Everything he said aimed to break me. Every part of him thought he could crush me into his control.
No.
Just no.
I didn’t just find him repulsive, I found him lacking in every way.
He’s nothing.
Just like those traffickers.
Just like Scott.
Nothing.
And he’s standing in the way of everything.
I didn’t beg.
I didn’t cry.
I didn’t run.
Sully…
I ripped off Drake’s t-shirt like he was a naughty toddler and I was his mother about to spank him.
Drake grinned like a bastard as I yanked at his belt and unzipped his jeans. “Like what you see, Sullivan? Her hands are fucking Viagra.”
Sully jerked and fought so hard, another guard found himself on his ass with a punch to his nose. The other two men leaped on Sully, once again beating him, striking him—
“Stop it!” I yelled.
The men stopped, leaving Sully breathing hard on his knees with his hands bound and blood soaking brighter through his bandage. “I’m fine, Sully.” I pulled down Drake’s trousers and boxer shorts with no emotion whatsoever. “He has the smallest cock I’ve ever seen.”
Sully groaned.
Drake slapped me.
I spun to the side with his violence, wincing against his finger thorns and poisonous palm.
“You’ll regret that,” he hissed, kicking off his boots and stepping out of his jeans. He didn’t care four guards and his brother saw him naked. He didn’t care those same guards drooled as they looked at me, bulges in their pants disgustingly obvious.
What was his plan here?
Did he honestly think he could insert himself into Euphoria and the guards wouldn’t try to join in? That they would stand by like good little soldiers all while he fucked me?
My skin went snowy cold.
If he gave me elixir, I’d be a temptation too hard to ignore.
I wouldn’t care who joined.
Was that why Jealousy had been included?
To be the distraction while their boss got his kink on?
Drake grabbed my hair, dragging me closer and shaking me. “Sensors, Jinx. I’m sick of waiting.”
Every second I could prolong this gave more time for help to arrive.
Had the boat captain called the police? Had my dad done what I’d asked?
“Fuck it.” Drake grabbed the earbuds and stuffed them into his ears, followed by a quick slash of nasal scrambler under his nose. Fumbling with the lenses, he awkwardly plopped one over his right pupil and then his left. Squinting against the discomfort, he shoved a bottle of oil into my hands. “Do it.”
Jealousy glanced at me, her chest heaving in her black bikini. She seemed wound up, like a music box cranked too tight, the fragile ballerina about to dance into suicide.
Why did she look so tense?
What scenario ran through her mind while mine continued to fumble for a solution?
She nodded at me once, her eyes flaring with encouragement.
Ignoring the laceration in my heart, my stare found its way back to Sully. He’d been forced to bend deeper from three guns wedged against the back of his skull.
Dammit!
I wanted to drown Drake in the cursed oil. I wanted to pour it over his head and then set him alight.
“Fuck, you’re disobedient.” Snatching the bottle, Drake poured the entire contents into my hands then slapped my touch on his naked chest, forcing me to rub it in.
I recoiled.
Sully growled.
And Drake commanded the guard trapping Jealousy and me, “Grab the vials and my brother’s cell phone from my pocket.” He raised his eyebrow at the floor where his clothes were strewn.
The man ducked and fossicked through his pockets, coming up with a cell phone and three tiny vials of sorcery.
“Give them to her.” He pointed at Jealousy.
Jealousy took the offered gifts. The second her fingers curled around elixir, a darkness fell over her. A shadow that seemed to suck her down into whatever trickery she’d planned.
“Load a program,” Drake snapped.
“What do you want?” she asked quietly, carefully, her thumb flitting over the phone and bringing up the app I’d seen Sully use.
Sully’s growl filled the room. “You do this, Jess, and I’ll kill you myself.”
She ignored him, scrolling through fantasies. “Underwater? Flying? Sacrifice? Forbidden sibling? Abusive teacher? Shared woman? S and M club?”
“That one,” Drake nodded, licking his lips, his cock swelling with anticipation. “BDSM with as many toys as possible.”
Jealousy swallowed hard and nodded, pressing a line of code and flinching as a ‘Load’ button popped up. “It’s ready.”
Drake smiled like the devil. “Pass me the elixir.”
“Don’t you fucking dare!” Sully snarled. “Have Jealousy, the traitor. Fuck her. Take her however you want. Just leave Eleanor—”
Jealousy fisted all three vials, carefully placing one into Drake’s eager palm.
She caught my gaze.
I bared my teeth.
She shrugged slightly, but instead of apology, I saw fierce determination.
Had she hated me all along?
Had this been her plan?
To become indispensable to someone who would keep her? Who would put her in the position of power she’d told me she always wanted? The gatekeeper of hallucinations and madam of trapped goddesses.