Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
HARPER
Tyler’s hands are around my waist as I unpack my skincare on the bathroom counter.
I barely make any progress due to all the kisses he’s stealing.
We’re laughing and joking around. The pain medication Felix gave me has kicked in and the cramps are gone.
Tyler wants to get me naked and into the tub, but I insist we wait for Felix’s return.
“Jesus, fuck. What is taking Felix so long?” he murmurs against the back of my neck while pressing my ass to his dick. “The bath will need to be refilled.”
“Maybe he got caught up with business.” I spin around to face Tyler. His shirt is unbuttoned and my hands trail up the bare skin of his torso. “He did say he’d be quick. Let me call him.”
I return to our bedroom and grab my phone, dialing Felix’s number.
The call rings out.
“He didn’t answer.” I toss my phone on the bed, finding Felix’s silence a little odd. “Maybe we should go down and check on him.”
“Sure.” Tyler buttons his shirt and combs both hands through his hair.
I slip on a pair of shoes and straighten my dress, following Tyler into the elevator. The doors slide shut and we’re kissing again. This is what Tyler does to me. When we’re happy, we can never keep our hands off each other.
As we descend the building, my surroundings fade away, swept up by the warmth of Tyler’s hands sliding up my thighs; the way his stubble tickles my cheek; the spice in his cologne; the deep sound of his laugh.
He makes me dizzy. We’re so consumed by each other that we don’t realize the elevator door has slid open and is closing again. We’ve arrived at The Scarlet Mirage.
Tyler juts his hand out, keeping the door open. “Come on. The sooner we get Felix, the sooner I can strip this dress off you.”
I step out of the elevator, calling Felix’s name, met with no answer.
“Bro?” Tyler laces our fingers, leading us through the staff corridors.
We check the private living quarters, the office too, finding them empty.
“Maybe he’s in the entertainment area.” Tyler says.
We turn a corner, finding the doorway to the entertainment area ajar. Light spills through the gap and there are muffled voices.
“Told you.” Tyler squeezes my hand before leading me forward.
As soon as we step through the door, one of the people speaks again, instantly drowning my mind in panic. I don’t see him yet, but I know that voice.
Quentin Ferguson.
He’s alive. My god, he can’t be alive.
“This is for Paul,” he says.
Tyler acts fast, pushing me behind him, witnessing the scene seconds before I do. Felix is tied to a chair with a gun pressed to his head.
No, no, no, no, no. Not Felix. Please.
Noticing our arrival, Ferguson swings the gun in our direction. A deranged smile spreads across his face. “Ah, Tyler Blackwood. Lovely to finally meet you, and what perfect timing. All three of you together.”
Tyler holds me tight, shielding me with his body. He’s silent, piecing together the scene in front of us before muttering to me, “This is Quentin Ferguson?”
“Yes,” I whisper, frozen in place, not fearful for myself but Felix and Tyler. I can’t lose them, not when I just got them back. I’d rather die than be without them.
“She’s so precious to both of you, isn’t she?” Ferguson laughs, mocking us. “Step out from behind him, girl.”
“You won’t fucking touch her,” Felix snarls.
Ferguson strikes Felix in the head with the handle of his gun. My hands fly to my mouth, terrified. Tyler flinches, holding me tighter. Helplessness claws at my chest while Felix hangs forward, knocked unconscious.
“Why so shy all of a sudden, sweetheart?” Ferguson cocks his head, peering around Tyler to me. “You were vicious the first time we met.”
“Don’t talk to her,” Tyler warns.
“Oh, but I want to play. Maybe your whore would like to know how it feels to have a knife stabbed and twisted into her body.”
“You’re not getting anywhere near her.”
“Unless you want a bullet in your head right this second, you’ll do exactly as I say. Pull up a chair next to your brother and watch the show.” He nods to Felix while keeping the gun pointed at me and Tyler. “The bitch will tie you to the chair.”
“No. Absolutely not.” My voice shakes.
I jolt as he fires a bullet off to the side before pointing the gun back at Tyler.
“You have ten seconds to do as I say before I shoot Tyler in the head. Ten. Nine. Eight.”
Tyler turns to me with urgency, muttering, “I’m going to distract him so you can run away. Get out of here and save yourself.”
“Seven. Six.”
I shake my head, frantic. “No. I’m not leaving you and Felix.”
“Five.”
“You have to.”
“I’d rather die.”
“Four.”
“Harper, you need to run.”
“Three.”
My mind spirals with dread as Ferguson’s countdown draws dangerously close to zero. I can’t run. Tyler will be shot the second I make a move. But what am I supposed to do—tie Tyler up and watch Ferguson kill him and Felix? My pulse is pounding so hard it makes my vision blur.
“Two.”
