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I wrack my brain, trying desperately to think of a new way to do this. I’m wound up and ready to go, I know I can’t take any more of this life.
Movement outside catches my eye again; they’re not being very stealthy out there… oh my what?
It can’t be…
A quiet sob erupts from my throat and tears blur my vision when I see an image I have seared into my mind. It’s him.
It’s Bear.
And he has a lot of people with him. They’re all slowly descending on the house from the shadows, but every now and then the moon catches them and lights them up.
I recognize his best friend, Psycho, and Grinder… and there’s a beautiful blonde woman with them looking almost as fierce as Bear.
He came for me, and his friends came too…
An involuntary hiccup escapes and I withhold a small whimper. I don’t think I’ve ever felt happiness like this in my life. It’s so strong my breath shudders on an inhale.
Quickly, I flick the switch of my bedroom light, turning it on and flooding the outside with the brightness of it.
Please look up.
I stand in the window, my gaze directly on Bear, just waiting for him to see me. I don’t want to shout and potentially wake anyone up inside the house.
The light gets everyone’s attention, but I’m only focused on one person. And now he’s only focused on me.
Bear’s dark eyes glisten, his smooth umber skin reflecting with the moonlight, making it seem richer somehow, but it’s the look of relief that crosses his face that makes my stomach flip. It’s like he’s now breathing for the first time in days, and as he nears the house, now at the pool area, his features become clearer. There’s a small upward tick of his lips right before he puckers his lips and blows me a kiss.
If this wasn’t such a dangerous situation, I’d allow myself to feel giddy at the gesture, but that can all wait. We have the time because he found me.
I start climbing out of the window, the top half of my body first, followed by one leg, then the other, until I’m perched on the windowsill and gripping onto the frame. Bear’s eyes widen and he shakes his head when he sees what I’m attempting, but he stays silent.
The others move around him, and I notice him holding a hand to his ear as though he’s listening to someone. Then he points up at me and whispers loudly, “Don’t move. I’m coming for you.” The sound barely reaches my ears, but it’s enough.
He disappears inside the house with the others, only taking his eyes from me at the last second, then all hell breaks loose. Crashes, bangs, yelling… it’s getting louder and I swear the house is shaking from the intensity.
My bedroom door slams open but before I make a move to climb back inside, I freeze.
“You. This is all your fucking fault.” Master storms toward the window, a murderous glint in his eyes.
Before I can do anything, he grips my wrists and yanks at me, awkwardly pulling me back inside. My body bangs against the frame of the window and I wince as I land on the floor with athud.
“The only reason you lived for so long is because of your daddy. But he’s not a problem anymore. Fucking useless cunt.” With one hand still gripping one of my wrists, he searches the room for I don’t know what. Probably some kind of weapon.
“Fuck this. Stand the fuck up.”
His personal guard, Chadwick, enters the room, holding a gun that’s pointed toward the ceiling. “Sir, time to go.”
“She’s coming with us. I haven’t finished with her yet.” Master drags me up to standing.
“Sir, she’s the reas—”
“Shut the fuck up, Chadwick, and get us out of here.”
The yells and sounds of things smashing, breaking, all echo through the house until the thunder of several feet coming up the stairs seems to rattle my teeth, and in a split second, Chadwick is on the floor with blood pouring from the new wound in his neck.
Filling the doorway is Bear. The soft look he seems to reserve for me is long gone, and in its place is my protective grizzly. The difference between the two versions of him is like night and day… they’re both beautiful in their own way.
He’s covered in blood, his chest is heaving, and his focus is now on my captor. I don’t know when he got it, but Master slowly lifts the gun in his right hand, aiming it at Bear, who just laughs. It’s not the laugh that makes the butterflies in my stomach flutter around, this is something else entirely. It still doesn’t scare me, though. Because it’s not aimed at me.