Chapter 132: Last Warning

Leitana’s heart slammed against her throat so hard she thought it might break free. Her eyes darted to the mirror on her right and the reflection made ice flood her veins.

He was right behind her.

The same creepy man who’d stared at her in the auction room, whose chilling smile had crawled over her skin like fingers.

That man was Jim.

Her chest heaved. She struggled against his grip, thrashing, kicking, nails scraping at the hand over her mouth but he only laughed, the sound low and cruel, the sound vibrating against her back.

With his free hand, he yanked her mask away, ripping the ribbons, and it clattered to the tile floor.

She gasped at the force.

He laughed again and kept his palm clamped over her mouth.

“Your little sneaky girl,” he said, voice dripping with mockery. “You think I wouldn’t know it’s you?”

Leitana’s breath came in sharp, panicked bursts against his fingers.

“I knew what you and those idiots you’ve been following have been up to,” he snarled. “You’re trying to dig up something that should stay buried.”

She struggled harder, muffled whimpers escaping around his hand.

He released her mouth but only to wrap his fingers around her throat.

He slammed her back against one of the stalls.

The door rattled. Pain exploded up her spine.

She gasped.

His other hand came up, squeezing her cheeks, forcing her face up to meet his.

“Do you think I’m stupid?” he hissed. “I knew you all were going to find a way to get in here. What do you think you’re going to find? Everything happening here is legal. That little cunt you’re trying to prove was killed? She od’d herself and jumped off the roof. There is no conspiracy here.”

Leitana tried to speak.

“S..top, Let go…”

He squeezed her cheeks harder, fingers bruising, pressing her lips together.

His hips shoved forward, pinning her tighter against the stall door.

“You whined your way into the head of my little puppet,” he growled. “Made her fall in love with you.”

His hand slid from her cheeks, down her jaw, her throat, then lower caressing her face almost tenderly.

“But I can see why she likes you,” he murmured, thumb brushing her bottom lip. “With this pretty face… and this body…”

His palm dragged down over her collarbone, her chest, fingers curling around the strap of her gown.

Leitana shoved at him hard, tears filling her eyes, spilling over.

He just laughed, the sound ugly.

“You’re not going to be able to stop us.”

His hand slid lower toward her waist, her hip, disgusting, and invasive.

Leitana’s vision blurred with tears.

Jim’s grip on her throat tightened not enough to fully choke her, just enough to remind her how fragile her windpipe was under his palm. His other hand still squeezed her cheeks, forcing her lips into a grotesque pout, his thumb pressing cruelly into the soft flesh beside her mouth.

“You think you’re clever, don’t you?” he hissed, face so close she could smell the champagne and cigar smoke on his breath. “Sneaking in here with your little friends, playing detective.”

He jerked her head back by the hair, forcing her to look up into his ugly expression.

“Let me tell you something, little island girl,” he said, voice dropping to a venomous whisper. “You have no idea what you’ve stepped into. This isn’t some small-time scam you can unravel with a few voicemails and a sob story. This is power. Names you can’t even pronounce. And every single one of them has more dirt on you or anyone around you than you’ll ever dig up on them.”

Leitana struggled, nails scraping at his wrist, legs kicking uselessly but he only chuckled at attempt.

“You’re nothing,” he snarled. “A pretty little toy Ravial married. And toys break easy.”

With a sudden, vicious shove, he released her throat and slammed her back harder against the stall door. Pain exploded across her shoulder blades. She cried out, her shoulder trembling.

Jim stepped closer again, looming.

“This is your last warning,” he said, voice deadly calm now. “Stay away from everything that concerns me. Stay away from the modeling industry. Stay away from Willow. Or I will hurt each and every person you love.”

He leaned in, breath hot against her cheek.

Leitana glared at him, tears still falling.

Jim just smirked

He grabbed her face again, fingers digging into her jaw and kissed her.

Hard and forceful.

His mouth crushed hers, tongue forcing past her lips, claiming, invading.

Leitana shoved at his chest with all her strength.

He staggered back, laughing, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

She bolted for the door.

His hand shot out wrapped around her long hair and yanked.

Pain seared across her scalp as he pulled her backward, throwing her to the floor.

She hit the tiles hard, knees slamming down with a painful thud.

Jim crouched over her.

“You taste good,” he said, smirking. “Too bad you’re too stupid to stay out of trouble.”

He stood up slowly, leisurely and picked up his discarded mask from the floor, slipped it back on, and walked out.

The door clicked shut behind him.

Leitana stayed on the floor, curled, shaking, tears streaming.

Never in her life had she experienced anything like this.

Fear so sharp it hurts to breathe.

Disgust; with his touch, with the taste of him still on her lips, with her own body for freezing when she should have fought harder.

She cried, sobs shaking her small frame until her chest ached.

Then she reached for her mask and stood on trembling legs.

And then walked to the mirror.

Her reflection stared back cheeks bruised from his fingers, lips swollen, eyes red and glassy. Hair wild. Gown torn at the shoulder.

She looked… broken.

But not defeated.

She wiped her cheeks with shaking hands.

In her mind, a verse rose.

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

She whispered it to herself.

Her soul and mind would not be at peace if she didn’t help Celeste.

She could not give up.

Not now.

Not ever.

She slipped the mask back on and tied the broken ribbon as best she could, took a deep breath and walked out.

Just as she stepped into the hallway, two shadows detached from the window ledge outside, watching everything that had happened inside the restroom all along.

Abaddon tilted his head, eyes gleaming.

“That is something I did not see coming.”

Beelzebub laughed, sounding delighted.

“Oh, but it’s delicious.”