By the end of my shift, I’m ready to meet Kolt again. Despite the unease of last night’s meeting, I want to see him.
I change out of my oily smelling clothes and rush down to the docks, taking my usual spot at the end. I’m early so I can catch the sunset since I’ll be leaving, and I already know nowhere else will have sunsets quite like the ones in Ravenpeak bay.
I wait in silence for a few hours. The sun has long since set, setting the sky ablaze before the dark velvety night settled in, letting all the stars out. I check my watch, fidgeting a little as the hard planks dig into my thighs as Kolt hasn’t shown.
I glance behind me as if he’ll arrive any minute now but there is no one here, it’s just me and the ocean.
“Don’t do this now,” I whisper to myself, “Don’t make this the end.”
But when another hour rolls into two, and the night draws into early morning and he still hasn’t shown, I realize he isn’t coming.
Disappointment flows through me, the feel of it like a sting on my skin and I climb up, muscles stiff from sitting too long.
My steps echo down the planks and I’ve never felt so alone.
God, being stood up sucks.
I get to the end and peer toward the dark house in front of the water, unable to help myself but as it turns out, I’m not alone out here.
Three figures stand outside of Torin’s house, it’s too dark for me to see who but one of them draws my attention more than the others.
Perhaps it’s his size, or the way he stands and holds himself, or perhaps it’s because over the past few nights, I haven’t beenable to see anything but him. He’s in my orbit, there’s no way of ignoring the gravitational pull I feel towards him. If I am correct, Kolt is ahead of the two other figures, standing in front of the door.
There’s no light, not even a porch lamp and they’re quiet enough their voices don’t travel over my way.
It isn’t my business. But perhaps these guests are the reason he didn’t meet me tonight. He has my number though; he could have text me…
“Hello Vanessa,” A voice I don’t recognize says from behind me.
I can’t even scream before a hand is being pressed over my mouth and cold, hard metal is being forced into my side.
Chapter Ten
She struggles against Sebastian’s hold, his hand pressed tightly over her mouth as he holds a gun to her side, just under her ribs. Tears well in her eyes but they don’t spill over, instead fear, utter and complete terror, leaks from her gaze as her eyes cling to mine. There’s confusion there… How had this happened to her? Here in this safe, little town.
Me.
I put her in danger.
I should have heeded the warning, should have protected her better, but I didn’t, and now here we are.
“Let her go,” I growl, fingers twitching to reach for my own weapon, but I know that’ll only end in tragedy.
“I warned you, Kolten,” Sebastian says, “Let us through and we let her go.”
The war rages inside of me. I could save her by giving them Torin. But I couldn’t do that either.
“You know I can’t do that,” I say in a low tone, shame forcing my eyes away from Ness’s. I didn’t want to see the betrayal I was sure would shine in those eyes.
“Cold, Kolten.” Sebastian tuts, “she’s so pretty too, such a shame to waste.”
She struggles in his grip, trying to get free but he just presses the gun in harder, forcing her to stop.
“I’ll ask one more time.”
“Take me.” The words spill from my lips.
Everyone stills, it even feels like the air stops moving and the ocean stops rolling, as if what I’ve just said will end it all. If my brothers were awake to witness this, they’d kill me themselves.
