Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 166(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 166(@300wpm)
I nodded once in agreement.
We always laid the dead side by side. It left more of an impact when they were discovered. Dragging the bodies was a silent, methodical process, each of us moving with precision. We ignored Daniella as she crawled across the floor, leaving streaks of blood in her wake.
KJ tracked her movements, her head tilting in that unnerving way of hers, mimicking Daniella’s motions. It was almost playful, the way she crept after her on all fours, never letting her get more than a few feet away.
We were all used to her antics. She’d been a kept pet of sorts for some CEO from the time she was eight. After he was disposed of, she was discovered in a cage. Our parents saw potential and placed her in our care. She’d been the equivalent of our baby sister ever since.
Once the bodies were arranged side by side in the living room, we returned to the dining room. The air was thick with the stench of fear and blood. I crouched in front of Autumn, her wide, tear-glossed eyes locking onto mine. My gloved hand brushed her cheek as I murmured,
“It’s time.” I was elated she didn’t flinch when I reached out and gently pulled her from the chair, steadying her on her feet. She was doing pretty damn well for not having any prior experience.
Lucian was already behind Cherish, his hands firm but not rough as he hauled her up, ignoring her weak struggles. That left Thorne to grab Ryan by his good arm, dragging him upright with little effort.
We led them through the house in silence. When we stepped outside into the crisp night air, the backyard stretched out before us, a blanket of darkness framed by the woods beyond. The chill bit at the exposed skin of my neck, but I hardly noticed.
Lucian stepped forward, his voice smooth and calm as he addressed them. “Out there,” he gestured toward the woods, “there’s a farm. If one of you makes it inside and gets help, we’ll let you go.”
I watched Autumn’s face as she processed his words, her eyes narrowing with distrust. She didn’t buy it, and I didn’t expect her to. Her mind was working, searching for the trap, the twist in our words.
Lucian looked at her and tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable behind his mask. “I give you our word,” he said simply. “We’ll even give Moose back.”
Her jaw tightened, but she didn’t attempt to respond. She was too smart to believe him outright, but the mention of Moose had her focus shifting. I was almost jealous. I stepped closer, my fingers threading gently through her hair. Her shoulders stiffened at the touch. “Here’s the catch. You keep your wrists bound and the gag in.”
Her gaze burned into mine, her anger simmering beneath the surface.
“I’ll give you a five-minute head start,” I continued. “Then we’ll come after you.”
Her breath hitched as I leaned closer, my mask inches from her face. “Now run.”
Lucian gave Cherish a nudge, his gloved hand motioning toward the woods.
Thorne shoved Ryan forward, the movement harsh and unrelenting.
Autumn hesitated for a fraction of a second, her eyes flicking to her sister, then to me. And then, with a quick glance toward the darkness ahead, she ran.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore, the twine cutting into my skin. My breath rasped against the gag in my mouth, hot and suffocating, making my lungs burn with every stride. The darkness was impenetrable, the moonlight barely enough to cast shadows on the uneven ground.
I couldn’t see shit. My legs ached, stumbling over roots and rocks, but the adrenaline kept me moving. Cherish was just ahead, her silhouette a blur in the dim light. Her bound arms swayed awkwardly as she fought to keep her balance, the gag in her mouth muffling her breathy cries.
Ryan was just behind me, his heavy footsteps crunching through the underbrush, a constant reminder that we were still alive, still moving.
The cold bit into my skin through the thin layers of my clothing, but I refused to acknowledge it. I had to focus.
The fear coursing through me numbed everything else, sharpening my senses to the sound of our footfalls and the rustling of branches around us. I fought back tears, swallowing hard to keep them from spilling over and blurring my vision further. If I couldn’t see, I couldn’t run, and if I couldn’t run…
No. Don’t think like that.
The woods felt endless, the trees like looming sentinels watching our every move. I glanced at Cherish again, my chest tightening at the sight of her stumbling. She caught herself before falling, her bound hands twitching as though they were desperate to reach out for something to steady herself.
Ryan’s muffled grunt of effort from behind me pulled my attention back.