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Raw anger builds in me.
“Time’s up, kids.” The short man steps away from the door.
Hope grasps the knob and pulls it open. “I’m coming with you.”
He glances down at her leg and shakes his head. “We’ve been desperate to find someone like you. You’ll be doing a good thing.” Sweat prickles across his brow and he readjusts his hat. “Glad we could come to an arrangement.”
“Fuck you.” My pistol hangs uselessly in my hand. What good am I? Maybe I should take this arrogant asshole out before I go. At least I’d feel like I did something.
“Oh, son. Don’t be like that. We’re just gonna borrow your pretty little gal. Once everyone is better, she can come back.” He has the audacity to put his swollen hand on the small of her back as he walks her to the truck.
“When?” My voice cracks as I call out.
Hope disappears into the vehicle. It feels like my heart is being ripped out.
“Shouldn’t be more than a couple of weeks.” He spits again before rolling himself up into the passenger seat.
“Weeks? There’s no way—” I run down the short stairs, raising my weapon. I’m going to kill him.
My knees give out beneath me.
How the hell am I looking at the sky?
The pain hits as the retort from the gunshot echoes over me.
My chest erupts in agony. I curl onto my side in time to see the SUV pulling away soundlessly.
Electric. Dammit.
Crunching gravel and rattling in my lungs are the only things I can hear as my soul disappears through the trees.
Chapter 18
Hope
I was barely holding my composure when I crawled into the cab of the sweaty smelling truck. But, when I see Michael fall with blood blooming across his chest, it takes three grown men to pin me down.
“Easy, sweetheart. He was no good for you.” The man who has his arm around my neck talks against my ear.
Left side asshole pinning my arm and left leg makes it even worse. “Did you see his teeth? He’s got dog in him, I bet.”
The short, bearded man shakes his head in the front. He has my right foot wedged under his hefty elbow. “You’re going to be helping a lot of people. It’s a waste having you just holed up here in the woods.” He has to turn his whole torso around to look at me. “Them wolves will turn on you, mark my words. You’ll be safer with us.”
His seat squeaks when he shifts to face out the windshield. “We’ve been looking for someone like you for a long time. Was starting to think it was a myth. Imagine my surprise when ol’Billy brought in the footage and your leg grew back before our eyes.” He sniffs and looks out the side window. “It’s the miracle we’ve been hoping for.”
“Yea. Much better than the kid.” My new scarf shifts behind me, tightening his arm around my throat.
What I would give for the ability to kill with a touch like Michael.
The sob comes on its own. Tears soak the sleeve under my chin.
He’s gone. It hurts so fucking bad. A piece of me is lying in the dirt with him.
All of me. Every happy memory I own is wrapped up in him.
I’m shattered. Broken. All the years of being cut apart and used, pale to the pain in my heart. I wish I could just slice it out, but I know even that is a different ache.
This has destroyedme.My very being.