recognised it all. I hurried forward on instinct and he stepped aside, gesturing for me to take my pick. I reached for a block of cheese, tearing it open and sinking my teeth into it. A moan left my lips at the delicious taste and I hurried away across the room before he could even think about taking it back. Quentin had loved to play that game. He’d place a whole plate of food in front of me, letting me take a few bites before snatching it away again, eating it himself while I watched. But Nicoli wasn’t going to get the chance to take this from me.
I headed to the corner beside the fire, dropping down onto the hard wood and pressing my back to the wall as I ate my way through the block in savage bites.
Nicoli frowned at me across the room and I ignored him, eating like a feral animal as Tyson lifted his head and licked his lips at my cheese. I bared my teeth at him and the dog cocked his head like he didn’t know what to make of me.
“Do you want some bread with that?” Nicoli half laughed and I scowled at him as he brought over a lump of fresh bread on a plate. There was a sharp knife beside it and as he placed it down before me, I snatched it up, pointing it at him, unable to believe he’d actually given me a weapon. It felt cool and heavy in my palm and gave me a drink of the power I’d thirsted for for so long. I may have been small, but that didn’t matter when you were armed. When you were quick and hungry for blood.
“Woah, woah.” He raised his hands in innocence. “It’s just to cut the cheese with.”
I eyed the block in my hand as Nicoli backed up and my shoulders relaxed. I sliced off a few pieces of the cheese, ripping off a hunk of bread and devouring them together.
Holy hell that’s good.
I groaned in delight, continuing to eat and eat until there was no cheese or bread left and my stomach ached so much I was sure it was going to burst.
When Nicoli wasn’t looking, I pushed the knife up the sleeve of the large check shirt he’d put me in, reassured by the cold lick of the blade against my skin. I’d stabbed Jax in the leg once. He’d dropped the knife he liked to flip in his hand like a cocky idiot and I’d jammed it right into his fat thigh. I’d been delivered to Farley’s fists for it, but it had totally been worthwhile to hear that piggy scream. I could still smell his blood if I thought about it long enough. That memory had gotten me through a lot of tortures. It reminded me that I could make them bleed too, given the opportunity. I would one day get that chance again, and as soon as I did I’d cut deep and find arteries that would spill and spill and spill-
“Do you want any more?” Nicoli asked, perching on the edge of the couch beside his dog.
I shook my head. I couldn’t possibly fit any more in.
“Will you tell me your name, baby doll?” he asked, a note of hope in his voice.
I placed a hand over my throat and shook my head to signal I couldn’t speak. But telling him I had no name either was a little harder.
“Hm,” he grunted. “Well, what will I call you?”
I twisted my lips in thought. My captors had called me plenty of things. Bitch, whore, slut, cunt. But I didn’t really fancy any of those permanently funnily enough.
“Katie?” he guessed and I shook my head. I definitely wasn’t a Katie. Katie sounded like she had her shit together. She probably wore nice dresses and went to the mall on Saturdays. No, that wasn’t me at all.
“Nah, that seems too normal for you anyway,” Nicoli murmured and my brows arched as he mirrored my thoughts.
“What do you like?” he asked and I rolled my eyes.
I can’t answer, dumbass.
He chuckled at my expression and a smile hooked up one side of my lips. Shit, when had I last smiled? Oh yeah, when Jax had choked on his own tongue. Good times.
“Well, you clearly like cheese.” He pointed at the empty wrapper beside me. “Maybe I’ll call you cheddar.”
Tyson barked enthusiastically and I pursed my lips, shaking my head furiously.