Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 90590 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90590 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“Now to you, Mad. I was thinking what to do to you, if I should have you watch the whore getting fucked by each of us before killing you, but I realized keeping you alive at this point is a risk I just can’t take.”
I turned my head to the side until I could see everything. Earl unlocked the cage door and Cody removed the other dog from the cage. Earl unleashed Satan. “I think we both know it has to end like this.” Earl’s smile was cruel. He locked Satan in the cage with Maddox, who slowly turned around so his back was pressed against the bars.
My blood turned cold, realizing what Earl was about to do. But Maddox knew the dogs… Satan wouldn’t attack him… right?
“Satan, kill,” Earl shouted.
I pushed up despite the pain in my back. Satan hesitated a moment before she charged at Maddox and lunged at him. Maddox brought up his arms to protect his face and throat. Satan barked and bared her teeth but didn’t bite Maddox yet.
“Kill him!” Earl growled.
I stumbled to my feet and toward the bars, clutching them. “No, Satan, stop!”
“Release!” Maddox screamed. “No!”
Satan dropped back on her paws and turned around herself, obviously confused by the myriad of orders. Earl might have been her owner but he’d never treated her how a dog was supposed to be treated. Maybe that would bite him in the ass now.
“Stupid bitch,” Cody hissed. Earl stalked toward another cage with a big male Rottweiler and grabbed him by the neck, dragging him toward Maddox’s cage.
“No,” I whispered. Blood rushed in my ears. I was starting to feel nauseous from fear and the inking, but I clung to the bars despite my wobbly legs.
Earl unlocked the door again and thrust the other dog inside. Satan whirled around, baring her teeth. These dogs were trained to fight against each other.
“Kill,” Earl ordered, pointing at Maddox, and the male dog didn’t hesitate. He charged at Maddox but Satan obviously wanted to defend her territory and collided with him.
Earl shrugged. “He’s got twenty-five pounds on her. When he’s killed her, he can chew off your face, Mad. Enjoy the show, whore.”
Cody and Earl turned around and left.
The bigger dog was on top of Satan, but it was difficult to follow their vicious fight as they snarled and bit and struggled.
Satan yelped in pain.
“Maddox!”
“Fuck,” Maddox muttered. He removed his belt and wrapped it around his hand so the buckle covered his knuckles then he stalked toward the fighting dogs, grabbed the bigger male by the collar and jerked him back. The animal was heavy so it didn’t fly very far and quickly turned back on Maddox who aimed a punch with the buckle at the dog’s snout. With a loud whine, the dog jumped away, shaking its head. Maddox towered over it. “Down, now!” The dog laid down, panting heavily, its muzzle covered in blood. Probably Satan’s. She laid on her side, breathing heavily.
I sank down on my knees, feeling shaky. My back throbbed and I was terrified. For myself, for Maddox, even for Satan. It was too much to stomach. Everything caught up with me in that moment and part of me wanted to curl up in the corner.
“Snow White?” Maddox murmured, his voice laced with concern. “Marcella?”
I lifted my head too quickly and regretted it almost instantly as a sharp pain shot through my back. My skin felt as if it was too small for my body and might tear at any moment. Ignoring this, I straightened fully again then perched on the edge of the hut. When my vertigo had disappeared, I locked gazes with Maddox.
“Is Satan injured badly?”
He shook his head. “Don’t think about it now. We have to get you out of here alive.”
His gaze darted to my exposed back. Guilt and fury created a potent combination in his eyes.
“What does the tattoo say?” I asked, surprised at how raw and dry my voice sounded.
“Don’t think about it now. There are more important things to worry about.”
“Don’t tell me what to worry about, Maddox. I want to know.” I needed to know. Everything was better than this soul-crushing uncertainty. My mind would conjure the worst scenarios.
“Marcella,” he rasped, his eyes urging me to let it drop.
“Tell me,” I growled. “I’m not breakable, so don’t treat me like that!”
“Vitiello whore.”
I nodded, then shoved to my feet and briefly turned my back on Maddox to hide my expression from him. I was so mad at him. This was his fault.
“I’m fucking sorry. This was never supposed to happen. I swear. If I’d known—”
“Then what?” I asked harshly, whirling on him. “You wouldn’t have kidnapped me?”
Maddox dropped his forehead against the bars. “Yes. And I would have done everything in my power to stop Earl from letting anyone else kidnap you either.”