Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
I take another step, and he groans, shakes his head, and laces his fingers behind his grimy neck. “I’m not going to hurt you, I swear. If I can, I want to help you. But I can’t do that unless you talk to me. Can you do that?”
I’m not sure I can get much closer. As it is, his stench is about to turn my stomach. “Please. If I can help you, I will.” I don’t know how, but I want to try.
One second, he’s cowering and terrified.
The next, his head snaps up, and his bulging eyes meet mine. His drawn, pale face suddenly goes red.
He’s already springing to his feet by the time my shock wears off and frozen muscles loosen up. But it’s too late. He’s lunging for me before I even take a step back.
It’s not even so much that he jumped up all of a sudden.
It’s that I know him. I’ve seen this man before.
“Dave?” But it can’t be. No, Dave was arrested. Wait. He was arrested by Griffin, who is not a cop. This is what they did with him?
He doesn’t say a word. He only lets out an otherworldly howl before his filthy fingers grab my hoodie, and he yanks hard enough to make me slam against his chest. I can barely register his intense odor before his hands close around my neck.
He’s so strong. I claw at his hands, but it only makes him tighten his grip while those sunken, haunted eyes of his fill my world. It’s like being in the grasp of a rabid animal who can’t think or reason. They can only attack.
The pressure in my head is unbearable, and the once bright light filling the room starts to go dim, and oh my God, it’s because I’m going to pass out. I’m going to pass out, and he’s going to hurt me even worse. He’s going to kill me.
And I can do nothing but try to hold on to consciousness for as long as I can, even as darkness starts closing in around me.
MASON
I run down the hall as fast as my legs can carry me. My feet pound against the floor, but the sound is drowned out by Dave’s guttural howl.
When I finally reach the open door, her scream has died down to a labored whimper. My eyes immediately fall onto her lifeless body. Dave hovers over her, both of his hands wrapped around her throat, squeezing the life out of her. I act without thinking, my body going into autopilot.
I’m across the room in no time, tackling Dave from behind. I wrap my arm around his throat, twisting it to the side so forcefully that his neck breaks with ease, and his body goes limp in my hold. I drop him to the ground and fall to my knees next to Teagan.
Her face is slightly blue, and angry red marks are painted on her neck. Her eyes are unfocused, and her breathing is labored and shallow. Carefully, I slide my arms underneath her and lift her off the ground. Teagan’s head lulls to the side, and I shift her to stabilize her head against my shoulder.
Just as I turn to leave, the sound of heavy footfalls approaches. I exit the cell to find Tank and Natalie approaching.
“What the hell happened?” Natalie asks frantically while Tank draws his gun to clear the room.
“He’s dead,” I announce as I speed walk down the hall. “I’m taking her to medical.”
“I’m coming with you.” Natalie follows close as I step into the elevator. She pushes for the first floor, where our medical unit is.
“How—”
“I don’t know!” I yell at my sister before she can ask the question. Nat presses her lips into a tight line. I know it’s not Natalie’s fault, but fuck, I’m angry. Angry with that slimy lowlife who put his hands on Teagan. Angry with her for snooping around and definitely angry with myself.
How did I let this happen? Did someone bring her here, or did she come down here on her own? How did she get in the cell?
I can’t think straight. Teagan whimpers in my arms, and her eyes flutter open. She looks around, confused, before her eyes find mine, and she relaxes a little.
“Everything is going to be okay. I’m taking you to see a doctor.”
A ghost of a smile appears on her blue lips. Then her eyes fall shut once again.
It feels like an eternity until we get to medical. When the door finally slides open, I swiftly take her to the emergency area. The doctors get paged as soon as someone calls for the second floor, so I’m not surprised when staff waits for us.
“What happened?” the doctor asks as I place Teagan on the gurney.
“Someone strangled her. There’s bruising to her throat and loss of consciousness for about a minute and a half. Since then, she has been in and out.”