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I look around, but there’s no sign of Kingston. Only another dock with a small speedboat tethered to it and an empty picnic table.
“Uh... this is nice and all, but wasn’t Kingston supposed to meet us here?”
He pulls his phone out of his pocket and runs his thumbs over the screen. “Have a seat, babe. He was grabbing your cake and some drinks. He’ll be right down.”
I take a seat and pat the bench beside me. “I won’t bite.”
“Nah, I’ve done my job. I don’t really wanna be here when your boy arrives. I’m gonna head back to the boathouse, although I’m much more of a doer than a watcher.” He wags his eyebrows.
I shake my head. “Ugh, I didn’t need to know that.”
Bentley shrugs. “Quite frankly, I need the distraction.”
I quirk my head to the side. “From what?”
“From the fact that I lost the girl.” He gives me a sad smile.
My mouth forms into an O when I decode his words. “Bent—”
“Naw, baby, don’t do that. It’s all good.” He leans down and places a kiss on my cheek before taking a few steps backward. “I’ll smoke a little more, drink a little more, and get lost in a pussy or three at the boathouse. I’ll be just fine.”
I’m still a little in shock from seeing this serious side of Bentley. I can’t think of anything to say, so I just sit there like an idiot watching him walk away. A few minutes later, I’m still alone, getting more creeped out with each passing second. Why the hell Kingston thought leaving me in the woods by myself in the middle of the night was a good idea, I’ll never know. That asshole better get here fast, or I’m walking back.
An owl hoots from somewhere above, adding to the ominous feeling in my gut. Where in the hell is he? I whip my head around when I hear a twig snapping behind me, followed by the crunching of shoes on the fallen leaves. Fucking finally!
I turn, expecting to see Kingston, but instead, I see two men wearing dark ski masks, coming right toward me. Oh, fuck.
I jump off the bench and immediately start running. Two masked dudes scream trouble. I’m not giving them a chance to bury my body out here. I can hear them behind me, but I’m not chancing looking back. I hate being so exposed, so I dart into the woods and pray the trees will provide some sort of camouflage.
“Oh, sweetheart, we like it when they run,” a deep voice taunts behind me. “It makes catching our prey much more satisfying.”
The other one laughs, the sound of their amusement chilling me to the bones. Who are these twisted fucks? And seriously, where the hell is Kingston? I almost trip in my flip-flops so I kick them off, running barefoot now. The sticks covering the forest floor scrape my skin, but I barely feel the pain because I’m too terrified to think of anything but escape.
“Help!” I scream. “Somebody fucking help me!”
I know we’re far away from any houses, but I have to try getting someone’s attention.
“We like it when they scream, too,” the same man calls out. “But save your breath. There’s no one out here to save you.”
Shit. Fuck. Shit.
My eyes dart left and right, trying to decide which direction to go. I can feel them closing in on me, so I pump my legs harder and veer back toward the shore. Running straight along a path has to be better than going in circles. Just as I reach the mushy soil running along the water, I scream out in agony as I’m pulled back by my hair and slammed into the ground. My face is smashed into the mud as a heavy body covers mine from behind.
“Get off me!” I struggle as hard as I can, but he’s so much bigger and heavier than me.
The asshole tightens his grip on my hair and pulls. “Fucking hold still, bitch.”
I try kneeing him in the balls as rough hands flip me over, but he predicts the move and blocks me.
“Fucking hold her feet!” the guy yells.
His partner grabs ahold of my ankles and secures me in place. The wind is knocked out of me as the other guy presses his knees to my chest and slams his meaty palm over my mouth. I see a flash of silver right before I feel the tip of a sharp blade at my throat.
“Now listen up, you cunt,” he seethes. “This is how it’s gonna go. You’re going to stop trying to maim us and you’re going to open those pretty legs of yours. If you try screaming for help again” —he presses the blade in farther— “I’ll slit your fucking throat. If you take it like a good girl until we’re done with you, you get to live. Understand?”
I fight against the panic brewing inside of me. I need to somehow keep a clear head and figure a way out of this.
Tears are pouring down my face as I nod my head as much as he’ll allow.
