Page 31 of Hollow House
Before he could stop me, I turned and ran.
Chapter 17
I miraculously foundmy way back to the front entry and out the door. The gravel driveway crunched beneath my heels as I sprinted toward the gate. Two men outside leaned against the stone column on one side of the steps. I paid them little attention, just wanting to leave.
My mistake.
They moved, following behind me at an unhurried pace. Did they come from inside the party? They wore the same masks as everyone else, but they weren’t inside. Did they slip through the gates and end up locked out with no invite?
I tried not to let my mind wander to the worst thoughts as I slowed my pace and stopped at the gate.
I tugged on it, but it barely budged. The more I pulled, the more my panic grew. The footsteps behind me were close, and my stomach sank.
Was I locked in?
I turned to face the approaching men, taking a few steps away from the gate, my hands on my hips.
“What?” I snapped at the pair.
“We were just wondering where you’re heading so soon into the night?” one of the men with red hair asked. The other stood beside him, his long blond hair pulled back.
“I’m leaving,” I said firmly.
They both laughed.
“You hear that, John?” the red haired one asked.
“I did, Greg. Maybe we can convince her otherwise.”
“Just one small taste of this,” Greg said and reached out to grab my ass.
I swatted his hand away, and he gave me an undignified look. The guy was deranged. His hair was swept all over the place, his mask crooked. I knew the alcohol served here was strong, but this strong? Enough to justify such lack of judgement? I don’t think so.
Fucking creep.
“Go the fuck back inside,” I said, trying to inject some confidence into the statement.
He laughed—fuckinglaughed—right in my face. The nerve of this guy. I could feel the jackass’ ego oozing from him. Such an entitled prick.
I turned to storm back toward the gate, and he reached out, grabbing my waist. Why I thought turning away from him was a good idea, I have no idea, but apparently, I was full of bad ideas tonight.
“Let’s go, princess,” he said.
“I’m not your fucking princess,” I said, trying to kick him away as he literally dragged me by my waist.
I cursed under my breath, one of his muscular arms thicker than both my arms combined. The man was a beast, one I had no hope of escaping from. Whatever he wanted, it was probably better to let him have it without a fight and then get the fuck out of there.
My body gave up, my tense muscles going limp, and I whimpered as the guy pulled my hair. He wrapped it around his hand and tugged on it like a leash.
My cries were mangled and soft, my head forced to face the ground and my feet skidding across gravel.
I tried to minimize the pain. My hands went to my scalp and tried to prevent any pieces of hair from ripping out with his aggression as I heard the other man let out a laugh.
The laugh turned into something far stranger, more of a muffled cry. I tried to glance up, butthe man shoved my face back down. Footsteps crunched on the ground, and I no longer heard the other one.
The tight grip on my hair loosened for a second, and I pulled back, distancing myself from the man as he lost his hold.
When I looked up, I noticed one man passed out on the ground. What the fuck?
