by Serena Lyons
But it’s too late for anything to happen between us. They way he just looked at me made that clear. He hates me, and I can’t blame him for it. I thought he was a murderer. Or so close to one that it barely matters. There’s no way to get back from that.
And even if he wasn’t involved with her death, he treated Millie like shit. The lies. The cheating. The overall lack of respect for her. I need to remember that the next time I’m tempted to kiss him.
I should stop thinking of Callum Carter-Wright as anything other than an ally to help me catch the person who really hurt Millie. If I let him closer, I’ll be the one who gets hurt. Look at Jess, she’s not exactly thriving from their ‘friendship’. It’s just my hormones acting crazy around him. I need to keep him at arm’s length. It’s much safer that way.
A thud behind me makes me stop staring at the gate and spin around to look at the empty quad. There’s no sign of anyone about, all the bedroom windows are dark and I can’t hear anyone. All the other students must be either fast asleep or out partying. Maybe it was the college cat who made the noise.
Asleep, my mind catches on the idea and fatigue makes my body heavy. I should be in bed. I’m too tired to stand in the cold a second longer. Everything can wait until tomorrow; I just want to collapse on my pillow.
I walk to the door to my staircase and punch in the code to unlock it. The building is quiet as I step in and darker than usual. I press the light switch at the bottom of the stairs, but nothing happens. The bulbs must have blown. Again. I think about using my phone as a torch, but decide just to let my eyes adjust to the darkness.
I pause as I pass the door to Nina’s room. It’s going to be amazing having her back in the same block as me again. Back as my friend again. Unveiling Millie’s tormentor is going to be a piece of cake with the three of us working together. Maybe I’ll even update the website when I get up to my room, tighten the screws some more. Or maybe I’ll leave that for the morning, I decide as another unstoppable yawn overtakes my body.
I continue climbing, slowed by the dark, although my eyes are gradually getting more and more used to it. I rub my face as the tiredness descends on me. I can’t wait to flop out on my bed. I groan as I reach my landing, not sure where my key is. But then I remember that it’s in the little zippy pocket at the back of my running leggings. I easily find it and open my bedroom door.
My college room has never looked so inviting, the streetlights highlighting the plump softness of the single bed I can’t wait to collapse on. I start unzipping my windbreaker as I walk inside my room, already deciding I’m not going to bother showering off my run. That can wait for the morning. I’ll wash my sheets tomorrow.
I push the door shut behind me, so tired that I don’t notice the unfamiliar smell in my room until it’s too late. The scent of expensive cologne and cigar smoke makes my nerves stand on end just a half-second before a leather-gloved hand clamps over my mouth.
Adrenalin floods my body. I struggle as my attacker clamps down harder. I’m determined to get free. This is the same person who chased me earlier. The one who put me in hospital the other week. I won’t be so lucky to escape alive this third time.
I jerk harder, determined to get free, but my attacker’s other arm grabs my body and pins me firmly against him. His hand is pressing so hard on my mouth that I’m sure my teeth are puncturing it. That doesn’t matter now, my lips could be torn into shreds for all I care, as long as I get out of here alive. I need to get free or raise the alarm. I twist and turn, using all my strength to try and break free.
“Faith, Faith, Faith,” a low voice sing-songs in my ear. “I wouldn’t do that if I was you.” The hand around my front loosens, seems to drop away.
My heart leaps. This is my chance. I’m just about to make another play for freedom when something cold and firm replaces the missing arm.
My breath catches and ice floods my veins as I look down. There is a knife pressing against my torso. A deadly sharp knife.
“As you can see, I came prepared this time.” My captor giggles and goosebumps erupt all over me. “Got to be a Boy Scout you know.”
I freeze, my mind racing. How the hell am I going to get free when the door is shut, the whole staircase is asleep, and he’ll knife me as soon as I try and wake anyone?
“That’s better. You need to learn that sometimes it’s much better to be quiet. If you hadn’t started shouting about Millie’s death in that stupid website, I wouldn’t need to be here now.”
I gasp without meaning to. This man—Millie’s killer, presumably—has linked the website to me? “I don’t—” I’m silenced my increased pressure from the blade in my belly.
“Shut up! Your makeover might have fooled some idiots, but I’m not stupid. What are the chances that feisty little Faith from Millie’s past starts Westforde at the precise moment all the rumours start up about Millie’s death here? Please.” He snaps, his knife pressing harder into my stomach every time he emphasises a point.
I don’t say anything. He sounds too angry to placate, and he’s right, there’s no use denying what I’m up to. I need to buy time. And I need to know who the hell he is.
