Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 132582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“Get off me!” I scream, and I use whatever’s left of my energy to throw my head back and smash it into his face. Rami howls in pain and goes flying backward, and I dig my fingernails into the carpet, forcing myself to move, even if I have to get away like a dying slug.
“You fucking bitch!” A hand drops to my head and grips a handful of my hair tight. I scream.
Caz! Caz, please!
The tears burn as they run down my face, and in a matter of seconds I can’t breathe because Rami has turned me onto my back and has his hands closed around my throat. His nose drips blood, but that doesn’t stop him from choking me. There’s anger in his eyes I’ve never seen—it’s satanic, really. I’ve never seen someone so wicked—so excited to end another person’s life.
I weakly tap at his hand, fighting for my next breath. A pressure builds in my head and just when I think this is it—this is my end—there’s a loud thud, a gunshot, and the pressure around my neck subsides.
When I look up, coughing and panting, Rami’s left eye is gone. There’s a hole the size of a golf ball in its place, blood gushing out of it. His body crumples forward and lands beside mine, and I suck in a sharp breath, wiggling away from him.
Footsteps thunder on the floor, moving toward me, and when I look up, I’m met with ocean blue eyes. I breathe in again as Caz drops to one knee beside me.
Forty-Seven
WILLOW
“Easy,” Caz murmurs when I try to move. His eyes fall to my pants, which are halfway down, and a shadow spreads over his face. He looks at Rami’s body again, grimacing. One of his fist clenches, like he wants to further mutilate his dead body, but instead, he looks at me, breathes evenly, and the shadow is gone. I try to read his thoughts, but I can hardly keep mine straight.
He reaches down, helping me pull my pants up. “I should’ve known that dirty fucker would pull something like this. I never should’ve sent you in here to do this. I should’ve found another way.”
I stare at him a long time—so long I wonder if any of this is real. There’s no way this has become my life. Being constantly attacked and surrounded by blood and gore. I don’t know what comes over me, but as Caz helps me sit up, I throw my arms around his neck and hold him as tight as I possibly can.
He grunts and tenses, but I don’t let go. I can’t let go. Holding him like this feels like it’s where I belong. As I hold him, I feel his heart beating against mine, and the stubble on his jawline and chin grazes the side of my face as I bury it into the crook of his neck. It takes me a while to realize his body is still tense and he’s not holding me back.
And then I remember.
I snatch my arms away from him. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I touched you. I’m so sorry.”
Caz looks me in the eyes, and when they drop to my lips, I almost want him to kiss me. I want what just happened by Rami to be erased and replaced by something else—anything that’ll take my mind away from that paralyzing fear.
A tightness grips me, and a coolness runs from my throat to my stomach, and as if Caz can feel the same, he drops his eyes and places a gloved hand on top of mine.
“I took too long. I apologize.”
“It’s okay,” I whisper. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him apologize.
“Did he hurt you?” he asks in a low voice.
I drop my head, looking away. “A little.”
“Hey. Look at me.”
But I don’t. I can’t.
Caz presses his fingers to my chin, lifting it and locking eyes with me. “He won’t ever hurt you again. Do you understand?”
My eyes slide down to Rami’s body on the floor, the blood pooled around his head.
“Can you walk?” he asks as he helps me up.
“Not really. What did he make me drink?”
“It’s a suppressant. It’s a famous kind here in Ripple Hills. Makes a person’s lower body go numb, causes dizziness, and many other side effects.” He leads me to a recliner and places me down gently.
“It should wear off within the next thirty minutes. Until then, I need you to stay in this room.”
“What?” I panic, reaching for him before he can go. “B-but I can’t stay here. What if more of those Rippies come?”
“They won’t. We took out all the guards. Now we have to stop that.” Caz points toward the windows, and I follow his finger to the ring.
I can’t believe my eyes when I see Juniper in the center of the ring. She has a cut beneath her eye, her dark hair hanging in her face. She looks battered and awful. A man is standing in the middle of the ring, announcing the two fighters. When he points at Juniper, the crowd boos her and some even throw food and drinks at her over the fence.