Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Michael wanted to burst in, but he paused, listening.
He had no idea how many of them were inside—and he didn’t even have a gun.
Inside, the men sprinkled drops of water on Ariel’s face.
She flinched, eyes fluttering open. Confusion clouded her gaze as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.
“Where… am I?” she murmured, looking around to see several men standing over her.
She tried to get up, but something held her down. The cold bite of metal pressed against her wrists and ankles. Chains.
“What do you want from me? Who are you?” she demanded, struggling against the restraints.
“Oh, don’t force it, sweetheart.” The one with the deep, husky voice stepped forward, a glass of champagne in hand. “I’m Dax. I’m sure you’ve heard of Nathaniel.”
Ariel’s eyes narrowed. “What does this have to do with him?”
“Mm. Fierce,” he said with a nod, smiling as he took a slow sip of his drink. He stopped just in front of her, gazing down at her with a slick, predatory grin.
“What do you want from me?” she repeated, glaring up at him.
“Nathaniel—” He paused, his expression darkening, his fist clenching tight. “He had the guts to kill my brother,” he snarled.
“Well, that’s not my business,” Ariel snapped. “Let me go now.”
“Oh, baby, I’m sorry,” Dax said mockingly. “But I can’t. I heard he just got arrested, and you…” he grinned wickedly, “you took away my chance at revenge.”
Ariel smirked. “Then you can join him in prison. Seems like it would suit you. Fatty.”
His grin faltered. He leaned closer, his breath foul, his voice lowering. “Then let’s see how you moan ‘fatty’ by the time we’re done with you.”
Ariel’s heart hammered against her chest, but she didn’t flinch.
She couldn’t—wouldn’t—let these filthy men touch her. Not for Nathaniel’s sins. Not for anyone’s.
“My men will start with you,” Dax said, smirking. “My brother and I will watch. Then we’ll take our turn. I bet that pretty little body of yours has never been set on fire before.”
He cackled, and the other man—his brother, larger and more muscular, though dressed sharply—laughed along with him.
Ariel’s stomach twisted. She screamed inside her head, terrified and furious. By the time these men were done with her, she’d be lucky to be alive.
How had she even ended up here?
The last thing she remembered was drinking with Michael.
Her thoughts snapped to him. Was he okay? Had they hurt him too? Where was he now?
Her eyes darted toward the door, her heart racing as she prayed for someone—anyone—to come.
The men started moving closer. She struggled desperately, the chains rattling, but it was useless.
Was this how it would end?
Would she be violated and left to die in this godforsaken place?
Her pulse thundered in her ears as the men surrounded her. There were ten of them. One brushed his hand across her cheek; another groped her through her clothes, pinching her nipple cruelly.
Ariel screamed, loud and sharp.
And then—
The door burst open.
Michael stormed in, yelling, a fire extinguisher in hand. He unleashed it on them, a blinding spray of white foam filling the room.
The men cursed, stumbling back in confusion. One charged at him, and Michael swung the extinguisher hard, cracking it across the man’s face. Another lunged; he shoved the extinguisher into his gut, knocking the wind out of him. The rest rushed forward, but Michael fought with recklessly, using the empty canister to block, strike, and shove until they were down.
When the last of them fell, he tossed the extinguisher aside and ran to Ariel, freeing her from the chains.
The moment she was loose, they both got to their feet—only to see the two brothers, Dax and his hulking sibling, standing across from them, guns drawn.
“Who the hell are you?” Dax barked. “How dare you come in here?”
Michael raised his hands slowly, his eyes on them. In one quick motion, he shoved Ariel back onto the couch and dove for cover behind a metal shelf.
Gunfire exploded. Bullets tore through the air, shattering bottles and splintering wood.
Michael ducked low, covering his ears against the deafening noise.
Then—
Click.
The sweet sound of victory.
Michael grinned. The brothers pulled the triggers again and again, but the guns were empty.
He stepped out from behind the shelf, smirking. “Guess you’re out of luck.”
Before they could reload, he sprinted forward, grabbed the extinguisher, and hurled it at the larger brother. It hit squarely, sending the man crashing to the floor.
Ariel flinched at the sound, covering her ears as the chaos unfolded.
Dax was still fumbling with the bullets, trying to reload.
Michael reached him first, kicked the gun from his hand, and slammed his forehead into the man’s face. The brute stumbled back, dazed.
Ariel stood from the couch, eyes blazing. “That one’s mine,” she said. “Leave him to me.”
Michael blinked. “You know him?”
She nodded, glaring at Dax. “He’s one of Nathaniel’s old friends—Dax, right?”
Her smirk returned.
She sprinted forward, spun, and kicked him squarely in the ear.
“Wow. Impressive,” Michael muttered, watching her work.
Ariel had seen both brothers’ pictures on Nathaniel’s murder board. It turned out, Nathaniel had been hunting them down—his girlfriend had run off and cheated on him with Dax’s brother.
Now, it all made sense.
Ariel struck again, this time kicking Dax hard in the abdomen. He gasped, crumpling to the floor.
The fat one tried to stand, groaning. Ariel stepped forward and stomped on his groin. His mouth opened in a silent scream before he collapsed again, motionless.
She exhaled sharply, brushing her hair from her face, then turned to Michael with fierce eyes.
“If I knew you had that in you,” he said, smirking as they headed for the door, “I wouldn’t have stepped in.”
Ariel rolled her eyes. “I would’ve found a way out—but it would’ve been harder.”
“Hey,” he teased, “was that a thank you?”
She scoffed, a short laugh slipping out. “You’re unbelievable.”
They stepped into the elevator. The doors slid shut.
A moment later, Ariel’s phone rang.
She answered, her voice still breathless.
“Detective Ariel,” a voice said smoothly on the other end. “Welcome back.”