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Footsteps thundered above, and floorboards creaked as Lucas and Danny moved around, likely woken by the gunshot.
“This is your fault,” Shane spat.
“Seb?” Lucas called. “Scarlett?”
I glimpsed Lucas and for a split second, time stopped. His hair was messy, and his tired face looked so soft. He reached the top of the stairs and Shane fired again. The impact sent Lucas crashing back onto the landing out of sight and his pained cry rang through the air.
“Lucas!” Danny screamed, hidden from view.
It was a horrible nightmare. I had to be dreaming. I had to be, there was no way in hell this was real. Curling my hands into fists, my nails bit into my palm but the pain was barely registered and not enough to wake me up.
Because this was real.
“Shane,” I sobbed, trying to find any way to distract him.
He was a crazed man however and he turned, whipping the gun through the air. Shane smacked me in the face with the gun and shape pain flared across my cheekbone as my head whipped to the side. Then Shane’s strong arm wound around my waist, and he began to drag me from the house.
“Shane, no!” I screamed and, in an instant, I started to fight like a wild cat. “No, fuck, no! Shane, no!”
My cries fell on deaf ears as he dragged me down the pathway. My fists had no impact on his body and my feet kicked uselessly over the gravel path. Halfway toward the gate, he turned and grabbed my arm, shaking me violently and shoving the cold barrel of the gun against my throat.
“You want me to shoot you too, huh?” Shane yelled in my face. Speckles of spit landed on my skin. “I’ll do it! I’ll do it and sell you back to your brother piece by fucking piece!”
“No, please,” I gasped wretchedly. “Please?—.”
“Then fucking walk!” He shoved me violently down the path and I only just managed to keep my balance.
“Just—just call an ambulance, Shane, please. Please!” All I could think about was Sebastian crumpled at the bottom of the stairs. If he didn’t get help, away out here on the edge of town, then who knows what would happen? The only clarity I had was that I didn’t want to lose them and if I obeyed, if I followed Shane away then maybe Danny could get help.
Maybe.
“Fuck that,” he grumbled. “Just a flesh wound.”
Out of the gate, Shane shoved me once more and I stumbled into the side of his jeep that was parked squint, still running, in the middle of the street.
“Get in,” Shane barked.
“But—.”
“Get in!” Shane shoved the gun against my back, and I squealed in fear, then with trembling hands I obeyed. The stink of alcohol was stronger inside the truck and bottles clinked together when the truck swayed with my additional weight. I had a fleeting thought of running when Shane moved to the driver’s side, but I knew it would end badly.
I huddled in my seat, pressing against the door as Shane climbed in and started the truck. The gun stayed in his hand as he clutched the steering wheel and started to drive. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it.
“What are you going to do to me?” I asked in a tight whisper.
Shane snorted. “You think you’re better than me. Think you can just cast me aside like we weren’t meant for each other. I was with you, all through that shit with your mum. All through school and this is what you do?” Shane growled softly.
I bit back a whimper, blind to the trees whipping past the windows as Shane drove fast and recklessly.
“I’m gonna get my money’s worth, that’s what,” Shane sneered.
“Where are you taking me?”
Finally, Shane looked at me with wide eyes and a crazed grin.
“The only place we could ever be alone,” Shane replied.
My frantically beating heart plummeted to my gut.
