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"They would’ve found me anyway It was just a matter of time" I’m convinced of that "Do you knoho they are or what they want frouess," she says, her hands clenching tightly in her lap "I think they’re part of the Jihadist terrorist group that Julian told o Apparently, they’re upset that he wouldn’t sell them some weapon that his company recently developed"

"Why not?" I ask curiously "Why wouldn’t he sell it to thes "I don’t know Julian is very selective when it comes to his business partners, and it could be that he just didn’t trust thee?"

"Yes, I think so," she says softly "At least, that’s what you’re here for Someone at the clinic must’ve been in their employ because they kneho you were and what youin one of the rooms downstairs when they found me, and they immediately went up to the second floor, to the roo I think they intend to use you to force Julian’s hand when it co them this weapon"

I draw in a shaky breath "I see" I can only ih to kill innocent civilians would ‘force Julian’s hand’ Gruesoh ive in to the panic that threatens to shole

"It’s lucky that Julian wasn’t at the clinic when they cahts "They killed everyone, all sixteen of Julian’sus"

I s hard "Sixteen men?"

Beth nods "They had insane firepower, and they caood thirty or forty men of their own You didn’t see the worst of it, because they entered froh in the other staircase, withfro to controlShit Shit, shit, shit For them to sacrifice so many of their comrades, whatever they want froive it to theh? I knoantson some level--but I have no idea if he would put ives theuarantee that they will let us live I remember what Julian told me about Maria’s deathabout how she was killed to punish him for some warehouse raid In Julian’s world, actions have consequences Very brutal consequences

"Do you think he’ll come for us?" I ask Beth quietly The irony of it all doesn’t escape ht in shining ar from anymore

She looks at me, her eyes dark in her pale face "He will," she answers softly "He’ll come for us I just don’t know if it willby The h I’ve seen a couple of the attention Thankfully, the hospital gown is generally shapeless and ine The thought of one--or several--of theive us anything to eat or drink That’s not a good sign; itso bad that all I can think about is water, and there is an e of all, however, is the cold fear that coh my mind like a bad horrorout, but after our initial conversation, she’s beco in monosyllables at best It’s like mentally, she’s not even there I envy her I’d like to be able to escape like that, but I can’t For o, I need Julian and his particular brand of erotic torture

When I’m just about ready to scream from frustration, two more men enter the warehouse To my surprise, one of them looks like a businessman; his pinstriped suit is sharp and tailored, and a stylish Strotter bag hangs , probably only in his thirties, and appears to be in good shape Slossy dark hair, he could’ve been on the cover of GQ--if it weren’t for the fact that he’s es a feords with the men on the other side of the warehouse, then heads toward Beth and leahtly There’s so stare, and I suppress a shudder when he stops a couple of feet away and studies me, his head cocked to the side

I stare back at hi heavily in my chest Objectively, he could be considered handso of attraction The only thing I feel is fear It’s actually a relief; so--if I’m destined to desire the men who scare me Now I see that it’s a Julian-specific phenohtened and repulsed by the cri in front of me now--a perfectly normal reaction that I embrace