Page 45 of If You Dare

An errant hand drifts up my shirt, another down my shorts. I squirm, eyes stinging as I try to get away, but they don’t budge.

Trey leans down before cupping my breast and squeezing. “God, I love when they fight.”

He yanks my shirt up so hard and fast over my tits, I gasp. The night air kisses my newly exposed skin, and Trey groans.

Someone roars a warning from the darkness. “Fuck!Cops!”

A series of curses and shoutsand most of the hands leave my body, sneakers squeaking as the Devils run for it.

Except for one pair of hands still holding me down. A mask still hovering above my head, staring at me with ruthless intent.

“Trey!” Brody shouts, nudging his shoulder. “Come on! Cops!”

“I don’t give a fuck,” Trey seethes, green eyes boring holes into my skull as his hand fumbles with the button on my shorts.

But Brody yanks his arm. “Let’s go, man!”

Trey gives my tits one last painful squeeze, a promise to return for more, before he releases me and takes off with the Devils.

I gasp in a long breath before a sob racks through my body. In the silence, I let the horror over what just happened, whatcould’vehappened, settle into my bones and make my limbs tremble until I force myself to stand.

I need to get the hell out of here before any of them decide to risk coming back.

But when I get to my feet, I realize I’m already too late.

One of the Devils has already returned. Or he never left in the first place.

Wes.

The smile beneath his mask is sadistic. A wolf that’s found his dinner.

“Wes,” I whisper, one last attempt to appeal to the human heart I hope is still beating somewhere beneath the predator’s skin. “Please, don’t—”

He takes a step toward me, and another cry escapes my lips. “The cops will find you.”

His grin widens, head tilting just slightly. A predator amused by his prey. “There are no cops.”

I try to replay the warning shout in my head. In the moment, overwhelmed by terror, I didn’t recognize the voice belonged to Wes.

Of course there isn’t anyone here to rescue me. Wes simply wanted me all to himself.

I bolt, spinning on my heel and racing down the sidewalk and into the parking lot.

I dare a glance over my shoulder. Wes is sauntering after me, so confident he’ll catch me that he doesn’t bother breaking into a run.

We’re completely alone now. Predator and prey.

Pavement gives way to dark grass below my feet as I sprint for the woodline. Before I break into the trees, I find Wes behind me one more time.

Sprinting after me like I’ve stolen his most prized possession.

Like I killed his sister.

I crash into the woods, twigs and leaves crunching beneath my shoes and low-hanging branches smacking my arms and face. One sharp enough to draw blood across my cheek. The pain doesn’t register yet, buried somewhere deep below the terror.

His boots smash into the woods behind me, entirely too close. He’s closed the distance between us in seconds. If I keep running, he’ll track me and catch me.

I duck behind a tree and glue my back to the bark, heaving but trying to keep my breaths quiet. All I can hope for is that I can hide long enough that Wes grows bored and leaves me here. To resume the hunt another day.

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