Chapter 56 | Rae
Rae
I thrashed around, attempting to break free from Ethan’s grasp, my wrists and legs ached because of being restrained and my lungs burned from screaming. He was heavy, fueled by whatever sick adrenaline was pumping through him, and I could feel the shift in his intent—darker, meaner, final.
“Stop fighting me,” he growled, pinning me to the sleeping bag. With his free hand, he picked up the knife again and flicked open the blade, putting it at my throat. “I gave you a chance to be good.”
I spat in his face again. I couldn’t stop fighting. I knew what he had done to me, what he could do again. It wasn’t brave; it was desperate.
His hand cracked across my cheek. Stars exploded behind my eyes, and I choked on the sob that crawled up my throat.
He leaned closer, breath hot and sharp with rage, and that knife glinted again as he angled it closer to my jaw.
He waved it beside my face like a promise—a promise of what was to come if I didn’t behave.
“You think you can hurt me and get away with it?” he hissed. “You think that cowboy of yours is gonna show up and save you like some damn hero?” He hit me again and it made me so dizzy, I had to stop fighting.
I saw the evil smile on his face as he realized he finally got what he wanted.
Ethan looked at my body and began to drag the tip of the knife down my side while holding my shoulder in place.
I tried to tell him to stop, but my head was still spinning.
He traced the tip of the knife up my stomach and my chest as he reached for my bra strap.
Be brave Rae. Caleb will be here soon. He’ll figure out where you are.
Ethan started to pull my strap down when we heard something. The house creaked.
Footsteps?
He froze.
My heart pounded so loud, it echoed in my ears. I told myself to stay still and not scream. Ethan was so focused on whatever made that sound that he’d stopped worrying about me for a moment.
Another creak.
“Shit,” Ethan hissed.
He stood up fast, yanking me roughly up with him.
The rope around my legs had started to loosen just enough that I stumbled on the tarp covering the box in the corner of the room, next to the tools.
The tarp fell away from what it covered and I saw a couple cans of white paint, among a few other items in the box.
I gasped, realizing where I was. Ethan was the reason Jenny’s delivery went missing. I was in Jenny’s house.
Ethan jerked me around, causing me to lose my footing, and I realized the ropes around my legs had come mostly undone.
Ethan didn’t notice this and he hauled me in front of him, jerking me back against his chest like a shield.
The knife pressed into my ribs again. His breath came hot and fast over my shoulder.
“I swear, if it’s him...” he began.
The sounds of wood splintering filled the house.
“Hands up! Drop the weapon!”
A sense of relief washed over me when I saw Caleb and Santana.
The sound of his voice nearly undid me right then—firm, controlled, but full of fire. He was here. He’d found me.
I heard Duke bark somewhere, but I didn’t see him.
Ethan tightened his grip on me, jerking me a step back toward the kitchen. “I’ll kill her!” he shouted. “Don’t think I won’t!”
“Try it,” came Santana’s voice behind Caleb, calm but sharp as steel.
“I will!” Ethan screamed as he stepped backwards. “I will if you take another step...”
The knife had fallen away enough, that it wasn’t right at my throat anymore, and I could tell he was nervous.
He knew it was over. With a burst of desperation, I snapped my head back.
The back of my head connected with his face.
His curses tore through the house, and his hold on me loosened.
My legs were now completely out of the ropes, and I brought my knee up in front of me, before sending my foot back into whatever part of him I could kick.
I kicked fast and hard, landing square against his thigh. He cried out, stumbling backward.
“Rae, I got you! Move!” I heard Caleb shout, and I tried to move away from Ethan.
I tried to scramble backward when I saw Ethan attempting to reach for me again, but with my wrists bound tightly behind me, I couldn’t steady myself. My foot caught on loose floorboards, and I pitched forward.
Unable to catch myself, I fell into the wall and to the floor. Pain exploded behind my eyes as stars swirled in my vision. The world spun wildly, and my body went limp against the cold floor.
Voices echoed faintly, and I felt pressure around my ankle before my body was being pulled. Was Ethan pulling me back towards him? Santana yelled, and Caleb shouted my name. Everything hurt and I couldn’t move.
Then...A gunshot. Just one. Loud. Final. Everything went still.
My ears rang. I couldn’t focus. Dark spots flooded my vision, and I felt something warm on my face. I thought I saw something red on the floor, or the wall—I couldn’t tell. Something warm slid down my cheek. Blood? I couldn’t lift my hand to check if it was mine.
Someone collapsed.
But who?
I blinked, trying to focus enough to find out. My head swam. The ceiling spun above me like it didn’t want to stay still. I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn’t work.
Someone was crying out. Was that Caleb or Santana? I tried to call for them, but I couldn’t make a sound.
I felt so tired and closed my eyes. Maybe if I close them, for just a moment, it will help.
I heard a heavy thud coming towards me and opened my eyes just enough to see what looked like boots walking towards me. Someone knelt next to me.
My eyes closed once more. I tried to fight it, but I was so tired.
I tried to stay awake. I didn’t know who had been shot. I needed to know if Caleb was okay.
Am I safe? I didn’t know anything at all except that I was slipping under.