The door slammed behind him and he realised it had happened a moment too late to react.
In the darkness shadows were stirring, and as his eyes adjusted he saw the bulky shapes that moved within.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
He had been half expecting this. It was ridiculous to think that Caleb would simply let him walk out. Now all he had was to hope that he would still be able to walk out alive.
Weaknesses. His life was filled with them, where he had once been strong and untouchable, now he let weakness touch his life, and he could be broken. And now it seemed he would be. His back, fragile but held straight gave a throb at the anticipation of the pain that was coming. He swallowed, feeling a strange feeling begin to pulse somewhere deep within him. With a flicker of surprise he realised it was fear. And something else. Guilt.
He couldn't deny it. He had wanted Hermes for himself. And if Deronda had given it to him, he would have snatched it. Power. Sweet, heady power. It was his drug, his life source. Blood didn't flow through his veins, ambition did.
He didn't know why he had gone to Deronda. For himself? For Hermes? For Ashleigh? He had a sudden image of her, one hand clasping a glass of wine as red as blood, leaning back in her chair, a slim white arm flung over the back. Her eyes, as dark as coffee gazing at him without fear, filled instead with scorn as he mocked her and her life. His fists involuntarily clenched, as her pink lips taunted him, as she so casually walked away. He had betrayed her. or had he? Was he simply laying bait, forcing Deronda to act instead of hiding away? Or was he making sure Deronda remembered him? He decided it would be a shame if she died, but there would always be casualties. He was sure she could handle herself.
They had had a truce. At least he was fulfilling his side of the deal. Honour among thieves. He had confirmed it was Deronda. He had not underestimated his rival, he was acting exactly as Alec would have. Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer. And crush them the first opportunity you have. He would not have let Deronda walk away, and now Alec faced his punishment for daring to challenge Deronda.
But he knew one thing. One way or another he would destroy Caleb Deronda. Whatever it took.
The shadows were moving closer. It was time to fight.
He lashed out with his fist, feeling it connect with hard muscle. There were two of them, huge and solid. Alec knew he hadn't a hope in hell of getting out of this, but he would not admit defeat so lightly.
He fought like a madman, flooded with adrenaline, using every technique he had ever learnt, and every dirty trick he had picked up along the way. Blood flowed from a split lip, trickled into his eye from a gash in his brow bone, his entire body ached from the vicious blows, but still he fought.
Finally though his arms were caught and pinned behind his back, and he spat blood from his mouth. The other heavy approached, silver glinting on his knuckles. The third blow winded him, he fell to his knees. On the sixth he collapsed to the floor, suddenly released from the bruising support of the heavy holding him.
Blows rained down upon him, until finally the pain ceased, and he fell into the blackness that knew no limits.
Across the city, in the gym of her hotel, Ashleigh upped the level on her running machine. She tried to think of nothing put the pounding of her trainers upon the track, the rhythm of her heart against the rhythm of her stride, and forced Alec Trevelyan from her mind. The final push was coming. She could feel it. And she was ready for it.
