Chapter 45

  Adam turned to face her and wobbled in his chair, vision going fuzzy as the room spun.

  "Hey, I don't know..." Marcus started to say, his face screwed up in annoyance, but Amir cut him off.

  "Let it go Marcus. She knows,” he said, waving his hand dismissively in her direction. "But it's too late for her to do anything about it."

  It was Natalie's turn to look confused and horrified expression bloomed on her face as she saw Samantha nodding off in her chair. She started to reach for her gun, but the unmistakable sound of a shotgun racking stopped her.

  Rashid held the metallic length of death cradled against his shoulder, the muzzle pointed directly at Natalie's chest. She froze, her face registering anger and shock in equal measure, but she slowly returned her hands to her lap.

  "Did you fuck up the dose," Amir asked, glancing at Layla, a sneer on his face.

  "No!" she nearly shouted. "I gave them as much as last time. I don't know how they're still awake. They should be barely alive."

  Adam tried to stand up, his legs slowly remembering how to hold his weight. Rashid twitched the barrel in his direction and they promptly forgot again. "Easy. I think you should just stay put." The fuzziness in Adam's head made it hard to disagree.

  "You screwed something up. She's still wide awake, he's trying to stand up, and the others are just barely dozing." Amir suddenly looked like a different person, the sneer deepening into a snarl.

  "I didn't," Layla insisted. "I was just afraid if I gave them any more they'd stop breathing."

  "Amir, it's fine. Just relax," Marcus said, raising his hands up in a calming gesture.

  "Marcus, shut the fuck up,” Amir spat, turning his ire on Marcus. "Maybe you should spend less time staring at her chest and more time getting her fucking gun. And walk around to the side. The last thing we need is you blocking Rashid's shot again."

  Again? Adam thought, fighting against the fuzziness that had invaded his mind.

  Marcus stayed silent as he walked around the couch, kneeling next to Natalie and reaching toward her.

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  "If you touch anything but the gun, I will fucking castrate you,” Natalie growled, putting extra emphasis on the last word and Adam had no doubts she was serious. "You drugged us? I just thought you were a shitty cook, I mean, I don't know how you screw up noodles and sauce, but now I know why it was bitter."

  Layla looked like she'd been slapped and Amir let out a barking laugh. "I like her. Rashid, if she does anything, blow her girlfriend's head off. Three is still better than none."

  Adam swallowed, watching Natalie freeze while Samantha wobbled in her seat. She turned and almost fell out of the chair. "Nat, don't let them shoot me again. It really hurt last time."

  Natalie stayed still and Marcus removed her gun, tucking it into his belt. "Don't shoot your dick off, asshole." Marcus' face twisted in rage and Adam thought he was going to hit her. Instead, he turned and walked into the kitchen, returning with a roll of duct tape and a thin spool of rope.

  Amir got up and walked over to Natalie, while Marcus tied her hands behind her back. "I have to ask. What gave it away at the end? I know you were suspicious from the start, but something made you sure. What was it?"

  She smirked up at him. "Stephen's wife. You didn't mention her at all, in fact it seemed like you were trying to avoid talking about her."

  "That's it? Just because I didn't mention the fucking wife?" Amir shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose and laughing.

  "The pictures too. You took all of them all down so anyone not from the area would believe it was your house, right? Just in case?" Natalie leaned back as Marcus finished tying her wrists. "You're not as smart as you think you are."

  Amir frowned, staring down at Natalie as if he was trying to decide what to do with her. Without warning, he moved like a snake and drove his fist into her upper stomach. Natalie choked, doubling over and retching. Amir put his other hand on her shoulder and punched her again. Natalie made a strangled choking sound and, chest heaving, struggled for air that wouldn't come. Amir leaned in close to her. "Just for being such a bitch, you'll go last."

  Adam felt a hot bubble of fury well up in his chest, like he'd swallowed a burning coal. He reached for his power, ready to kill Amir, but it had hidden itself somewhere inside, just out of reach, at war with the drugs currently pumping through his veins. It was winning, but not fast enough. He stood up and the edges of the room grew fuzzier.

  "God damn it, Layla. Look at him!" Amir shouted, walking over and shoving him back into the chair. Adam tried to raise his hands, but they moved in slow motion, barely lifting before Amir had pushed him. "I'm sorry Adam. Honestly... you were always a decent guy. But if I have to choose between your people and mine? I'm choosing mine."

  Hector let out a soft snore, his chin touching his chest. "At least you gave him enough." Amir grabbed a handful of Hector's hair and lifted his head up before letting it drop again. "Yeah, he's out."

  He wanted to fight, to get up and pummel Amir to death for the betrayal, and for everything else that was wrong with the world. Natalie met Adam's eyes, still wheezing from the punches. She mouthed a single word: wait. So, he waited.

  Marcus tied their hands together one at a time, wrapping the bindings in duct tape so they couldn't work them loose. Adam felt the first tingles of pins and needles in his finger tips as Marcus finished.

  Amir smirked and opened his arms in a wide welcoming gesture. "Well, now that that's taken care of, you'll probably want to meet Jessica."