CHAPTER FORTY #2
It makes sense. I should’ve seen it. The school we stayed in last year had one of those basements that led somewhere too.
I spent almost my whole birthday down there, just wandering around.
James got pissed. We had a huge fight over it.
But somehow, that’s when we said “I love you” for the first time.
Tyler tilts his head, studying me. “I never saw you in Denver before that day. You were hiding in that fire station. Why’s that?”
He glances back at James.
“Outsider, did you hide her because you love her… or just ’cause you’re fucking her?”
James thrashes against his bindings, muffled curses tearing past the gag.
Oliver moves fast, punishing him for it. He slams his boot into James’s shoulder, forcing him still, and I nearly scream at the sight.
Tyler places a hand over his heart, a mocking smile curling at the corner of his lips. “Yeah, you love her.”
“Please… don’t hurt them,” I murmur, barely choking the words out.
Tyler’s grin widens, his eyes gleaming with something twisted. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they watch.”
Watch?
Michael’s eyes dart to me, wide and terrified, and then back to Tyler.
Tyler moves closer to me. “You see, Outsiders don’t follow the rules, so the leaders of every state came together and made one just for them.
From California to New York, from Florida to Montana, every single one of them agreed.
” He takes another deliberate step forward.
“We don’t kill Outsiders anymore. Not at first, anyway.
That’s too easy. So we hurt the ones they love and make them watch. ”
I swallow hard. His words feel like poison in my veins.
I instinctively pat my jacket pocket, reaching for the familiar handle of my pocketknife. But my fingers come up empty.
No.
I suck in a breath.
It’s not here. Where is it?
Tyler stalks closer, never breaking eye contact with me, and this time I step back.
“We’ll never go back to your city,” I rush out, my voice shaking. “We promise. You and your brothers can take whatever you want—the tents, the food, the weapons. Just… please, leave us alone.”
Tyler shakes his head, laughing. “Too late for that, don’t you think? The Outsider killed all my men. Do you have any idea how many rules he broke? Besides, if we’re taking what we want, that includes you.”
Russell and Oliver laugh with him, and my fear climbs into my throat.
Tyler closes the distance between us, towering over me. Before I can move again, my back hits the tent, the fabric pressing into my spine.
I’m trapped.
“You’re gonna be my new bird. You’re gonna obey every single one of my rules,” he breathes. “And I’m gonna fuck you in every single hole until you learn your place.”
Bile rises in my throat. My stomach twists, and disgust rushes through my veins, making my skin crawl. My nose wrinkles, and before I can stop myself, I spit right in his face.
The spit lands on his cheek, sliding down toward his jaw. He doesn’t move for a second. Then, slow as a snake, he wipes it away with the back of his hand.
He just stares at it, face blank. Until it’s not. His brows pull together, and when he looks at me again, his eyes blaze with rage.
The slap is fast.
Pain explodes across my face, and my vision goes white. My head snaps to the side, and I slam onto the ground, the impact knocking the air from my lungs. I wince, my cheek burning like he’d used a blade instead of his hand.
“Feisty,” he says, almost amused. “That just makes this more fun.”
Tears sting my eyes as I crawl backward, kicking up dirt. My hands shake too badly to push myself up.
Tyler follows me.
“You should’ve known better. Nobody ever warned you to stay away from an Outsider? This—” He gestures at me, sprawled in the dirt. “This is what happens when he breaks the rules. And now you’re paying for it. Not him. You.”
Then he moves.
He lunges, throwing his full weight on top of me. I can’t breathe as his body crushes mine, pinning me down. His hands are everywhere, gripping my waist, fingers digging in, bruising my skin as he forces my legs apart.
I fight. I thrash. My fists fly, punching wherever I can—his chest, his shoulders, his face. But none of them land right.
“Don’t fucking touch me!” I scream, kicking and twisting beneath him. But he’s stronger, heavier. I can’t move him.
Tyler laughs. “You’ve got spirit, I’ll give you that.”
He leans in, his breath burning against my cheek. “Don’t fight it, bird. It’s our first time. Let’s make it special.”
His fingers grab the hem of my long skirt, covered in tiny butterflies. With one sharp twist, he rips it in half; the fabric splits up to my thigh, baring my skin to him.
“No.”
The word slips out in a broken cry.
My skirt. The one that’s been with me through everything. That survived it all. Tyler just destroyed it.
Tyler’s rough hand grabs my chin, jerking my face up and forcing me to meet his eyes, dragging my eyes off the ruined fabric.
“You wanna cry? I’ll give you something to cry about.”
Rage flares through me. My nails claw at his neck, scratching deep.
