“Do you know the plan?”
Kaya’s face takes a serious note, and she nods. She’s the only one insane enough to actually go through with my plan without complaining too much or telling me how reckless it is.
“Don’t worry. You focus on getting Blair. Raven will get into his position immediately, and Cove will serve as your backup. I’ll ensure everything else is set into motion. I’ll wait for your signal and then…” A small, sadistic smirk tugs on the corner of her lips, eyes glimmering in excitement. The woman is half-chaos, half-insanity, and it’s such an admirable thing. “Everything will go up in flames.”
“The only two people that need to leave that place alive are Blair and Paul. You have free rein with everyone else, Kaya. Do as you wish. Torture them, gut them out, or shoot them where they stand. All yours to play with.’’
TWELVE
The coldness from the walls seeps into my bones, my hands going numb. It’s been like this for a while; they only turn the heating on in a couple of specific rooms in the manor. The rest are as cold as the middle of the night in January, freezing and unlivable.
I’m unsure why they handed me a blanket — albeit a rather thin one. It’s wrapped around me, providing a little bit of warmth. After the whole Zoe ordeal, she was taken out of the manor, and I haven’t seen her since. It’s been only a day, but no one’s come to see me.
When I woke up after falling straight into X, I was in this room. It’s different from the one I was in previously, mainly because this one is on the third floor, and I can see the forestclearly. The door’s locked, no one has come to check in on me, and there’s no food or water. The window is slightly cracked, allowing the harsh wind and all the cold to get inside.
The thought of breaking it fully and jumping out of it crossed my mind more than once, but given the height and the lack of physical strength, I’d break a few bones, and that would be the best-case scenario.
With a deep sigh, I prop my chin on my knees, hugging the blanket around me tighter. My body trembles from the cold, and as I breathe out, I can see the white cloud of my breath form for a second.
It was the first time I’ve seen X since being brought here — or any of the other houses. There’s likely a good reason why he hasn’t revealed himself thus far, and I’m not going to ask a lot of questions. I just know one thing; I’m hella grateful he ended up making an appearance. There’s no doubt in my mind that he told Arlo and that he’ll be coming to get me soon.
My hair’s a fucking mess. It’s matted, and I’m barely holding back from passing out. I’m not hungry anymore. I think that feeling passed a while ago, and now, I’m just numb to it all. After all, my body got used to receiving enough food to keep me alive.
The sound of keys jiggling gets my attention, and I quickly get to my feet. My heart is hammering against my ribcage, my eyes narrowing as the doorknob slowly turns. The moment lasts a few seconds at best, yet it feels like an eternity passes before the door is pushed open, a man stepping inside.
Relief floods through me when I recognize the man as X. He closes the door softly, making no sound. He approaches me, pulling me from the window by my elbow, shoving me into the corner of the room. As always, he’s silent, but his hand moves to the inside of his coat, and he pulls out a gun.
For a moment there, I’m not sure if he’s here to use it on me, but when he tucks it into the waistband of my pants, hiding it with the shirt, and then steps back, I realize that something’s going to happen.
“When?”
The question hangs in the air between us, charged with emotions I cannot quite place. His eyes bore into mine, lips thinned into a line. I know he doesn’t speak, so I’m not expecting a detailed answer, just the time.
He pulls out his phone, typing in the answer, taking his sweet time, then turns the screen toward me. My eyes skim over the words, brows narrowing in confusion. I glance between the phone and his face, unsure what to make of this. I’m reading the words, but they’re not making a whole lot of sense.
“So, soon?”
X nods stiffly, putting the phone back into his pocket. He gives me a look over, from head to toe, twice, before disappearing back through the door he came from. He makes sure to lock the door, and once again I’m left all alone.
The metal object weighs heavily on me, my fingers twitching, almost itching to touch it. It’s been a while, and although I don’t have the training Arlo has, I think he and Hudson ensured I’d be able to fire a solid shot and save myself if it ever came to that.
Time passes by slowly, and I’m getting restless. I move across the room, the blanket tossed aside. The adrenaline wakes up inside me, and the wait is gnawing at me. Something churns inside my stomach, my heart dropping to my feet when I hear a couple of cars parking outside. From the window, I can only see a little bit of the vehicles, but not the people who leave them, and I’m certain it’s not Arlo.
Knowing him, he’ll make a dramatic entrance.
Loud voices fill my ears, belonging to at least four people.They’re all shouting over each other, so I can’t figure out what they’re talking about. However, one single voice stands out, causing the blood in my veins to freeze.
By the time I can process my thoughts, the door is pushed open and he comes inside, looking more furious than I remember him.
That tall figure, with the same dark eyes that are filled with evil, stares at me, and my breath hitches in my throat. The fear I thought I’d be able to push aside when I finally came face-to-face with him resurfaces, paralyzing me in my spot. My throat goes dry, my body trembling.
Paul Simmons looks at me, disgust evident on his face. Yet, underneath it all, is fury that runs deeply inside of him, and it’s directed toward me. He stalks toward me, reaching me within a second, his face a mere inch away from mine.
I can’t think, I can’t speak, I can’t breathe.
The man who ruined my life is finally in front of me. I’ve been dreaming of this moment for years, fantasizing about all the ways I’ll execute my revenge. Many ideas involved having him tied up, then letting all the anger, all the pain out on him. But this is different.
It’s just a reminder that no matter how much I think I’ve grown, he’s still the one in power. He still holds me tightly in his clutches, and he’s still the biggest monster of my life. I’m like his marionette, and he’s been playing with me all along.
