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“Because that makes me feel better. What else do you plan to do to him?”
“He will pay the price. He knows what he owes.”
“And what is that?” I demanded.
“His life but not his death.”
I stared at him, waiting for the punch line. When it didn’t come, my mouth hung open. “You can’t be serious. You think he owes you his life?”
“I am serious.” He pushed back in his chair and stood, rising to his full and considerable height. “You should leave.”
Every instinct in my body shouted at me to shrink, but I held my ground. I wasn’t weak, regardless of what he thought. Being horrified at what these men had done to Martin wasn’t weak. It was human. I could feel, unlike these monsters. And I had walked into Gage’s office. I had faced him. I had survived worse than this brute. I was strong, and he wouldn’t cow me.
His head tipped, interest lighting in his eyes at my defiance. “Will there be anything else?”
I swallowed, forcing myself to voice my deepest fear. “Please,” I said softly. “He’s all I have.”
“Then I would advise you to be more careful with your possessions, Cate.” He plucked an apple from the bowl on his desk, tossed it in the air, and caught it. “Let’s try again, shall we? What would you offer for your brother’s life?”
My hands shook as I touched the ring. I’d vowed to never give it up, but I would. For Channing. I held out my hand. “I have this.”
His eyes flashed, his gaze dropping to the ring with faint surprise. He took my hand, stroking a thumb across my skin, and paused at the emerald ring. He studied it for a moment, eyes narrowing, something unreadable moving behind them. Hope blossomed in my chest, only to wilt when he said, “It’s worthless.”
“It’s valuable to me.”
“Then I suggest you keep it on before you offend me by offering cheap trinkets in exchange for a life. Besides, as I said, Channing doesn’t owe me money.” He leaned over the desk, tattooed hands splayed across the wood. “You said this was a matter of life and death—now act like it. What would you give in exchange for your brother to be free of his debt to me today?”
“Anything.” Tears slipped down my cheeks. “I would give anything.”
“Even your soul?” he asked quietly.
“Don’t be ridiculous—” I started, but he cut me off.
“Would you trade your life for your brother’s? Would you trade your soul?” he pressed.
“Yes.” In a heartbeat.
“And you’re sure about that?”
I smashed my palms into the desk, bringing my face level with his. “I would do anything to save him from you.”
“In that case…” He tossed me the apple. I barely caught it. “Eat something. Your stomach is growling so loudly, they can probably hear it upstairs.”
I looked at the apple. All of this trouble, and all I was getting was a stupid apple. “Are you fucking serious?”
“Do you resist every effort to help you?” he asked.
My eyes narrowed. “What happened to don’t eat or drink anything?”
“We’re past that now, don’t you think?”
I was done with this twenty-questions bullshit, done with this brutal world. If a stupid apple was all I could take from Lachlan Gage, I would.
I bit into it ferociously and glared at him, but he simply folded his arms across his chest, his smile wolfish. A strange sensation, like I was being watched from behind, prickled across the back of my neck. I looked over my shoulder, but no one was there. The prickle deepened as I chewed. I reached up to rub it, but it didn’t go away. Instead, it burrowed like a hook, and I gasped, dropping the apple as I nearly choked.
“I should tell you that I prefer that you call me Lach.” He picked up the discarded fruit and studied it for a moment before lifting it to that sinful mouth and sinking his perfect white teeth into the bite I’d just taken.
My heart nearly climbed into my mouth. The sight was both erotic and infuriating. I backed up a step, catching the edge of the desk when the room spun. “I’m leaving.”