Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 70940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
“Take me,” her dad yells again. “Take me for what went down. They had nothin’ to do with it.”
I hear the sounds of scuffling, like someone tried to get away and got caught. Then there are some horrific yells, a gurgling sound, and chaos erupts.
“Get away from my sons,” her father roars. “Fuckin’ get away from them, you monster!”
A gunshot rings out, muffled voices trail through the air, and then I hear a horrible slicing sound and then gurgles of someone choking on their own blood. I drop my head and cover my ears, trembling and so scared I can barely breathe. It’s like being in a horror movie, only I can’t escape. I can’t turn the television off.
Then. Dead silence.
Avi turns around, panting, her eyes wide, and her face white. She looks over to me, pressing her hand against her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks. Oh god.
Oh no.
For what seems like hours we sit there, terrified, wondering if we’re ever going to get out of here alive. Are they going to find us, too? Are they going to come around the side of the sofa and take our lives? I’ve never felt fear so strong in all my life, but right now, it’s all I can feel. It’s consuming every inch of my body.
Once we hear no more noise, Avi stands on shaky legs and glances around the room. Then, an agonized cry comes from her lips as she stares down at the massacre in front of her. I stand quickly and come to a complete pause when I look down at the scene before me. Three dead bodies lie on the floor of her father’s office.
One brother has a bullet wound to the forehead.
The other one and her dad have their throats slit.
Dark red blood pools the floor around them.
Avi drops to her knees and starts screaming. I run over, pressing my hand to her mouth and crying, “Shhh, we don’t know if they’re still here. Honey, please, be quiet. We’re going to get out of here. Right now.”
She lets me help her up and I get her out of that room as quickly as I can. I can only assume whoever did this is going to come back, or worse, they could still be in this house. I can’t risk our lives. We have to go. “It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. I’m here. It’s okay.”
I say these words over and over but I’m not sure if I’m telling them to her, or to myself.
What does King have to do with this? Was he in the room? Did he do this? I don’t know. All I know is that those men are dead, and I have no idea why.
I get Aviana out onto the street and into her car, before getting in the driver’s seat and speeding off. She’s staring out the window, tears streaming down her face, and yet her expression is completely blank. Like all the life has been ripped from her eyes.
“What did you see, honey?” I ask her.
No response.
There is nothing.
She’s in shock.
She needs help, only I don’t know who to take her to.
Is she in danger if I take her to my house, where King could be? Did he do this? Did the club do this? Or was it someone else?
“I’m going to take you to the police station,” I tell her, my voice calm. “You’ll be safe there.”
She doesn’t say anything.
Whoever just killed her family ... killed her, too.
TEARS STREAM DOWN MY face as I charge into the house where King and my mom are having afternoon tea on the patio. They’re laughing about something, I don’t care what, all I know is I want answers, and I know King has something to do with it. He’s here now, acting like nothing happened. How many times has he done that? How many times has he pretended not to be a monster when he’s been out all day being just that?
“How could you?” I scream, making him jerk and turn around to see me charging his way with a red, tear-streaked face.
Mom turns around too and her face becomes immediately worried as she stands.
“What’s goin’ on?” King asks, standing too and facing me with genuine concern on his face.
“Aviana’s family,” I wail. “You killed them!”
For a moment, King looks truly shocked. No doubt he’s wondering just how I found out. He stares at me with a mixture of emotions on his face, but eventually calms his features. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Briella? You care to explain what’s goin’ on?”
What?
Excuse me, what?
“I was there,” I wail. “I was there when you came in and killed her family. All of them. Then you left as if you didn’t just ruin her whole life. I heard them say your name, I know you were there. You took her family’s lives as if they meant nothing. You’re a monster. You’re going to go down for this, King. You’ll suffer!”