Watch Me Win, Alpha

But now, lit by the moon and backlit by the ocean mist, his expression twisted into something grotesque. His eyes glimmered, his face split into a grin that made my stomach curl.

“Well, well,” Jimson said, slowly stepping closer. “You’re prettier up close.”

I froze as he crouched beside me, lifting a hand to stroke my

cheek. His fingers were cold and greasy. I turned my head away, gagging under the tape. He laughed and sniffed the tips of his

fingers, like a man savoring a meal.

“I don’t think you are hoping that someone’s gonna save you,

are you?” he whispered. “Nobody knows where you are.“”

I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears. Yve stirred inside

me, frantic. I told her silently–break the chair, do something,

anything.

But she was weak. My body was already aching from being

bound for hours, maybe more. I didn’t know how long I’d been

here.

Then the chair creaked under me. I shifted just enough to make

one leg wobble. Jimson turned his back briefly, laughing at his

own joke. I leaned my weight hard against the weak leg.

Chapter 30

Crack.

The old wooden leg snapped, and I fell hard onto the ground,

coughing from the dust that rose around me. My arm burned

from the angle, but I didn’t care.

dropped to

“Trying to run?

“You’re not going

you right

my

crawled. I tried to move,

ankles

face stayed blank. If

enjoy it. If I struggled, he’d tighten

I did something else. I nodded.

up. “Oh? You want

nodded again, pretending to be afraid—no, pretending to

gestured toward the stairs

a face like I was disgusted. He

down too.

don’t want it here?” he said,

I forced another nod.

Chapter 40

face twisted into something

But don’t try

end wrapped around my neck like a leash. “One wrong move,” he warned,

ever find you.”

about the ocean. I was thinking about the phone in his back pocket. It had rung twice now–short buzzes. I recognized the distinct

calling him. Not because he was my captor. But maybe because they’d figured it out.They must

during my

air felt heavier, the walls narrower. Jimson’s phone kept buzzing in his

and fumbled with it, using the

a light switch

I

broken window. Its jagged

hallway. Beyond it–nothing

black and endless.

was it. My only

ય

to Yve in

“Are you with me?”

to fight than let scum