Page 32 of Ripple Effect, Vol. 4

For what seems like an eternity, we sit and wait for the driver, while Dorian’s hand rests between my thighs and his lips are at my shoulder, twisting my stomach.

“What the hell is taking so long?” Dorian tips his head toward the tinted window. “Let’s go already!”

The car idles forward.

Dorian settles beside me again, his hand inching up my thigh. “I like young girls. You smell like innocence. Flowers. Humiliation.”

A sharp breath escapes me as he reaches higher, fingers brushing my mound, and he pulls back my dress so Malik can undoubtedly see what he’s doing to me.

“How did you know I liked my girls shaved bald? Lucky guess?”

“Yes.”

“I have so many things to show you, princess. So many things I think you’ll enjoy. But even if you don’t, I’ll take pleasure, regardless.”

Oh God, please hurry. Please let this happen quickly. Painlessly.

If Dorian has Ripley, and he’s still alive, every bit of what I suffer with this man will have been worth it.

“Do you know why I prefer the young ones?”

I shake my head as his finger slips inside of me, tensing my thigh muscles at the penetration.

“You’re innocent. Naïve. You come to me looking to pull one over on me, not realizing I’m already on to you.”

His words catch in my throat at the same time his hand slips around my neck, squeezing the air out of me.

He rips the mask off my face.

“Did you think I wouldn’t recognize you in your fuck-me dress and mask?” His lips are at my ear. “I watched the tape of you. I watched Ripley nearly kill for you.” His finger wriggles inside of me, and I clamp my eyes shut. “I’ve been expecting you, Dylan.” He yanks the purse out of my hands and tosses it to Malik.

Malik looks inside and shakes his head, pulling out the gun.

“Stupid, stupid, little girl.” A swipe of Dorian’s tongue at my cheek has me cringing, and when he licks the fingers that have been inside of me, I want to puke. “Before I take you home and get down to business, I’ll tell you a little secret. Ripley’s still alive. Because I believe in an eye for an eye. I’ve asked his torturer to keep him alive for as long as he can, and film it, so when we get back to my place, we can fuck to the sounds of him dying. And then I’ll let all my men fuck you to the same sound, over and over, on repeat.”

“Fuck. You.”

The car stops on the side of the road and Dorian stills beside me, his brows creased to a frown. Holding my gun, Malik looks around.

We’re in the middle of nowhere, where only darkness surrounds us.

“Go have a look.” Dorian nods toward Malik and pushes my head down into his lap. “You will stay put or you will die.” Cold metal presses into my forehead where he holds a gun to me.

The door slams shut. Only the sounds of Dorian’s labored breathing can be heard over the distant cars, telling me we’re off the freeway.

A gunshot startles Dorian and then an unnerving quiet follows once more.

I don’t move a muscle while he keeps his gun on me.

Glass rains down on my face, and Dorian cries out.

I cover my ears and slip off of his lap, onto the floorboards of the back seat. The gun falls away and Dorian bends forward, gripping his stomach.

“Malik! Fuck!” He reaches out, presumably for the gun, but I pick it up and he pauses, as I aim it at his skull. His eyes track to the right where Jörgen stands outside the car with a second gun aimed at him. “Clever girl.”

“You’re going to tell us where he is. And you’re going to order his release. If you try anything, Jörgen will make sure you suffer before killing you.”

“And Ripley will be dead.” Dorian sits back with a smug grin, but I eye the splotch of blood on his white shirt that calls his bluff. “All I have to do is make one call.”