Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 162138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
I convinced the coach to let me drive to the game. He’d agreed and let a few of us take our own cars. We’d been following each other during the drive, but at some point, everyone scattered in the darkness and rain on the way. I was sitting in my car, calling Lyla before I went inside. She’d told me she’d be at this game, and I wanted to ensure she wouldn’t drive alone. The call went straight to voicemail. She could have been driving Marissa and Banks today. When he took us home last time, she’d complained about him getting too close to the cars in front of us. I wouldn’t put it past her to be the driver. The thought of her out in these conditions worried me even more. She was an excellent driver, but she’d told me it had been raining the night her mom died. Even though she’d found a way to numb herself to those feelings, I couldn’t imagine it wouldn’t cross her mind. I called again — straight to voicemail. I sent her a text.
Me: text me when you get here
I waited another minute, looked at the time, and got out of the car. She’d text while I was changing. As I walked toward the arena, I kept looking at my phone just in case. While I looked down, I saw my shoes had become untied, so I set my phone in my pocket and knelt. I heard something shift behind me as I tied my shoe, but I ignored it. After that, everything went black.
CHAPTER 20
LYLA
I should have never been so careless driving here and letting Marissa and Banks go ahead without me. They were waiting for me in the parking lot, but still. Driving separately meant I was forced to park further away than I’d liked. It also meant that I’d have to walk alone. All day, I’d had the worst feeling in the pit of my stomach. Marissa brushed it off when I mentioned it, but the feeling remained. Mom’s book about trusting your instincts hummed in the back of my mind. Of course, she’d given it to me years too late. I knew that when I read the chapter about not trusting anyone. The smell of cigarettes hit me and my stomach instantly coiled. I walked faster and continued looking over my shoulder as dread continued to build in my chest. I crossed my arms and clutched my phone for comfort. The parking lot was mostly deserted — everyone was already inside as they got ready for the hockey game.
When I couldn’t take it anymore, I unlocked my phone and went to click Marissa’s name. My finger hadn’t even touched her name when a sudden force yanked me back by my hair. I clicked something on my phone just before I dropped it and let out a piercing scream. I kicked desperately at their kneecaps and tried to turn around to fight them, but their grip on my hair was too tight. So tight that tears sprung down my face. I kept screaming as they yanked me against them.
“Did you think you would get away from me this easily?” He said behind me. “Did you think you and your little boyfriend would skip town without consequence?”
The dread weighing on my chest turned into a raking sob that I let out in a mix of surprise and terror. “Please,” I screamed, setting my hands over his on my hair. “No. Please. Don’t.”
“Are you pleading for yourself or him?” He asked, his familiar voice near my ear. “You’re late for both.”
As I screamed, I processed his words. “No.” It was a whispered cry. “No. No. No.”
He turned me around and let go of my hair, grabbing my arm and the front of the jersey I had on — Lach’s jersey — tearing the top of it with his grip as he brought my face to his and tried to kiss me. I pressed my lips together and punched him, scratching at him as I continued screaming. He was too big, too strong. Nothing would work. Even as I fought and screamed, I knew that nothing would stop him from doing whatever he would do to me.
“Oh.” He laughed loudly. Harshly. “I see how it is. You’re not going to kiss me? This is exactly why your boyfriend won’t live through the night.”
Oh God, oh God, oh God. I looked into his hard-blue eyes. Had he hurt Lachlan, or was he just fucking with me? Was he planning to, later? I needed to warn him. I needed to warn Marissa and Prescott. I needed to tell someone. I screamed again, but this time, it came out a shaky sob.
“Leave him alone! I won’t see him again. I won’t talk to him! Please!”
A harsh laugh escaped his lips as his eyes narrowed. “I’m supposed to believe that?” he asked, his voice low before he screamed, “AM I SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THAT AFTER I HEARD HIM SAY HE WAS GOING TO KEEP SEEING YOU?”