Page 128 of Slaughter

I hear my name and then feel a hand on my shoulder. I flinch from the soft contact, causing me pain.

“Presleigh, wake up.”

I open my heavy eyes and moan at the bright light. “What … happened? Hurt so … bad.”

“You’re okay.”

My head falls to the right, and I see a man I’ve known for years standing beside a hospital bed. My hospital bed. It’s Lance. He smiles down at me softly. “You’ve had an accident,” he begins. “A bad car wreck … you’re gonna be okay, but I have some bad news.”

“What …?” I groan. The pain making it hard to speak. Avery? Was he with me? Is he okay?

“We were able to save you, but you’ve lost your baby. And we had to perform an emergency hysterectomy.”

No! I shake my head as tears instantly sting my eyes.

“I’m afraid so. But you’re going to be okay.” He pats my arm, and I cry out from the rough touch.

He looks up from me to the door. I follow his eyes to see Mr. Decker walking in, and the memories come back like a fucking punch to my face.

I sob. “You did this …”

“I did,” he says, not even trying to deny it. He sits down beside me. “I’ve already spoken to Avery for you. And although he was pissed, he understood that you willingly aborted the baby.”

“Nnnooo.” I choke out.

He nods once. “He was more pissed than I expected, but he’s over it now. You’ve been in a coma for two weeks, after all. He’s moved on, and you should do the same.”

Two weeks? I’ve been in a coma for two weeks?

He stands and leans over, whispering in my ear, “Stay away from him, Presleigh. Or I will come back and get you. And next time, I’ll kill you like I did that fucking bastard child of yours.”

I sob into my hands, leaning over on the couch. A soft hand lands on my back, and I jump up, almost falling off the cushion. I look up to a set of soft green eyes and blond hair.

“I’m here,” Chloe says.

And I throw myself against her chest as though she’s been my best friend for years. She hugs me while I cry so hard that my sobs shake both of our bodies.

“Let it out,” she whispers, her hands slowly running up and down my back. “I’m here for you, Presleigh. I’m here for you.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

AVERY

Nineteen years old . . .

“WHERE IS BUNNY?” I ASK Tristan while we stand in the kitchen of our father’s house. We’re having one of our usual parties. Things get rowdy, and when the cops show up, I’ll answer the door with a smile on my face and assure them that I’ll turn the volume down. But they won’t touch us. Their boss is always over here down in the cellar with my father. There are a lot of fucked-up men in this town.

He’s leaning up against the wall with a girl by the name of Jamie standing between his parted legs. Her head is tilted back with his tongue down her throat. I roll my eyes and yank her from him.

“Hey …” she protests.

“Have you seen Bunny?” I demand, ignoring her. She gets on my nerves. My brother just fucks her to pass the time, but she thinks it’s love. She’s also an idiot like all the others he takes to bed.

“No.” He wipes the taste of her lips off his. “Well … I did see her earlier up in the game room. She was playing pool with Mitch.”

I fist my hands and spin around. Mitch. That fucker is still on my shit list. He knows it too, just doesn’t care.

Opening the door to the game room, I look around. “Where’s Bunny and Mitch?” I demand when I don’t see them.

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