Alexei grins as he pulls up a metal chair and leans against it. “Where weapons are made.”
My stomach claws up my fucking throat. “This isn’t necessary,” Nolan says, apparently catching on as well. His voice is controlled, but that edge is still there. “Whatever this is.”
Alexei stops a few feet in front of me, several of his men behind him. “Oh,” he says lightly. “It’s very necessary.” His gaze rakes over me like he’s checking for weak points. “I told you once,” he continues, “that you wouldn’t have to worry about the public eye anymore.”
My jaw tightens.
“That time has come,” he says. “You’re no longer a performer for the public. You’re anasset.”
Adriana swallows hard. “Alexei—please.”
He glances at her, annoyed. “You, dear, refer to me only as‘sir.’Do you understand? You have little importance.”
Her mouth snaps shut, her gaze dropping to the floor. She doesn’t even waste time looking at Nolan. He tenses, but remains silent.
Alexei looks back at me. “What I need,” he says calmly, “is someone who can withstand pressure. And pain.”
My heart is beating faster now, but my body stays still. I don’t give him anything.
“You have the mind for it,” Alexei goes on. “Wild. Unpredictable. Dangerous, when you let it be. I’ve seen the monster inside you, little rockstar.” A smile ghosts across his mouth. “But the exterior?” He clicks his tongue. “Too soft for my liking, personally. But you're so close. You just need a little…sharpening.”
His men step closer.
Nolan stiffens. “This is not what we agreed to.”
Alexei doesn’t even look at him. “This ispreciselywhat you agreed to. You just didn’t read the fine print.” One of the men grabs my arm, but I suppress a reaction. Another hand clamps onto my shoulder, and anger surges inside my chest. The urge is there now, screaming to be let loose. Theaudacityof them to think they could do this to me.
I swallow it.
Don’t.
Alexei watches my face with interest. “Look,” he murmurs. “You’re trying. You're holding yourself back because you have some bullshit moral code. Well, boy, that doesn't exist in this world. So I need you. To fucking. Kill it.”
The first punch lands in my ribs. The explosive impact knocks the air out of me. I stagger but stay upright. My vision blurs for half a second before snapping back into place. Adriana gasps. The second hit catches my jaw. Stars burst behind my eyes. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth immediately. My knees buckle, but hands keep me upright, shoving me back into place like I’m nothing more than a training dummy.
“Stop—!” Adriana cries. Her voice cracks.
Alexei tilts his head. “Nolan, control your bitch.”
She gasps again, and instead of Nolan getting a fucking spine, he presses a finger to his lips. Another punch to my face, then a strong hand closes on the back of my neck.
“Good fucking dog,” he says. And I immediately recognize that voice. He was the man I attacked last time when Alexei’s guys followed me on a job.
I inhale through my nose. Exhale through my nose. I see Adriana out of the corner of my eye, her teeth sunk into her lip as if that’s the only thing keeping her from screaming. Her hand fumbles blindly until it finds Nolan’s arm, gripping him like hemight actually do something to stop this. But I know he won’t. Although he does look sick. Genuinely shaken. This wasn’t part of his script. He never liked the bruises anywhere the public could see.
Another blow lands. Then another. And another. My body starts to burn, and every nerve is screaming. I focus on breathing, on staying present, on keeping the thing inside me locked down. I don’t know why I should. He’s just ultimately going to get what he wants, anyway. So why am I even fighting this anymore?
Alexei exhales, almost disappointed. “Still holding back,” he says. “I was hoping for more. Perhaps I need to go find someone to inspire you, da?”
That does it.
The next punch snaps something loose.
I don’t think—I react. I twist hard, ripping free from the grip on my arm, and drive my elbow back into a throat. I feel cartilage give, and hear the wet, choking sound as the man collapses. Everything goes red.
I grab the second man by the collar and slam him into the concrete wall. Once, twice, knocking him the fuck out. He goes limp in my hands, sliding down the wall like dead weight. Shouts erupt, and someone tackles me from the side, but I throw him off. I’m not feeling pain anymore. I’m not feelinganythingexcept the need to fucking kill whatever’s in front of me.
Hands grab at me, but my body is moving on its own volition now. And then a gun cocks.