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Then—
Crack!
Pain exploded along my thigh. My entire world turned white.
I couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t think.
My body convulsed in the mud as a scream ripped itself raw from my throat.
Good, he whispered somewhere above me while rain pounded the ground around us. That’s better.
Thunder split the sky.
He lifted the wrench once more.
You won’t run now, will you? Good girls… stay still.
And I woke choking on the sound of my own scream.
I turned my head, driving my face into the pillow. Fists curled. Tremors ripped free. My fingers dug into the soft edges as I unleashed the terror like I was still back there. Still in that cold wet earth. Still watching the wrench swing through the air in one final arc—
Agony ripped through my thigh. I bucked. Arched. Grabbed my leg. Fingers dug into the twisted flesh. The scar burning like lightning. There’s movement again. Vivienne’s words pushed in. Names started surfacing. Yours was one of them.
He was coming.
He was coming for me.
And for the first time in my life, I didn’t want to run from the house.
Not this one.
This was where I stayed.
Something inside me gave way quietly. I should’ve known I’d never escape him. I should’ve known he’d come back to finish the job. Because I’d ran, hadn’t I? I closed my eyes. Tears slipped from the edges. I ran and I’d given them hope.
Good girls… stay still.
I squeezed and squeezed.
Still, I couldn’t block him out.
He was coming. Whether I wanted it or not.
So I had to be ready.
I had to protect myself.
Any way I could.
Something inside me settled cold and heavy. The part that didn’t want to run anymore. I gripped my thigh, massaging the pain away. I couldn’t run now even if I wanted to.
And I didn’t want to.
I dropped my hand, pushed the covers aside and rolled. Cold floor stung my toes. I climbed out, headed for the bathroom. I didn’t even feel the heat of the water when I stepped into the shower. I didn’t feel anything at all. Movements were calm. My thoughts went frighteningly still.
Heat burned my fingers.
