20

Ava
Run. Run. Run.
That’s all I could think about. But I couldn’t break free of Theo’s hold. I was woozy and dizzy as hell, but I’d fought him hard enough that he’d dropped the syringe before issuing the full dose. Still, he had one hand over my mouth, his other arm pressed against my throat. Even as I struggled, jamming my heel into his foot, nothing stopped him. He dragged me to the other end of the house and down another set of stairs, laughing softly as if taking me from the three men who’d captured me was any worse.
When he jerked us both to a stop, dropping his hand to reach for a doorknob, I let out a horrific scream. But I knew deep inside the sound would never be heard over the thumping music. I wasn’t even certain I’d made a noise.
He shoved me inside, slamming then locking the door.
The force he’d used pitched me back against a washing machine, the brutal impact knocking the wind out of me. I’d lost one shoe, my dress already torn from where he’d grabbed me. My vision was still foggy, images blurry. I blinked several times, fighting the drug with everything I had.
“Get… away from me!” I hissed, scanning the room for anything I could use as a weapon.
He grinned lasciviously as he raked his hand through his hair, swaggering towards me, then allowing his gaze to slowly fall to my breasts. “Don’t worry. It’ll wear off in time. Those assholes think they can take everything without consequences. So strong. So entitled. Well, I found their single weakness. That’s you. I’ve watched them for months stalking you, as if they thought they were so clever. Do you know why they did?”
“Uh-uh,” I said. My mouth was like sandpaper. Even worse, his words echoed.
“It seems your daddy is a very bad man. Did you know that?”
What the hell was he talking about? I tried to say something and almost tripped.
“Careful, little girl. You didn’t know, did you?” Theo laughed.
What was he talking about? “No.”
“Oh, yes. Your daddy is an assassin for some terrible men.”
An assassin? No, I wasn’t hearing him right. “Na… no. He owns a restaurant.”
“I feel sorry for you. That’s why Clinton hates you so much. Your daddy killed his brother.”
This was some kind of sick game. I shook my head, gulping for air. “Let me go.”
“That’s not going to happen. You’re very valuable. Imagine the fun we’re going to have using their desire against them.”
“What the… hell are you talking about?” I inched away from him, trying to calculate how long it would take me to get to the door. Don’t trip. Run. Run!
“You. You’re the only thing that’s mattered to them for the past four years. They act as if they own the world, but you brought them to their knees. Did you know that? Do you know how special that makes you? I guess you must taste pretty sweet, huh?” He licked his lips, making a sucking sound.
Disgust tore through me that was entirely different than before. “I don’t belong here. I’m not one of you.”
“The fact you’re in the house means you are one of them now. I can smell them on you. They’ve already marked you with their scents. That doesn’t matter.”
Jesus Christ. What kind of a sick game was everyone playing? These boys were barbarians. When he licked his lips again, rubbing his hand across his crotch, my blood turned to ice.
I could read his thoughts. He believed that if he raped me, then their little pet would be spoiled. There was no way I was going to allow that to happen. I shifted another few inches, watching every move he made. God, why couldn’t I think clearly? Was it possible my father was an assassin? No. It was crazy.
“Come here, little girl. We’re going to have so much fun together.”
When he took another step closer, I realized there would be no better time to try and get the hell away from him. I threw myself at the door, managing to get it open, screaming at the top of my lungs.
Theo slammed his hand against the door, immediately backhanding me. As I tumbled to the floor, he jumped on top of me, tearing at my clothes. I continued yelling, fighting him with everything I had, but the drug still had its claws in me. He managed to shred the bodice of my dress, squeezing my breast.
“Such a little bitch, aren’t you? I can tell you like it rough. Trust me, baby. That’s what you’re going to get.”
He positioned himself between my legs, yanking the material up to my thigh on one side.
I punched him in the face.
“You’re going to pay for that.”
“No. No!”
Wham!
The cracking sound reverberated in the room, the rush of air and the deep growls echoing in my ears. Suddenly, the weight of him was jerked off, his body flying through the air and driven against the wall. Rolling over, I fought to get to my feet, blinking several times to focus. I clutched the torn bodice against my chest, gasping for air as tears streamed down my face.
Clinton, Weston, and Christian had found me.
As they continued to punch Theo, I backed toward the door, shaking like a leaf. Shaky, I backed even further, wincing with every brutal punch. I could see blood from the savagery inflicted on the man and a part of me knew Theo deserved it.
Theo continued to fight back.
Then a glint caught my eye, something shiny and metallic.
A knife.
They were going to kill him.
Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.
That’s the moment I turned and fled, racing down the three sets of stairs, bouncing from one side to the other. My vision was still foggy, but I refused to stop, frantically searching for Kennedy.
“Ava . Wait!”
I heard one of them calling my name, the sounds of their footsteps pushing me to escape. I found the front door, throwing it open, racing out into the rain in my bare feet. My name echoed in the night as I fled, struggling to find my way in the dark. I heard more than one set of footsteps.
The rain continued to call, the darkness overwhelming. I almost slipped several times but kept going. Images floated in my mind, faces of ugliness. Blood. It was crazy. I had to get away.
Seconds later, bright lights formed a glow in the trees surrounding me, the roar of an engine getting close. I turned around as a car veered over the hill.
They were going too fast.
Too fast…
“No!”