“Love you,” I whisper. “I’ll be back soon.”
A familiar tightness grips my stomach as I shut the bedroom door and linger for a moment, listening for Julian. It’s late, and he’s usually in his room by now. When I don’t hear anything, I pad down the hallway, breathing a sigh of relief when I find the living area empty.
Following Mariella’s instructions, I head up the staircase to the second level of the penthouse and into the primary suite. Once I’m there, I reference the notes app on my phone, using the guide I typed out to open the panic room and access the private elevator.
The car takes me all the way down to the tunnel just as Mariella said it would, and after navigating my way through that, I exit onto the street.
It feels liberating and terrifying as I step out on my own. The sidewalk is empty at this hour, and there are only a few passing cars as I begin to walk.
It’s a chilly night, and it makes me question the rationale of having a dock party in October. But then again, students are always finding creative places to party—and docks are one of them.
Nate explained that the address he gave me is a privately owned residence and told me to enter through the side gate. But when I arrive, I wonder if I’m even in the right place because it’s so quiet.
I find my way to the backyard and see four men sitting on the dock around a patio heater, all of them wearing plain white masks. That alone is enough to set me on edge, but they’re also dressed alike in black slacks and dress shirts, like it’s some kind of uniform.
“There she is.” Nate strolls toward me, immediately recognizable by his voice. “Come meet my friends, Gabi.”
A shiver of unease crawls down my spine as I stand there, immobilized. “I thought you said there was going to be a bunch of bio students here.”
“They bailed because they’re lame.” Nate shrugs.
“Why are you all wearing masks?”
“It’s never too early to celebrate Halloween, is it?”
When I don’t answer, he comes over to meet me with a red cup in hand. “I got you a wine cooler. I figured you wouldn’t like the harder stuff.”
He’s already poured it, so there’s no way I’m drinking that. Everything in my gut tells me I have to leave now, and the familiar notification sound on my phone confirms it.
“One second.” I glance at the message from Eros415.
What are you doing, Gabi?
It feels foreboding, like he can sense something is off. Or maybe that’s just my imagination. Either way, I’m not sticking around to find out.
“I’m so sorry.” I glance up at Nate, hoping he doesn’t notice the tremor in my voice. “Something’s come up, and I have to go.”
“Aww, come on. You just got here.” He tries to shove the red cup into my hand. “At least stay for one drink.”
“I can’t. I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
I turn to leave, but he catches me by the arm and pulls me back.
“One drink,” he clips out. “I bought it for you. The least you could do is drink it.”
Fear slithers through me as my heart accelerates, making it hard to breathe. My survival instincts tend to malfunction in traumatic situations. Rather than fight or flight, my body shuts down. I can already feel it happening—my limbs growing heavy, my vision tunneling. If I don’t force myself to move now, I won’t be able to in a minute.
I yank my arm from his grasp and attempt to make a run for it, but I don’t get far. A solid weight slams into me from behind, knocking me onto the ground so hard, the air evacuates my lungs.
I claw at the grass as Nate’s friends approach, their voices drawing nearer.
“Come on, pledge, get that drink down her throat. Don’t disappoint us.”
Pledge?
The realization that this must be some kind of initiation sends a fresh wave of terror through me. I don’t know what they’re planning to do, but it can’t be good.
“That’s right, you little cock tease.” Nate straddles my back, pinning me to the ground. “You’re going to take a boat ride and have some fun with us.”
