It takes several seconds for him to respond. “You were never meant to be a part of this, you know? I had a plan for you to be tucked safely away. You can thank your grandma for that. Your parents.”
“You’re Austin,” she says firmly. There’s no shock in her voice.
“Bingo.” He laughs. “Don’t look at me like that. You’re not exactly Miss Innocent here.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, psycho.” After a beat she yelps, and my heart tugs. He’s hurting her.
“How do you think your parents would feel if they found out you were the one who ruined your things so your mom would want to leave? Or that you texted your dad when that didn’t work, pretending to be your mom in hopes he’d come here and you could convince him to bring you home? Honestly, nice touch.Austinwas proud, and so am I. And if we can get them back together, we both win.”
My chest tightens.
“What do you even want Foxglove for?” she cries, voice feral, panicked. “You said this place sucks.”
“That’s for me to know. Now keep quiet. I’ll be back.” I hear footsteps upstairs, and I hold my breath, squeezing my hands into fists.
Someone’s up there. Lewis.
The sound of EJ climbing the steps echoes through the shadows. He closes the cellar with a soft thud. Once we’re certain he’s gone, Mom moves her hand and shoves the wall aside.
Taylor is on the ground, hands tied behind her back. She spins around, panic flickering across her features. “What the?—”
“Shh, shh, shhhhh,” I whisper, throwing my hands up to keep her quiet. “It’s us. It’s us.”
I hurry forward, desperate to hold her. To prove that she’s real. That she’s here. Hurt—with a bloody gash across her lip—but alive.
“Where did you come from?” she whispers, eyes wild.
My stomach knots. “We’ll explain everything. But first, we have to get you out of here.”
CRACK.
We all flinch as the sound tears through Foxglove. I can’t breathe, can’t hear. My ears roar, thoughts collapse. Reality shatters.A gun. That was a gun.
Upstairs, Lewis cries out with a guttural groan I feel deep in my chest. I squeeze my eyes shut as the sickening thud of someone hitting the floor reaches my ears.
No.
My vision flashes, blotting with black ink like a Rorschach test.
“Take her.” I shove Taylor toward Mom, my voice trembling. “Please.”
She resists, unmoving. “I’m not leaving you.”
“Me neither,” Taylor snaps, eyes wide with fear. “What’s happening?”
I clutch Taylor’s rain-soaked hair in both hands, pressing a desperate kiss to her forehead. “I love you.”
Taylor’s hands go to mine. “Mom, you’re scaring me.”
“Go with your grandmother.” My tone doesn’t leave room for negotiation, however quiet my voice is. “Go now, and I will come find you, okay?” My eyes lock on Mom’s. “Get her out of here. Go back the way we came and find the others. Wait for the police.”
Mom’s gaze flicks to Taylor, then back to me. “Come with us. I can’t leave you here. I won’t.”
Before I can answer, something warm hits my cheek. I look up, brushing it away, then glance down at my finger.
A bitter lump hardens in my throat.
Even in the dark, I can see the crimson painting my skin.Blood.
