Broken hearts & Coup d'etats - THE SPECTER SERIES [book three]

Chapter THIRTY TWO

Ellerie Devereux

Mack Fletcher laughs like a madman, watching on from his position behind Charles, as Peirce continues to shock you, again and again until you begin to slip in and out of consciousness once more..

"Uh-uh.. Don't you fall asleep on me, Ellie.. You used to be so much fun.. Remember?.." He leans in so close, you can smell the deep musky scent of his cologne..

"You make me fucking sick.." You lift your head, tired and hurting.. But not beaten..

"If I recall correctly, I used to make you cum, baby.." He grins, reaching out and tweaking one of your nipples through the lacy fabric of your bra..

You huff, pulling away.. He turns to Charles.. "C'mon now, you were never tempted to try her out, Everett? You know she's a squirter.. A real messy slut.."

Charles spits a bloody mouthful at Pierce's feet.. Looking up at him.. "You're a disgusting asshole, Pierce.."

He chuckles, a wicked dark sound that feels like a warning.. "Maybe.. Maybe.. Better me than you though, I think Charlie.." Elijah winds up a fist, punching Charles right in the jaw.. Charlie groans in pain and you know you need to get the heat off him fast..

"Maybe not, considering you're such a boring cliche.."

Elijah scoffs, taking a step towards you, curiously.. "How so Ellie?"

You bait him.. Useless, baseless information..
Fear..
And an excellent poker face..
These are all tools of the interrogation and you both know this..
Take it too far and the victim will tell you anything you want to hear, not necessarily the truth..

Elijah is desperate for this ledger.. And he has clearly planned to take his time extracting it from you.. "What?.. You and Mack, fleecing the godfather.. You don't think sooner or later he figures it out?.. You're already dead.. And you don't even know it.."

He drops the electrocution rod back into the bucket, turning to Mack and giving him a sharp nod.. Mack moves swiftly, stepping forward while bringing a long, sharp blade to Charlie's throat.. His eyes go wide with fear..

"No, no, no!" Your cries are in vain..

In one slashing motion, blood sprays from Everetts throat.. He splutters as the thick crimson flow of blood trickles down his chest, dripping to his toes, then the floor.. His body jerks violently twice, emitting a sickening gargle.. Then he's gone..
Really gone..

"No.. No.." You whimper as Mack unhooks Charlie's lifeless body from the chains.. He falls to the concrete with a heavy thud..

"That's on you Devereux.." Elijah chuckles..

Time warps and twists and the room spins around you..
The vivid spatter of Charlie's crimson blood all around you, the heavy metallic smell of it in the air..

You don't know how long you sob before Peirce clicks his fingers and Mack follows him as he moves briskly towards the door.. He stops to call out to you.. "Oh.. And when those salt and pepper boyfriends of yours make their move, like I expected them to.. I'll be sure to make their end as quick as Charlie's here.. For your sake, baby.."

Your heart freezes at his words..

No, no!
Jackson and Paxton can't be here..
They should be recovering Mikki.. And by the sounds of it, Elijah is well prepared for whatever it is they're planning..

Looking around you see that you've been left, completely alone, all the guards having filtered out while Elijah had been frying you like a barbecue brisket.. You know he's setting a trap.. Using you as bait to lure your would be rescuers into the factory..
You also know Jackson and Hunter are smart enough to see that.. Still you won't waste your second opportunity to escape..

Using every muscle in your core, you hoist your legs up above your head, every muscle groaning in protest as you wrap your ankles around the chains above you.. Using the leverage of your legs locked around the cold metal, you pull yourself up to grip the chains above your feet..
Inch by inch you painstakingly climb your way to the top of the chain..

Your breathing is ragged and you are almost too exhausted for what comes next.. Dread floods your chest..
This is going to hurt like hell.. "Goddamn'it.."
You take a deep breath, and let go..