Chapter 25

**The Face of Betrayal** 

My gut turned into an uncomfortable knot the instant Jake entered the room. It wasn't just him, though. I gasped as I noticed Logan, the man strolling next to him. Jake's man on the right. The person who had supported him through it all.

Logan wasn't there to save me, though.

He stood beside Dominic with his hands tucked casually in his jacket pockets and a smug grin on his lips.

"Surprised, sweetheart?" Dominic's voice broke the thick silence, and it was clear that he was laughing. "I can’t tell if you look more betrayed or just plain stupid."

My jaw tightened as I forced myself to remain composed and look past the anger that was consuming me. I hardly felt the scorching of the rope against my wrists. Logan was all I could think of. The man I had put my trust in. The man who had silently guarded us while standing in the shadow of Jake's power.

A man who had always been Dominic's employee.

I yelled, "You son of a bitch," in a raw, angry voice.

Logan chuckled. It was a loud, unrestrained sound that chilled me, rather than the soft, quiet laughter I was accustomed to. "Oh, Emma. You should never have relied on Jake's empire to protect you. It was never yours in the first place.

I looked at Jake, hoping to see an answer in his eyes, but he wasn't giving me a look. His fists were clenched at his sides as he stared at Logan with a taut jaw.

"How long?" Jake's voice was dangerously calm as he asked.

Logan's head cocked. Years. Since you were hiding in a hole and then you crept out of it. Emma had previously believed she could rule your tiny realm as queen.

In my ears, my heartbeat screamed. "All along, you were giving him false information. You were the reason Dominic was able to take every step ahead.

Logan grinned more broadly. "Wise girl. Unfortunately, you didn't find it out sooner.

Jake started to move forward, but Dominic stopped him with a raised hand. "Ah, ah," said Dominic. "Let's not overthink things. We need to talk about some unresolved matters.

My lads' big, frightened eyes were fixed on me as they cried from their corner. My breath caught. I needed to reach them. I needed to leave this place.

"So what now?" I spit. "You kill me?"

Dominic shook his head and laughed. "Oh, no, no, no. It would be too simple. I could kill you now, but I wouldn't get to enjoy breaking you first, you see."

Logan folded his arms. "And Emma, I believe we both realize you're already breaking. You lost the moment you entered this place.

Jake's eyes became gloomy. "You really think you’re walking away from this, Logan?"

Something inscrutable flashed across Logan's face as he turned to face him. "Jake, I didn't turn on you. I just chose the correct side at last.

The tense atmosphere in the room was oppressive. My thoughts were racing, searching for a gap or anything I might utilize.

Then I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. Something tiny and dark flickered on Jake's wrist.

An indication.

I should be ready, he said.

I shifted slightly in my chair and took a sharp breath. Curling around the rough rope, my fingers searched for any weak spots.

With a sigh, Dominic extended his arms. "Well, I guess we ought to go with this. You're accompanying me, Emma. As for Jake, " He gave Logan a quick look. "What are your thoughts? Should we let him observe for a bit or kill him here?"

Logan grinned. "I propose that we make him observe. Allow him to experience what true power looks like.

The rope relaxed, I noticed. Just a little more.

Jake’s voice was low, steady. "If you think for one second I’m going to sit here and watch, you’re an even bigger fool than I thought."

And then anarchy erupted.

Jake lunged, moving faster than I’d ever seen. Logan staggered backward after his fist struck his jaw. I turned in my chair, the rope snapping as I jerked my hands free at the same moment. I sliced at the shackles around my ankles and curled my fingers around the knife attached to my thigh.

Dominic grabbed his revolver and swore. However, I was already in motion. I knocked him off balance by kicking my chair forward, then crawled across the concrete floor to grab my revolver. A gunshot rang out as my fingers closed around the icy metal.

My shoulder erupted in pain.

Another gun rang out across the air, and I rolled to my side, biting back a scream. With his fists flying, Jake threw Logan to the ground, and the two engaged in a vicious struggle.

With his gun pointed straight at me, Dominic stood up. "Stay down, Emma."

My arm was dripping with blood. I raised my own rifle and disregarded it. "Go to hell."

There was another shot, but it wasn't Dominic's.

Blood pooled beneath Logan as his body jerked fiercely before he sank to the ground.

With his gun still up and his chest heaving, Jake stood above him.

Dominic stepped back, his hands tightening around his firearm. When his calm mask finally broke, I noticed something fresh in his eyes for the first time.

Fear.

Even though I was in excruciating pain, I managed to get up and hold my rifle steady. "Domino, let them go. It's finished.

With a short sigh, he looked from Jake to me. A tortured smile distorted his lips. "Not quite."

He lunged behind him and slammed his hand against a concealed switch on the wall before I could react.

The warehouse was filled with the sound of a loud alarm.

Below us, the ground rumbled.

Then there was the sound of metal on metal.

The walls. They were in motion.

We were shut off from the only way out when a huge steel door started to descend from the ceiling.

"You didn’t think I’d make it that easy, did you?" With a laugh, Dominic moved back into the darkness. "Enjoy your tomb."

Then, when the heavy doors closed and we were trapped within, he vanished into the darkness.

Suddenly, the air felt too thin.

Jake turned to face me with a somber gaze. "We must relocate. "Now."

I gazed at my boys while gritting my teeth and applying pressure to my bleeding shoulder.

I refused to let them perish in this place.

Not this evening.

Never.

The air was filled with the distant sound of something hissing. Horror made my stomach turn.

Gas. He was pumping gas into the room.

Jake seized my arm with a sense of urgency. "We have minutes. We must quickly figure out a way out.

My thoughts were racing as I turned to face the steel doors. We had run out of time.

Additionally, Dominic had recently altered the game's rules.