'Kill her.'

Patrick froze at his command. Good, that will teach him to think he has the upper hand against Bane. This man threatened to reveal their plans to the world. He would learn that Bane didn't appreciate being blackmailed. His sacrifice and years of hard work would not be foiled by some two-bit hacker.

"What's going on?" Grace panicked in his hold.

"Your brother is about to kill you." Bane whispered against her ear.

"No! Patrick, don't!" Grace screamed as she struggled in Bane's hold. "Please!"

"No way! I'm not killing my own sister. What would that prove?" Patrick was growing flustered.

"It is what must be done." "He tightened his grip on Grace. "It is expected of the initiated."

"But-but you…she's… I can't…" Patrick began swaying slightly. He looked like he was about to faint.

"Patrick please-" Bane covered her mouth.

Tears streamed down her face.

"I thought you wanted to become initiated?" Bane goaded him. He walked Grace closer to Patrick. She tried to stamp on his feet, but it was nothing to Bane. "You must complete the ultimate task if you wish to join us." Bane even tilted her chin up to expose her neck. Grace whined behind his hand.

Patrick's hand shook as he held the dagger. He could see the turmoil behind his eyes.

"I can't kill her." He dropped the dagger. "I won't do it."

Just as he suspected. He knew Patrick would never harm his sister.

Grace deflated slightly as the dagger fell. She was still tense in his arms. It wasn't over yet.

"Well, maybe you are not the selfish bastard I thought you were." Bane smirked under the mask.

"Let her go. Please?" He begged.

"Delete whatever blackmail material you think you have." He didn't release Grace yet. In fact, he brought her closer to his body. He could feel her shaking uncontrollably.

Patrick's jaw tightened.

"Fine. But then you'll let us go?"

"Possibly. But are you really in the position to bargain, Mr Fitzgerald?"

With a tearful sigh, Patrick shook his head.

"And if you try anything, you will find her in pieces." Grace whimpered against his hand.

"I get it! I'll do it." Patrick shouted and walked over to his station.

Barsad was at his heels as he watched the man deactivate a countdown timer. 1 hour 57 minutes until the world knew about Talia and the plan. That was a close call.

"There, I've shut down the domain." He showed the 404-error code indicating the website no longer existed. "Now, let Grace go."

With a confirmation nod from Barsad and a further check from Jaques to see if there were any duplicate files, Bane kept an eye on the resourceful Patrick. His eyes never left his sister's. He could feel the tears dripping over his hands.

"It's gone." Jaques confirmed.

"Are you sure?" Bane wouldn't be fooled again.

"Positive, boss."

"Very well."

With a nod from Bane, they grabbed Patrick.

"What the fuck!" He struggled against the two men.

"We do not tolerate rats." Jaques explained as he pushed Patrick down to kneel.

"You said you'd let us go!" He shouted at Bane.

"And you believed me?" Bane quirked a brow at him. He took his hand away from Grace's mouth. She took a deep breath and deflated against him. "I have no use for traitors in my team. You are no longer worth what you cost to feed." Patrick's struggles intensified. "Say goodbye to your brother, Grace." He whispered against her ear.

Jaques took out his own dagger and held it aloft.

Patrick's eyes widened at the sight of the dagger.

"Wait! Please don't do this. BANE!" Grace pleaded in his hold.

"It is no use my dear." He spoke softly. "Your brother did this to himself."

Patrick managed to push back against Barsad and move away from Jaques.

"Don't kill him. Please. I'll do anything." She begged.

"You have nothing to offer, my dear."

Patrick was back in their grip.

"Please!" She struggled in his hold. "I'll do anything you want! I'll come to your room every night!" She shouted.

At that, everyone seemed to pause what they were doing to stare at Grace and Bane.

Bane froze. His mind was still reeling from when she refused to go to his room. Now he may have the chance to sleep peacefully again.

"The hell you will!" Patrick shouted. The knife rested against his neck enough to draw a drop of blood.

His mind settled on an idea. One he wasn't proud of, but one that would cause Patrick the most misery.

"I am afraid the service you provided before isn't equal to what you're asking of me." His hands, rather than just resting on her waist, began stroking the skin that peaked out from her top.

More tears trailed down her cheeks.

His thumb brushed back and forth on her stomach, drawing up her shirt little by little.

"Please, I'll do anything." She whispered.

"Anything?" He let the question hang in the air, only to watch Patrick foam at the mouth.

Even Barsad looked a little uncomfortable.

She turned over the connotation in her mind.

"Yes, anything. Just don't hurt him. I'm begging you." She whispered.

He spun her around to face him.

Her eyes shone with tears.

"You would give yourself to me, for the life of your brother?" The back of his hand lightly grazed her cheek.

She didn't flinch, which was a first.

"I'd do anything to save him." She looked up at him with such a determined look. He was almost impressed by her resolve.

"You are fortunate to have such a willing sister." Bane looked over her head at Patrick. His hands travelled up her back.

"You so much as lay a hand on her again and I'll-"

A rip sounded through the air.

Grace flinched as Bane ripped open the back of her top.

Her bare back was on display, but he allowed her to stay close to his body for protection. He noticed several of his men watching on with curious eyes.

"My apologies, you were saying?" He allowed his hand to slowly explore the soft skin of her back.

"You said you wouldn't harm her." Patrick yelled.

"Does she look harmed?"

"Grace!"

"I'm okay, Patrick." She shuddered against Bane's chest.

"Take Mr Fitzgerald away. Put him somewhere he can reflect on his actions and their consequences." Barsad nodded and along with Jaques brought a struggling Patrick out of the area.

