Cocky Secrets (Cocker Brothers #29)

18. Sage

EIGHTEEN

Sage

I wake to the sound of muffled voices echoing through a vast space. My wrists and ankles throb where rope digs into my skin, and I blink against one glaring overhead light. As my eyes adjust, I take in the grimy walls of an abandoned room in what looks to be a warehouse, litter of its past life askew on the dirty floor and shelves. There are no other chairs in here, just an old desk, and shadows that dance ominously around me. The air is thick with the scent of something rotting, making my stomach churn. Dead rat?

They’ve brought me here, but where is here? Am I in the heart of The Spiders’ territory? I have no idea how long I’ve been trapped in this nightmare, but the fear is as fresh as the moment they grabbed me. I swallow hard, trying to steady my racing heart. I can’t let them see me panic.

An old door creaks open and the leader of the club strides in wearing a sneer that makes my blood curdle. His beady eyes narrow as he approaches, and I can feel malice radiating off him in waves. “You’re in a world of hurt, princess,” he growls, voice low and menacing.

I shudder, pulling against my restraints, but they hold firm. “You won’t get away with this,” I manage to spit out, though my voice trembles.

“Get away with it?” He chuckles darkly, taking a step closer. “This is just the beginning.”

The door swings open again. A Spider steps in, silhouetted against the light.

The leader looks over his shoulder. “What do you want, Briar?”

“It’s my turn.”

“Your turn what?”

“You know what, Soot. It’s my turn to have a girl,” Briar says, voice menacing.

“I thought I’d play with this one,” Soot replies. “Honey Badger’s daughter and all.”

Briar raises his voice to be heard by all. “Isn’t it my turn for a girl?” A cacophony of guttural agreement is his response, coming from far and wide, voices of their club’s members echoing off dark walls. “See?”

Soot turns to Briar like he’s going to fight him. “It was your turn two girls ago and you didn’t take it. Why now?”

“Maybe I was waiting for the right girl. But it’s the code. My choice next. I’m next in line.”

The two men glare at each other, and another member struts in, “Soot, we’ve been talkin’ and maybe we should keep moving.”

“Oh you’ve been talkin’ have you?” Soot glowers, before walking out and raising his voice. “You chickens afraid of The Ciphers? I said we’re gonna sleep here tonight and ride tomorrow and that’s what we’re gonna fuckin’ do!”

I hear a small, male voice ask, “But what if they find us?”

“Then let them find us!” Soot sneers at Briar. “She’s yours.” An evil smile spreads on his face. “Or maybe we’ll share her.”

Briar squares his shoulders, looking larger than before. “There’ll be nothing left of her to share.”

Fear lashes into my veins as Soot’s sneer turns to the kind of laughter that haunts nightmares. He disappears and I’m left alone with Briar. I start to fight my ropes but they dig deeper into my wrists, my ankles. “Please,” I beg, “Please don’t hurt me.”

He slaps me across the face. Hard enough to make me grunt. At the sound of pain I make, laughter outside rings off the walls. His club loves this. Bunch of sickos. And I’m their captive.

Briar leans in close to me, hisses loudly, “No more talking!” More laughing from outside. He walks to the door, tells them all with a gross smile, “Excuse me while I have some privacy,” and shuts it, with them guffawing like the human hyenas they are.

Terror slices into me as he starts to walk toward me. I start begging, “Please! Please don’t!”