

Don’t think about it. Fight.

Mercedes twisted, releasing her hand from his grip, and struck him in the crotch.

The air came out of him all at once, and he doubled over. When her elbow connected to his face, it gave a sickening crack.

“Fuck!” Jason shouted. Blood poured from his twisted nose.

Mercedes hurried to her feet and ran across the room, even knowing the door would never open for her. The key had fallen out of her hand, and Jason was already getting off his knees.

Then the dresser came into her view. The dark shadow was a gun. Mercedes grabbed it, aimed wildly, and pulled the trigger. The sound pierced her ears, an echo pulsing through the room. Her hands were trembling so hard she wasn’t sure if she’d even hit him.

Jason staggered. A small round patch of red opened up on his bare chest.

He blinked at her in disbelief. “Sadie?” Then the rage returned, and he stumbled toward her. “I’m gonna gut you, you fucking whore—”

Mercedes fired again.

This time, she hit him in the head.