“Please tell me what’s going on. Why did you tell me not to panic?”
He takes an audible breath and exhales slowly. “We lost Byron.”
My heart jumps into my throat, my pulse throbbing in my neck, and it only gets worse when the knocking on the door becomes erratic. “They’re not going away, Cal.” My voice cracks, hands trembling. “What do I do?”
“We’ve got more men on the way. Just stay put and do not leave that room.”
My entire back vibrates off the bedroom door from a loud bang outside the room. “Cal,” I whisper, frantically, “I think someone’s inside.”
“Baby, stay on the phone. Anders has men on their way up. Do not leave the room!” His voice is as panicked as mine, and it does nothing to calm me. Not that he could at this point.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are.”
Every alarm in my body is set off by the sound of Byron’s voice. My heart is beating so fast that I fear it will jump right out of my chest. “It’s Byron,” I manage to choke out.
I step away from the door, not taking my eyes off it as the handle begins shaking. “Open the door, Bella.”
“Leave me the hell alone!”
Cal is still on the phone, mumbling words I can’t comprehend when the bedroom door flies open. I walk backward until I hit the bed and the phone slips out of my hand, crashing onto the bedroom floor.
Byron wears a devious grin on his face as he walks toward me. The closer he gets, the more I try to get away, but I’m cornered.
I fall back onto the bed, immediately trying to roll to get off, so I can run, but his hand grabs my ankle.
“Ya know, I’m getting really tired of having to chase you down, Bella.” He yanks my ankle, pulling me back down the bed. My nails claw into the blankets, trying to climb my way back up, but he takes back each inch I gain.
Once Byron has me right where he wants me, he presses a firm hand on my stomach, holding me in place. I can hear Cal shouting through the speaker of the phone on the floor and it grabs Byron’s attention. He bends down, picks it up, and brings it to his ear.
“Hello, old friend.” He smirks, eyes still pinned on me.
I snarl, raising my knee and kicking him in the gut. It hardly fazes him as he squeezes my stomach with all his strength, fingertips digging into my skin. “You’re gonna pay for that, you little bitch.”
Cal’s voice raises through the phone and Byron releases a menacing laugh. “She’s mine now, fucker. I’ve been wanting to taste this pussy for a long time.”
Dread swarms in my belly. I have to get out of here. My eyes scan the room, taking in objects I could potentially use as a weapon. Damn you, Cal, for not leaving me a gun.
Byron ends the call and whips the phone over my head. It crashes into the wall behind me.
“Now, let's have a little fun, shall we?”
In one swift motion, he tugs my satin pajama pants down until they’re lingering beneath my ass. My legs flail, trying to kick as I scream at the top of my lungs. “Someone help me!”
The sound of the button popping on his pants is deafening. It’s nothing compared to the sound of his zipper sliding down. He pushes his pants, letting them drop to his ankles as his belt clanks together.
“You should have been mine, Bella. And now you will be.”
“Byron, please. Please just stop this.”
“I can’t stop now.”
His cock springs free from his boxers, and he begins stroking it over the top of me. “I’m gonna fuck you, Bella. Then I’m gonna kill you and fuck you again.”
I’m past the point of tears as anger ripples through me. He can try, but he won’t take me without a fight.
“Fuck you!” I shout in his ear as he begins slobbering kisses all over my neck.
He fidgets with his cock, and when he raises his hips, lining his dick up with my entrance, I squeeze my legs together and lift my knees to my chest. My feet press into his abdomen and I use all my strength to kick him back. With the upper hand, I shove him hard until he flies off the end of the bed.
In one fluid motion, I roll off the mattress and drop to the floor.
Byron gets up quickly and stands over me with a clenched jaw, “You little whore!”
I scream again, fearing no one can hear my cries. As Byron stoops down, I notice a figure behind him and relief sweeps through me.
Cherry.
Byron catches my gaze and spins around, but before he can react, Cherry smashes him over the head with a lamp. His body goes slack and tumbles on top of me, and I immediately shove him off.
The base of the lamp drops to the floor before Cherry kneels beside me. “Are you okay?”
Blood rolls down the side of Byron’s face and I’ve seen enough horror movies to know that he will wake up in about thirty seconds. I grab the base of the lamp, push myself up and smack him in the face with it. His head moves a bit, eyes still closed. “I am now.” I grab my sweatpants off the floor and pull them on before throwing myself into her arms like she’s an old friend. “Thank you. How the hell did you get in here?”
Cherry pulls out of the embrace and sets her hands on my shoulders. “I came to make sure you were okay. I saw him chasing after you. It took me a minute to find you, but when I saw the dead man outside your open door, I knew exactly where you were.” Her tone shifts quickly as she grabs my hand. “Come on, we need to get out of here.”
I look from her to Byron, still in shock about what just happened. “No,” I blurt out.
Cherry gives me a puzzled look and stands up. “No?”
“If we leave him here, he’ll escape, then he’ll come after me and Cal again.”
Cherry raises an eyebrow. “Do you suggest we kill him?” The casual tone of her voice is astounding. She asks the question in the same manner one might ask someone if they want crackers with their soup.
“I’m…I’m not sure. Do I want him dead? Yes. Do I want to be the one to do it? No.” I’m not a killer, but if I had to be to save mine and Cal’s lives, I think I could do it.
“Then don’t. It will stay on your conscience forever, and you don’t want that burden.” She bends down and grabs one of Byron’s limp feet. “Help me get him in the kitchen. We’ll tie him up until someone who will feel no remorse can do the job.”
Byron’s pants are still hovering around his ankles. “Ugh,” I cringe. “Can we cover up his penis? I’m gonna be sick.”
Cherry laughs and grabs a sheet from the bed and tosses it on him. “Better?”
“Much.” I grab his other foot, and we pull him across the room. He’s heavier than I expected.
A trail of blood streaks across the hardwood floor as we drag him. His jacket ruffles up around his head and the sheet begins to slide off, but it’s still covering enough of him to appease my stomach.
We’re pulling him out the door, trying to maneuver him to fit through the doorway, and his hand bangs against the frame. “Oops,” I say, sort of hoping it happens again.
We finally make it to the kitchen and drop his feet to the floor. “What are we gonna use to tie him up?” I look around the room, as if something will just pop out that we can use.
“Look in the drawers and cupboards.”