Page 15 of Better Run
I lift a brow.
“You took a woman, then brought her to my cabin, and I almost fucked her as she fought?”
“You didn’t, though.”
“I was going to until you came along!” He runs a hand through his blond hair and lets out a short breath. “I can’t believe this.” He pauses, “Did you leave any way for them to track you here?”
“Of course not,” I snap.
Slight relief shows in his eyes. He sits quietly for what feels like forever. He just sits and sits. When he speaks, his voice is quiet. “You’re doing to her what happened to us.”
Dark anger instantly clouds my vision. “This is not the same.”
“Not the same?” he whisper-yells. “Our choice was taken away. You’re taking away her choice. For what, a little revenge?”
“She wants it; you can see it in her eyes.” I know he’s seen the open lust she looks at us with.
“Jesus Christ dude, you’re fucked up.” He paces away and to the kitchen, snatching a banana.
“Are you with me?” I look at him, hating seeing a glimpse of that familiar haunted look in his eyes. Hating that I put it there.
“Of course, I’m with you.” He rips it open and gestures to me with it. “Give me half a second to bury what’s left of my god-damned morals, for Christ’s sake.”
I let out a breath. He had always been there for me. We would always be with each other. He may not understand what I’m doing yet, but he will. I’ll make sure of it.
I pulled up the screenshot I took of Mary fromthevideo. I had stared at it for hours. Mesmerized. Angry. Hateful. Intrigued.
“So, what are we doing with her?”
It is time to continue the plan.
CHAPTER NINE
Mary Jo
My foot feels a little better. It has scabbed over and doesn’t look quite so angry and red. I still have no shoes or socks though, so walking is a pain in my ass. Which upsets the shit out of me. I’ll need to bide my time.
I spend hours in my room, reading a book I had taken from the living room. Watching the sun trace patterns on the walls. I expect Jayden to bother me, but he doesn’t speak one word to me all day. Even when I leave my room to get food. My frozen meals are running low. Instead, I stick to peanut butter sandwiches, bringing them back to my room. Cole isn’t around. Either that or he is laying low.
I listen to the sounds of the house, keeping inventory of what time Jayden does what. Well, as well as I can guess the time.
When evening rolls around, I can’t sleep. Jayden doesn’t come in to lock me up. I toss and turn until I fall into a fitful sleep.
I wake up with the feeling that I’m not alone.
I start up in bed, seeing two massive forms standing at the end of it wearing masks. The masks are white with holes in them for the eyes and mouth. One has a ghost smile in it, and the other has a slit for the mouth and stitching over the eyes. The one with stitching is on my left, and the smiling face is on my right.
“Hello, pretty girl.” I can’t tell who growls it. Their voice is low and angry. “Care to play?”
I jump to my feet.
They toss a small black item down on my bed.
“You have 60 seconds to run. If you get away for longer than five minutes, we won’t put this on you.”
I can’t tell what it is, but it doesn’t matter. I bolt.
The one in the smiling mask reaches out and yanks a piece of my hair as I go by.
