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Mason faced me once more, his blue eyes brimming with grim determination.
“Kat, you need to take all the girls downstairs to the basement. Now, just in case it’s Jonas we’re dealing with.”
I blinked at him, terrified out of my mind, but I nodded.
On the inside, my mind was screaming in protest, yet I said, “I’m not leaving you,” the words rushing out on a breathless tumble.
“You don’t have a choice. We need to know you’re all safe,” he replied, the terror of the situation bearing down on us. “I’ll check the window and if it's all clear, you run out of here.”
Bridge and Logan were already arming themselves, and with a hard look from each of them, I knew this wasn’t the time for me to argue with them or to chicken out.
So, I nodded. “Okay, I’m ready. Just please don’t any of you get shot.”
Logan chuckled lowly. “We’ll try our best.”
Reluctantly, I turned away, fear chewing at my gut as the men crawled toward the window. The moment Mason waved for the all clear, I ran out of the room, shutting the door behind me.
I rushed on pure adrenaline, terror lodged in my throat, at my wits end with fear. How the fuck was I going to get every girl to listen to me and head down to the basement without compromising my three men?
CHAPTERTWENTY
KAT
Urgency see-sawed through me as I dashed from the room, the gravity of the situation sinking deep into my bones. I burst into the dining hall, the panicked chatter and grave expressions telling me they’d all heard the gunshot.
“Ladies!” I shouted above the noise. I was met with a wall of confused faces. “The institute is currently in grave danger. We all need to go to the basement… now!” I went for the direct approach as there was nothing to hide.
A moment of stunned silence was followed by murmurs. Some of the girls appeared scared, while others were staring at me like I was losing my mind. But they all had wide eyes, staring at me in disbelief.
“What are you talking about, Kat?” Stacy piped up, her brow furrowed. “Who’s here to hurt us?”
“Are you deaf?” a blonde stated, her voice high-pitched as if she might start screaming. “Didn’t you hear that gunshot?”
“Stop freaking out,” another chimed in. “It’s probably just hunters in the woods.”
Suddenly, Louise emerged from the crowd, a sardonic smile on her lips. “What have you done, Kat?”
Her words smacked into me like a ton of bricks. I felt the blood drain from my face at the accusatory tone, as though she knew something I didn’t.
“It’s pretty clear Kat is losing her mind,” Louise stated to the group. “Maybe she’s spending too much time with the priests, and it’s making her jumpy.”
Someone giggled.
I narrowed my gaze on her, shooting her with a glare. “What the hell is your problem?”
She just laughed, and as much as I wanted to rip that smile off her face, she was the least of my problems.
Time was ticking, and we needed to move, but apparently, no one was going to take me seriously. So, I scanned the room for Lily, but she wasn’t there.
Of course! Today was her kitchen duty.
Dashing toward the kitchen, I pushed open the doors to find Lily and another girl hunched over the sink, scrubbing dishes. The shrill voices of the radio DJs and loud music made it impossible for them to hear my entry… or most likely, the gunshot.
“Lily!” I called out, struggling to keep my voice steady. “Turn off the radio! I need your help to get everyone down to the basement… now!”
She turned, staring at me with a perplexed expression, flicking off the radio. “Did you say something?”
“We have to move!” I insisted, the pit of my stomach churning. “There are men outside with guns. I think it’s some sort of siege. The Fathers are trying to stop them, but I need your help to get all the girls into the basement to keep them safe.”
