The sharp, rhythmic click of designer stilettos echoed against the concrete floor. Coretta stepped into the dim light filtering through the broken skylight. She wore a pristine, cream-colored haute couture trench coat. Not a single speck of dust marred the expensive fabric.
Coretta stopped right in front of her. A soft, melodic laugh spilled from her lips. It was the same laugh she used at charity galas.
Then, Coretta raised her foot and brought the pointed heel of her stiletto down hard on Ginny's right hand.
Bones crunched. The sound was sickeningly loud in the empty space.
Ginny clamped her jaw shut. Her teeth ground together so hard her gums bled. She refused to scream. She just stared up at the woman she had called her sister for ten years. The mask of the perfect, loving sibling was entirely gone, replaced by a twisted, ugly sneer.
Coretta crouched down. The hem of her coat brushed the filthy floor. She pulled a hunting knife from her pocket. The cold, flat side of the steel blade slapped against Ginny's cheek.
"Still playing the tough girl, Ginny?" Coretta whispered.
Ginny jerked her head away. She thrashed against the pillar. The chains rattled, a harsh, clanking noise that bounced off the corrugated metal walls. The iron tore deeper into her wrists. Warm blood slid down her forearms. She could not break free.
Footsteps sounded from the shadows behind Coretta.
A man stepped into the light. He wore a perfectly tailored charcoal suit. He raised a silver lighter to his mouth and lit a thick cigar. The orange cherry glowed in the gloom.
Brant.
Ginny's stomach plummeted. The air left her lungs. Her chest tightened so violently she thought her ribs might snap. This was the man she was supposed to marry. The man she loved.
Brant walked forward. He did not look at Ginny. He wrapped his arm around Coretta's waist, pulled her flush against his chest, and lowered his head. He kissed her. It was a deep, hungry kiss.
Ginny's throat closed up. She couldn't breathe.
Brant pulled back from Coretta and finally looked down at Ginny. His eyes were flat, devoid of any emotion.
"I only needed the core code, Ginny," Brant said. His voice was steady, businesslike. "You were just the key to the vault. Nothing more."
The words hit her physical body harder than the chains. Her breath hitched. Hot, stinging tears welled in her eyes. They spilled over her lashes, mixing with the blood on her cheeks, dripping down her chin to stain her torn shirt.
Coretta looked down at the tears. Her jaw tightened. The smug satisfaction in her eyes morphed into sharp, sudden jealousy. Even beaten, bloody, and chained like a dog, Ginny still had the face that made men stop and stare.
Coretta's grip on the knife tightened. Her knuckles turned white.
She slashed the blade downward.
The razor-sharp edge sliced through the skin of Ginny's left cheek. The cut was deep, running from her cheekbone to her jaw. Hot blood instantly gushed from the wound, pouring down her neck.
The physical shock of the pain severed the emotional cord in Ginny's chest. The tears stopped.
Ginny looked at Coretta. A low, raspy sound vibrated in Ginny's throat. It grew louder, echoing in the warehouse. She was laughing. It was a chilling, hollow sound.
Coretta's face flushed red with rage. She pulled her arm back and slapped Ginny across the face. The force of the blow snapped Ginny's head to the side.
Brant stepped back into the shadows. He returned a second later, carrying a large, heavy red plastic jug. He set it down next to Coretta.
Coretta unscrewed the black cap. She lifted the heavy jug and tipped it forward.
Thick, amber liquid splashed over Ginny's head. It soaked her hair, ran into her eyes, and saturated her clothes. The harsh, chemical stench of gasoline burned Ginny's nostrils. It filled her lungs, making her gag.
Coretta dropped the empty jug. It bounced on the concrete.
Brant took the cigar from his mouth. He pulled a heavy, windproof metal lighter from his pocket. He flicked the lid open with his thumb.
A bright blue flame shot up.
Brant didn't hesitate. He tossed the lighter onto the gasoline-soaked concrete at Ginny's feet.
The ignition was instantaneous. A massive wall of orange fire erupted upward with a loud whoosh. The heat hit Ginny's face like a physical blow.
Coretta and Brant turned their backs. They walked toward the heavy metal exit doors, their laughter barely audible over the roaring flames.
The heavy iron doors slammed shut. The deadbolt clicked into place.
The fire crawled up Ginny's legs. The fabric of her pants melted into her skin. The pain was absolute. It overrode every nerve ending in her body. Her flesh blistered and cracked. The smell of her own burning skin filled her nose.
She threw her head back. She stared up at the broken skylight, watching the black smoke billow toward the night sky. Her throat was raw.
If I get another life, she thought, the words burning in her mind, I will tear you both apart piece by piece.
The superheated air scorched her windpipe. Her lungs seized. She could no longer draw in oxygen.
The flames climbed higher, wrapping around her chest, her neck, her face. Her vision went completely black.
Her heart gave one final, violent thud against her ribs. Then, it stopped.
The agonizing heat vanished. The crushing weight of the chains disappeared. Ginny felt a strange, weightless sensation. She looked down. She was floating ten feet in the air, staring at her own burning body.