Page 81 of Alluring Darkness
“Please, I’m begging for your forgiveness.”
Above me, Jace chuckles. When he says nothing else, I take that as approval and move on to his brothers. Crawling over to Kaden and Rico, I kiss their boots and beg their forgiveness as well. Connor struggles and screams from behind his gag, but there is nothing he can do.
Once I’m done, I return to my place at Eli’s feet. Leaves and twigs stick to my bare legs, but I can barely feel it.
Raising my head at last, I meet his gaze again. Smug victory glitters in his golden eyes, and a smirk stretches his lips. And if the bulge in his dark pants is any indication, he’s extremely turned on by the absolute control he wields over me right now. If my brother’s life hadn’t been on the line, I might have been too. But with Eli’s gun still against Connor’s temple, all I can feel is dread and desperation.
Challenge dances in Eli’s eyes as he stares me down. “Good. Now that you’ve apologized, I suggest groveling for mercy.”
“Please, Eli, I’m begging you for mercy.” I look up at him with pleading eyes. “I’ll do whatever you want if you let Connor walk out of here.”
He arches a dark brow. “IfI let him walk? Do you think this is a negotiation?”
“No.” I shake my head furiously. “No, I’m sorry. Please.”
“You call this groveling?”
I want to scream in frustration. I know that he’s doing this on purpose. That he’s finding fault in everything just to make me more panicked and more desperate. But it doesn’t matter, because I will do whatever he wants anyway.
Bending over, I slide my hands towards his boots and press my forehead to the ground before his feet. “I’m begging you, Eli. I’ll do anything you want. Anything you say. I’ll spend the entire night on my knees at your feet, licking your boots clean, if that’s what you want. Just please,please, let my brother walk out of here unharmed.”
“What are you begging for, princess? Say it. The exact word.”
“Mercy. Please, mercy.”
Deafening silence falls over the dark forest. I keep my forehead pressed against the ground. The scent of grass and soil and crushed leaves fills my lungs as I draw in shallow breaths. My heart slams against my ribs and my pulse pounds in my ears as I wait for Eli’s judgement.
At last, he snaps his fingers. “Look at me.”
I raise my head and sit back on my heels again. Dark amusement shines in Eli’s eyes as he watches me in silence for another few seconds. He must have lowered his gun at some point because he’s now holding it down by his side instead. Hope and relief flutter behind my ribs.
“Better,” he says eventually. Then a vicious smile spreads across his lips. “But not good enough.”
In a flash, he raises his gun to Connor’s head.
And pulls the trigger.
“NO!” The word tears from my lungs with enough force to almost shatter my vocal cords.
I lurch towards my brother.
But then freeze as time stops moving.
For a while, all I can do is stare while silence roars through my ears like a deafening storm.
Then reality crashes into me and time rushes to catch up again.
Two steps away, Connor has barely finished flinching. He blinks hard several times while shock pulses across his features. Then he sucks in a sharp breath through his nose.
I stare at him. No blood. No gaping hole in the side of his head. No brains splattering the forest floor.
With stunned disbelief still clanging through my whole soul, I drag my gaze back up to Eli. “You… You didn’t…”
“Blow his brains out?” With efficient moves, he detaches the magazine and shows it to me. Empty. “No, I didn’t.” Then he smiles and draws his hand along my jaw and under my chin in an almost loving gesture. “Because you groveled so prettily.”
I think I might have forgotten to breathe, because I suck in a desperate gasp.
Eli slams the magazine back in place and then presses the cold muzzle against my forehead. “But if you ever come after my family again, there will be bullets in this gun next time. Do you understand?”