I gather saliva in my mouth and spit it directly at Tommy's face.
The crack of his hand across my cheek echoes through the warehouse. This time, the force of it nearly knocks me and the chair over. My vision blurs, and I taste more blood.
"Stupid bitch," he snarls, wiping my spit from his cheek. "Marcus, Ethan, come here."
Two men emerge from the shadows. I recognize them vaguely, men from Tommy's crew, guys who've always resented the Saints' dominance in the territory.
"Rough her up a bit," Tommy orders. "But don't kill her. Not yet. I want her alive when Devil gets here."
The first punch to my ribs drives all the air from my lungs. The second makes me see stars. They work methodically, taking turns, careful not to hit anywhere that might cause immediate unconsciousness. My face, my ribs, my arms, everywhere burns with sharp, radiating pain.
"Devil's going to tear you apart," I gasp out between blows. "All of you."
"Keep talking," Marcus grunts, landing another punch to my stomach. "Makes this more fun."
But I do keep talking, because it's the only weapon I have left. "You think you know him, but you don't. You think you can take on the Saints? You're dead men walking."
Tommy watches from a few feet away, occasionally giving instructions. "Hit her again. No, not the face, I want her conscious."
The pain is becoming a constant throb, everything blurring together. My left eye is swelling shut, and I can barely breathe through my nose. But I hold onto my anger, my certainty that Devil will come for me. He has to.
"Getting tired yet?" Tommy asks, signaling for his men to stop. "Ready to admit that maybe your husband isn't the hero you thought he was?"
"Go to hell," I wheeze.
He sighs theatrically. "You know, Daniela, this could have been so much easier. If your husband had just stayed out of my business, none of this would be happening. But he had to play the big man, didn't he? Had to show everyone who's boss."
"He is the boss," I manage to say. "And when he gets here…"
"When he gets here, I'm going to put a bullet in his head. Right in front of you. Then I'm going to finish what we started with you." Tommy checks his watch. "Speaking of which, he should be here soon. I made sure to leave a nice little trail for him to follow."
A new fear creeps in. What if this is a trap? What if Tommy's expecting Devil, planning an ambush? My husband is good, the best, but if he's walking into a setup...
"You set him up," I realize aloud.
"Of course I did. You think I'm stupid? I know he'll come for you. It's what makes him predictable." Tommy pulls out his phone. "And according to my guy watching the road, he's about five minutes out."
The fear and pain are making it hard to think clearly, but I have to warn Devil somehow. Have to let him know it's a trap. But I'm tied to a chair in the middle of a warehouse, beaten half to death, with armed men watching my every move.
"Jake, get up in the loft," Tommy orders. "Marcus, you take the side entrance. When they come through that main door, we light them up."
No. This can't happen. I won't let Devil walk into this.
With what little strength I have left, I start screaming. "Devil it's a trap! Tommy's…"
Marcus slams his fist into my temple, and the world tilts sideways. My vision goes dark around the edges, consciousness slipping away like water through my fingers.
The last thing I hear before everything goes black is the sound of motorcycle engines in the distance, getting closer.
Then I'm floating in darkness, aware of nothing but pain and the desperate hope that somehow, Devil will be okay. That somehow, this won't end the way Tommy wants it to.
I'm not sure how long I'm out, could be seconds, could be minutes, but I'm pulled back to consciousness by the sound of gunfire. Sharp, rapid cracks that echo off the warehouse walls like thunder.
My eyes flutter open, and through the haze of pain and confusion, I see chaos.
The main door has been blown off its hinges. Smoke fills the air, and muzzle flashes light up the darkness like deadly fireworks. I can hear Devil's voice roaring over the gunfire, shouting orders to his men.
"Dani? Where is she?"