“Quiet for once?” He sneers. “That’s a nice change, but I’m going to have to make sure you stay that way. Now don’t say a word, or I’ll slice you open.” He presses harder against my belly, enough that his knife cuts into my sports top and my legs begin to shake. He’s not messing around. “Clever girl,” he says as his grip on my mouth loosens.
I gulp in fresh air, trying to calm myself, to think about how I’m going to escape, but before I latch on to anything sensible, he’s pressing something into my mouth.
“No—” I try to yell, but my voice is muffled by the soft fabric he’s silenced me with. My heart jolts and I start hyperventilating. I can’t breathe, he’s going to suffocate me, is this what Millie felt? Was she this scared at the end? I feel sick.
“I said be quiet.” He presses the knife against me and this time I feel the edge press through my clothes to the swell of my belly. A sharp, stinging sensation attacks me, like a bee has just bitten me.
He’s nicked through my skin. I can smell my blood, feel a warm trickle down my belly.
“Oopsie daisy.” He laughs, but sounds more pleased than upset. “I did tell you to be quiet.”
I turn cold. He’s not playing; he wants to hurt me.
“Now move your hands behind your back.” He orders. There’s something so familiar about his voice, I’m sure he’s someone I know, but I’m too amped up to work out who he is. All I can hear is generic posh. All I know is it most definitely isn’t Callum. Not I needed that proving to me anymore.
Fuck, why didn’t I stay at his house tonight? Why was I so stubborn that I insisted on coming back here? Tears sting my eyes, this is going to destroy gran. My mam dying nearly killed her, there’s no way she’ll get through—
“I said behind your back!” My attacker’s voice is cold and cruel.
I whip my hands behind me and feel something thin fasten around them. Something plastic. Bile works up my throat as I realise what I’m feeling; wrist ties, just like Millie’s autopsy hinted at.
I try to gather all the air in my lungs, to scream as loud as the gag in my mouth will let me, but then he pushes me without warning. My heart jolts like I’m in a nightmare—which I guess I am—and my face snaps against my bed. I try to use my legs to struggle up, my arms useless, but he jumps on my back, pinning me to the bed. My cut stomach flares with pain as my wound splits further open, but it’s nothing compared to the fear in my mind. Are these my last few minutes alive?
Thank God I stepped out of that gate and kissed Callum. My thought surprises me, but it eases me too. At least that’s something good to hold on to right now.
My captor presses a knee into my back, bringing me back to my nightmare. “I knew you wouldn’t make this easy. Millie definitely got all the genes for cooperation.” He hisses.
His words make no sense. I t
ry to turn over, but something sharp presses into my neck. Something finer than the knife. Cold liquid seeps into my neck, into my veins and I start to understand what’s happening.
He’s drugged me.
I’d bet my life that he drugged Millie too, but I’m not sure anyone would consider my life an interesting wager anymore: maybe whatever he just injected is the poison that will kill me. Hot tears blind my vision and drip on to my bedspread. I twist my head to the side, towards the window, trying to focus on anything other than my inevitable doom.
“We just need to wait five minutes.” My captor sing-songs above me. “Then you’ll be out for the count and I can get you out of here and somewhere less suspicious.” I can hear the pride in his voice, know that if I could see his face it would be smiling—I picture a horror movie-like grin of wickedness.
Less suspicious for what? My brain screams as I try and fight the drugs making me weaker and weaker. What have I done? Is this what happened to Millie? Did she feel as powerless as I do, and as vulnerable? Did she know what was happening to her.
I want to move, to scream and thrash, but I can’t. I’m too tied up and my body doesn’t seem to want to follow my orders anymore. God knows what he injected into me.
I move my eyes back to the window. The moon is visible between a gap in the clouds and it feels like a small victory, I can look at that, focus on that instead of him, I can choose my own exit. As I stare at the shining orb, the night seems to seep from the window into my brain.
Darker, darker, darker.
Clouding the edges of my view until my vision is a tiny slit in front of me.
“Say goodbye.” The cruel voice chuckles behind me.
And then I don’t see anything.
To be continued…
Callum and Faith’s story is concluded in in Brutal Protector which will be released in September 2020. Available to buy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GCRMMQG
Or sign-up to my mailing list to be informed about when it’s release on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.serenalyons.com/
Would you like to know Nina’s backstory? Or should I say Nina and Axel’s…? Email me at [email protected] and if enough people are interested, that will be my next project!
Also by Serena Lyons
Brutal Protector
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GCRMMQG
Callum Carter-Wright might not be the monster I accused him of, but someone still wants me silenced.
Millie’s murderer will do anything to keep me quiet.
I’ll do anything to take him down.
I just need to figure out who the h*ll he is first.
When I do, he better watch out. Because I’m not fighting alone anymore, Callum is by my side and he never loses. At least that’s what I’m hoping. Because the stakes are too high for us to lose.
