I promised myself I’d never let this happen again, yet within a few hours of finding out Shane is on the island, I’m right back where it all started—weak and useless. The beam at my back is unmoving, and the ropes ungiving. There’s nothing I can do. “Bailey, please! I need to know you’re okay,” I beg, feeling my throat closing up.
There’s a creak in the darkness, and light slices through a gap in the shed door as it opens. Someone walks in, but it’s not Shane. The shape of him is all wrong—shorter, broader, older. When he gets close enough for me to make out his features, my brain stutters. Walking towards me is Dan, the temp we took on.
Hope ignites inside my chest, and I don’t stop to question why he’s here on my farm, or why he doesn’t look surprised to see me. I just want to get free so I can get to Bailey. “Dan, untie me, please!” My voice is desperate, scratching my dry throat.
Dan stands in front of me, his face blank and controlled. Unease crawls all over my skin. Memories that have been a jumbled mess since my accident start piecing together. Something in the way he stands—unmoving, staring right through me—reminds me of the figure on the boat. I thought I’d imagined him, but now I put his face to the memory, and it clicks into place.
“You left me to drown,”I snarl. “What the hell are you doing here?”
The door opens more, and light floods the room, burning my eyes. Shane storms over to me, and my breath hitches in my throat as he gets so close we’re almost nose to nose. My grip on Bailey doesn’t falter as I stare down his brother. “What do you want?”
“What do I want?” Shane grabs me by my throat. “I want my brother back.”
Bailey’s fingers twitch in mine, and my body relaxes a fraction.
“He followed you the night you left. He chose you over me, when all I ever did was look out for him.”
I clench my jaw, feeling anger rip through me. My hand tightens on Bailey’s, and I feel him squeeze back this time, weak as it is. “You’re sick, Shane,” I bite out. He squeezes my throat tighter, cutting off my air completely. In my panic, I accidentally let go of Bailey's hand.
“Hey, not yet.” Dan mutters quietly. He grabs Shane’s wrist, and the hand around my throat is suddenly ripped away, causing an argument as they walk away, voices hushed.
“T-Teddy,”Bailey whispers.
Reaching for his hand again, I feel him squeeze it back with more force than before. “I’m here, mo leannan,” I soothe.
“I can’t be tied up,” he cries. “I can’t—get them off me!” he gasps, thrashing against his restraints.
My chest tightens when I realise the ropes are triggering him, and there’s nothing I can fucking do. “Listen to me. I’m right here with you this time. Try to focus on me, okay? You’re going to get through this. Shane isn’t going to hurt you.” I’m not sure if that’s true, but I’m pretty sure I’m the problem here, not Bailey. Shane wants him back, so he should be safe for now—I hope.
Shane turns to look at us and grins. “Oh, good, look who's awake,” he says as he walks around me. Bailey sucks in a sharp breath, and I feel him stop moving altogether.
BAILEY
I hearShane’s voice before I see him, and it turns my blood to ice. Each footstep matches the thumping of my heart until he’s standing in front of me, grinning. I’m paralysed, unable to pull on my restraints or even breathe. The look in his eyes borders on manic as he touches my face, stroking it gently with the back of his hand.
“I’d almost given up looking for you, little mouse, but then I saw you were in a photo Theo was tagged in: on your knees in a barn, hammer in hand. Guess it paid off keeping an eye on Theo for so many years.” He pinches my chin so hard it hurts. “Why did it take you so long to get back to him?”
“Shit,” Teddy mutters behind me.
My brain suddenly kicks into gear, and I pull against the ropes frantically, but they’re too tight around my chest, making it impossible to move. The walls of the barn close in on me until nothing exists except for my brother, pressed to my front, and Teddy, pressed to my back.
“Let him go,” I plead. “Let Teddy go, and I’ll—I’ll do whatever you want.”
Shane chuckles, and Teddy squeezes my hand tighter. “Shut up, Bay,”he hisses. I hear a smack behind me, and a grunt from Teddy. His hand goes limp in mine, then silence …
“Teddy?” I cry out. “Who else is here?” I shout at Shane, trying to turn my head. My jaw tightens, and I struggle with more force, needing to be free of the ropes. Heavy footsteps come from my left, and when I finally see who it is, a wretched sound rips from my throat. I shake my head, not wanting to believe that my stepfather is standing in front of me.
Shane hushes me, wiping away tears as they slip free. There’s no comfort in it. My heart thumps so hard it makes my chest hurt. “Just let Teddy leave and I’ll go home with you,” I say weakly. There’s no way I can get us both out of this, but I’d do anything for Teddy to be free.
“There’s nothing to go home to, Bailey,” Shane says.
My eyes dart from my brother to Dean, scared to look away from either for too long. I open my mouth to yell, but my throat closes up, cutting it off.
Fuck!Not now.
Growling to myself, I rock my head back, banging it on the wooden beam out of frustration. I just need to calm down, then maybe I can get control again. I start counting backwards from ten, focusing on the feel of Teddy’s hand in mine.
Shane carries on talking, ignoring me completely. “How have you been getting on without your punishments?” he smirks as he strokes the scars on my bare hip. I want to tell him exactly what I think of him and his punishments. I’ve never wanted to hurt someone more than I do right now. He’s ruined my life in the worst possible way—they both have. I want them to feel the pain I felt.
