The cages all make a clicking sound, and the doors slowly open.
“Thank you for your cooperation. Isn’t this fun! You’ll find instructions outside the door to your left. Don’t disappoint me again. I hope to see you on the other side.” The speaker’s distinct hum goes quiet, and just like that, the reality of my situation sets in.
This isn’t a game.
Amber has just been murdered in front of us….because of me.
This is life or death for all of us.
Quinn is the first to step out of his cage. He reaches mine in several strides before yanking the door open. He grabs my arm, pulling me out of my cage and into his arms. “This isn’t your fault, Teagan. None of this is your fault,” he whispers into my ear. “I’ll get us out of here. Wewillget through this. Whatever this is. Now take a deep breath. Then let’s see what our next step is.”
I nod silently against him, unable to speak.
Travis and David are whispering to each other as they stand over Amber’s body. I nearly hurl when I see Travis bend down and inspect her even closer. He touches her bullet wounds and pokes her before sliding his hands down to her face and closing her eyes forever.
“Do you think this is fake? There’s no way they just murdered one of us, like for real? Right?” David asks as he chews his fingernails. His red Hawaiian shirt is crumpled and dirty against his pale skin as he paces around the room.
Could this just be another prank on us? I touch the blood on my dress and bring my hand to my nose. It’s definitely real blood. My knees wobble as the pungent, coppery-iron scent overwhelms me. Quinn’s arms wrap tighter around me while I take deep breaths through mymouth, trying my best not to puke. Now isn’t the time for romantic feelings, but he’s the only thing keeping me from losing myself entirely.
“Umm, you guys. You need to see this.” Ahmed’s voice jerks me out of my shocked stupor, and I pull away from Quinn in search of him. He’s standing by the door that holds whatever comes next in this twisted game of Pierce’s mind. As we get closer, I see that he’s already opened the door. My heart starts racing in my chest. I wonder what horror awaits us behind it.
Quinn’s presence next to me is like a reassuring security blanket as I stop in front of Ahmed.
Ahmed looks directly at me. His dark eyes penetrate mine with a look of disdain. “Why does all of this seem to be because of you?”
“What?” I risk looking into the next room. My brows knit in confusion when I see what’s waiting on the other side.
There’s a small round table sitting at the bottom of a staircase. On the table is a black typewriter, and on it sits a letter with my name written on it.
But the most disturbing thing is the vase of pink flowers sitting next to it. They are the same flowers Josh gave me for our anniversary. Theexactsame flowers. Wilting in the yellow vase I put them in—my yellow vase.
How is this possible? Has Pierce been following me—stalking me? Is Josh a part of this plan? No. I refuse to believe that Josh would put me through this even if he’s angry at me. Plus, how would they have met? Josh doesn’t know a phone book from a thriller novel.
“Teagan,” Quinn whispers low enough so only I can hear him. I look into his impossibly stormy blue eyes and see a hint of doubt hiding in them as he reaches past me to grab the letter, thrusting it into my hands. “What did you do?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know why this is happening. I’m just as clueless as the rest of you.” I look at the group and see three pairs of angry male eyes boring into my soul.
“Open the damn letter already before you get the rest of us killed!” Travis yells. His bald head does nothing to stop the sweat from dripping down his angry, red face.
Grasping the letter with shaky hands, I see it’s the same thick card-stock that the invitation to this place was written on. I tear it open and pull the letter out. The guys step closer so they can read it over my shoulder as I read the typed words myself.
Teagan,
Does this all seem familiar to you yet?
Four men, one woman. Locked in cages at the bottom of an abandoned lighthouse?
Well, it should, since you released the harshest, most condescending podcast review of this book—my very own book —three years ago.
Don’t remember how the story goes?
Let me refresh your memory, Teagan.
You said, and I quote, “There’s no way a woman would let herself get put into a situation where she has to rely on four strange men to save her. A ‘real final girl’ would find a way to save herself. No man required.”
Well, my dear. Here is your task: Prove me wrong.
Survive the night and find your way back to Windermere with these four men hunting you down.
