each bone in his body, one at a fucking time, saw off his limbs,
and carve out his eyes until he pleaded for death. Then and only then would Liam allow his beast to finish
him.
A slow, agonizing death. Nothing less.
The fucker had shot him. Of course, he’d known he would heal quickly, but it had been enough to take
him down and get him locked up in this goddamn cage.
Snarling, he violently shook the bars that now surrounded him as Ava slept peacefully on the mat in the
other room. Out in the open. Innocent prey for a bloodthirsty predator.
At least he hadn’t shot her, too. He rattled the bars again, roaring his rage, then drove his shoulder
against them, over and over. The sound of his body connecting with the metal filled the room.
Ava bolted upright, her gaze frantically searching for him. “Liam!”
A slow, agonizing death .
He repeated it. Focused on it. Used it to center himself, refusing to let her see how fucking freaked out
he was—how desperate to get out and keep her safe. “I’m right here.”
She twisted her body around, her gaze connected with his, and she inhaled audibly. “Oh, God.”
Shooting to her feet, she swayed slightly before she bolted over to his room, paying no mind to the
nuggets of glass still on the floor, and yanked on the bars. Her gaze snapped to his. Wide. Terrified.
Hysterical sobs poured from her mouth around a mumbled “No!” She repeated that one word, tears spilling
down her cheeks as she yanked, tore, and screamed at the barrier.
Seeing her on the brink of hysteria was more than he could handle. He shoved his arms between the
bars and grabbed her face. “Look at me!”
“We have to get you out!” Wild eyes met his as she tried to jerk from his grasp, her yanks on the cage
manic. “You can’t be in there. Oh, God! You can’t be in there!”
He tightened his grip, struggling to keep calm despite his own fears. “Ava. It’s going to be okay.”
“No, it’s not! He’s coming.” Tremors shook her body as she strained against him, trying to peer over
her shoulder at the door. “What’s game is he going to play now?”
The terrified question almost brought him to his knees.
He snaked a hand behind her head and brought her closer as he wrapped his other around her waist,
holding her against the bars. Fear for her churned his gut. Body trembling, she clung to him and he shushed
her until her muscles slowly steadied. He needed her calm. Prepared. This was her chance at escape.
When she breathed deeply, he placed his mouth against her hair. “Listen to me. He’ll leave the door
open when he comes in. He always does. Fight with everything you have in you, and when you get the
chance, run like hell.”
“I-I can’t leave you.”
He pulled back and gripped both her shoulders, looking her in the eyes. “You can and you will . Do you
understand me?”
As he cupped her face between his hands again and placed his mouth onto hers, a light sob breathed
across his lips. Tears burned the back of his eyes and he squeezed them shut, refusing to think that this
might be the last time he kissed her.
She would escape.
Faint footsteps came from outside the room. “He’s coming.”
She stiffened, her fingers biting into his biceps. Unshed tears magnified her amber eyes.
“Live, Ava. Promise me.”
“Don’t say it like that, Liam. You fight, too. Do not die in here.”
The door swung open and the man strode straight in with no hesitation. And just as before, he’d didn’t
close the door.
Cocky son of a bitch. His arrogance would be his downfall.
“I didn’t invite the beast to play, Liam. How dare you change the rules mid-game!”
Fury radiated off the man as he closed the distance between him and Ava.
She whirled around and slapped him, making contact with the side of the mask. The hit didn’t even faze
him. He whipped an arm out, clipping her on the side of the head and sent her crashing against the bars
then to the
and carve out his eyes until he pleaded for death. Then and only then would Liam allow his beast to finish
him.
A slow, agonizing death. Nothing less.
The fucker had shot him. Of course, he’d known he would heal quickly, but it had been enough to take
him down and get him locked up in this goddamn cage.
Snarling, he violently shook the bars that now surrounded him as Ava slept peacefully on the mat in the
other room. Out in the open. Innocent prey for a bloodthirsty predator.
At least he hadn’t shot her, too. He rattled the bars again, roaring his rage, then drove his shoulder
against them, over and over. The sound of his body connecting with the metal filled the room.
Ava bolted upright, her gaze frantically searching for him. “Liam!”
A slow, agonizing death .
He repeated it. Focused on it. Used it to center himself, refusing to let her see how fucking freaked out
he was—how desperate to get out and keep her safe. “I’m right here.”
She twisted her body around, her gaze connected with his, and she inhaled audibly. “Oh, God.”
Shooting to her feet, she swayed slightly before she bolted over to his room, paying no mind to the
nuggets of glass still on the floor, and yanked on the bars. Her gaze snapped to his. Wide. Terrified.
Hysterical sobs poured from her mouth around a mumbled “No!” She repeated that one word, tears spilling
down her cheeks as she yanked, tore, and screamed at the barrier.
Seeing her on the brink of hysteria was more than he could handle. He shoved his arms between the
bars and grabbed her face. “Look at me!”
“We have to get you out!” Wild eyes met his as she tried to jerk from his grasp, her yanks on the cage
manic. “You can’t be in there. Oh, God! You can’t be in there!”
He tightened his grip, struggling to keep calm despite his own fears. “Ava. It’s going to be okay.”
“No, it’s not! He’s coming.” Tremors shook her body as she strained against him, trying to peer over
her shoulder at the door. “What’s game is he going to play now?”
The terrified question almost brought him to his knees.
He snaked a hand behind her head and brought her closer as he wrapped his other around her waist,
holding her against the bars. Fear for her churned his gut. Body trembling, she clung to him and he shushed
her until her muscles slowly steadied. He needed her calm. Prepared. This was her chance at escape.
When she breathed deeply, he placed his mouth against her hair. “Listen to me. He’ll leave the door
open when he comes in. He always does. Fight with everything you have in you, and when you get the
chance, run like hell.”
“I-I can’t leave you.”
He pulled back and gripped both her shoulders, looking her in the eyes. “You can and you will . Do you
understand me?”
As he cupped her face between his hands again and placed his mouth onto hers, a light sob breathed
across his lips. Tears burned the back of his eyes and he squeezed them shut, refusing to think that this
might be the last time he kissed her.
She would escape.
Faint footsteps came from outside the room. “He’s coming.”
She stiffened, her fingers biting into his biceps. Unshed tears magnified her amber eyes.
“Live, Ava. Promise me.”
“Don’t say it like that, Liam. You fight, too. Do not die in here.”
The door swung open and the man strode straight in with no hesitation. And just as before, he’d didn’t
close the door.
Cocky son of a bitch. His arrogance would be his downfall.
“I didn’t invite the beast to play, Liam. How dare you change the rules mid-game!”
Fury radiated off the man as he closed the distance between him and Ava.
She whirled around and slapped him, making contact with the side of the mask. The hit didn’t even faze
him. He whipped an arm out, clipping her on the side of the head and sent her crashing against the bars
then to the
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