Temptation from My Husband's Brother - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

"Let my wife go right now! We've called the cops—you're not getting away this time!"
Zachary's knuckles whitened around the baseball bat, his voice trembling with fury. But the kidnapper only pressed the kitchen knife harder against my throat, freezing everyone in place.
"You... Damian? Is that you?"
"Since you recognized my voice, why bother hiding?" He ripped off his cap and mask, stepping into the light until I could see his face—Damian Richter. My ex.
My breath hitched.
The left side of his face was a twisted mess of burn scars, the skin puckered and angry. His once-sharp jawline was now sunken, his complexion sickly and pale.
"Damian... what happened to you?"
The words escaped before I could stop them. Maybe, just maybe, he'd remember what we once had and loosen his grip.
It had been years since we'd spoken. Seeing him like this—hollow, unhinged—sent a chill down my spine.
"You wanna know?" His fingers twitched around the knife. "This is on you. All of it. You laughed in my face. Told me I was nothing. Turned everyone against me."
His breath came in ragged gasps. The blade bit into my skin, a thin trickle of blood sliding down my neck.
"I never said those things! Damian, please—you have to believe me!"
"Liar!" Spittle flew from his cracked lips. "You destroyed me. Now you're gonna die with me."
The knife dug deeper.