It was satisfying when he stopped struggling, going totally still. It didn’t last for more than a few seconds. He let go of the bar and tried to grab the ankle of the foot resting on his crotch. She stomped down, hoping she crushed his junk. He squealed and let go. She eased off the pressure.

“Where is that Gift, Jerry? You’re going to tell me or I’m going to torture the shit out of you. I learned something about that while at Drackwood, watching what was done to those poor New Species you hate so much. I love one of them and he almost died in there, being beaten and hurt, but you didn’t give a damn. You just wanted money. Guess what? I just want you dead to make sure you can’t hurt anyone else.”

She took a few calming breaths, trying to rein in her temper. “But I’ll let you live if you tell me where the Gift is.” She lifted up, letting him breathe. A red mark dented the fleshy area of his throat but she didn’t feel bad about that either. He didn’t deserve it.

“Never.”

Her eyebrows arched. “Really?”

“Fuck you. I’m not telling. The cat bitch will die.” He coughed. “I want money and I’ll tell where she is once I’m safe.” He turned his head and twisted his bulky body in the same direction.

It caught Jeanie off balance and she tripped as the chair slammed into her since he was a big guy. Two big hands clutched her h*ps to prevent her from landing on her ass and she fell against a firm, big body. Terror struck as she lifted her head to see which one of his goons had returned. She was going to die a slow and painful death.

True frowned down at her. She stared into his eyes, part of her afraid he was a dream. That beautiful gaze of his shifted away from her to something on the floor. She followed it, watching as Jerry Boris struggled to his feet. He coughed a little but managed to get up. His hands curled into fists as he spun to attack. Darkness grabbed him by his throat and slammed him up against a wall. He lifted him, easily putting the man on tiptoe.

“Cat bitch, huh?” Darkness snarled. “I’m kind of fond of them myself since I’m feline too. I take offense to you saying she’ll die.” He turned his head and held Jeanie’s gaze. “I have this. He’ll talk.”

Jeanie was in shock and worse, it was clear they’d heard and seen what she’d been doing to Boris. She sagged in True’s arms. Another New Species crouched next to her and he withdrew a small kit from one of his pockets.

“I’m going to get you free.” Tiger gave her a grim smile before turning his attention to the handcuffs attaching her to the chair.

The surreal feeling left her speechless. She’d lost it, totally snapped, and her reaction to what she’d done was setting in. She’d been willing to kill another person and might have if they hadn’t arrived to stop her. True and the other New Species had to have been horrified when they’d walked in and saw her using a chair to torture someone. She felt that way and she’d been the one doing it.

“You’re safe.” True cradled her in his arms.

“Get her out of here,” Darkness ordered.

“Working on it,” Tiger muttered. “Or we’ll have to drag the chair with her.”

“Hurry.” Darkness held Jeanie’s gaze again and seemed to study her. He frowned before shifting his focus to True. “She’s seen enough violence and suffered enough. I’m about to spill blood if that’s what it takes to get him to tell us where the Gift is. I’ll get him to confess all his crimes.”

“Those two men who work for Boris are coming back,” Jeanie managed to get out.

“We have officers down here.” Justice came into view. “They won’t make it far without being captured if they return. I’m having them map the entire system since we weren’t aware of it until now. I wonder why they weren’t in the blueprints we were given.”

Even Jeanie picked up his sarcastic tone and the way he glared at Jerry Boris. She forced her mind to work. “He thinks Fury and Ellie have a baby. He’s been keeping tabs on what has been ordered by the NSO and where it’s being delivered. That’s how he found out where I was staying. He’s also been down here going under people’s homes to listen and he heard a baby crying.” She was careful how she worded what she said. “I told him that wasn’t true but he threatened to tell the media that Species can breed, just to cause problems.”

A few growls sounded and she glanced around, noticing for the first time that over a dozen New Species had filled the chamber. She leaned into True. The handcuffs popped open when the feline was able to pick the lock. She glanced at him.

“Thank you.”

Tiger shoved the chair away and stood. “You’re welcome.”

True turned her in his arms and she raised her chin, almost afraid to look at him. “I’m sorry.” It was the only thing she could think to say.

He lifted her until they were at the same height and she had no choice but to stare into his eyes. The tears that glistened in them weren’t a surprise. He had to be mortified at what she’d done—almost as much as she was.

“For what?”

“I lost my shit.”

He sniffed. “It smells so bad down here, I can’t tell.”

Tiger snorted. “She didn’t have an accident. She is talking about what she did to Boris.”

True smiled. “I know. I was teasing. I wanted to get a smile from her. I’m proud of how strong you are, Jeanie. It took strength to attack him and try to force him to tell you about the Gift Female.”