Page 20 of The Hunted

I can’t stop the fear that’s trembling in my voice. My eyes dart around, scanning for anyone to help me. I may have given myself to this man last night, but that by no means translates to trust. I don’t know who the hell he is.

He turns to me with a wicked smile stretched across his handsome face that is in no way friendly. My lip quivers, matching the shaking of my limbs. If he gets me in this building I may not come out.

“Please, Knox. Why have you brought me here?”

“Come along, Little Bird, and you’ll see.” He drags me unwillingly behind him, pulls a key from his pocket, and unlocks the door.

I enter through the steel door and it slams behind me. The sound echoes off the broken walls.

“Ahhh!” My scream reverberates around us.

“Shhhhh.” He turns to me and puts a finger up to his lips. The glint in his eyes sends a chill skittering down my spine and ices my veins. This man is fucking scary.

He may have had his mouth and hands on the most intimate parts of my body less than twenty-four hours ago, but now, here in this moment, he’s scaring the shit out of me. It’s as if I am seeing a different man. I suck in air, but I can’t seem to catch my breath; my heart pounds so hard against my ribs, it’s painful. Adrenaline sweeps through my veins, and my body trembles as he guides me over toward a set of rotting stairs.

His hand closes around my bicep and he leads me up the steps behind him. Tears fill my eyes and slide down my cheeks.

The smell overwhelms me…rotting flesh. I can only imagine the things that have happened here. The decaying steps groan in protest under the strain of our weight as we climb.

Once we reach the top, I see light shining underneath the door at the end of the hall. Knox turns his attention to me for just a moment.

He nods toward the door and pulls me behind him again.

“Please, stop! Please!” I beg as I try to pry his fingers from my wrist.

Ignoring my pleas, his grip tightens around my flesh, and he continues pulling me toward the door. He reaches out and twists the knob. The hinges groan in protest.

What the hell?

Inside, sits a man with a black sack resting over his head. Ropes secure the black fabric around his neck. His hands appear to be tethered behind his back and his ankles tied to the legs of the chair.

I don’t understand.

“Knox, what the fuck is going on?”

My whispered question receives no reply.

Why won’t he answer me?

Blood covers the man tied to the chair, and his head hangs limp. His chest heaves, and he attempts to raise his head, but his body just winces with pain.

Knox approaches the man, dragging me with him, and we stop right in front of him. The smell of urine permeates the air, mixed with the coppery tang of blood. I can only imagine what this poor man has gone through. I leer at Knox. He must sense it. He turns his head to look at me, and that cold gaze is laced with pure hate.

“Stand right here, Raven.”

He points to the spot I’m currently occupying, then turns that hatred back onto the poor man bound in front of him. Knox reaches out for the sack tied around the man’s neck, and the man flinches as Knox’s fingers begin to untie the rope.

“Please. No more. Please.”

The man’s defeated, muffled voice comes through the fabric over his mouth. I can’t contain my gasp. This man needs help, but I can’t defy Knox’s command to remain in this exact spot. Who knows what he’ll do to me if I disobey?

“Raven, I know your sister is missing,” he states calmly as he continues to loosen the knot.

“I knew from the second I saw you, you weren’t supposed to be at my estate.”

My heart freezes in my chest. Fear paralyzes me.

“You had reasons for being there, other than money. I knew as much. I had to do some digging, call in a favor to find out why you showed up at the manor.”

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