“Don’t shoot!” I shout, bursting with fear, desperate for more time. Every inch of me is shaking and burning. Tears are leaking down my cheeks. “I’ll do as you say. I’ll tie him up.”
Ferguson laughs. “Good decision.”
Tyler swears beneath his breath but complies, sitting on a chair next to Felix. My hands tremble as I reach for rope on a nearby table.
“Hurry up,” Ferguson snaps, waving the gun impatiently.
I crouch behind Tyler, gathering his wrists and whimpering. “I’m sorry.”
“I know, baby. It’s okay.”
Right as he says the words, Felix stirs, regaining consciousness. “Shit,” he whispers, watching me bind Tyler’s wrists.
Tyler’s palms clench into fists, creating slack in the rope.
“Tighter,” Ferguson barks. “I’m not an idiot. Tie his legs too.”
Tears blur my vision as I pull the rope tighter, then work on Tyler’s legs, securing them to the chair.
When I’m finished, Ferguson grabs my arm, dragging me to a table in front of Felix and Tyler. “I thought you were supposed to be feisty but you’re a crying mess.” He slides the barrel of the gun along my wet face. “You’re so boring and pathetic. I know how we can have some fun.”
“Let her go,” Tyler shouts, straining against the rope. “Felix killed your brother. I helped him get away with it. Harper had nothing to do with it.”
Ferguson laughs, pinning me face down on the tabletop, digging the gun into my back. “Which makes this all the more fun. You two have a front row seat to watching me destroy someone you love.”
I’m powerless. There’s no fighting this man off, not when the first sign of struggle would land me with a bullet in my spine. I glance between my two men. Tyler, furious, fighting to free himself. Felix, the opposite, completely still, watching the tears roll down my cheeks.
“Don’t be frightened, my Little Sinner.” Felix’s eye contact is firm and intentional, like he’s attempting to send a message. His words are controlled. Whatever he’s trying to say, I don’t understand. I can’t think straight.
Behind me, I hear Ferguson unbuckling his belt. I’m hyperventilating, realizing what’s about to happen to me. I think I knew from the moment Ferguson said he’d have fun with me, but I didn’t want to believe this could happen again.
I close my eyes, trying to dissociate.
Tyler is shouting. I’ve never heard him so desperate in my life. “I swear to god, I will do anything you want, just don’t touch her.”
“Your whining is irritating me, Tyler. I have a solution for that.” Ferguson shoves the gun harder into my back, redirecting his words to me. “Take your panties off and shove them in his mouth to shut him up.”
I gasp as he pulls me upright from the table.
“Breathe, Harper. Look at me.” Felix’s eyes bore into me, still trying to speak in code, but I don’t understand what he’s attempting to communicate. “Focus on my words. Stay calm and do as he says, Little Sinner.”
I’m scared out of my mind but trust Felix and grip my panties, sliding them down my thighs until the fabric catches on something.
Little Sinner.
My breath hitches as the message clicks. The dagger strapped to my thigh.
The gun is still pressed to my back while I hear Ferguson unzipping his trousers with his spare hand.
Taking a chance, I grip the blade’s handle and spin to Ferguson at lightning speed, not caring if I get shot, just acting on pure adrenaline.
I’ll sacrifice myself a million times over if it means saving Felix and Tyler.
The sudden movement catches him off guard—his attention split between holding me at gunpoint and fumbling one-handed with his zipper. My shoulder collides with him as I turn. He curses in surprise and the gun is bumped free from his hand, clattering to the ground.
I don’t care that he’s unarmed. I don’t wait another second. With all my strength, I plunge the dagger deep into his heart.
Blood spurts from his chest as he stumbles back, eyes wide with shock. My mind is reeling. I’m scared and panicked, wondering what to do next. He’ll die from the stab wound. I don’t need to do anything more. But as I watch the man gasp and choke, hatred replaces all sense of fear within me.
“Fuck. You.” I withdraw the dagger and stab him again.
And again.
And again.
Ferguson slumps to the floor. I follow him down, straddling him as I continue to attack. The dagger sinks into his stomach, his chest, anywhere I can reach. My arms burn with exertion, but I can’t stop.
With each plunge of the blade, I stab with vengeance, taking back control that’s been ripped from me. My whole life, people have played me like a puppet.
Stab. My father, grooming me into the perfect little daughter he wanted so he could sell me off to his boss’s son. Then hiding Felix’s letters from me.
Stab. Josh for manipulating Tyler into lying about Felix.
Stab. Paul for forcing himself upon me.
Stab. Cindy, my best friend from ballet school who betrayed me.
Stab. My own body for not letting me get pregnant.
Stab. Stab. Stab. This fucking bastard beneath me who tried to take Felix and Tyler from me.