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Before I leave my bike, I fire off a quick message to Jack, then I scan every direction, looking for movement. Thankfully, it’s not raining here, and I can see better. Behind a weathered boat shed, the tail end of the van sticks out.
Left a little too conveniently in plain sight.
I sneak along the dock toward the boat, knowing what’s in play here.
The psycho who took Rory wasn’t trying to escape.
He wanted me to follow.
RORY
I wake with a pounding headache.
What the fuck happened?
Opening my eyes, my vision is blurred, and I feel sick. I’m in a chair with my hands tied behind my back and my feet bound to the legs. Blood drips down my face and seeps into my mouth.
Wait, did someone hit me?
My head spins with mental confusion.
Did Connor send someone to kidnap me?
The floor rocks from side to side, and a wave of wooziness washes over me. Either the knock to my head gave me vertigo, or I’m on a boat. I squeeze my eyes open and shut to shake off the fog, and slowly, my surroundings come into focus. I’m definitely on a boat.
I fight the ropes binding my wrists together and try to move my feet. But it’s no use, they’re tied up tight.
Through the open door, I see a man standing on the deck with his back to me. He’s not moving. He’s just standing in the dark like a creeper.
He’s watching. Waiting. Staring into the shadows as if he’s expecting someone he knows. His stiff shoulders and straight back tell me he’s ready to inflict pain.
Even with a possible head injury, it’s not hard to work out he’s waiting for Ares.
I’m not the target.
I’m the damn bait.
And Ares is walking into a trap.
“Hey!” I call out.
The psychopath jerks his head to look at me but doesn’t move.
Of course, he doesn’t. Because me calling out only serves his purpose more. It’s a beacon that will attract Ares to the boat. But Ares is already out there. I can feel him. And he needs to know what he is walking into.
“Hey, freakazoid, you standing on the boat deck waiting for someone to step out of the shadows?”
He turns to face me this time, and I finally get a good look at my kidnapper.
My stomach drops. He’s not one of Connor’s thugs.
I take in the suit and the mask.
Oh fuck, the mask.
He’s one of those psycho freaks who burned down the grow barn.
One of The Three.
