“I knew the notes were from him,” I hiss, losing all my self-control. “I fucking knew he was doing that to try to get me out of my place.”

Evan flinches, stunned by my outburst. His shock swiftly vanishes, though, and rage possesses his face.

“You. Will. Not. Speak. To. Me. That. Way.” With his free hand, he strikes me across the face, so hard my ears ring.

Ryler head-butts one of the bodyguards and ends up getting punched in the stomach. He grunts and collapses to his knees with the two large men still restraining him by the arms. They drag him back into the corner and start punching him.

“Stop hurting him!” I cry, my voice and words echoing around us.

I’ve said this before, in the same manner, been in almost the same position. Only instead of Ryler, it was Ellis. I couldn’t see him, but his cries filled the house as my father punished him. And all I did was watch. Watched him suffer because I was afraid.

But no more.

I’m going to be free.

It’s time.

Time to run away.

“You had no right to tell him who I am,” Evan growls, jerking me closer to him. Our faces are so close our foreheads touch, and his breath is hot against my cheek. “And speaking ill of your father like that, to betray the man who raised you… What kind of a daughter are you?”

I have no clue what’s going on. How on earth did my father and Evan find out what I told Ryler? Yes, I expected that it might happen if Ryler chose to tell my father, but if he did, how could he have done it so quickly? There’s no way Ryler had time to tell them unless…

I grind my teeth until my jaw pulsates in pain. Unless that’s what he was doing in the car when he was texting my father.

No, he wouldn’t do that.

Or would he?

I don’t know.

I’m so confused.

Drowning in madness.

Never to breathe again.

No, I won’t go down like this.

I’m going to fight.

“Now you have to pay.” Evan raises his hand between us, his fingers wrapped around a syringe.

“I won’t be punished again!” I shout, wrenching my arm away while bringing my knee up to kick him. “The scar on my side is enough. I’ve paid enough.”

My foot collides with Evan’s shin, and his fingers slip from my arm as he lets out a sequence of curses. I skitter around him and sprint toward the open door leading into the house, but one of the bodyguards clotheslines me with his arm and my legs flip out from under me.

I collapse to the ground, and my head hits the concrete as the world starts to spin in bright colors and odd shapes. My neck throbs in pain as my lungs battle to get oxygen.

“I tried to warn you,” Ellis’ voice fills my head. “I’m so sorry, Emery. I knew they were coming for you, just like they did with me.”

Evan appears above me, red faced and enraged. For the first time since we met, he doesn’t seem so beautiful. He seems ugly and horrid. Flaws, flaws, flaws for the entire world to see.

“I hate you,” I choke out as he snatches ahold of my arm. “And one day, I’m going to make you pay for this.”

“That’s a big threat for such a hollow, pathetic girl.” He plunges the needle into my forearm.

Like a match struck, my veins ignite with white-hot pain. “No… I’m… going… to… be… free…

“No, you won’t,” Evan says through my cries, smiling, smiling, smiling, as if he’s wholly enjoying my pain. “No matter what you want, you’ll still end up with me, Emery. Your life has never been your own. My plans for our future together will happen. Now, down, down the rabbit hole you go.”

My flesh scorches like melting wax as I’m dragged into the darkness of my own mind.

Down, down the rabbit hole indeed.

Chapter 15

The Secrets of Butterflies are About to Fly Free

Ryler

The instant Emery slips into unconsciousness, Evan’s bodyguards free me from their hold. I stumble from my knees and stride across the garage, heading straight for Evan, ready to slam my fist into his face.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he warns as he straightens his legs and stands up. He has the syringe in his hand and a pleased grin on his face. “You know who I am now; therefore, I’m pretty sure you can guess the consequences of so much as laying a finger on me.”

Even though it kills me, I grind to a halt. If I go after him, his bodyguards are going to kill me. Revenge can’t go down like this. It has to be more discreet. But it’s going to happen.

What was that? I mouth to Evan.

“Just a little drug my father invented,” he says, eyeing me over. “Don’t worry. It didn’t kill her. It has a little bit of heroin in it so she’ll be out for a while. But she should wake up in a few hours as good as new.” He starts for the door again, but pauses at the steps. “Although, her mind might be a little off whack. At least, that’s what happens in most of the patients my father tested the drug on.”

My eyes widen. Wait, what?

He rolls his eyes. “Don’t worry. It’s only short-term. Just long enough for her to learn her lesson to keep her fucking mouth shut.”

My fingers curl into fists. What I wouldn’t do to be able to beat the shit out of him, but like with Ben, if I hit Evan, things aren’t going to go in my favor. I need to be careful, yet still bring that fucking asshole down.

Evan glances at Emery lying on the floor, then looks over at his bodyguards. “Put her in the car,” he orders. “Doc said to let Ryler drive her home.” He seems irked as hell about that.