Kosta leaned up and brought scissors to the white gown I was wearing, cutting through the middle.
“Please,” I pleaded. “Don’t.”
But my cries fell on deaf ears. No one wanted to listen. No one cared. I decided that if I survived, I would get out. I’d find a way to get out and find my child and kill every single fucking person on this island. They’d trained us since we were little. Sexually, physically, every single way they could. The Dolls were their weapon, their ultimate security against forces who tried to shut them down.
But their main one had turned.
Kosta’s eyes came to mine as more blood splattered against the floor. “Seven days. You will stay here. Unfed. Unbathed. Bled out. Once your seven days are up, your memories will be wiped and replaced, and you will not have that look of revenge on your face and you will do as you’re told.” He stepped away from me.
More blood fell, and like a click of fingers, excruciating pain exploded inside my belly and between my legs as even more blood fell.
I wouldn’t survive today, let alone seven.
“Lilith!”
My body is dripping wet as I launch myself off the sofa, holding my belly.
“Oh my God!” I scream, closing my eyes and burying my face in my hands. All the emotions they removed come crashing into me like a tidal wave. “I remember everything.” It’s a whisper, softer than I feel. I swipe the sweat from my forehead. “I remember everything.”
“We heard it all, Lil.” Perse brushes her tears off her cheeks while sitting down where Kyrin was. She rests her hand on my thigh as Cartier takes my other. “We’re here.”
Saskia is quiet. Actually, the whole room is.
“I’m sorry you all had to witness that.” I blink through my tears and don’t bother to stop them from falling. “I need to kill her.”
Kyrin comes in from the doorway, moving Cartier out of the way and pulling me into his chest, his arms tight around my body. All of the hurt and pain I was feeling moments ago dissolves against his touch. “Tonight. We end this tonight.”
My phone goes off while I’m in Kennedy’s room. She has us bunked out in a fucking three-bedroom apartment in New York City.
“We know where she is, E. But listen…” Bishop clears his throat on the other end. “You can’t kill Kennedy. Even when we get the baby. You need to wait.”
“Wait?” I smile at Kennedy as she looks up at me from behind her computer. A guard stands to her side, strapped with a semi, and I know there’s another one standing inside the front door in the kitchen. Fuck knows how many others she has, but we know it’s not many since Kiznitch took them all.
“Lilith, bro. I just spoke with Kyrin, and the shit they put her through at that place is far worse than you can imagine. A lot of that has to do with Kennedy. She needs this kill.” I scan over her face before sizing up the guard.
“I get that. I do. Text me when you have more information.” I hang up my phone and push it into my pocket, keeping my eyes locked on Kennedy. “It’s done. He’s coming with the contract. He’s just had to speak with The Four Fathers. They’ve all agreed that you can have Patience back, but shit has got to be different if it’s under The Kings. You feel me?”
Kennedy leans back in her chair. She has blonde hair and gray eyes. Looks fucking nothing like Lilith. “I knew you’d all come around. If there’s something you and I could agree on, it’s power and money. I plan to bring a lot of that to you.”
“Where’s my kid?” I start walking closer to her, my eyes narrowed.
“Ah, I’m not stupid. You get her when I’m back on Patience with all of my crew back—except those pesky Dolls. Keep them.”
I swing my eyes to the guard. His shoulders aren’t as straight as they were yesterday, and there are deep circles under his eyes. He’s fucking tired. In fact, I haven’t seen any others except the two that are in here. Is this all she managed to get? “That shoot-out. Where’d all your people go?”
“They were hired,” she says brazenly. “And still are.”
I shrug, reaching for my phone when it goes off in my pocket.
B: We got her, E. We fucking got her. Lil and the gang on the way.
I read over the words four times before lowering my phone and pressing it back into my pocket. The rage that burns through my veins is like melted steel. Even when it hardens, it’s there to stay.
Kennedy keeps her eyes on mine, but I know the exact moment she realizes what I’m thinking, because her face falls and her eyes turn frantic. “Kill him!”