Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 102335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“What time’s Wolf getting here?” Gio asks, opening the fridge and taking out a pitcher of orange juice.
“Tonight. I need to restock.”
“I don’t know,” he teases, swiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He places the orange juice on the counter. “Whoever did this restock did a good job.”
“That’d be me.” Juno waves, rolling up his suit sleeves and entering the kitchen.
Juno is around mid-twenties and has a reputation that follows him. I guess it’s why my aunt and uncle sent him to me.
“Thanks, Juno,” I say, smiling. “I do need to head into town, though. Necessities for Wolf.”
I sweep up my handbag. “Don’t get into trouble while we’re gone.”
Shampoo, conditioner, soap— “I forgot laundry detergent. Wait here with the cart.”
Juno looks over my shoulder. “I don’t know…”
“I’m in Walmart, Juno. Nothing is happening to me in here.” I don’t give him a second to answer before I jog off down the aisle, searching for the detergent aisle. Junk food. Refrigerators. A rug is held over my mouth and everything goes black.
This isn’t like the last time. It hurts more. My head aches, my body numb. I can’t feel anything around me.
“Ah, you’re awake…” Skully comes into view, and I blink my eyes to look around the space. A wooden cross, hedge lining maze, torches burning with fire, people gathered around me wearing white or black robes. The wind whooshes through the air and I stare up, distracted for a second, watching as the thick branches sway, dancing with the wind.
“What do you want? I know everything,” I say harshly, but my throat burns like I’ve swallowed acid.
“Ah…” He steps in front of me, and I look through the eyes of his metal mask. “I doubt he would have told you everything.”
“What do you mean—” I shuffle, tugging on the ties knotted around my wrists. They erupt with pain when I move, and I peek up over my shoulder to see blood dripping down from the rope.
“Now.” Skully removes the hoodie from his head.
“Stop,” a voice echoes from behind him, and I panic when I find Wicked. “Let her go, Skully. It’s me you want.”
“Actually,” Skully points to both of us. “It’s both of you.” My chest rises and falls as my heart thrashes against my ribcage. Shaking my head, I whisper. “No. Why are you here!”
Wicked ignores me. “Take me instead, Skully.”
“I don’t want you, Wicked. I need her. She is the only one who can save her.”
“Save who?” I scream so loud my throat aches.
Wicked’s legs falter, and he raises his arms to the side. He’s shirtless, his jeans and boots with nothing else. His arms widen like a bat, desperate and precise. “I pledge my loyalty to you, Skully. To you only. For as long as I live…”
My brows cross in, and I twist, attempting to pull myself out of the binds around my ankles. “What the fuck is happening?” The pain is now burning the core part of my brain, the area I can’t feel.
“You would go against her?” Skully asks, and I watch as Wicked takes calculated steps closer to the wounded man kneeling at Skully’s feet. The people surrounding us part, turning to look at one another in shock.
“I would go against her, for her.” Silence stretches out through the air, and I feel my heart fracturing in my chest like thin twigs between my fingers.
“And what of what I needed from Ruby? What then?”
Wicked’s head is dipped, the muscles on his neck throbbing, the sweat. “I brought you a gift. I need to grab a piece of paper out of my jeans back pocket—” Before he can finish his sentence, someone reaches in and snatches it, removing his mask to read the words. He looks around Wicked’s age, with soft features and chubby cheeks.
His eyes rest on Wicked before they find Skully. “There’s another.”
Skully steps forward, swiping the paper off him and reading the words.
Wicked doesn’t waste time. He looks partially over his shoulder, and I follow his sight as Royce drags in a young girl with blonde curly hair. She doesn’t look familiar, and for a few seconds, I wonder who she is.
“This—” Wicked rises to his feet, squaring his shoulders. “Is Jesenia La Rosa. The twin sister of Ruby. You didn’t know who she was when you thought I killed her.” My blood turns to ice and my stomach drops to the ground. “She’s a match, Skully. Use her, take me, and let Ruby go. I’ll be the greatest fucking Hangman.” Wicked looks to baby-face beside him, rolling spit in his mouth before aiming it toward the ground. “Like I always have been.”
“I must do my own checks before I let her go,” Skully says, slowly removing the mask around his face. “What happened to Victor?”
Wicked reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He flashes the bright screen on Skully’s face and I squint my eyes to see better. Victor’s headless corpse lying in a puddle of blood.