by Ella Miles
Phoenix isn’t being honest. She’s a pretty good liar. And yet, she might be the one person in this house who could save me. She might be the key to me getting off this island alive.
I just have to figure out how.
“Liesel, I think—”
“Move, and I’ll shoot you,” Joel says, interrupting Phoenix.
I freeze, assuming a gun is pointed at the back of my head.
“I’m here talking with Phoenix under Langston’s orders. I’m not going anywhere. The gun isn’t necessary. I’ll lock myself up in my closet for the night, so leave me alone.”
“I don’t think so. You’re a conniving bitch. Langston put me in charge of security. You broke in where you weren’t supposed to go. I think I’ll use extra rope this time,” Joel says.
“Is that really necessary?” Phoenix says, standing and turning around to face Joel.
I, carefully, stand too with hands raised in surrender.
“Yes. You don’t know who Liesel is, what she’s done. If you did, you’d agree with me, Phoenix.”
Phoenix looks at me with new eyes, seeing the monster that I am.
“Shoot me, Joel. If you think I’m so awful, just shoot me. There is no way I’m going to let you tie me up,” I say. And then I run.
I run until I feel the sting of a bullet in my shoulder.
26
Langston
“What’s the plan to get Siren?” I ask as I walk into Zeke’s house without saying hello.
“We don’t have a plan yet. We don’t have any leads. There has been no ransom, no security feed. We don’t have any current known enemies,” Zeke says.
I could kill Zeke for letting Siren get kidnapped like this. They’ve been married, what—less than a year, and he’s already failed at protecting her.
“You have one job as her husband,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Don’t lecture me, asshole. Why do you think I called you and Enzo?”
I look past Zeke and see Enzo using a laptop on the kitchen counter, already searching for a clue as to where Siren might have been kidnapped.
“Where’s Kai?” I ask.
“She has all the kids in a safehouse with Beckett,” Enzo answers.
“Good, now move and let the master work,” I say, pushing Enzo off the barstool so I can sit behind the computer.
Enzo doesn’t complain. He knows I’m the best behind a computer. I can hack any system, find any missing person.
“Where was Siren last seen?” I ask Zeke.
Zeke runs his hand through his ridiculously long hair while he paces back and forth.
“Zeke!” I growl.
His head snaps to me.
“Focus. Where was Siren last seen?”
“I, uh, I don’t know. She told me she had some errands to run. She told me she would pick up Cayden from the nanny and meet me for dinner.”
“What errands?”
Zeke shrugs. “I don’t know. She didn’t tell me. I didn’t think to ask.”
My eyes flick to Enzo, and we exchange annoyed looks.
I start typing into the computer, searching for Siren’s cell phone.
“Her cell phone is turned off,” I say a second later.
“Where is the nanny’s house?”
“South Beach,” Zeke says.
I start there and then expand my search, but as Zeke said, there is no sign of her at the nanny’s.
I start searching through the main streets of Miami, searching for a sign of her or her car.
“Wait—her car was last seen at the corner of 15th and Drexel,” I say.
Zeke and Enzo both crowd around the computer. We have hope. We are going to be able to find her.
The crank of the garage door fills the silence.
I look from Zeke to Enzo. “Are we expecting anyone else?”
Both men draw their guns in response.
I take a step back from the computer and draw mine as well.
We all aim our guns at the back door as footsteps approach.
The doorknob turns.
And then the door opens.
“Siren,” Zeke exhales, dropping his gun and running to her. He grabs her and takes her in his arms. He squeezes her tightly then quickly looks her over for any injuries. He finds none.
“What’s going on, guys?” Siren asks, stepping further into the room.
Enzo offers her a quick hug. “I need to go tell Kai you’re okay.” And then he walks out the door. He’s a bit rattled, but he doesn’t let anyone see that.
Siren looks to me, and then she runs into my arms. I squeeze her as tightly as Zeke did.
“Don’t do that to me, Ren,” I whisper into her ear, tears threatening at the fear of losing her.
“Do what? Get a flat tire while I was out shopping for my husband and let my phone die? That?”
“Yea, don’t do that. Don’t make me install a tracker in you so I never lose you again.”
She smiles. “You’ll never lose me.”
I nod.
“Can I talk to my wife alone now?” Zeke asks, giving me a grumpy stare.
I roll my eyes. “She might be your wife, but she’s my friend.”
Zeke grabs Siren’s hand, and she winks at me. “Be back soon,” she whispers as Zeke pulls her upstairs to most likely fuck her brains out and remind her she’s his.
I find the liquor cabinet and pour myself a drink before walking outside to the deck that overlooks the beach.
I sit outside, alone for a while with my thoughts. None of them are about Siren, only Liesel.
“Care to tell your best friend what’s on your mind?” Siren asks as she steps outside.
“Worried about you,” I say.
“Liar.” She leans back against the railing, facing me in my chair. “Are you going to tell me the truth, or do I have to beat it out of you?”
I chuckle at that.
“Liesel,” I surrender.
“Oh. What’s new with Liesel? Did Kai tell you that she’s thinking about going on our girl’s trip with us in a week?”
