Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
The gear I’ve been saddled with feels like it weighs a ton. I’m not even sure what’s inside the bag I’ve been forced to carry. If I get an opportunity, though, I’ll steal anything useful. And if I ever get close enough to Jace, I’ll steal my knife back from him.
Our group disperses from our marching line as the leaders start barking out orders. Michael and his brother Owen are clearly in charge. Since Michael appears to be older, I think he’s the real boss of this group.
“Start gathering tinder for the fire,” Tom instructs, relieving me of my heavy backpack. “Put it over there in that clearing.” He grabs hold of my shoulder, jerking me around to face him. “Don’t get any funny ideas, girl.”
I want to spit in his face, but he might give me one of those crushing bear hugs and force me to smell his armpits again. Hard pass.
“Whatever,” I grumble, unable to keep the bite out of my tone.
He huffs, his red, flabby cheeks wobbling. “Not sure about him, but I won’t tolerate mouthiness. Remember that.”
I frown at Tom, confused by his words. Rather than let him see he’s rattled me, I swivel around to start looking for sticks. Ronan stands near Kristen, looking a little worse for the wear with the knot on his head and swollen eyes from crying. Logan has a palm on each of their shoulders, leaned in and speaking quietly to them. I need a moment alone with my brother so we can formulate an escape plan.
We will escape.
I just have to figure out how to get us all safely away from these awful people.
For now, I keep quiet and listen to conversations that might be useful to me in the future. The men are all kinds of scary, especially Logan. CJ, Jace, Tom, and Seth aren’t in any leadership roles. They do as they’re told when they’re told. While Michael is undoubtedly in charge, with Owen backing him up, Logan—a carbon copy of his father, Michael—holds a lot of power. The women, aside from Kristen, are all just extensions of their husbands, pretending like it’s not fucked up that they kidnapped us. Kristen behaves like a victim and I’m dying to pick her brain about them.
Sadie hurries over to me and shoots me a pitiful look. I feel bad for her. She’s nice and was just supposed to be here for a visit. I’m sure getting kidnapped with the rest of us was not on her list of expectations. Furthermore, she’s clueless about being in the wilderness. Since our trek began from the side of the road where the men hid the truck, she’s screamed no less than fifty times when a bug landed on her.
“What are we going to do?” Sadie asks, voice low. “We have to get away from these freaks.”
“We will,” I assure her. “I need to see my baby brothers and check on them.”
Someone scoffs behind me. Both me and Sadie whip around to find Mya watching us with a cruel expression twisting her features. I cringe at the thought of her hearing us. Maybe she didn’t.
“They’re not your anything anymore,” Mya says in an antagonistic tone that makes my blood boil. “May as well get used to it now.”
“What are you talking about?” I demand, taking the bait she’s laid out for me.
She laughs scornfully. “They’re Stacey’s children now.”
“My brothers?” I gape at her in disbelief. “You’re insane.”
“You have no idea about how much your life has changed. It’s pathetic.” Mya makes a pretend sad face. “Your brothers no longer belong to you.”
I curl my fists up, eager to punch the stupid look off her face, but I refrain. Barely. Getting information is more important. If I punch her, they’ll tie me up again…or worse. I’m not eager to find out what else they could do.
“Explain,” I demand. “You make no sense.”
Sadie huffs from beside me. “You’re all fucking crazy.”
Mya ignores her altogether, choosing to fling her venom my way. “Dakota and Declan will be calling Stacey and Michael Mommy and Daddy soon.” She laughs. “Since theirs are dead now.”
I take a step forward, forgetting to remain calm, eager to knock this psycho to the ground. “They won’t do it. You can’t just brainwash my family like that. It won’t work and you’re delusional to think so.”
And, if Dad survived what they did to him, he’ll come for us.
“Give it time, bitch,” Mya sneers. “You’ll see.”
Her chilling words make my stomach tighten. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means,” she says in a derisive tone, “that you’ll do your wifely duties and fall into line if you value your life.”
Wifely duties?
“I still don’t understand,” I spit out. “Make it make sense.”
Mya bravely crowds me, tilting her head so she glowers up at me. The arrogance in her expression makes tendrils of unease curl in my stomach.