"Then you understand things work differently for me here."
But I also knew I was safe at the moment. He couldn't do anything. "I haven't been Corded."
"You think a mark on your arm changes everything? You are here living under our protection. Corded or not, you belong to the Sray."
"No." I shook my head. "I don't belong to anyone."
"Is that so?" He cupped my chin with his hand. "You really think that?"
"Yes." I shook his hand away.
He started to undo his belt, and I shook. This wasn't happening. Not now.
I kicked him as hard as I could between his legs. He fell to the ground. I pressed every button I could trying to get the elevator to move. It did nothing. He reached for my ankle, trying to pull me down. I pressed another button, and suddenly it opened.
"What the hell?" Ethan stepped into the elevator.
I ran to his side half out of old habit and half out of relief someone was there.
"Get out of here, Ethan. This bitch will pay."
"Pay for what?" Ethan stepped in front of me. "Surely she didn't leave you in that condition for no good reason."
"Don't forget who you're talking to." The man seethed.
"Or what? What did you think you were going to do, Greer? Have her first? Don't you think Mason would have been angry at you?"
"Like he would have known."
"He would have … and he will if you don't get off this elevator right now." Ethan squeezed my arm. I wasn't sure what the motion meant, but all I could do was stare.
Greer walked away but not without glaring at me. He pointed at me. "You will pay for that. I assure you, you will pay."
Ethan glanced over his shoulder before hurriedly pressing door close on the elevator. He pushed a button, and I watched this time to see what button froze it. "You're stupid. So stupid."
"That wasn't my fault."
"Not that. All of this. You never should have come here. It was a mistake."
"I had no choice." I wrapped my arms over my chest. "I had nowhere else to turn. I needed your help."
"You should have answered my letters." His eyes filled with fear. "Then I would have been there to protect you in the first place."
I looked deep into his eyes, looking for a glimpse of the boy I used to know. I saw someone entirely different. "You couldn't have stopped the traders. Benjamin tried and now he's dead."
Ethan shrugged. "Benjamin was weak."
"No. The traders were stronger. There is a difference."
"We could have had a life together. It would have been a hell of a lot better than this."
"Yes." I nodded. "We could have. But you left."
"I offered to come back. I wanted to come back." Ethan sounded so young, and much more like the boy I once knew.
But I wasn't fooled. He wasn't the same. And neither was I. "Only when you realized this wasn't paradise. You didn't want me. You never did. You only wanted sex, and you didn't care where it came from. You were right about one thing; I was stupid. I was stupid to care about you. I was stupid to come here because I should have known you'd never help anyone unless it directly helped you." I didn't cry. I didn't scream. Ethan didn't deserve my tears or my anger. It had all become clear, crystal clear. "But thanks for showing up when you did."
"I'll find a way to get you out of here," He lowered his voice to a whisper. "We need to do it before the Cording."
"You can help me get Quinn?" I didn't hide my disbelief from my voice.
"That's impossible!" Ethan snapped. "Completely impossible."
"Nothing is impossible." I sounded like Quinn, but for once I wanted to be lost in hopes and dreams. They were all I had left.
"The traders sold her to Reine. You and I both know that. No one can break in there."
I shook my head. "No. She's not with the Reine."
"What makes you so sure?" He narrowed his eyes.
"Because she's at Central. They took her there instead."
"Central?" His eyes widened. "Why? Why would they take her there when the Reine would pay more?"
"They just did."
"You're lying." He grabbed my arms. "Tell me everything, Kayla. I can't help you if I don't know the whole story."
I debated what to do or say. If there was any chance he could help and save me from being Corded, I had to do it. "She has a child."