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Mine.

I won’t let this man take it away like so many always do.

I’ll die fighting to stop this monster. He will never do this to another girl.

“Get on the bed. Spread your legs.” After tucking the gun in the back of his waistband, Please turns on the camera. The red recording light blinks like a countdown clock on my life.

The thought of him touching me is so repulsive I cringe.

That hideous mask looms as he advances.

I glance toward the front of the church, catching a glimpse of the driver in silhouette as he stands guard near the door.

I steel myself. Cole. Melly. Lucy. One good swing.

I’m not prepared for his sudden movement. He’s on me so quickly I gasp. I fall back hard, knocking my head on the metal bed frame. There’s a prick of a needle in my arm.

Fuck. Fuck.

I already feel the drugs, warm, caressing. I have to move fast.

I start to scream. “Shush now,” he hisses, smothering my mouth with his own. “I’ll be gentle. So gentle. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, Delilah. Do you know that?”

I scream and buck and jerk as he spreads my legs and plays with my breasts. “Look me in the eyes, Lady. Look at me.”

Melly weeps softly.

The world swims, and I frantically grope for my garter. My fingers fumble around cool metal, the swirl of the corkscrew, but finally I have it.

I reach down inside of myself for every ounce of strength I have left. I send out a soft prayer to Lucy. Lucy, give me luck.

With my thumbnail, I flick out the knife. Then I lift my hand, the best I can with the drug coursing through my system, and stab.

The knife misses my intended mark—the throat—but it punctures the thin skin over Please’s collarbone, pinning the mask to his body.

Please roars.

He jerks back in surprise, falling off me, off the bed to stumble across the room. He stutter-steps backward in surprise. Mask obscuring his vision, he knocks over a row of candles, toppling them like dominoes. The fire spreads quickly, catching the walls, rushing up the altar.

Fuck.

There’s no time to waste. I scramble off the bed and rush to Melly. Orange flames lick in my periphery. The air stings with ash and heat, an inferno ready to rage.

“Hurry, Lili, hurry.” Melly’s chest rises and falls with panic.

My heart races, and a wave of dizziness rushes over me. My fingers are clumsy, like I have no strength left. Thankfully, with one hand free, Melly’s able to shuck her wrist restraints.

Her eyes widen, and she screams, cringing into the wall. “Look out!”

I scream as a hand grabs a fistful of my hair. Pain explodes behind my eyes, the hollow of my temple as I’m wrenched away from Melly and tossed onto the hard ground.

My vision blackens. Movement above me, and then Please stands over me, breathing hard. His mask is off, fury darkening his face. Blood streams down his chest. He levels the gun on me, and my entire body trembles in terror.

But around us, the fire spreads.

Any second, we’ll all go up in flames.

49 Cole