Page 38 of Caging Liberty

“’Kay, come on,” Sawyer says, turning me toward the doorway. He moves his arm but keeps his hand on my back as he prods me out of the room. As soon as he shuts the door behind us, I jerk away from his touch.

He huffs and shakes his head before he faces the other end of the hall and strides that way. I glance around the empty hallway, not in any hurry to follow Sawyer. He acts just as Mr. A did last night, leaving me as if he couldn’t care less whether I come with him.

I bite my cheek and jog after him, slowing to a fast walk as I catch up.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“You didn’t seriously think I was going to be cool with you and April bunking together, did you?”

“Her name is Naomi, and that didn’t answer my question.”

Sawyer slows to a stop and cracks his neck like he’s already had a long day. He closes his eyes, letting out a slow breath, and when his eyes open, there’s anger there. He pushes me into the wall and wraps his hands around my neck, not squeezing enough to cut off my air supply but enough to send fear shooting down my spine. My eyes widen, and my lips part.

“Do you want to know a secret, Ivy?”

When I don’t answer, his grip on my throat tightens. “Hmm?” My lungs constrict, and panic sets in. He only squeezes my throat for a few seconds, but it’s enough to send adrenaline pumping into my veins.

He loosens his hold, and I gasp, clasping his hand and trying to pull it away from me. He doesn’t budge.

I bob my head with the little slack he gives me while forcing myself to calm down and put my hands at my sides.

“Yes,” I say when his stern glare tells me he isn’t satisfied with the nod.

“I don’t like to hurt women. I know you probably don’t believe that, but it’s true. It’d make my job so easy if I did. All it would take is some heroin and a few punches for even a feisty girl like you to fall in line.”

“But my secret,” he says, leaning closer to me, his eyes as cold as I’ve seen them, “is that I really,reallywant to hurt you. You had me convinced you were coming around, and I’ve wanted to fuck you for a long time, but honestly, I’m over that. Now all I want to do is hold your head under water until the bubbles stop. The only thing stopping me is my friend, who still thinks you’re fuckable.”

When he cuts off my air supply again, my hands fly up to his grasp on my throat. I dig my nails into his hand, but it only makes him squeeze harder.

“But the second your bad attitude bores him,” he goes on, “I’m gonna choke you just like this while I fuck you, and I’m going to carry the look in your dead fucking eyes with me as a memento for the rest of my life.”

He lets go of me and takes a step back.

I bend over in a coughing fit and try to suck in air. At first, this seems to only fuel the coughing, but eventually, the fire in my lungs goes out, and I’m left bent over with tears running down my cheeks and my hands on my neck as if they could protect it.

“Or,” Sawyer says, his voice infused with a humorous warmth that was missing ten seconds ago. “You could try not being such a dumb little bitch, and maybe I’ll change my mind. Who knows, maybe if you play nice, you and I will even be friends by the time Mr. A is done with you. We’ll see.”

I watch my tears drip onto the tiled floor. My body shakes, a sob rocking my chest.

I don’t dare look up at Sawyer. Until now, he hasn’t been the one to hurt me. That was Julio’s job.

And now I’m pretty sure Julio’s dead.

I didn’t think through what the consequences of Mr. A’s actions on my behalf would be, but it’s crystal clear that Sawyer is tired of me. Or pissed at me. Or hates me. I don’t know how deep his negative emotions go, but I believe every word he said.

He’s going to kill me.

Another sob barrels out of me, and I flinch when Sawyer takes my chin and guides me to look at him. I stand up straight and suck my lip between my teeth to keep it from trembling.

“Do we understand each other?” he asks, brushing tears off my cheeks with his knuckles.

I nod.

“Good.” Sawyer takes my head in his hands and leans in close. “Now… What’s that girl’s name?”

I swallow but barely hesitate to answer. “April.”

A smile blooms across his face, and it strikes me as unusually sincere. Like he finally believes he’s won.