"Grace, you don't have to do this! You don't have to go through this again!" His screams echoed around them.

Bane watched them leave. He continued to hold Grace against his body.

She trembled slightly.

"Come now, my dear. No need to cry." He tilted up her tear-stained face. So sad, yet still so beautiful. "We have much to discuss."

Xxx

"You are quite lovely when you cry."

Grace only let out more tears. That was possibly the most frightening moment of her life. Patrick had obviously done something bad to piss off Bane.

When he took her from the room, he had practically flung Grace over his shoulder within a few seconds of the door opening. She didn't know what to do when she was being carried. She kept asking 'what's going on?' But he ignored every question until she was placed in front of Patrick.

"You told him to kill me." She whispered.

"I did." Bane felt eyes on them. There were still several of the men watching the scene with apt curiosity. He gave them a look to disperse. It was quickly followed and they were now alone. "But I knew he would not follow through."

"So you put me in danger to prove a point?" Grace tried to back away from him. If that was true, that was so cruel and sadistic of him.

"Your brother needed to learn his place. You were never in danger. That is the only thing that matters."

"But Patrick-"

"We should head somewhere more private, Grace." His hand touched her bare back. She had to remind herself to stop flinching when he touched her. Her nerves were still on fire from when he ripped open her top. It was degrading and terrifying.

She did her best to keep her torn shirt from falling down.

Grace almost said thank you when he wrapped his jacket around her shoulders.

She allowed him to lead her through the compound. She heard what were surely the sounds of her brother punching a door in anger. His yells echoed.

"Do not worry, my dear. He will be kept safe thanks to you."

She couldn't speak. She wasn't sure what she got herself into.

They passed Barsad.

She almost wanted him to step in and save her. But he averted his eyes, and she felt the little sense of camaraderie they had developed fade into nothing. Maybe it was just as well. He probably would have killed Patrick if he had the knife.

"Here we are." She looked up and they were at her room.

He allowed her to walk in first. She was tempted to just run into the bathroom and keep the door closed to hide away.

But ultimately that wouldn't stop him, and it might make things worse for her.

Once the door was closed, she stood, waiting for something.

When she bargained for her brother's life, she only meant to resume their previous arrangement. She sang and he slept.

But it seems Bane realised that he had the upper hand. He could get more than she was willing to offer.

And while he didn't explicitly say…sex, it was like the elephant in the room.

She was almost expecting him to just push her on the ground and take her. But another part of her mind couldn't see him doing that.

When a scrap of fabric was held out to her she couldn't stop the confused look that spread over her face.

"Get dressed."

"But...?" She looked from the fabric to the man holding it out to her.

"You believe that I will rape you?"

She blanched at his cavalier tone.

"I-I… thought that you…"

"I may be many things, Miss Fitzgerald. I am a murderer, a thief and a bastard, but I am not a rapist." He threw the fabric at her.

He almost seemed disgusted at the idea.

Now she was confused. Back in the main area, the way he spoke and acted all pointed to them having sex in exchange for Patrick's life.

"But Patrick thinks-"

"Your brother has created his own suffering which is manifested by imagining your suffering at my hands."

So he wanted Patrick to think she was being raped?

"That's barbaric." She admonished him.

"Would you prefer I do all the vile things your brother is imagining?"

"No!" She automatically backed up in fear. He raised a brow. "Sorry I just… you have to understand that I thought…"

"I know, my dear. It was all for show."

"But I felt something at my…" She stopped speaking. She couldn't finish the sentence.

"Yes?"

"When you were holding me, I felt…" She didn't imagine it. That feeling would be forever burned into her memory. "Never mind, I must just be stressed." She moved to the bathroom to change.

Once the door was closed, she took a series of deep breaths.

Oh god. Patrick almost died. They were going to cut his throat. She had to do something to try and save him.

In a way, she did believe Bane when he said he wasn't a rapist. But Grace was convinced that when he was pressed against her, that she could feel something at her lower back.

It made her believe his proposition was genuine.

That man had no qualms about torturing her brother or even putting her life in danger. It's not the biggest stretch to think he wouldn't try to force her to have sex.

A knock sounded at the door.

"We must speak."

"Okay, I'll be out in a minute.

She quickly put on the new top.

She took a deep breath before exiting.

He was sitting on her bed and patted the seat next to him.

She sat down, but not where he indicated.

"I know you have been through a lot these past few weeks. I will commend you for your bravery back there. Your brother needed to be taught his place." Bane's hands twitched. She subtly moved an inch away. He noticed, but didn't comment. "Rest assured, I do not intend to violate you. However, it is prudent that we keep up appearances for the benefit of your brother and the other men."

"Okay…what does that mean?"

"It means that when we leave this room," His eyes drifted down to her lips. "You are mine. No one else is allowed to be near you."

Grace swallowed slightly.

"What about Barsad?"

Bane's eyes narrowed for a moment.

"If I am not around, Barsad will attend to you."

"Okay." Grace sighed in relief. Barsad was the closest thing she had to a friend here. But that wasn't saying much.

"You will come to my room, and I may keep you there for longer than before. I will still have you sing as per our previous arrangement."

Grace nodded.

"What about my brother?"

"He will be safe."

"Will I be allowed to see him?"

"No."

Her eyes became blurred with tears.

"Why? You allowed us to see each other before."

"Your brother knows too much. If he were to warn you, then I would have no choice but to kill him… and then you."

"And you won't…with me?"

"I do not find pleasure in the unwilling." He stood and made his way to the door. "But who knows what the future holds."

And with that, he left.