Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
She was smiling when she walked around the Mercedes SUV. She went straight to Saxon and wrapped her arms around one of his. She placed a kiss on his lips, then looked at me and smiled. “Hey, Maddy. Glad you could join us.”
That was not the response I’d expected. There was no snarky comment, and she didn’t look pissed about me being here at all.
I smiled, confused. “Thanks.”
Chanel walked by and smiled at me and gave me a little wave.
I glanced at Saxon, and he didn’t appear to find this strange at all.
The other girls all greeted me as we walked toward the taco truck. I recognized a few from Trev’s. None of them had spoken to me then. Now, one would think we were all friends. I was in the twilight zone.
Thirty
The tacos were delicious. Everyone talked and was friendly. Trev talked to me and not once mentioned Blaise. He acted like we’d just seen each other yesterday. No questions about how I’d been. Nothing.
By the time we arrived at the theater, I finally began to relax. I’d been expecting something to be said that I would have to defend or for Declan to make a rude comment. This was too easy. I decided to embrace it and enjoy the rest of my night. Trev sat on one side of me, and a girl named Vivy sat on the other side of me. I couldn’t decide if she and Chanel were dating or not.
Trev had his date on his other side, but he talked to me some. Mostly, we focused on the movie. I’d eaten a few bites of Trev’s massive bucket of popcorn, and I was thirsty. I decided to go to the restroom and get a bottle of water.
I stood up and slid past Trev and his date to the aisle. Once I was out of the darkness and could see, I looked for the restroom sign.
“What are you doing?” Saxon asked me.
I spun around to see him behind me.
“Uh, going to the bathroom and getting water,” I replied.
“Wait. Let me get Declan to go with you into the restroom,” he said.
“Are you serious right now?” I asked him incredulously.
“Very,” he replied.
I shook my head. “I can go to the restroom by myself,” I told him and started that way.
He fell into step beside me. I looked at him and saw he was scanning the area.
“What are you doing?” I asked him.
“Going with you,” he said, his face tense.
“No,” I replied. “I am not letting you go to the bathroom with me. This is ridiculous,” I told him. “Did Blaise tell you to do this? Not let me go alone?”
He nodded.
I sighed and threw my hands up in the air. “Fine. I’ll go in and check the bathroom and let you know it is all clear. You stay out here.”
“Fine,” he replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
I went inside, and it was empty. Walking back over to the door, I stuck my head out and informed him I was alone. He could relax.
“I’ll be out here,” he replied.
I used the restroom, annoyed that Blaise had Saxon following me around. We were going to talk about this. He could worry about me being safe, but this was verging on insane. I walked out of the stall and went to the sink. Still thinking about Blaise and his demands.
When I looked up in the mirror, however, all those thoughts fell away. My gaze locked on the eyes staring out of the holes of a ski mask. I started to scream when the person moved fast. My scream was muffled by the cloth crammed in my mouth, pulling it back and tying it behind my head.
My heart started slamming against my chest, and I knew I had to do something. Kick, fight, anything. I spun around and kicked, swinging my arms. I was sure it was a man once I saw the body attached to the mask. Aiming for his crotch, my foot was caught in his hand, and I fell back, hitting my head on the sink.
Sharp pain vibrated through my skull as darkness began closing in, taking me under. I tried to fight against it as the wave covered me.
The throbbing in my head kept me from opening my eyes. I tried to figure out where I was and why my head was hurting. There was darkness when I slowly pried them open. Panic gripped me. I tried to move but realized my hands were tied together, and so were my feet. The rough, cold floor beneath my cheek felt like concrete. I blinked, and realized there was a blindfold over my eyes.
Was I dreaming? I fought hard to remember something. Where had I been last? The pain radiating from my skull made it difficult. I slowly inhaled from my nose. I could breathe. I needed to focus.