Chapter 30
Rei Kurosaki
Daniel was still talking when the phone started ringing on the coffee table. Both of us looked at it at the same time. The screen lit up with a name I knew too well.
“She’s probably heading home soon,” Daniel said. “Why don’t we make this quick?”
He stood up.
I could see the way his fingers tightened around the handle of the knife as he stepped closer to the couch.
The second he got within reach, I kicked out with everything I had. My foot connected hard with his knee. He grunted, stumbling sideways, and I used the opening to scramble off the couch. I did not get far.
Daniel recovered fast.
He lunged at me with a snarl, grabbing a fistful of my shirt and yanking me back. I twisted in his grip and drove my elbow into his ribs as hard as I could. He shoved me against the wall.
The back of my head hit the plaster. Stars exploded behind my eyes.
Before I could recover, the knife slashed across my chest in one vicious arc. The blade tore through my shirt and into skin.
“Fucking brat,” Daniel hissed.
I kicked again, this time catching him in the stomach. He doubled over and fell down, and I tried to run past him toward the door. My legs felt unsteady, but panic gave me speed.
I did not make it.
Daniel grabbed my ankle and yanked.
I went down hard, face-first onto the marble floor. My chin cracked against it and I tasted blood. Before I could push myself up, he was on me.
He flipped me onto my back.
I saw the knife come down again.
This time it went through my thigh.
The pain was blinding.
I screamed so loud my throat felt like it tore. The blade sank deep into muscle, scraping against bone. I thrashed, hands flying up to grab his wrist, but he twisted the knife and I screamed again.
“Stop! Fuck, stop!”
Daniel yanked the knife out.
Blood sprayed across the floor. I could feel it gushing out of the wound with every heartbeat. My leg was on fire. I could not move it properly. The pain was so intense I thought I might pass out.
He did not give me the chance.
He grabbed my other leg and forced it flat against the floor.
“No! Please!”
The knife drove straight through my left thigh this time, just above the knee. I felt the blade punch through muscle. I screamed so hard my voice broke.
Fuck, why was this house soundproofed? The bodyguards could not even hear me unless he used the gun.
I could not stop screaming.
Tears streamed down my face as I clawed at the floor, trying to drag myself away even with both legs pinned and bleeding.
Daniel finally pulled the knife out of my left leg.
I sobbed in relief for half a second before the pain hit even harder. Both of my legs were useless.
Daniel stood over me, the bloody knife in his hand.
I tried to crawl.
I dug my fingers into the floor and dragged myself forward inch by inch, leaving a smeared trail of blood behind me. My legs dragged uselessly, the pain so overwhelming I could barely think.
Daniel stepped on my back, pressing me flat against the floor with his shoe.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.
I was crying openly then, gasping through the pain. Blood was everywhere. My vision was starting to blur.
“Please…” I choked out. “Please stop—”
He did not.
He crouched down beside me, grabbed my hair, and yanked my head back so I was forced to look at him.
He drove the knife into my right thigh again, just below the first wound.
I could not move anymore.
Both of my legs were destroyed.
I lay there on the cold marble, legs twitching uselessly.
With the last of my strength, I tried to drag myself toward the door again.
It was pathetic.
I could only manage a few inches at a time, arms shaking, leaving a wide trail of blood behind me.
Daniel watched me for a moment.
Then he walked over and crouched down in front of me again.
He grabbed my chin and forced me to look up at him.
“Keep crawling if you want,” he said quietly. “It will not change the outcome.”
I stared at him through tears, blood, and pain.
“Dimitri is going to kill you.”
Daniel smiled.
“We will see who finds who first.”
Dimitri… please.
Please find me.