“Liesel’s not going.”
Siren frowns. “Why not?”
“Because I kidnapped her, and I say she’s not going.”
“You what?” Siren exclaims.
“I kidnapped Liesel. I’m holding her hostage. I threatened to kill her.”
“Please tell me this is a joke? That I’m not hearing you correctly?”
“It’s not a joke.”
“What? Why…? I don’t understand.”
“It’s a long story that I’m not going to get into, but she left me no choice.”
“Langston Finn Pearce, you do too have a choice. What the hell? Let her go right now!”
“No.”
“Langston? What is your plan?”
“I’m going to get Liesel to talk, and then I’m going to kill her.”
Siren gasps. “You’re lying. You’re not going to kill Liesel. Aren’t you, like, in love with her?”
I shake my head. “I was never in love with her.”
“Let her go, Langston.”
“No.”
She shoves me hard. “Let. Her. Go.”
“You’re not the boss of me.” I shove her back.
“What the hell is going on out here?” Zeke sticks his head out.
“My best friend is being an ass. Do something about it for me.” Siren throws her hands up.
“What did you do?” Zeke asks.
“I kidnapped Liesel. No big deal. I have everything under control.”
Zeke’s fist comes flying at my face.
I try to deflect, but my reflexes are slow after all the alcohol, and he hits me in the eye.
“Should I punch him again or is once enough?” Zeke asks Siren.
“I don’t know. Do you think kidnapping Liesel and threatening her with death only deserves one punch?” Siren puts her hands on her hips, looking stern.
Zeke punches me again.
“Stop,
” I say. “You’ve made your point. And who are you to punch me when you did the same thing to Siren?”
Zeke looks to Siren. “He has a point.”
“It’s still doesn’t make it okay,” Siren says.
“Come on, let’s go to sleep. We can try to talk some sense into him in the morning,” Zeke says, walking back to the door.
Siren nods but stops before going back inside. She looks at me with concern.
“Be careful with Liesel, she’s dangerous.”
I chuckle. “Liesel is no you, Siren. She’s a terrible shot. She’s never killed a man. All she knows how to do is hunt and lie. I think I can handle her just fine.”
I rush past her to go sleep off my hangover in one of their guest bedrooms.
“That’s not what I mean. She has the ability to hurt you in other ways.”
“How?”
“Like stealing your heart,” Siren smirks and then leaves me all alone.
Siren is wrong, but she is right about one thing—Liesel is dangerous.
27
Liesel
When I wake up this time, I already know where I am, and that I’m tied up.
Joel and Amelia are predictable in that way.
This time instead of just my arms, they’ve tied my legs together too. Thankfully they’ve tied them together instead of spread apart. I can hope that means that they don’t plan on violating me.
I wiggle my wrists, testing my bindings.
“Don’t even think about it,” Amelia says from the corner of Langston’s bedroom.
She stands from the chair she must have brought up and looks down at me with a bored expression. “We tied them with extra rope, and I’m under specific instruction to shoot you again if you move.”
Again?
I shift my shoulder slightly, and I feel the burning pang of the bullet lodged in my scapula. I don’t let her know how much pain I’m in, though. I’m too stubborn to show any weakness to this woman.
“Under whose instruction?” I ask.
“Langston’s. I called him and told him you were trying to run. He told me to do whatever it takes to hold you until he returned.”
“When is he returning?” I ask.
“He didn’t say. But you and I are going to enjoy our time together until he does.”
I try to relax. I try to fall back asleep. There is nothing I can do right now but wait until Langston comes back, or at least until Amelia makes a mistake and gives me a chance to escape. All I can do is live with the pain in my shoulder.
There is a knock on the door. My eyes fill with hope for a split second that Langston has returned. I know the bastard wants me dead, but not yet—not for an entire year. Not until he’s bled me dry of my secrets. This bitch, Amelia, will kill me without thinking twice about it.
Langston wouldn’t knock, though. My hope quickly floats away.
“Yes?” Amelia answers, sounding irritated to be interrupted.
“It’s time for a shift change,” Phoenix says, walking into the room. Her eyes hold no emotion as she looks at Amelia, acting like I’m not even in the room.
Amelia glances at her watch. “I still have thirty minutes left. And Joel is up next, not you.”
“Joel told me he needs you to fix the coffee machine before he goes on shift. He’s hungover and showering,” Phoenix says.
God, she’s a good liar.
“Fine. Do you have a weapon? This one needs it to make her obey. We tied her up with extra rope this time, but somehow the bitch figured out how to untangle herself last time.”
Phoenix eyes the gun in Amelia’s hand. “I’m good.”
Amelia nods. “Call me if you have any trouble.”
And then Amelia leaves.
Phoenix stands quietly in place. I’m not sure what she’s doing, but then I notice that her eyes are closed. She’s listening.
I close my eyes too, and hear Amelia’s footsteps downstairs.
“We don’t have much time,” Phoenix says, running to me and going to work on my wrists.
“No, start with my ankles, I can do my wrists.”
“There are too many ropes; there is no way you can untie yourself. If I can get your arms free, then you can help with your ankles.”
