“I dunno. But nothing about today has felt right. Things are off, and something tells me she’s not lying.”
Drac looks up at the sky and sighs. “Unfortunately, I think you’re right. Autumn just came in and told Phantom not to go tonight. She said Krueger told her something bad is going to happen.”
“See, as much as I hate to admit it, I think Poppy actually was sticking her neck out for us today. I just worry what’s going to happen to her because of it.”
Drac slaps my back. “She’ll be fine, Voor. Poppy’s like a cockroach, the damn bitch won’t fucking die.” He must see the anger in my eyes because he slowly backs away. “I’m gonna call the ride off today and get Hannibal to run some reconnaissance for us. If Poppy was telling the truth, the cameras will show it.”
I nod, but refuse to say anything more.
He may not care if Poppy lives to see tomorrow, but I do.
And no matter what, even if it’s the middle of the night, if I know I can somehow keep her safe and out of harm’s way, I’ll do whatever I can to save her… even put myself in danger if I have to.
Epilogue
Poppy
A door slams.
Illegible swearing follows, before the sound of glass shattering erupts downstairs.
I lose count after the fourth item hits the wall, imagining the pointed pieces littering the cold linoleum floor in jagged mayhem.
The steady rhythm of my heartbeat increases to adrenaline and terror as his footsteps reach the bottom of the stairwell and angrily ascend toward the room we share, each one heavier than the first.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Now we’re in total sync, my erratic heartbeat mirroring his steps of rage. It’s a chaotic pairing that has me cowering in the corner, looking for every shadow to conceal me, though none of them do. I’m vulnerable. Weak. No match for the foe I created on the other side of the door.
He tries the lock slowly at first, then jerks it violently as hepounds on the wooden blockade separating us with murderous intent.
“Open the fucking door, woman.”
When I don’t answer, he rams it with his body, causing me to scream.
One hit.
Two hits.
Then the door splinters open, the flimsy lock no match for the massive man huffing and puffing in the hallway.
“You stupid fucking bitch!” His voice is like ice picks and razors, grating through me like he’s already carving me into pieces. “Did you think you could betray me and get away with it?”
He marches across the room in two strides, fist already at my scalp, yanking me to my feet.
“I fucking picked you up out of the gutter and made you into the woman you are today. Now look at you! There are track marks running up and down your arms, and a stupid look of betrayal rushing to your eyes. You know what you did, and now you have to pay for it!”
His hand snaps across my cheek, ring cutting through me like a blade. Warm blood creeps down my skin, as he strikes me again, this time across the mouth.
“Tell me why you did it!” he screams. “Why did you betray us?”
“I—I—”
Another smack, this time for taking too long.