“Bitch,” he hisses, then slaps me hard across the face again.
I taste blood instantly. My head snaps to the side, my vision blurring, and my mouth fills with blood. I gasp, choking, spitting out a mouthful of blood onto the grass just to breathe again.
Tears spill down my cheeks, hot and unwanted, stinging worse than the slap.
Tyler wipes the scratches on his neck with his hand, blood streaking his skin. He glances at the red on his fingers, then drags his thumb across my busted bottom lip, smearing both our blood across my mouth like he enjoys the way it looks.
“So beautiful when you’re in pain, bird,” he murmurs.
I glare at him, breathing hard through my nose, swallowing the copper taste of blood.
“Screw you,” I bite out.
Tyler’s grin vanishes. “I was gonna take it easy on you,” he growls. “But now? Now I think you need to learn the hard way.”
He grabs both my wrists and shoves them over my head, pinning them down. Then he drives his knee between my legs, forcing them apart.
“Please stop,” I choke out.
Tyler smirks. “Now, now. Begging already? I thought you’d put up more of a fight.”
His grip tightens on my wrists as his knee shoves harder—
A muffled roar erupts across the clearing. Tyler’s head snaps toward the sound.
James. He thrashes against the ropes, muscles straining, gag choking off his screams.
Tyler leers down at me. “Looks like your Outsider doesn’t like to share.”
I bite my lip, fighting the urge to throw up. I feel filthy, like I need to scrub every inch of my skin raw.
“Let’s see what you’re hiding under here,” Tyler says, tugging at my jacket with one hand. He yanks the zipper down with a sharp rasp before tearing it open, exposing me to the cold night air.
My breath stutters, my body going rigid as his hand slips under my shirt, touching my bare stomach with greedy, rough fingers.
Then he moves up. Higher.
His hand clamps down on my breast, squeezing so hard a cry rips from my throat. I shake my head violently, fighting, kicking, twisting, but the more I struggle, the more he enjoys it.
My bra barely softens the press of his fingers, the possessive way he kneads me as if he has every right. My skin burns where he touches. My whole body recoils, but his grip only gets tighter, bruising.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Michael. His head’s turned, shoulders locked, nails digging into his palms. He can’t stand to watch his sister being violated like this.
But James is staring right at me.
His eyes blaze with fury, his jaw clenched and teeth bared around the gag. His whole body shakes as he fights the ropes, wrists bleeding.
“You see that? James Hill is watching while I put my hands all over what’s his,” Tyler taunts, jerking his head toward James. “How’s it feel, Outsider? Knowing you can’t do shit to stop me?”
That’s it!
That’s fucking it!
I grit my teeth and suck in a deep breath, blood and dirt coating my tongue as I scream, “He might not be able to, but I can!”
Before Tyler can react, I curl my fingers and dig my nails into his hand hard enough to cut.
He lets out a cry, jerking his hand away from my wrists.
He stares at the blood streaking down his skin, at the fresh wounds I left. Then he looks at me, furious. He raises his hand to hit me again, but this time, I don’t let him.
I swing first. My fist slams into his nose with everything I’ve got. Pain rips through my knuckles, sharp and hot, like I’ve been stabbed, but I don’t care. Because the sickening crack that follows? That’s worth it.
Tyler stumbles back with a strangled grunt, crashing into the dirt. His hands fly to his face. Blood pours from his broken nose, dripping down his mouth, his chin, staining his shirt.
“Stupid. Fucking. Bird!” he snarls, voice thick with rage and pain.
I don’t wait. I scramble back, free, shoving myself off the ground. My breath comes fast, chest heaving. Everything aches, but I don’t stop.
I spot Michael first. His eyes lock onto mine, scanning me, making sure I’m okay. His gaze drops to my boots, probably checking that I’m not barefoot again as usual. Then I look at James. His ocean eyes meet mine for a second, then flick down to the ground, the scattered stones, then to the woods.
And that’s when I get it.
That silent language. The one he and Michael have always shared, and I never understood.
Until now.
I know exactly what I have to do.
Something tugs at my sleeve. I glance down and see Tyler, his bloodstained fingers clutching the fabric, pulling me back down to the ground.
Not this time.
I twist, and the jacket slips from my shoulders as I break free. Tyler stumbles, clutching nothing but my jacket, his face twisting in rage as I bolt.
“Shit!” he barks. “Russell, GET HER!”
I vanish into the dark woods, Russell’s boots pounding the earth behind me, gaining ground fast, hunting me.
But there’s one thing he doesn’t know
Tonight, I’m not the prey.