There was no more happiness, only torment and despair. I didn't know how I’d survive another hour, let alone two days.
You can do it.
Can I?
I wasn’t so sure.
Following the corridor, I swallowed a gasp as Daniel charged around the corner.
“No!”
His hair was wet and combed back. His little goatee gone, his face baby-smooth, and eyes bright with excitement rather than hazy with sleep.
It’s not yet dawn.
How could he be up? What sick joke had fate played?
No. This can’t be happening. Haven’t I given enough?!
Daniel slammed to a stop, surprise painting his face.
I froze, wanting to miraculously turn invisible.
His chest puffed with glee; he grinned. “Well, well, well.” He took a step toward me, then another.
I couldn’t move.
Time spilled faster through its hated hourglass, sucking me into its sand.
“Where the fuck have you been sneaking off to?” He kept prowling toward me, tiny steps, baby steps, giving the illusion that I could run before he caught me.
Run!
The message shot to my legs and I bolted.
But I was too late.
Daniel’s feet thundered on the carpet, scooping me up in his arms before I even ran a few strides.
“Let me go!”
He chuckled, holding me tight against his front. His erection dug into my lower back and his breath echoed in my ear. “No chance. Never letting you go again, little Weaver.”
He wrenched open my fingers, revealing the key tight in my fist. “Where the fuck did you get that from?” Plucking it from my grip, he palmed it. “Not that it matters.”
I squirmed in his hold, doing my best to ram his nose with my skull. “Let me go!”
You won’t break me. Not again.
He laughed loudly. “Oh, I’m going to fucking enjoy this.” Slamming me back onto my feet, he struck my cheek with the hand holding the brass key.
The thick metal crunched against my cheekbone, spurting hot tears from my eyes.
I clutched my face, sucking in heavy breaths. Short hair whipped around, stinging my cheeks.
Don’t cry. Don’t show weakness.
Daniel wrapped his fist around my throat, yanking me into him. “Know what, Weaver, I don’t even care that you’re out of your room uninvited. I don’t care what shitty shenanigans you've been up to or how you got the key. None of that matters anymore.”
Throwing my head back, I screeched as loud as I could. “Jasmine!”
“Oh, no you fucking don’t.” Slapping a hand over my mouth, he whispered, “You don’t belong to Jasmine for this next part, whore.” His tongue traced the heated imprint of the key on my cheek. “You belong to me. Remember what Cut said last night? About a surprise…well, surprise! Get ready to pay for all your sins in one.”
I fought harder, screaming behind his palm.
Dragging me down the corridor, he laughed as cold as the depths of Hades. “No one can save you now, Nila. Know why?”
I screamed again, kicking anything I could.
“In a few minutes, you’re going on a little trip, and there you’ll learn everything there is to know about us. You’ll finally understand how we triumphed over your family. How we won and you lost. How all of this will fucking end.”
Daniel stroked my cheek. “Our first vacation together. Won’t it be fun?” His voice turned gruff. “And the first thing I’ll make you do when we arrive is repay the Third Debt.”
Throwing me against the wall, he grabbed my hand and placed it on his thick erection. “I’m going to fuck you. My father’s going to fuck you. And then…you’ll pay the debt we’ve kept secret. The one that will tie all of this together. The Fifth Debt. You’ll finally understand.”
Fury fired through my blood. I struggled in his hold. “I don’t want to understand! Just let me go!”
He grinned. “You’ll never be free again. And you’ll see why. It will all make sense. You’ll be fucked, but at least you’ll finally know how we won.”
Kissing me hard, his putrid tongue tore past my lips.
I gagged.
In a flash of defiance, I bit him.
Rearing back, he slapped me hard.
My ears rang, and bright lights exploded behind my eyes. Pain registered but all I could think about was Jethro.
Come back!
Come claim me!
Come save me!
Shaking me, Daniel snarled, “You have six days, bitch. Six days to pay your remaining debts. And fuck, will I have fun extracting them.”
I spat in his face. “Go to hell, Buzzard. You’ll die before I do.”
He sighed indulgently, his temper simmering with cockiness. “Nila, Nila, Nila, so delusional. You’re not paying attention to what I’m telling you. No one can save you. No one will hear you scream. Six days. That’s how long you have to live. We’re leaving for Almasi Kipanga right now—this very fucking second.”
His teeth glinted in the dark. “Do you get it? Do you understand what this means? We’re taking you to South Africa, to our diamond mines, to where it all began. You’ll see the last things you’ll ever see. You’ll hear the last things you’ll ever hear. And you’ll live your final moments on foreign soil.”
My heart shrivelled.
No, no. God, no.
Daniel morphed from man to monster, shadowing my future, my soul, my hope.
I didn’t have two days.
I didn’t even have two hours.
Jethro!
They were taking me away.
They were stealing everything!
Daniel marched me from life to death, laughing with every step. “Oh, and another thing I should mention. This little trip…it’ll be your last as you won’t be coming back alive.”
“No!”
After everything we’d been through. After everything we’d promised and planned.
It was all for nothing.
Time had fucked us once again…
…
Jethro was too late.