Dane pushed himself upright, every muscle in his body screaming in protest. His chest rose and fell in ragged breaths, sweat and blood dripping freely from his chin and soaking into his torn suit. His legs trembled beneath him, threatening to buckle, but his eyes—those sharp, burning eyes—remained fixed on the two women standing before him. He straightened his back as much as his injuries allowed, defiance etched into every line of his face.Across from him, the twins exchanged a glance. One of them winced as she pressed a hand against her ribs, struggling to draw breath. The crack from his earlier elbow had done real damage. Still, fury blazed in her eyes, undimmed by the pain. The other twin spat blood to the floor, her lips curling into a cruel sneer.“My mind is clear,” Dane growled, his voice hoarse but unshaken. “There’s still more of you out there I’ll have to face. So come on. Try your best. Give me your best shot.”His words, rough and taunting, lit a spark of rage in the twi

Dane exhaled heavily, his chest rising and falling like a hammer striking metal. He could feel the ache deep inside his ribs; every breath burned, but at least the bleeding had stopped. Dried blood stuck to his shirt and hands, turning stiff where it had soaked into the fabric. The sting of the whip wounds pulsed beneath his suit like fire, but his mind was clear.He looked at the two women slumped on the floor—the twins. One was still unconscious, her head lolling forward, a streak of blood on her temple. The other was barely awake, her lips trembling as she tried to form words. Dane dragged their limp bodies closer together, pressing their backs against each other. Using the same whip they had lashed him with, he bound them tightly, the leather biting into their arms and wrists. He yanked the knot once to make sure it held.“That should keep you both quiet,” he muttered, his voice hoarse.He straightened slowly, feeling the weight of fatigue pressing on his muscles. What’s next? he

Dane kept moving slowly, his gun ready in his hands, but his mind alert for anything that could jump out at him. He had reached a new corridor, doors lined up on either side like a gauntlet. Each door opened into a small room, dimly lit, empty—or at least, that’s what it seemed. Step by careful step, he pushed one door open after another, moving with calculated patience, aware that one wrong move could cost him dearly. Every creak of the floor, every faint shadow on the wall, kept his senses razor-sharp.Then, suddenly, as he opened another door, a massive fist shot toward his face. Boom! The force slammed into him before he could even react. He stumbled back, his shoulder jolting from the impact. The man standing before him was enormous—easily 6’7”, his muscles bulging like coiled steel. His presence alone carried intimidation, a living wall of raw power. Dane’s heart pounded in his chest.Immediately, Dane adjusted, trying to create some distance. He feinted a punch, then used his l

“Now it’s time to end this,” Dane muttered under his breath, eyeing the huge man. His chest heaved with each labored breath, sweat and blood mixing on his face. “I can see an opening. He’s already weak.” A grim smile tugged at his lips, despite the sharp pain in his ribs and the stinging injuries across his body.The huge man noticed the slight smirk and frowned, though there was a glint in his eyes. “He thinks he can finish me?” he thought, stepping closer, pretending to be exhausted. But Dane’s trained instincts picked up the slightest twitch in his shoulders, the subtle coiling of his muscles. He’s pretending, Dane realized. He’s far from done.Before Dane could react further, the huge man lunged, his fist smashing into Dane’s ribs with a brutal crack. Pain exploded through his chest, and Dane staggered back, gasping as he felt the unmistakable snap of broken ribs. “Ahh!” he shouted, clutching his side, his vision briefly blurring. The man didn’t pause—there was no mercy in his eye

The huge man lay sprawled on the cold floor, breath rattling like a bellows gone wrong. For a second the room was only the sound of feet — rushed, relentless — as they ran toward him, a pair of shadows refusing to give him room to rise. They pounced before he could find his footing, a flurry of fists that landed clean and merciless.The first punch snapped his head to the side. He tried to roll, to use his weight, but they were on him like a vise. One of them straddled his chest and rained blow after blow down into his face. No pause, no mercy — just the steady, hungry rhythm of someone who would not allow a second chance. Blood welled at the man’s lip and dripped slow and hot across the floorboards. The metallic scent cut through the room.The huge man’s nose broke with a harsh crack that made his whole face lurch. Pain flared white-hot through his skull. He clawed at the younger attacker’s arms, but they were surprisingly strong, compact and controlled. He tasted iron and anger. Wit