Chapter 57
Austin
Igrunted when the next fist connected with my ribs. I growled to cover my scream when the guy grabbed my bullet torn arm and squeezed.
They could beat me until the cows came home; it didn’t matter. As long as I was conscious, I’d do whatever it took to keep their attention on me and away from Nina.
My body hurt, but my heart ached as I watched them force Nina to watch the abuse they doled out.
She stayed strong, longer than she thought she could, but she wouldn’t last much longer. Even the strongest people broke, and Nina wasn’t trained to handle the escalating violence they delivered to my body.
It’s only a matter of time before SSI and Shepherd Security storm the castle and save us.
Another punch landed in my gut, forcing the air from my lungs. My wrists ached from the cuffs digging into my skin from the strain of my swinging body weight.
To ease some of the pressure on my wrists, I gripped the chain.
If the chain were an inch longer, I’d be able to use my legs to support myself. Unfortunately, my feet barely reached the ground, so I had to stand on my toes. Every time one of the bastards hit me, I lost my balance, and gravity did its thing.
“Miss Singer,” Officer Gable said. “This will all stop if you just tell us where the money is.”
“Let him go, and I’ll give it to you,” she cried.
That’s my girl, stay strong and keep lying.
His maniacal laugh confirmed he’d watched one too many Bond movies and fancied himself the misunderstood villain.
“Nina—” I didn’t get to finish my order because a fist connected with my nose. The crunch echoed in my head. Broken. Blood ran down my face and into my mouth. Wanting to keep the focus off Nina, I spat blood at my nearest attacker.
That’s right, focus on me.
“It would seem that Officer Winchester wants to play the hero today,” Kane, the traitor, said. “But I don’t think you want to see him die a slow, painful death, do you, Miss Singer?”
I pleaded with Nina, hoping she’d understand the message in my swollen eyes: if she gave in, we’d both die.
No, they’d keep Nina alive long enough to access her money. Then they’d pass her off to their thugs to use as they pleased.
The images of men raping Nina gave me a spike of adrenaline. I kicked at my attackers, missing as they easily stepped out of my reach.
“My name is Novak.”
I barely heard Nina’s voice as she looked down at her lap again.
Pissed off at her answer, Officer Gable stood behind her and yanked her hair, forcing her to look up.
“That may be your name now, but you were born a Singer, and we know your parents left you a fortune.”
I willed my strength into Nina; Hold on just a little longer, you can do this.
“I might’ve been born a Singer, but I never met my parents and what they left me was a couple pieces of costume jewelry and a teddy bear.”
A teddy bear that no doubt they’ve already ripped to shreds searching for a clue.
“There was nothing of value in that teddy bear,” Officer Kane said, confirming my suspicion.
Anger replaced fear as Nina realized what his words meant. “You destroyed the only thing I have from my parents!”
“You lying little bitch!” he slapped her. I fought against my restraints and kicked at my attackers, trying to take his attention off Nina. “You just admitted they left you jewelry.”
“Costume jewelry that I just found out about yesterday. The teddy bear is, was, the only thing I have from my childhood.” Tears streamed down Nina’s face as she cried through her explanation.
If they knew about her cherry covered blanket, they didn’t mention it.
“Miss Singer—”
“It’s Novak,” Nina grunted out, bracing for the expected slap.
Kane laughed. “Have it your way. Miss Novak, if you don’t tell us where the money is, we’ll shoot out your boyfriend’s left kneecap.”
“Don’t.” I yelled, earning another punch to the face, this one making me see red as the asshole’s ring cut the skin near my eye.
My left eye was swollen shut, my nose was broken, and if I had a mirror, I wouldn’t recognize the black and blue face staring back at me.
Nina screamed, “Stop!”
Officer Gable held up his hand to stop the assault.
She sucked in a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and said, “If you hit him again, I won’t tell you anything.”
She’s so much stronger than she knows. Would I live long enough to tell her?
“Miss Singer, I don’t think you understand who’s in charge here.”
“It’s. Novak! And I. Don’t. Have. Any. Money!” she screamed again, annunciating every word so that they echoed off the cement walls.
Office Kane gave the emotionless order, “Shoot him.”
The guy standing to my left didn’t hesitate; he drew his gun, pointed at my left kneecap, and pulled the trigger.
The reverberating echoes of the gunshot drowned out Nina’s screams, but not mine as I roared at the ceiling. White hot pain shot through my leg. Every nerve in my knee felt like it was on fire. Tears mixed with blood, adding salt to the copper taste in my mouth.
When I lowered my head to look at Nina, Gable had his hand in her hair.
“Open your eyes and look at him, or we’ll shoot his other knee.”
Nina’s tear-filled, bloodshot eyes shot open.
The lower half of my left leg dangled, and I used my right toes to support my body weight as best I could. Too weak to hold myself up with my hands, my body pulled against the cuffs, causing them to cut even deeper into my wrists as I swayed.
Nina sobbed, “Please don’t. I’ll do whatever you want.” Her breaths came too fast, and within seconds, she was hyperventilating.
I wanted to say something to comfort her, but my voice wouldn't work.
Officer Kane grabbed Nina’s face, crushing her jaw in his hand, and told her to calm down.
When in the history of the world has that ever worked?
I might’ve laughed if we weren’t fighting for our lives.
“They left me money, but I don’t have access to it,” Nina said between sobs.
Fuck. They’d kill me for sure and keep Nina alive long enough to access the funds.
Drawing on a reserve of strength I didn’t know I had, I mumbled around swollen lips, “It's true, CIA froze accounts.”
A punch knocked me off my precarious balance. My body yanked my wrists against the cuffs. My leg screamed in pain as my foot swung at an unnatural angle.
If I survived this, I’d walk with a limp for the rest of my life.
I wasn’t sure how long we’d been there, but I trusted it wouldn’t be long before SSI and Shepherd Security rode in on their white horses.
Hold on, Nina, they’re coming.
I prayed it’d be sooner rather than later because I knew too much and the countdown on my life had already begun.