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.

to his knees beside

my ankle. “Trying to run? No, no, sweet girl,‘ he

“You’re not going anywhere.

you right here, nice

down and stroked my

of his hand. My skin crawled. I tried

my ankles

screamed. But my face stayed blank. If

If I struggled, he’d tighten the

I did something else. I nodded. Slowly.

“Oh?

to be afraid—no,

stairs

a face like I was disgusted.

down too.

here?” he

I forced another nod.

Chapter 40

something almost pleased. “Fine.

don’t

but kept the long end wrapped around my neck like a leash. “One wrong move,” he warned, “and

ever find you.”

his back pocket. It had rung twice now–short buzzes. I

he was my captor. But maybe because they’d figured it out.They must have checked

during my

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

fumbled with it, using the

for a light switch

I

window. Its jagged edge gaped

the dusty hallway. Beyond it–nothing

black and endless.

was it. My

ય

whispered to Yve in my

“Are you with me?”

sharp.“Better to fight