“Trust me, work on my ankles.”
Phoenix hesitates for a second, but I nod my encouragement.
“Okay,” she relents and moves to my ankles.
I start working on my wrists.
“The coffee machine needs fixing, huh? That’s probably because you were the one who broke it,” Joel says from the doorway.
We both freeze.
“Shit,” Phoenix mutters under her breath.
She turns and looks at him. “I was just making sure you tied these ropes tight enough so she doesn’t get away this time.”
“Uh, huh. Sure, you were. Get back to your half to the house and leave this to us.”
“But—” Phoenix starts.
“Now,” Joel grows.
Phoenix flashes me a look of apology. There is a guilty sadness in her eyes. She knows what happens next, and there is nothing she can do about it.
I smile. “It’s okay, go,” I whisper so only she can hear. My voice is full of strength.
Phoenix bites her lip, clearly concerned, but her staying won’t stop this. She doesn’t have a weapon; she’s not like Amelia, who has clearly had combat training. I don’t know what role Phoenix plays yet, but my guess is some kind of IT role that helps manage the computers and security systems. An important role, but useless right now. If she stays, she’ll just end up beaten as well.
“Go,” I nod.
Phoenix gives me a stubborn look, and I think she might stay, but at the last second, she turns and leaves without a word.
As soon as Phoenix walks out the door, Joel slams it shut and flicks the lock.
He looks at me with a sadistic grin. His eyes turn fiery, and he cracks his knuckles, preparing to hurt me.
“If you touch me, Langston is going to kill you,” I say, warning him.
He laughs. “You still think after everything Langston has done to you that he cares about you?”
No, Langston doesn’t care about me. Not anymore. But he wants information from me. And he doesn’t like sharing me while he waits for me to spill my guts.
“Yes,” I lie.
That makes Joel laugh harder as he walks toward my prison bed.
My wrists are tied together and then to the headboard just like before. My ankles are bound, but not to anything else. I can move my legs, just as one unit.
Joel eyes my legs.
“Kick me, and I’ll shoot you again,” Joel says, pulling his gun out and aiming at me.
I force my legs to remain still.
“I thought Amelia was the one who shot me?”
“Nope, I did. Amelia doesn’t have the guts I do.”
I’m sure.
Slowly, with his gun pointed at my chest, Joel climbs onto the bed and then eventually straddles me until he’s crushing my stomach with his weight. My legs are now basically useless. I could kick him in the back, but not hard enough to force him off me.
He grabs my chin and holds me still, lowering his head toward mine.
“Langston is going to kill you,” I say again.
“Keep dreaming.” Joel forces a slobbery kiss onto my lips.
I try to squirm away, but he’s stronger.
He chuckles. “What? You don’t like that? You didn’t seem to mind before.”
Wait…before?
I search my mind. Did he rape me last time I was tied up?
He laughs at my quizzical expression and then holds up a finger to my lips.
“That’s right. You enjoyed my fingers in your cunt. This time, you’re going to enjoy my cock.”
Oh.
My.
God.
It was Joel whose fingers I rode, not Langston. Was it Joel’s cock that I fucked too?
I squirm hard, my fingers go
ing to work to untie myself. The pain in my shoulder is exploding with every move, but I won’t let this man touch me.
“Langston’s going to kill you!” I yell.
Joel slaps me hard across the cheek, the sting making me stop squirming long enough for his words to land.
“Langston was the one who told me to do my worst that night. He doesn’t care what I do to you. He’s just using you, and as soon as you are no longer useful to him, he’ll dispose of you.”
Joel’s words impact me more forcefully than the bullet in my shoulder. I thought I was safe with Langston. I thought he would protect me. I thought…
Everything I thought was wrong.
I’m on my own.
Langston won’t protect me.
The epiphany makes me fight like hell.
Joel leans in to kiss me again, and this time, I open my mouth, enticing his tongue deep into my orifice. Then, I enjoy biting down as wickedly as I can on his tongue.
I feel the iron taste of blood in my mouth and hear the high pitched squeal of pain leaving Joel’s throat. In response, I bite down harder.
Joel is smarter than I give him credit for, though. He punches me hard in the stomach, making me gasp for air, releasing his tongue.
I’m rewarded with the sight of blood covering the bastard’s mouth. I got him good.
His face turns sinister, his eyes swirl in evil circles, a vein bulges in his forehead, and his mouth growls like a bear.
I injured him, and that pissed him off. He’s going to try and take his fury out on me, but it still won’t stop me from fighting.
“You fucking cunt! You bit me!” he roars.
He grabs my shoulders, one hand digging into the back of my shoulder on my gunshot wound.
The pain bolts down my arm excruciatingly, races down my back, and crashes in my head. My body is firing off a million nerve endings all at once, telling me to run, to get away from this man. He will destroy me if I don’t stop him.
I refuse to scream, to cry out.
He smirks. “You think you’re a tough woman? Don’t worry, I can do this all day. Eventually, I will get your screams.”
He grabs for my jeans shorts and starts shoving them down my body.
I know what comes next.
And I can’t take it.
I try to headbutt him, but I miss.