Chapter 12
Raine
Pain.
It slices through me, sharp and unforgiving, the moment I jerk awake. My head pounds, my wrists ache from the rough bindings, and the air around me is stale—heavy with the scent of damp concrete and something metallic.
Blood.
I force my breathing to steady as I blink through the darkness. My body is slumped against a cold metal chair, my ankles tied to its legs. The dim light above flickers, casting distorted shadows across the room.
Where the hell am I?
Then it comes back in a rush. The woods. The chase. The moment I turned and saw them—Dante’s men. The blunt impact of something striking my skull.
I test the ropes binding my wrists, wincing as they bite into my skin.
I’m not just a prisoner. I’m being held until Dante decides what to do with me.
And I already know how that story ends.
Not today.
I swallow back the panic rising in my throat. Panic won’t get me out of here. I need to think. Plan. Find a way out before it’s too late.
Footsteps echo outside the door, and I go still, forcing my breathing to even out. The heavy steel door creaks open, and a shadow fills the doorway.
"Look who’s finally awake."
I recognize the voice before I see his face. Luca. One of Dante’s men. A mid-level enforcer who always lingered too close when I was under Dante’s "protection." He steps forward, arms crossed, a smirk playing at his lips.
"Did you miss us, Raine?" he taunts.
I lift my chin, ignoring the sharp sting at the base of my skull. "Fuck you."
His smirk widens as he crouches beside me. "You always did have a mouth on you. Dante says that’s part of your charm."
"Dante wouldn’t know charm if it slit his throat."
Luca chuckles, but his amusement doesn’t reach his eyes. "Brave words for someone tied to a chair."
I lean in slightly, dropping my voice to something lower, something that plays to his ego. "Bravery has nothing to do with it. I just know exactly who I’m dealing with."
He studies me for a second too long, something shifting in his expression. Good. Let him think I’m cracking. Let him think he has the upper hand.
"Where’s Mia?" I demand.
His eyes flicker, just slightly, before he covers it up. "Why do you care?"
I keep my face unreadable, even as my heart slams against my ribs. That reaction tells me everything. She’s here.
"You think Dante will kill me? Fine. But you know what will happen if he touches her," I murmur, keeping my voice steady. "She doesn’t belong in this world. Neither do I. You think this is loyalty, Luca? It’s a fucking death sentence."
He shifts on his heels, his gaze flicking toward the door like he’s debating whether to stay or walk out. I have him.
I just need to push harder.
"You think Dante’s going to reward you? He’ll kill you just as easily as he’ll kill me when it serves him. That’s who he is. That’s who he’s always been."
His jaw tightens.
I lean in a fraction more. "I can get you out. But you have to help me first."
For a moment, he hesitates. Then, he pulls a knife from his belt.
My pulse spikes. My fingers twitch against the ropes, ready for the worst—
But instead of cutting me, he slices through my bindings.
"Dante will gut me if he finds out," he mutters under his breath.
I don’t waste time. The moment my wrists are free, I move. Fast.
I snatch the knife from his grip, spin it in my palm, and drive it straight into his throat.
Luca chokes, a garbled, wet sound escaping him as his eyes widen in shock. I catch him before he collapses, lowering him to the floor as blood spills over my hands.
"Sorry, Luca," I whisper. "But you chose the wrong side."
I wipe my hands on his jacket and slip his gun from his holster before moving to the door. Time to find Mia. Time to get the fuck out of here.
I step into the hallway, my heart hammering against my ribs, the cold weight of the gun solid in my grip.
And that’s when I hear it.
A scream.
Mia.
I take off running, knowing there’s no turning back now.
The hallway twists into a maze of dimly lit corridors, the air thick with the scent of cigarette smoke and damp concrete. My pulse hammers in my ears as I move, my grip tightening around the stolen gun. My only advantage is speed—they don’t know I’m free yet.
I follow the sound, turning a corner just in time to see two of Dante’s men standing guard outside a metal door. Mia is in there.
