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ALINA’S POV.

The man did, and what I saw made me scream.

I hid my face in Lucian’s chest, trying to rid myself of the image of the tongueless mouth.

Lucian rubbed his hand up and down my back softly.

“He is the one. Trust me, I watched the surveince footage.” He assured me.

“Did you do that to him?” I asked almost hesitantly.

“No,” Lucian’s voice was hard. “Although I wish I could have had the pleasure.” He added so coldly I shivered.

Thinking I was cold, he pulled away from me, took off his suit jacket, and wrapped it around me.

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I knew Lucian would never hurt me… but I couldn’t help being scared of him in that very moment.

“Why is he here though?” My tone was soft as I looked up at him.

“Because I want him to pay for hurting you. And I wanted you to be able to leave the house without worries or fear that he’s in the shadows watching.” Although his tone was hard, my heart melted.

“Is this what you’ve been busy with these past couple of days?”

“Yes.” His response made a wave of guilt hit me.

Here I was, upset because he hadn’t been around much in the mansion, meanwhile, he was out there trying to make sure the streets were safe for me to walk on.

“I’m sorry.” I apologized as tears welled up in my eyes.

His expression shifted to one of confusion.

“You don’t have to be sorry. He should be sorry for what he did to you, not the other way around.” His cold voice spoke.

What he didn’t know was that I was apologizing for something else entirely.

I had a lot of questions to ask, like why the man did what he did, and who sent him, but I didn’t want to stay in the same room with him anymore. Besides, it’s not like he could answer me now… not with his tongue missing.

“Can I leave?” I asked softly, almost pleadfully.

“Of course. But first, tell me what you want done to him.” He nodded toward the man on his knees, who had had his head lowered, in shame?, since I walked in.

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“I want him to suffer… and not be able to hurt anybody else ever again.” My tone was almost as cold as Lucian’s.

Lucian nodded.

“Take him to The Ridge, make sure he is put in block D.” Lucian ordered. I had no idea what that was, but the way the man’s eyes widened in dread told me it couldn’t be good. “But first, make sure he’s made a scapegoat for anyone that has the dumb thought of trying to cross me.” Lucian’s tone held a cold warning.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the cold, steel walls of what I now liked to call the dungeon.

Later that night, Lucian received a call and left, and I quickly called Talia. Something had been bothering me all day.

“Did you get my text?” I asked as soon as she picked up.

“Yes. My question is, how did you know about The Ridge?” She sounded a little scared.

“Lucian mentioned it today. What do you know about it?” I enquired.

If anyone knew something about anything, it was Talia.

“Lockridge Penitentiary. The city’s most feared correctional facility,” Talia started. “It’s known on the streets simply as The Ridge. It’s where the city buries its monsters, heavyweights, contract killers, snitches-turned-liabilities… and anyone who crossed the wrong gang one too many times.” Her voice took an ominous tone. “Lockridge is split into blocks, each one worse than thest. Block D, aka Deadside, is solitary for the lifers, the damaged, and the never-getting-out types.”

I adjusted in bed as though I were listening to a scary bedtime story, my heart racing in fear.

“Some say if you survive Lockridge, you don’te out clean… youe out colder, meaner, and twice as dangerous,” She whispered. “Whispers say inmates have their ownws in there, and even the guards answer to the top dogs and rumor has it that only one person who went in managed toe out, and now runs the ce.”

“Who?” My voice trembled, even though I already had a good idea who that is.

“Your fiancé. Mr. ckwood.” She mentioned the name I had already guessed.

Even after my call ended with Talia, I couldn’t sleep. I only had one thought in

Who exactly is Lucian ckwood?

my mind.

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