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Matches.
Turning to look at Alec, she mouths, “I’m so sorry.” Then she strikes the match and puts the flame right against the curtains, lighting it up. “We need to hurry,” she adds and leads us out of the room and down the long hall just outside, but when I expect her to have us turn left, as Steve wrote, she takes us right.
“There’s been a slight change in the plan, some last-minute changes. You need to get into the garage and take the silver SUV, it’s unlocked, and the keys are in the ignition. Do you know the little lake five minutes from here?” When Kas nods, Lila continues. “Go there and park on the left side.”
“What about Mia?” Alec asks, not looking any more comfortable with this change than I feel.
Instead of answering, Lila takes a few steps back until her back hits the wall behind her. “I’m so sorry, guys. Remember what I just said, it’s important. You have five minutes, tops.” Then she turns around, and before I can even think to act, she smashes the glass on the fire alarm right behind it—pushing the button while we watch, stupefied.
“What the fuck have you done?” Kas all but growls.
“Go! You need to go. Hurry!” Lila shouts as she sprints away, leaving us with very little time to decide.
Do we stay, or do we go?
We go!
We went!
We left as quickly as we could, dragging Alec to the underground car park Lila told us about, picking up the car as instructed.
“Are we fucking insane for doing as she said? That bitch has lied so many times I’ve lost count.” Kas sounds like he’s ready to jump out of the SUV, even while I’m gunning it down the small path.
“Probably,” Alec grumbles, groaning in pain every time we race over a pothole, which is pretty much all the fucking time, since this isn’t even really a road. If anything, it’s more of a somewhat cleared path.
“We can turn around,” I offer, hoping they’ll want me to. I’m feeling fucking sick to my stomach that we’ve left the house or building, or whatever the fuck it is.
Even though we couldn’t see or reach Mia while we were there, it was comforting to know we were under the same roof—or at least close. Now, we’re not. We left because a woman we don’t trust told us to, and that’s fucking insanity.
“No, keep going,” Kas insists. “Look, I don’t trust Lila at all, but if she was lying, why tell us to go here of all places? Why not leave us in the room? There has to be a reason.” On that, we can agree, I just wish I knew what the reason is—whether it will be our savior or our doom.
Glancing in the rearview mirror, I look at Alec, who looks paler than he did before we left. “Are you okay?” I ask, instantly wanting to slap myself for such a stupid question. Of course, he’s not fucking okay.
“I’m fine,” he grinds out.
Kas turns around in the front passenger seat, barely turning enough to see Alec before he unbuckles his seatbelt and makes his way back there. “You’re so not fucking okay. You’re bleeding through your bandages.”
Despite wanting to stop and do… Something, anything, to help Alec, I keep going. “Not far now,” I spit out, holding on to the steering wheel so hard my fingers turn white.
Exactly three minutes later, we’re at the lake, and I park on the left side, as Lila said. At least I think I’m where she wanted us, though that makes no sense. We’re out in the open with nothing to obscure us or the car, and opposite us are enough trees to shield us.
Why did I never think to ask if she meant our left or… Fuck! There wouldn’t have been enough time to discuss any of that. But she could have fucking told us whether she meant out in the open like sitting fucking ducks or hiding.
“Do you think this is the right spot?” I don’t even know why I’m asking. We all received the same instructions at the same time, there’s no way Alec or Kas will know more than me. Reassurance would have been nice, though. Before I potentially put our lives on the line.
“I don’t know, CJ. Even though I have no love for Lila, my gut tells me to do as she said.” I’m surprised it’s Alec that’s speaking up in favor of listening to one of his former bosses.
“Your gut is going to end up on the fucking seats if you don’t stop wiggling around,” Kas shouts. “Sit fucking still and don’t move.” He doesn’t soften his voice. He sounds angrier and angrier the more he talks.
I turn in my seat as well, not liking what I see. Alec has completely bled through his clothes and the bandages. There’s even blood dripping onto the seats.
“I’m fine,” he slurs just as his head lolls forward and his eyes droop.
“Hey!” I yell, turning fully so I can look at my brother, that can barely sit up. “Do something!” I shout, just as Kas slaps Alec hard across the cheek.
Coughing, Alec rasps, “I said I’m fine. Let’s just wait.”
But for how long? How long are we meant to stay here? Alec needs fucking medical help, and Mia needs help. Period. What the fuck do we do?
