“Stand still,” Alexei says. “Hands at your sides.”
I just stare at him for a beat, trying to figure out what he's about to do.
"???????????," he repeats.Obey.
Like my body can't help it, I do as he says.
Aiden steps closer behind me. He’s not touching me, but he’s just close enough that I can feel his presence. It’s an obvious reminder that if I don’t cooperate, they will make me.
Slowly, I let my arms fall to my sides and focus on my breath.
Alexei smiles faintly. “Good. Today we test something simple. You will remain exactly where you are. No movement, interference, orreaction.”
Adriana’s breathing picks up, the chair creaking slightly as she shifts. Her eyes lock on mine, searching, pleading already.
Alexei walks toward her, his steps eerily unhurried. “You see,” he continues conversationally, “pain is temporary. Conditioning is more permanent. Pain teaches the body. Conditioning teaches the mind what it is allowed to do.” He turns back toward me. “And today we confirm whether you still believe you are allowed to interfere or even give a proper shit.”
Erik moves to stand beside Adriana, and Aiden stays behind me. Adriana shakes her head rapidly, terrified. Erik steps forward and opens his hand, the crack of the slap sharp and sudden as it snaps her head to the side. The chair legs scrapeloudly across the concrete when her body jerks against the restraints, a muffled cry breaking through the gauze. My entire body locks.
Move.
I don’t.
Erik doesn’t step away. He crouches slightly in front of her, gripping her jaw between his fingers and forcing her face back toward me, making sure her eyes stay locked on mine. His thumb presses hard into the hinge of her jaw, not enough to break anything, just enough to hurt and keep her still while she tries to twist away. Then, he licks the side of her face.
I flinch internally, but I don’t even think my body moves.
Another slap. This time, harder. And then another. And another.
Alexei’s still watching me, intently.
Erik removes a cord from his jacket pocket and wraps it around Adriana’s throat. Her eyes are still on me as he yanks back, choking the shit out of her.
I still don’t move. I’m just watching. If I don’t interfere, I won’t get hurt. I’m sick of these motherfuckers hurting me. She just has to survive this like I’ve been doing. I know they’re not going to kill her.
Erik finally releases her, and she’s frantically trying to suck in air through her nose. “Sorry, love,” he says casually.
“Jude—” she chokes out.
I feel my muscles try to fire. But nothing happens. Because I know what comes next if I do. They trained me to know that disobedience equals pain.
Alexei tilts his head, studying me. “Interesting,” he murmurs. “The hesitation is still there. But the obedience is, too.”
Another small signal to Erik, who now wraps his hand around her throat and squeezes. He stands between her legs, staring down at her with a sadistic grin. Adriana cries out again, louderthis time, her chair scraping against the floor again as she struggles.
Aiden leans slightly closer behind me, his voice a whisper near my ear. “Stay still,” he says calmly. “You’re doing well.”
Doing well.
Something inside my chest cracks at those words. And at the height of this shit, Alexei reaches slowly into his pocket, pulling out a photograph halfway. It’s just enough that I recognize the edge of it, and my lip curls instantly, a snarl escaping my throat before I can stop it.
“Don’t youfuckingdare,” I growl, glaring directly into his shitty soul. "I told you that I'm fuckingdonewith her."
He pauses. Then laughs softly and slides it back into his pocket. His attention returns to Adriana. “Let us try something else.”
Erik steps back. Aiden moves around to stand beside Alexei now, both of them watching me instead of her. Waiting. They’re not watching what happens to her.
They’re watching whether I react to what’s happening to her.