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 wasn’t sure what Wilder wanted, not really. Obviously, me. But then what?
Cherish moved to a light switch at the bottom of the stairs and looked over her shoulder. “I’m going to turn this off.”
I swallowed and gave a terse nod, packing all my needless commentary into a box. There was no way in hell we were walking out of this basement with the upper hand, and I had a sinking feeling that whatever the fuck was going on upstairs, this was only the beginning.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
One of them had locked the basement door after realizing Daniella wasn’t going to join them. It was a desperate move and a critical oversight. Most basement doors are locked from the opposite side. We’d made sure this one was backward, just for the hell of it.
I pulled the small key from my pocket, turning it over in my gloved hand. The homeowner’s key. We’d taken it the night we killed him. We had known about this trip since the moment Daniella booked it. They never stood a chance. Sliding the key into the lock, the tumblers click into place. With a faint creak, the door opened, revealing the dark stairwell leading down.
The lights were off. That was smart but also pointless. Our masks were designed to give us perfect vision in the dark. We’d look just as foolish as our quarry did if we were running through darkness half-blind.
I stepped forward first, my shoes heavy on the stairs, the sound deliberate. I wanted them to know we were coming. Let them stew in the terror for just a little longer. As I reached the bottom, I paused, my gaze sweeping the space. The room was wide, housing a pool table, sofa, and a dart area. Just a few feet ahead, was Cherish.
She gripped a pillowcase stuffed with pool balls, the fabric stretched and strained under the weight. I couldn’t help but be impressed. I shouldn’t have been. Cherish always scrapped dirty when she had to.
For someone who’d grown up cushy, she had a surprising knack for survival when the stakes were high. As soon as I stepped off the last stair, she swung. Hard and fast. The pillowcase sliced through the air, aiming right at my head. I dodged, barely avoiding what would’ve been a nasty hit. Lucian and Thorne laughed behind me. Of course, they thought this shit was funny.
Cherish twisted, her movements sharp and fluid, and swung again. This time the pillowcase arced for my ribs. I caught it mid-swing, the force jolting up my arm, but I didn’t let go.
“No!” she snarled, trying to yank it free, but my grip held firm.
Lucian stepped forward, chuckling as he plucked the makeshift weapon from my hands. He examined it, spinning it lazily. “Creative.”
She blindly came swinging at him. Thorne intercepted her, his arms locking around her torso. Cherish bucked against his hold, spitting curses as he began dragging her toward the stairs.
“Let go of her!” Autumn lunged toward the sound of her sister’s voice, instinct and adrenaline driving her, but I was ready. I grabbed her arms and spun her around before she could reach where they stood.
“You should’ve been more worried about yourself, now look where you’ve wound up.”
I pulled her flush against me, my arms wrapping around her waist like a steel band. Her hands clawed at my arms, her strength wasn’t surprising, but it wasn’t enough. She wouldn’t be going anywhere. Not ever again.
“Let her go!”
I couldn’t help but grin.
“You really think you’re in a position to give orders, Mint?” The nickname rolled off my tongue like a brand, claiming her all over again. She stilled for a fraction of a second, just long enough for me to feel the way her body tensed against mine.
“You wanted to run away from me,” I murmured, leaning in closer. “Look where it’s gotten you.”
She thrashed again, her nails raking against my arms through the fabric of my suit, but I held firm. The struggle only made me want her more. Lucian tossed the pillowcase onto the pool table like it was nothing more than a forgotten toy.
He gestured toward the stairs. “We’ll be… entertaining our new friends until you’re ready.”
He turned on his heel, following Thorne as he hauled Cherish the rest of the way up the stairs. Her struggles echoed through the space, her voice carrying until the basement door slammed shut, sealing us in darkness. I didn’t need light to know her thoughts were racing. She would be trying to figure out how to gain some semblance of control.
Too bad for her I’d already taken it.
I walked her forward. When we reached the pool table, I forced her down, bending her over the edge. My hand wrapped tightly around the back of her neck, pressing her cheek against the felt. I leaned in closer, my voice a low murmur against her skin. “Didn’t I tell you I’d make this right?”