THE LINE OF THINNESS

Samantha's POV As I battled to keep my eyes open, the globe whirled about me. Though my head felt weighty and my body weak, I pushed myself to concentrate. At first all I could make sense of was the cold floor under me and the low light overhead. Then I heard it—Jared's voice, that silky, irritating tone that always contained a coating of danger. "Oh, nice. You are conscious. I blinked, attempting to push through the fog covering my head. Jared was in front of me, sloppily leaning against a table, his eyes shining with contentment. Though my limbs were slow and the traces of whatever they had done to knock me out still weighed me down, I battled to move. "Where is Adrian?" I rasped, dry in the throat. Jared grinned, as though the question delighted him. "Don't worry; he is still alive. For now. But you, especially Well, that relies on your degree of cooperation. I bit hard, the anxiety squeezing my chest. Alan. I had to track him to see whether he was alright. But I knew better than to expect Jared would let us escape; I was caught here under his influence. "You're making a mistake, Jared," I murmured, my voice smoother than I felt. "This won't finish the way you hope it will." Jared laughed, the sound low and sarcastic. "Oh, Samantha, you still find great belief in your ability to outmaneuver me. I am usually one step ahead, though. I shot him, the fury searing through the terror. "Is that why you needed Alex to handle your messy chores?" Jared's smile wavered, just momentarily, and I knew I had touched a chord. His relationship with Alex was brittle, based more on convenience than trust. Still, it was insufficient to throw him off. He straightened, his gaze hardening as he moved in front of. "Alex has his part to perform," Jared remarked sharply. "But don't panic; your brother will get paid for his allegiance. unlike you. I closed my fists; the betrayal was still fresh. Alex had pledged to support me, to shield me, but ultimately he had chosen power above family. Not now, though, could I let myself linger on that. I had to get out and get to Adrian before it was too late. For a minute, Jared looked at me as though he was deciding whether I was worthy of life. As he considered his alternatives, I could see the computation in his eyes—the wheels spinning. One thing, though, I knew for sure: Jared never made judgments driven only by sentiment. He created them according to his most likely benefit. "I have a proposal for you," Jared stated, his voice changing to one of business-like exactness. Something that might save your life. I ignored the leg weakness and pushed myself to sit up straight. "I'm not interested." Jared's smile came back, but it missed his eyes. " You haven't even heard of it yet." He bent in, speaking softly as though he were presenting me a gift. You stroll away from all of this. Leave Adrian to me; I will make sure you never have to worry about him—or anybody else—again. The idea turned my tummy upside down. Leave Adrian, then? The man who had put all on line to shield me? The man who, in spite of all, had turned into the only person I could really trust? Not exactly. That did not present a choice. I said, "You're out of your mind if you think I'd ever agree to that," my voice is more forceful now. Jared groaned, as though let down by my denial. Samantha, you are making this harder than it ought to be. You may lead a life free of all this. You only have to walk away. I fixated on him, the insight sinking in. He found it incomprehensible. What Adrian meant to me, what we had gone through, escaped him. People were to be exploited and thrown away, pawns in a game, according to Jared. But Adrian lacked the pawn quality. Among those who had never treated me like I was disposable was him. "You're the one not understanding it," I responded, my voice quiet but sharp. Adrian and I—whatever happens—we are in this together. Jared's face stiffened, his patience vanishing. Then you leave me without an option. Jared turned and indicated someone behind him before I could respond. Two of his guys entered the room when the door opened. Their faces blank, they came at me and grabbed my arms, dragging me to my feet. Though my body was still too weak from the medications they had used to knock me unconscious, I battled and they were too strong. "Take her to the holding cell," Jared muttered, his voice devoid of feeling. "I will personally deal with Adrian." As I was hauled out of the room, the walls closing in all around me, panic shot through me. I have to work out how to stop this. I forbade Jared from approaching Adrian. But I understood just how bad things had gotten as I was carried down a tight corridor and dumped into a tiny, windowless chamber. The door shut behind me, the sound resonating in the little room. I staggered forward, catching myself on the edge of a metal cot shot to the ground. The walls were naked, and the sole illumination came from an overhead low-power lamp. My heart raced, my mind whirled as I considered a way out. But there was nowhere to turn around. I felt actually imprisoned for the first time since all of this had begun. I had no way of supporting Adrian, who was out there confronting Jared by himself. Though I tried myself to keep calm by inhaling deeply, the terror threatened to overwhelm me. Panic wouldn't be beneficial. I had to pause to consider. I dropped onto the cot, trying to put together a strategy while head in hands. Though Jared felt he had won, there had to be a way to flip the odds. Something I could do to reach Adrian before it was too late had to be done. And suddenly it came to me. Though I detested depending on him, particularly given all he had done, he remained my brother. And even with his treachery, I knew—however little—there was a part of him still loving me. He would object to me dying. at least not yet. Rising, I paced the small room trying to find out how to get to him. Alex hated being under control, while Jared had it. If I could get to him, perhaps I might persuade him to assist me. To halt Jared before things got too far. Though it was a long shot, all I had was that. The sound of the door unlocking jumbled me out of consciousness. Turning, my heart thumping, the door cracked open. Jared was not involved. Alex went first. He entered and locked the door behind him with an unclear look. We just looked at one another for a minute, the stillness weighty between us. He then finally spoke. His voice low, he replied, "You're deeper than I thought." I tried to control my feelings by swallowing hard. "Alex, you were free from doing this. You never had to turn on me. He groaned and ran a hand over his hair. " Sam, it's not that straightforward. You have always kept everything quite black and white. But the world does not run like that. "Don't give me that," I said, the resentment boiling up once more. You really resemble Jared. If it would mean gaining what you desire, you would sell anyone. Alex's eyes furrowed, and for a few seconds I considered he could lose it. Rather, though, he simply shook his head, a sorrowful grin flickering across his lips. "You know nothing about what I desire. I stepped forward, desperation shaking my voice. "Then assist me." Help me to stop him before it is too late. He fixed me, his expression tightening. AND why would I do that? "Because despite all, you are still my brother," I murmured, my voice faltering. And I know you would not want me dead. Alex said nothing for a protracted period. I could see the struggle in his eyes—that between ambition and loyalty. He had always been complex, but deep down he was not totally lost. And right then I was depending on that side of him. And at last he sighed heavily. "You are correct." Your death is not what I want. Though brief, relief came over me. Alex's demeanor stayed wary, his next words freezing me to the very bone. Still, saving you means betraying Jared. He murmured softly. "And that line I'm not sure I'm ready to cross." The weight of his words dropped over me and I understood how narrow the line was separating survival from treachery. Alex had the key to halt Jared, but his allegiance was recursively fragile. And I wasn't sure if I could gently guide him from the brink.