Chapter 54 Chapter 54
“You’re still the same pathetic girl as before, huh? Can’t even speak to me properly,” Uriel sneered, and she bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. Her grip on the handrail of the lift tightened until it became painful.
“Don’t touch me,” she forced out, only to see him smirk at her.
“Will you call the cops on me again? That worked really well last time,” he chuckled lowly. She knew exactly what he was talking about, and just thinking about it caused her anger and desperation to rise.
He had bribed the officers who had shown up at their flat; she had called them for nothing. The bastards hadn’t done a thing to help her, and after that, she had never found the courage to involve the police again until Naomi and Hope had accompanied her to the police station.
But it turned out that not even the damn restraining order could keep him away from her. He shouldn’t be anywhere near her, and yet he dared to touch her. His hand on her shoulder was like a weight that pulled her down. Her fear rose even higher and swallowed her up. A tremble ran through her body, her eyes clouding with tears.
“You’re so pitiful. Is crying the only thing you ever do?” he whispered, leaning closer to her until their faces almost touched. She distanced herself, moved back until her head collided with the wall behind her. “How old are you now? 24? You should be ashamed.”
“Get away from me.” she breathed, terror flashing through her eyes. Her fear controlled her. She was trapped in this damn lift and couldn’t run, couldn’t hide. The walls closed in on her, and breathing suddenly took a lot of effort.
“When did I ever listen to you?” he retorted. “Why did you show up here? Must have missed me after all this time.”
Something in her shattered. Cracks formed in the high wall she had built around her fragile heart, and all the fear and anguish she had locked away for so long came spilling out. Her emotions overwhelmed her. She was flooded by a stifling sorrow that she had never truly shaken off.
Uriel’s smirk was disdainful; he looked pleased with her reaction. Valerie couldn’t take glancing at him. He still kept his black hair slicked back, still appeared like a successful businessman on the outside with his elegant suit, but appearances were deceiving. His heart was tainted and held no space for empathy or kindness. He was simply evil; she couldn’t describe him any other way.
The lift stopped unexpectedly, and its doors slid open. Uriel annoyedly clicked his tongue when he saw another office worker enter. He quickly let go of Valerie and left the lift. Turning around to her, he grinned arrogantly and held her gaze until the doors closed.
“See you, Valerie,” was the last thing he said.
Even after the lift had moved on, she couldn’t get over the encounter with him.
She had needed so much time to get over him, and now he came back and just ruined everything within five minutes. He hadn’t needed longer to wreck her. She took a deep breath, trying to fill her lungs with air, but she was suffocating.
The panic hit her with full force. All the terrible memories came back at once and whirled through her mind, tormenting her until her surroundings blurred and the walls closed in on her. She was trapped. She couldn’t get away; she couldn’t run. Black dots appeared in her vision. She couldn’t take it anymore. It was too much. She barely heard the shocked cry of the other person in the lift when her knees gave in.
—
“You two are meaning to tell me that this bastard belongs to them?” Maxwell asked agitatedly, glaring at Gareth, who nodded at him. Nicholas Clarke looked down at the demon who kneeled on the floor in front of them. His hands were shackled and his body beaten up, but he still stared at the other three with defiance in his eyes.
They were in hell—in one of the lowest and most dangerous parts. Surrounded by cliffs and sharp rocks, the plane they stood on was rather bleak. Far away, the burning pits of purgatory could be seen, hot flames reaching up towards the starless night sky. Distant wails of tortured souls resounded around the demons, but nobody was bothered by them.
“Vaughn told me that he caught him trying to sneak into Esther’s and his flat,” Nicholas Clarke explained. “He brought him here so we could interrogate him in his stead since he didn’t want to leave Esther alone for too long.”
“He was after them because of their bond,” Maxwell concluded and scowled. “How did he find out?”
“We don’t have a clue. It’s possible he saw Esther’s mark… or maybe he heard it from someone,” Gareth muttered. “I couldn’t get him to talk, but maybe you will have more luck.”
“Sounds like we’re going to have some fun,” Maxwell grinned sinisterly and kicked the demon hard in his side, making him heave. “Who are you working with?” he asked, but didn’t receive an answer. Bright light struck the demon, burning his skin. He cursed, but his defiant glare never wavered.
“I’m rather impatient,” Maxwell snarled and snapped his fingers to shoot another beam of light at him, tearing his skin open. Blood spilled, and the demon wheezed in agony. He gritted his teeth, still not saying a word.
“We can do this all day, but the more impatient I get, the more painful it will be for you,” Maxwell said, smirking evilly at the demon’s agony. “You wanted to kill one of my friends, and I tend to hold grudges, so it is only natural that I have a bone to pick with you.”