I didn’t answer. I knew it was a bad idea.
“Before all of that, though, I have something else we need to handle now that they have left the compound.”
Standing up, he came closer to me and pulled my head to the side by my hair. My eyes widened at the scalpel one of the guards handed him.Oh, heck no.I started to tug away from him, not bothering to ask what he was doing, but he gripped my hair harder and looked me right in the eye.
“Stay still and this will be nearly painless.”
I knew I didn’t have a choice with how the guards were holding me, and I prayed to god that he meant it when he said he didn’t want to kill me. One wrong move with that thing and I was gone.
Carefully, he used his thumb to press into the soft tissue between my neck and shoulder before letting out an amused sound. I let out a hiss at the sharp way he drew the edge down my skin, slicing it open as I began to sweat, my body going into full shock, no doubt. But all of that was calmed by the simple action of him removing a small, grain-like digital device from my skin. My mouth opened as I met his gaze, and I saw authentic amusement flash across it.
“Oh you can’t be that naive, can you? You have had this on you for at least a few days, but I am guessing they didn’t tell you?” he mused. “Ah, well, better to beg forgiveness than ask permission, right?”
I swallowed, knowing instantly that it was Yates who had put it there. I had no idea how, but it was him without a doubt…and it didn’t bother me nearly as much as it should have. It warranted a talk, for sure, because what the heck? Yet, as much as it caused conflict in me, I also hoped like hell it was helping them get here faster.
I hissed as he placed a bandage on the wound near the back of my neck and patted it roughly, as if impressed with his work.
Standing up, he motioned for the guards to move closer to me, my eyes darting between them as they kept their gazes forward. Patrick’s voice was even and void of emotion as he flicked the tracker on the ground. “I am letting the boy in here; do not let him touch her. I don’t trust him, and I would hate to ruin my relationship with his father after all this hard work.”
Ian. That was who the ‘boy’ was. The voice was so recognizable in my head now.
There was a bit of fear associated with Ian—well, far more than a bit—but I knew that Dermot’s father meant what he was saying and that I could at least be promised that Ian wouldn’t lay a finger on me. I could deal with everything else…probably. My eyes darted up to the security guards as I wondered what it would take to convince them to let me out of here. Most likely a price I wasn’t willing to pay.
When the door opened, I felt hatred fill my chest. I didn’t hate easily, but everything about him had me feeling and thinking things that would normally make me think I was insane. I wanted him gone. I never wanted to see him again, and I didn’t care what I had to do to make that happen.
The smile Ian offered me was filled with darkness and showed me just how truly untouchable he viewed himself to be. How on earth had he gotten involved in this? Dermot’s father was working with Ian’s father? Why?
“I bet this wasn’t where you expected to find yourself,” he mused, not bothering to take a seat and instead walking over and crouching down, his eyes running over me in a way that made me feel completely naked. Cold and naked. Vulnerable.
“No, but this is where I would expect to find you,” I answered honestly.
His grin was authentic. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
He shouldn't.
“What do you want, Ian?”
“You,” he leveled as his eyes flashed with manic light. “You know, I used to think that you were just some silly trust fund girl…but then I noticed how much attention Kingston and the others were paying you, and I realized that you had to be something of value. After all, they don’t exactly think anyone else is good enough for them.”
My eyes widened. “You want me because…King wants me?”
His lips tilted. “Well, that was how it started, and every time they told me to stay away from you, I realized just how much of a weakness you were to them. I don’t want you because they want you, I want you because I know it would fucking kill them. I know it would destroy King to see you with me, and I want nothing more than to make him suffer.”
“Why?” My voice was sharp and demanding. I should have acted less interested because I could tell it fueled his amusement, but I didn’t care at this point.
His eyes darkened. “Besides him most likely killing my brother?”
“You don’t know he’s dead,” I whispered.
“If he isn’t, he will be when I find him. Fucking snitch.”
“What is wrong with you?” I demanded, my voice filled with horror.
“So much,” he chuckled, seeming to enjoy my question. “But I have a better one—what is wrong with you, Dahlia? What happened to you? What in your life was so bad that you willingly let this in? Or is it your street side showing? After all, I was informed you were a homeless brat picked up by Mommy and Daddy at a food kitchen, right? Maybe there is a sick part of you that you didn’t even realize existed.”
I refused to give him an answer because honestly…I wasn’t sure.
“Why? Why are you doing any of this? If not about your brother.”