Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 94220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
My whole system is set up in his basement so I can watch outside over the next few days. It’s gonna be a long-ass week of waiting for our plan to work, tucked away in a basement with an air mattress, but it’s worth it knowing Leif will be safe.
“Well, get your ass over to mine tonight so we can enjoy the time we have left. I’m making lasagna.”
I growl. “I fucking love your lasagna.”
That’s probably the most believable thing I can say as I play nice, to give Isaac false confidence that everything is as he would expect.
“Now let me finish up, and I’ll be over in like ten,” I say.
“Sounds good. Love you.”
“I love you too.”
Okay, this is also one of the more believable things.
Leif heads over to his place, and after I hear the front door close, I reach into my backpack and grab the case with my handgun, inspecting it. The reality is starting to hit me, like it did that night when I first met Leif.
I might have to use this thing soon.
“Great shot, kid,” Dad says, resting his hand on my shoulder. “You got an eye for this, my little soldier.”
I set the case back in my backpack and zip it shut, taking a last glance around my room. I’m gonna miss this comfy mattress.
I head into the hall, and as I start down it, I stop. The hairs on my neck stand on end. Something’s wrong.
I turn toward the guest bedroom across the hall from mine when I see someone bolt out.
I recognize the face immediately.
Isaac fucking Tolle.
I jump back, spin my backpack around, knocking him in the head with it so he goes flying against the wall, but he grabs it and pulls. I go with it and I’m all fists, slamming them against him, when he hits me in my gut.
Fuck.
My body trembles violently, and I realize he’s fucking got a stun gun to my shirt.
He throws me back against the opposite wall, and I try to get up, but my trembling legs send me back to the ground.
Fuck my goddamn fucking body.
When I regain my senses, I feel another jolt against my neck. Then another.
I’m a fit of spasms.
*
I’m still trembling from the shock of Isaac’s repeated assaults.
I think I lost consciousness for a minute there. As my vision unblurs, I notice I’m lying facedown on my bedroom floor. My arms are behind my back, and I attempt to move them, noticing the strain against my wrists.
I feel movement at my legs and glance over my shoulder. Isaac wraps a zip tie around my ankles, and by the time I’m able to struggle, it’s too late.
Fuck me.
Isaac feels around my ankles and yanks the hem of my jeans up. “Ah, what do we have here?” He slides my knife out of its holster.
Dammit.
“Guess that’s one down. Now you just have to tell me where your gun’s at.”
“Fuck off.”
He snickers as he crawls over to face me. He runs the blade across my cheek.
“Zane, you’re gonna learn real fast that I love when they pick the hard way.”
“What did you do to my brother, asshole?”
“You tell me where your gun is, and I’ll tell you that. And don’t try to pretend you don’t have one. I’ve been listening in on you and your boyfriend’s little conversations.”
The way he says that, it sounds like he fell for our ruse, but then why did he come here now? Did he realize he needed to take me out first to get to Leif?
“Where is your gun, Zane?” He presses the blade harder against my flesh, and when I don’t reply for a few moments, his nostrils flare. His eyes widen. And then he smiles.
The expressions are disturbingly erratic, impossible to read.
As he continues applying pressure with the blade, I’m waiting for him to draw blood, but he restrains himself, pulling back.
“It’s too early to damage this beautiful body,” he whispers as though it’s not even intended for me. “Fuck it, I’ll find it myself.”
He’s placed my backpack on the bed; that’s where he goes first.
Of fucking course.
He rifles through and pulls out the case. “Well, they weren’t gonna let you take this where you were going anyway.”
Is he gonna realize it’s strange that I would have taken that over to Leif’s, even after I’d assured him there wasn’t any real danger?
“Where the fuck is my brother?” I ask, trying to get his attention off what might cast doubt in his mind about our real plan.
I struggle with my restraints, but it’s for show since I know better than to waste my energy on what would be a futile attempt at escaping. At least while he’s got his eyes on me.
“You should be more concerned about your fate than Michael’s. It’s already been two months since he passed, so you’re wasting your tears.”