Chapter 10 | Justine

Chapter 10

Justine

I’ve got a new least favorite thing: kidnappers. I’m currently tied up and gagged in a storage room somewhere on The Excelsior . I can’t see much. I'm huddled behind some cleaning supplies. At least that’s what it smells like. The room is dark, and I can’t investigate.

I assume my kidnapper was Damon. I barely took two steps from the table before everything blacked out. What did he do? Why did nobody stop him? Where is Markas? Those were my second thoughts as I woke with a pounding headache. My first thoughts were: What happened and am I going to get killed?

I’ve gotten zero answers. I haven't seen anyone since I woke up and there’s no information forthcoming. Here’s what I do know: I’m unhurt and untouched besides having my ankles and wrists tied. Damon didn’t injure me yet. But why? Why to all of this?

Am I just super unlucky, or have I somehow stepped into a dangerous plot that I’m not aware of? It must be the second option. There are too many incidents to call a coincidence. I wish I could tell whoever is after me that they can chill the fuck out. I’m not a hero. I won’t rat them out. I just want to live my life in peace. Turning through all this in my head helps me stave off the panic of being tied up in the dark.

How does Markas fit into all of this? I wonder. Great sex and bad scams aside, there’s too much I don’t know about him. I feel like we connected on a deeper level earlier, but I’ve been wrong before. Is he one of the good guys or the bad guys, and will I figure it out before it’s too late? Just then, the door slams open.

“What did you do to her?” Markas yells. I can see two people’s silhouettes in the doorway. The other one might be Damon.

“Nothing, she’s just sleeping,” Damon says.

I squeeze my eyes shut and try to slow my breathing. My instinct says it’s better to look asleep now. I feel a light shine on my face an instant later. I’d rather confront them when I’m not hogtied.

“Are you sure she’s okay?”

I’m happy to hear that Markas is concerned, but then I realize he’s talking to Damon like a friend. Holy fuck, what’s going on here?

“She’s fine. I promise. I thought you’d be happy.”

“Happy?” Markas’ voice rises again.

“Yeah, giving you the chance to play hero and rescue her again.”

White-hot rage courses through me. I really am going to kill him this time. Did Markas engineer this whole thing? But wait, I've got to hear the next part.

“Damon. This wasn’t part of the plan.”

I’ll show that slug a plan .

“I know, but things didn’t seem to be going so well. Every time I looked at you guys, you were fighting. So Magda and I cooked up this little plan to get you together.”

“Does Ronnika know about this?” Markas asks.

“No.”

“Well, you’re lucky, because she’s probably going to kill you if she finds out.”

Damon mutters something I don’t catch.

“Alright,” Markas sighs. “How long until she wakes up?”

“I don’t know, 30 minutes or so? Do you want to beat down the door and punch me when you get here? I bet it will look really cool if you do.”

“Fuck, Damon. I don’t want to look cool. I just want her to be okay.”

I want to scoff, but then I realize he’s telling the truth. How do I know that? It’s like I can sense in my gut that Markas wants me to be okay. I just know he’s telling the truth. Weird! But that alone doesn’t get him off the hook.

“Was it you in the truck?” Markas demands.

“Yeah. Pretty sweet, eh?” Damon replies.

Markas sighs again.

“Damon, I get what you’re doing, but I’ve got to tell you that if you get within ten feet of Justine again, I’m going to rip you in half. I don’t mean that metaphorically.”

“Huh?”

“I’m literally going to rip you into shreds if you breathe in her direction. Do you understand?” Damon nods. “Do not help me anymore if you value your life. Tell Magda too.”

“Are you sure? Because the boss says–”

“I’m happy to communicate directly with the boss if it makes things easier,” Markas says. “Just leave us alone. Talk to Ronnika if you need to get a message to me.”

“Alright. I didn’t think you’d get so huffy about it. So, what do you want us to do now?”

“Leave. I’ll take Justine back to our room.”

“So, you’re not going to do a big rescue scene?”

“No.” Markas’ voice is scary serious now.

“Ah, okay. Maybe next time.”

“There’s not going to be a next time.”

“Right. Right. See you later, Markas,” Damon says, and the sound of his footsteps recedes out the door.

After a moment, I hear Markas approach me on the floor. It takes all my self-control to stay limp as he loosens the ropes around my ankles and wrists. He’s being extra careful as he unties me, checking my skin for marks and making sure my circulation is good. I still want to kick him in the nose. This is all his fucking fault!

I resist the urge and stay pliant as he lifts me into a bridal carry. What an irony it is that he’s holding me like his treasured princess when he’s the villain who put me here. I can’t wait until we’re back in our room so I can rip him in half, metaphorically.

I feel less homicidal as he carries me up the elevator and down several corridors. It’s like just being around him makes me feel better, which is extra annoying right now. My head rests against his chest and I can hear the steady thump, thump of his hearts. His scent surrounds me—sweat, sex, and the spicy essence that’s just him. If I could ignore all the villainy, I would be loving this moment wrapped in his arms. But I can’t ignore it. Won’t ignore it.

Except he’s filled with regret, with a longing for me so powerful that it’s breaking his hearts. Markas is connected to me. I can feel it as strongly as I can feel the rope burns on my wrist. What the hell kind of magic is this? It can’t be the Xanxian mating bond, can it? But it must be that. There’s no other explanation. Which means I’m in a whole new kind of trouble, which I have no idea how to navigate.