Chapter 26 Let Them Hurt Me
Let Them Hurt Me
Sometimes I worry I’m forgetting your voice. The memories are fuzzy. Please come home. —Izzy
Izzy
I move through the shadows, keeping to back alleys; anywhere that’s covered by darkness.
Humiliation burns as hot as the heartbreak that devastates me.
I duck into a convenience store, grabbing a pre-paid phone—I left mine behind knowing he could trace me on it.
I don’t know how long I walk, my feet ache, my eyelids pull with exhaustion, the straps on my backpack dig into my shoulders. I need a plan.
Step one: call Cam, get in touch with Phoenix.
Step two: get out of the city. Lucas and Enzo have too much power here.
Resting, I lean against the wall of a rundown brick building. I haven’t paid much attention to where I’ve been going—too focused on just putting some distance between me and Enzo’s place.
I power on the flip phone.
Before I can type in Cam’s number it’s knocked from my hands.
My breath catches as a hand wraps around my throat, pushing me painfully against the wall behind. Amber eyes bore into mine, amusement and satisfaction dancing in them.
Lucas.
He grins at my moment of recognition, tightening his grip, cutting off my air. I claw at his hands, gasping, struggling.
“I knew you’d leave his side eventually, just had to be patient.”
He flattens me against the wall, bracing me with his entire body. Lucas licks the side of my cheek and bile threatens to rise up.
“It was my email, wasn’t it? Did he kick you out?”
A shadow falls over us.
Marcus.
My eyes flick to him briefly but Lucas forces my attention back to him.
“Poor little Isolde Delaney. So pure and innocent.” Spots dance at the edges of my vision. “You’re not the victim you pretend to be,” he hisses. "Want to know the funny part? I recognized you from five years ago."
All I can do is squeak as he continues to cut off my airway.
"Before I created my empire, I was more of a…
customer, shall we say. I've always had specific, eclectic tastes.
I was at a gala in Prague this one time, and I saw the most beautiful creature.
" My heart-rate increases, and not just because of the lack of air.
I remember that event. It was just before I took on that case that I went to see Enzo, ready to confess my feelings for him.
"I got out before the authorities arrived.
But I saw you, my darling Isolde. You were the one taking it all down.
" He barks out a laugh, his glee evident. "I've been following you ever since."
My mind races to make sense of this information. If he's been following me since then? Everything I've done has been one step behind.
Then his hand is no longer on my neck and suddenly—air. I can breathe.
Before I can feel any relief Marcus grabs me, slamming a hand over my mouth and lifting me effortlessly into the air.
I bite at his hand, but he remains strong, forcing me into a waiting van. He keeps a hold of me, dragging me down with him into his lap as Lucas slams the door closed and sits opposite us.
I’m jolted as the vehicle begins to move.
My heart races in my chest, so loud I can hear it thudding in my ears—hear the rush of blood as terror claws at my insides.
Fuck fuck fuck.
Marcus’s hand travels up my thigh and I attempt to swat it away but his hold on me turns painful as Lucas lazily pulls out a gun—Enzo’s gun—from my backpack pointing it towards me.
I freeze.
“Good girl,” Marcus whispers in my ear and I whimper.
My mind races, trying to figure a way out of this situation. I could probably surprise one of them… but both? Lucas would have the trigger pulled the second I tried. He wants me dead. He’s already proved that much.
I’m paralyzed by fear. I feel just as helpless now as I did the last time, when I literally couldn’t move.
Lucas sneers at me. "I'd planned on seducing you once I knew who you were.
I bided my time, waiting for the perfect moment to introduce myself.
But then you came to me. It was fate. I was always going to kill you eventually; it was just a matter of when.
" Which is why he didn't bat an eyelid at the prenup.
Because I was never supposed to survive.
“You’re going to ride his cock aren’t you, sweetheart,” Lucas drawls, his tone condescending.
I shake my head back and forth.
Something cold and sharp presses into my collarbone.
My lips quiver, dread settling into my stomach like a lead weight.
There’s no choice. If I don’t do this, I’ll die. Of course, there’s every chance he’ll kill me anyway, so maybe I should just cut my losses. But… a tiny part of me hopes that if I stall long enough maybe Enzo will find me.
That’s if he’s even looking for me. Maybe he’s already moved on, forgetting about me like he did before.
I can’t think like that. I have to have hope.
I don’t want to die.
Lucas must see the fight in me wither because he grins, nodding to Marcus behind me who in a flash moves the knife away from my neck and down to my thighs.
It’s painful—how hard my heart is beating, trying to burst out of my chest. Sweat beads on my skin.
Perceptive, Lucas laughs. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, he’s not going to fuck you with the knife.” The tiny flicker of relief is dashed when he adds, “Not until I’ve had you too.”
The lump in my throat grows as tears threaten to spill but I try to hold them at bay, not wanting to give him that.
The knife slices through my sweats, then my panties, nicking my skin as the van jolts.
Pain flares. If I looked, I’d see blood.
I might like pain with pleasure—but this?
This is not that.
Marcus throws me off his lap. I fall to my knees with a thump.
Lucas grips my chin, forcing my eyes up to his. “You’re going to fuck him like you want it, or I’ll send your precious Russo what’s left of you in pieces.”
I glare at him, my defiance small but mine.
Marcus wraps his arms around me, dragging me back to him. I can feel his erection digging into my back.
My hoodie is the next thing to be cut off, then my bra—leaving me naked and exposed.
I’m forced back onto Marcus' lap, my back to his front, his disgusting dick resting between my legs. He positions me, one hand gripping my breast, the other holding the knife to my throat.
Lucas watches.
Marcus thrusts up, hard.
Pain shoots through me. I want to cry out—but I don’t.
I lock eyes with Lucas. Stay silent.
Every moment. Every thrust. Every grunt.
I count it. I memorize it.
I don’t run.
I don’t disassociate.
No.
Let them hurt me. Let them think they’re winning.
Every breath I take is a promise—I will get through this. I will survive.
And then? I’ll make them pay.
Anger burns through me, igniting my nerves, buzzing under my skin like fire on the edge of detonation.
“Play with yourself,” Lucas sneers. He’s angry I’m not breaking.
I spit in his face.
Wrong move.
Marcus stills. Lucas reaches for the knife.
Then slashes.
Flames burn across my cheek. I cry out, sharp and guttural.
He grins and sits again. “Good girl. Knew you could do it.”
The van jerks to a stop.
I’m thrown to the side, crashing into metal.
“We have company!” someone shouts from the front.
“How many?” Lucas barks, loading weapons.
“Too many. There’s an alley on the right. If you slip out now—”
“Grab her,” Lucas snaps.
Marcus yanks me up, opens the doors, then scans the alley. Satisfied, he hauls me out, locking me to his chest like a human shield.
Gunfire erupts. Shouts echo.
I twist—jerk—break free.
Run.
Back into the street.
Their angry yells chase me, but no footsteps follow.
I spin wildly.
And find green eyes.
Everything else disappears.
My feet move on instinct. He runs to me too.
Then—
Pain.
My lungs seize. My vision splinters.