Chapter 24

Ava

There is nothing in this room besides me and that knife.

I keep my mouth shut as Drew circles my body and lightly slices my flesh, determined he and his gang won’t hear me scream. I hiss and beg him to stop in my head, but I don’t say a word.

After about ten minutes that feel like an eternity, Drew stops to observe his handiwork. He’s cut off the sleeves of my jumper and ripped my trousers to access my legs. A thin stream of warm blood flows down my neck, legs, and arms, and I know that these shallow cuts are only the beginning.

~I can’t give up. I won’t let him win. I just need to find a way to get out of here.~

As Drew steps back, I notice all the people around us look either angry or excited. He turns around, arms outstretched, and says, “Well, well, well, looks like we got ourselves a tough one.”

There is a chorus of laughter, and Drew gives a twisted smile, soaking up their loyalty. I make no sound, but I’m about ready to die on the spot. I don’t want to live through that pain again.

At the same time, I want to be strong, the way Hunter taught me. I want to stand up for myself and to not hide who I am.

I’ve changed; I am no longer the scared girl who hid in the shadows. I am the girl who defended herself against her bully, who ignored all the people who talked about her behind her back.

~I am stronger than they give me credit for.~

I try to speak up and defend myself as they all stand around laughing, but the words get stuck in my throat. All that comes out is a loud groan before I close my mouth, hoping that they didn’t hear me.

Just like that, my confidence slips away and smashes into a thousand pieces.

“Alright, that’s enough!” Drew’s voice booms across the darkness, silencing everyone.

They all back away from me, leaving me alone with their leader—my own personal hell.

As my blood continues to puddle on the concrete floor, Drew studies me. He drags a chair over, turns it around, and straddles it while toying with his knife again. I notice that the knife now wears my blood like a luscious, red gown.

I stare at the knife, wishing it would just end my suffering already. I know Drew is trying to scare me, but I’ll tell you what, he is doing a darn good job of it.

Drew doesn’t say anything, just looks at me as he cleans the knife with a white cloth, staining it in my blood. The contrast in colors makes me feel queasy—or maybe I’m getting lightheaded from all the blood I’m losing.

After a few minutes, Drew speaks ever so softly. “You know, I have a special treat for you.” He points to a door I hadn’t noticed with his knife.

When the door swings open, I finally release the scream I’d been holding back.

Hunter

I stand just outside of the entrance to hell. There’s nothing I want to do more than leave this place, banish it from my mind, and pretend nothing ever happened here.

Drew’s hideout. The warehouse.

Earlier, I received a text telling me to come here, and I knew I had to, whether I liked it or not. If I didn’t, then I would just end up being hunted by them and dragged here against my will.

I can’t leave. Alive, at least.

I walk inside only to be seen by Drew, who of course is toying with his favorite knife. In the next moment, he presses the knife against my throat, and I know better than to try to argue or move. So, I keep my mouth shut and let him guide me to a back room.

Drew sits me down on a chair and looks at me closely. I stare back with all the hatred I can muster.

“Ah now, Hunter, that is no way to treat an old friend, is it?” His voice is taunting, but I don’t care. I no longer want to be a part of this gang; I should never have joined in the first place.

I’m really regretting that decision now.

“We were never friends, Drew.”

I can see by the anger in his eyes that my words cut deep, but neither of us say anything more for a moment. I turn my head away from him before I do something I’ll regret.

From my periphery, I see that Drew turns to go, but before he does, he leaves me with some parting words. “Enjoy the show.”

My stomach drops.

Alone in the dark, my heart clenches at the thought of what could be going on out there.

At what Drew is doing. I wish I could call Declan and Liam to help me out, Drew took my phone away as soon as I arrived.

I wait and wait, listening to the shouts and laughter of the gang. ~Something bad is happening.~ But I don’t know how bad until I’m dragged into the main part of the building by some lowlifes.

Across the room, Drew fiddles with his knife while talking to a woman strapped to a chair. It feels like a gut punch when I realize who she is.

I try to fight off the filthy maggots holding me, but they are stronger than they look, and I can’t get to her. I need to get to her, to protect her and take her away from all this mess. A scream rips from her throat.

Flashing a mad smile, Drew lifts his knife away from Ava’s cheek, unholsters the gun on his left leg, and points it at her head. I watch, horrified, as fresh blood streams down her face.

A shot rings out in the still silence, and then a body slumps to the floor. I fall to my knees, screaming.

A moment later, I feel a sharp pain in the back of my head, but as the world turns black, it’s nothing compared to the pain of my heart being ripped from my chest once again.