Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Tacos. I’d eaten tacos with Saxon … and Trev, Declan … and then we went to a movie. Trev had been beside me. I groaned as my head felt like it was trying to split in two. Long, deep breaths again through my nose.
I felt the vibration of the footsteps before I heard them.
I wasn’t alone.
The restroom. I’d been in the restroom, alone, but then I saw someone in a black mask in the mirror. Saxon had been outside the door.
This wasn’t a dream.
My head pounded again, reminding me how very real my pain was. I smelled blood then. Was it mine?
A deep voice began speaking, but it wasn’t English. I had barely passed Spanish in school, but I knew that wasn’t Spanish. I tried to concentrate on the words, but the excruciating pain in my head was making it impossible. Not that I would recognize the language anyway.
Another male voice spoke in the same language. There were two of them. I had only heard one walking, so the other must have already been here.
Had they been watching me try to move? I stayed frozen, barely breathing.
I felt the heaviness of the booted foot on my shoulder before he pressed down, rolling me over. The movement almost sent me back into the blank space. The pain was incredible and made it hard for me to stay conscious. He began talking again, and I did all I could to think about breathing. Just breathing.
Was Saxon here too? Had they taken him? Was he alive? God, I hoped he wasn’t hurt because he had been trying to keep me safe. He’d been doing what Blaise had asked.
I swallowed.
The metallic taste of blood was in my mouth. I could still smell it. The voices stopped, and then one whispered. I heard them moving.
The darkness was pulling at me. I couldn’t let it take me. I was afraid if I did, I might never wake up again. But did I want to? What were they doing with me? Was I going to be one of those missing girls that no one ever saw again and was sold in some sex trade? They wouldn’t keep Saxon. They didn’t take boys, did they?
Tears stung my eyes, and I squeezed them tightly. Maybe I should let the void take me. Death would be better.
Blaise. I’d never see him again. I’d just found him, and that was all I would get of happiness. He was worried about my safety. I thought it was ridiculous. He had been right to worry. How strange that seemed.
My chest began to ache with the loss.
A gunshot rang out, and feet began to move. I closed my eyes tightly and waited to die. Would I feel it? Had I been shot?
The men were talking fast. They sounded surprised. Maybe even scared.
Another gunshot, and something fell. There was running, but it stopped, and a new voice began to speak. It was a man, and he was speaking English.
“You gonna run now?” The voice sounded familiar. “NO? Can’t talk with my Glock in your fucking mouth?” the voice taunted.
The pain in my head was getting worse, but I tried to focus on the voice. I knew that voice. Why did I know it? Why did they have a gun?
The gun went off then, and I heard the thud of a body hit the floor.
“Oops,” the voice said in a cold tone.
Then, the steps drew near me and stopped.
“Fuck,” he swore.
More feet were running, and I remained as still as I could. I prepared for more gunshots or my last breath. However one prepared for that, I didn’t know, but I feared I might find out.
“Motherfucker!” a voice called out.
And this time, I knew exactly whose voice that was.
“She’s bleeding. It’s her fucking head. Get her untied. I’m going to make sure these two send out the message loud and clear,” the first voice said, and now, I was able to place it too.
Relief washed over me. They weren’t here to kill me. I was going to be okay.
“Is she conscious?”
“I don’t know.”
Hands began to untie my ankles, and once they were free, they moved to my wrists. Then, the gag in my mouth was pulled away. I cried out and gasped.
“Easy, Maddy,” Gage said. “Your head doesn’t look good. We are going to leave the blindfold on for now. I’m afraid to mess with it. Might be helping to stop the bleeding. Do you understand me?”
“Yes.” I choked out the word, then winced.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked me.
“Gage,” I whispered.
“Ready?” Huck asked then.
“Yeah. I’ll lift her and wrap this around her head, too, and then you carry her out,” Gage told him.
They began to move me, and I whimpered. It hurt more than any pain I’d ever experienced.
“He’s gonna kill ’em all,” Huck said in a low voice.