Chapter 71
(TYLER)
When my eyes flutter open, I’m in the van. There’s nothing around me and the smell in here can only be described as that of decaying rodents. Both the alphas are outside and seem to be having a serious conversation. I glance out. It is then that I notice they drove me off out in the middle of nowhere. All I see is an alley and a deserted road.
I try not to panic, but that is easier said than done. I have no idea who gave the order to take me. Screaming for help won’t do me any good here. They might decide to off me here and leave me with a slit throat down the alley. That’s a chance I’m not willing to take.
The first alpha made it clear that their boss wants to use me to get something from Sasha. I’m only hoping that whatever it is they want will be something that Sasha will be willing to give them. If not, I’m afraid I might die like the rodents.
I pray that what I’m smelling is rodents.
I slowly sit up. Everything around me spins and my head is throbbing alarmingly. Nausea hits me and my stomach rolls. I grunt, twisting my body and dry heave on the floor of the van. My body is covered with sweat, and I’m trembling by the time my stomach relaxes.
I hover my fingers on my neck around the spot where that asshole alpha jabbed with a needle. I feel a tiny bump, and the injection site hurts. My bladder is calling but there’s no place to relieve myself. The door is tightly shut, that only means that I won’t be leaving them anytime soon.
I feel stupid for not trying to help myself. And even if I could, I doubt I’d manage two burly alphas. I have no idea how I’d go about that considering I have nothing to defend myself. I don’t have any sort of training for this kind of scenario. I sit back, waiting for them to come back to me.
For a long time, they don’t come but eventually, the rusty door scrapes open and the alpha who first approached me comes to sight. I drag myself towards the door when I spot a familiar face striding in my direction, headed straight for me.
Angelo.
He sees me at almost the same time, even though I did an about-face trying to look away from him.
“You,” he yells. “Don’t even fucking think of it. Move again and I’ll shoot you.” He sounds so pissed. I don’t want to risk getting shot. So, I obey.
Cringing, I drag myself backwards and try to force a smile. “Hey, Angelo.” I refuse to look at his hand to see the very weapon that could blow my brain into bits now.
“Fuck you.” He shoves me back hard.
I hold up my hands, backing away from him. “I’m not going to fight you, Angelo. I’m sorry about what’s going on between you and Sasha, but I have nothing to do with it p>
“Nothing? Nothing” he yells, looking deranged, eyes bugged out and spittle flying. “You did this. You made him rob me of my rightful position as head of the Triple Triads. You twisted his mind with your perversion, you sick fuck p>
I shake my head, I make a face at him, trying to follow whatever he’s hurling at me. “What the fuck are you talking about p>
He says something in a language that I don’t understand but judging by how his gaze is directed, I can tell that he isn’t talking to me.
He drags me out and I turn just in time to see a short stick flying at me, wielded by none other than the alpha who jabbed a needle on my neck. It catches the side of my head so hard that I almost lose vision. A sudden gush of liquid trickles at the side of my face and I know that I’m bleeding. I also know that I have to get the hell out of here as soon as I remember how to move. After all, I could try.
Angelo doesn’t give me a chance to get up. I’m still in a daze when he yells something and punctuates it with a laugh. The two alphas grab my arms and drag me along the sidewalk into the alley.
As soon as I manage to get on my feet, I dig my heels and try to pull away from one of them, but the second alpha is stronger and meaner of the two. So, I work on freeing myself from the first alpha until Angelo kicks me hard on the hip.
While I struggle to remain standing, the guys begin to drag me again until Angelo tells them to stop. They hurl me at the side of a building like a slingshot then slam me onto the weathered block as I slide down the wall.
Get up, Tyler. Get the fuck up right now.
It doesn’t matter how many times I yell at myself in my head to get up. Every time I try to stand up, my legs collapse. My right eye is still blurry from the impact. Nausea churns in my stomach and my head is still pounding. The realization that I could die in this alley hits me hard, and I know deep down that there isn’t a thing that I can do about it.
The three of them spread out and come at me in unison. Even then, I curl up like a ball, instinctively protecting my stomach and taking all the blows elsewhere. I can’t fend off the strikes as they come because I cannot do it while protecting my stomach. And even if I did, I could only manage to push one away. I was rest assured that the other two were right there to hit me back.
By the time I crumple to the ground, literally lying on the trash that spilt from a nearby dumpster, I feel stuck. I can’t move. My whole body feels like one giant throbbing bruise.
I taste my blood. I taste my fear. Sharp and bitter.
My energy and adrenaline are gone. I lay here alternating between praying that Sasha magically appears or waiting for my death.
Angelo flips me over and bends my hand behind my back. He says something and the three of them laugh. I have no idea what he just said.
My fear renews tenfold. Angelo’s attempt to kill me isn’t a so distant memory. I’m afraid that he will not make the mistake of leaving me alive this time. As soon as I start struggling again, he shoves up my elbow at an angle elbows aren’t meant to go. My shoulder could pop any minute now.
I scream, clawing at the tarmac as I try to drag myself away to relieve the excruciating pain on my shoulder.
He leans so close that I can practically feel the heat of his breath in my ears then he whispers. “Let’s see what Sasha has to say about this now.” He drops my hands, and they head for the car. Soon the engine revs up and they drive off.
I don’t make another sound.
I stop expecting Sasha to appear.
And most of all, I stop hoping for a miracle.