One of them is fumbling with a set of keys, while the other has his back to me, his hand resting on his holster. Perfect.
I don’t think. I act.
I lift the gun and fire.
The first shot takes the man with the keys in the shoulder.
He yells, stumbling forward. The second man whips around, his eyes widening in shock.
I lunge before he can reach for his weapon, slamming the butt of my gun into his temple.
He crumples instantly, but the first guy isn’t down yet.
He stumbles back, his hand clutching his bleeding shoulder as he reaches for his gun.
I don’t give him the chance.
I raise my weapon and pull the trigger again. A clean shot to the chest. He gasps once before collapsing, his body hitting the floor with a dull thud.
Shaking, I shove my gun into the back of my jeans and grab the keys from his twitching fingers. No time to waste. I unlock the door and shove it open.
Mia is inside, huddled in the corner of the small, windowless room, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her eyes go wide when she sees me.
"Raine?"
I cross the room in two strides, dropping to my knees in front of her. "It’s me. It’s okay. I’ve got you."
She lets out a choked sob, gripping my arms like she can’t believe I’m real. "I—I thought—"
"Shh, we don’t have time. We have to move. Now."
I help her to her feet, keeping my voice steady even though my adrenaline is off the charts. I don’t know how long we have before someone notices the bodies outside, but I know one thing for sure—Dante won’t let this slide.
And I’m right.
Because just as I pull Mia toward the door, a gunshot rings out.
Pain explodes across my cheekbone as I’m thrown sideways, the force of the impact knocking me to the ground. I taste blood, feel the sting of torn skin, but before I can react, a shadow looms over me.
Dante.
"Going somewhere, sweetheart?" His voice is smooth, almost amused, but the fury in his eyes is unmistakable.
I push myself up, reaching for my gun, but he’s faster. His boot slams into my ribs, sending pain rocketing through my body.
"You just don’t know when to quit, do you?" he murmurs, crouching down beside me. "First, you run. Then you kill my men. And now? Now you think you can take her too?"
I glare up at him, my breath ragged. "I don’t think. I know."
Dante chuckles, slow and dark. "That’s what I always liked about you, Raine. That fire. But fire? It burns out eventually."
And then, he slaps me.
Hard.
My head snaps to the side, my vision swimming. The metallic tang of blood fills my mouth, and I spit onto the concrete, refusing to let him see me break.
"Take her back to her cell," Dante orders one of his men. "And bring Mia. We’re far from done here."
Strong hands grab me, yanking me to my feet. My legs protest, my ribs scream, but I force myself to stand tall, to look Dante in the eye.
I lost this round.
But the game isn’t over yet.
Hours pass. Maybe more. Time is slippery in this place, distorted by pain, exhaustion, and the throbbing ache in my ribs. My cheek still burns from Dante’s slap, but it’s nothing compared to the slow, simmering rage in my chest.
I sit on the cold concrete floor of my cell, my arms wrapped around my knees, my mind racing through every possible way out of this. I need to get Mia out. That’s all that matters.
But how? Dante isn’t going to let me make another move without consequences. He’ll be watching me now. Expecting it.
I lean my head back against the wall, taking slow, measured breaths. Think, Raine. You’ve gotten out before. You can do it again.
The problem is, I didn’t do it alone last time.
My thoughts drift, unwanted, back to Emmett. To the way he looked at me. The way I let myself believe, for even a moment, that I could trust him. That he might have actually cared.
I shove the thought away. He called me leverage. A problem to be handled.
Fine. Then I’ll handle this myself.
I close my eyes, listening to the silence. The guards outside aren’t talking, and the air is thick with the kind of stillness that comes before something happens.
And then—
Gunfire.
Loud. Sudden. Explosive.
My heart slams against my ribs as I jolt upright, my breath catching in my throat. Someone’s here.
Chaos erupts outside my cell. Shouting. The rapid thud of boots pounding against concrete. Another round of gunfire, closer this time.
And then, through the madness, I hear it—
A voice. Low. Gritted with fury.
Emmett.