“Cassian!”
“Run—” Cassian gurgles, sealing his large hands around the man’s forearm. “Ivy,run!”
The last I see is them crashing hard into the bookcase as I dart past with a squeal of fright, hobbling as fast as I can on my crutch. Out in the hallway, I leave behind the crashes and grunts of Cassian fighting and crash into the side table in the hall. Pain flares in my hip while I pocket the passport.
I have to get out of here.
Three steps from the front door, several gunshots explode on the other side and I duck down to my haunches with a scream, my hands covering my head. Thankfully, the bullets don’t penetratethe door, but whatever is going on out there is clearly just as dangerous as in here.
Panic claws up my throat as I remain frozen for half a second, drowning in the pops and booms of gunfire while my mind goes utterly blank.
Move, Ivy. You’ve got to move!
I scramble back to my feet and stumble two steps down the hallway toward the kitchen, where the back door is, only for several masked men to tumble out of that doorway, followed by a burst of smoke and a flash of orange flame.
A scream of terror escapes me as they spot me. Abandoning my crutch, I turn and hobble as fast as I can for the stairs, using the wall and the banister for support as I scramble up them. Pain fades into the background as footsteps thunder down the hallway and the stink of smoke fills the air.
I saw that office. I saw what they did to my dad and my mom.
I’m not lettinganyonecatch me.
Suddenly, gunshots ring out behind me and underneath me like someone’s set off a bunch of fireworks inside the house, and I scream, every nerve in my body jumping in alarm. Panting desperately, I reach the top of the stairs and turn down the hallway, leaning on the wall for support.
Where do I go?
How do I get out of here?
What about Cassian?
I only make it two steps before a strong, thick arm suddenly wraps around my waist and weight collides with my back,sending me crashing to the ground with a scream of terror. The weight over me unlocks something inside me and I start to fight.
“No! No! Get off me! Get off! Get the fuck off me!” I wiggle and flail, kick out both my legs as hard as I can, ankle be damned. My head tosses back and forth, my torso twists, and I punch and scratch at anything I can reach until the weight vanishes and warmth closes around my wrist.
“Ivy! It’s me—ow! It’s me!” Cassian’s face blurs into view through my tears and he clutches at my shoulders. “It’s me!”
“C-Cassian?” His torn shirt is soaked in blood and his face is pale, but his eyes remain bright and alert.
“We have to go, now!” He shoves me through the nearest door, slamming it behind us both and pressing his shoulder against it while digging in his pocket for his phone. “Shit. Shit!”
I stumble to a stop and my blood runs cold.
We’re in my parents’ room.
It’s much like I remember except for the bed. The crisp white sheets are utterly drenched in blood. Mom’s blood.
Despite my racing pulse and thundering heart, the sounds of gunfire and scent of smoke fade to nothing as I’m suddenly enveloped in the cold grasp of utter shock.
I knew what happened to her, but seeing this brings the utter horror of it to the forefront of my mind. Leftover rope remains looped around the headboard, and while the evidence is less compared to my father’s office, somehow, this hits harder.
Who would do this? What kind of twisted, cruel person would let something like this happen to anyone? Bile rises faster andsuddenly, I’m puking bile onto the floor at my feet, coughing and gagging through each burning retch.
“Ivy! Come on, we have to get out of—fuck!”
In the same breath as his words, the door behind him crashes open and the crack of a gunshot rings in the air. Cassian stumbles as he cries out, his body crumpling in on itself as he collides with me. It takes all my adrenaline-fueled strength bracing on my good foot to keep us upright.
“Cassian?” I gasp as he sags into me for what feels like eternity. Something warm and wet soaks into my abdomen and my chest grows so tight I can’t breathe. “Cassian!”
Suddenly, his head lifts and our eyes meet for a split second, then Cassian’s hands grip my shoulders and he shoves me hard, using all his power as the shadows of men behind him grow in number.
