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.

He dropped to his knees beside

ankle. “Trying to run? No,

low and shaking. “You’re

right here,

and stroked my thigh

of his hand. My skin crawled. I

my ankles held

mind screamed. But my face stayed blank.

I struggled,

something else. I nodded. Slowly.

eyes lit up. “Oh?

again, pretending to be afraid—no, pretending to

I gestured toward the stairs behind him, then looked down

made a face like I was disgusted.

down too.

it here?” he

I forced another nod.

Chapter 40

twisted into something almost pleased.

don’t try

the ropes around my wrists and ankles but kept the long end wrapped around my neck like a leash. “One wrong move,” he warned, “and I’ll throw you into the

ever find you.”

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

But maybe because they’d figured it out.They must have checked

for during my

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

fumbled with it, using the dim glow of his screen

a light

I saw

Its jagged edge gaped

by the dusty hallway. Beyond it–nothing but the

black and endless.

That was it. My only

ય

in my head,

“Are you with me?”

sharp.“Better to fight than let scum