The honest look on his face is irresistible. He looks so innocent.
“You’re so sweet,” I say.
“Aw, I try.” The man has the audacity to blush as he hands me the bat.
How the heck do you fake that?
I tap the bat on the ground. “It’s funny. You’re the exact opposite of your brother.”
He fastens my helmet. “My brother? I don’t have a brother.”
I wait until he turns to walk out of the room before speaking. “Not anymore, you don’t.”
The pause in his step sends satisfaction rippling up my spine.
“Pretty shitty they all died before you got your reward, huh?”
He turns around slowly. The mask is gone.
“I mean, you did your part. Isn’t that right?” I egg him on. His brother said he was the one I should be worried about. I guess we’ll see. “Your club never knew you hadn’t reached the inner circle of the Bastards, did they?”
“You don’t have any fucking clue about what I know or don’t know about the Bastards.”
“Oh, but I do. I know you were the one to tell the Scorpions about Mila.”
He takes a step toward me. “Just what are you here to do, Serenity?”
“I’m here to give you your reward for a job … well … done,” I say while tipping my head side to side at each word. “Your brother told me I’d be yours. He liked it when I cried. Do you? Would it help if I turned on the tears?”
“Did he touch you?” he asks, getting his feathers ruffled over his brother playing with his toy.
“Oh, did he touch what was yours? I bet he did that a lot when you were kids, huh?” I take a step back as he takes another forward. “I just have one question. Where were you going to keep me? Locked in the basement? Or maybe a box under your bed? Because I never would have gone with you willingly.”
He stops, and an evil smile pulls up the corners of his mouth. “I’m not going to keep you at all.”
I swallow hard because he’s speaking in present tense.
“I’m going to fuck you.” He inches forward. “Fuck you again, and again, and again, and then I’m going to sell you to the highest bidder.”
When he lunges for me, I swing the bat. He expects me to swing high, but I drop it low, taking his legs out from under him.
I go for his head next.
Again
And again.
And again.
“Cry all you want, but stop the fucking screaming. No one’s coming to save you!” I yell in my rage, repeating the words his brother said to me.
By the time I’m finished I’m in a daze, but I manage to peel out of my protective gear, kick off my shoes, and leave the room.
I walk out and unlock the door for the cleaning crew, and then I go sit behind the desk.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” Jesse asks me.
“Yes,” I say confidently. I download the footage from room three, saving it to a flash drive, and then deleting the footage. I set it on top of the quilt I’ve left on the counter.