Page 97 of Four Times Saved

"Well, let's get out of this hellhole." Ethan shivers.

"Gladly." I finally let out the breath I'd been holding.

My men lugged the bags out behind me and we started rushing toward the car. As soon as I stepped into the van, I was brought to a nerve-wracking halt.

"Lily!"

I stumbled and Ethan was there to catch me. I turned around, hairs on end to find my neighbor calling out to me. In all the years I'd lived here, I hadn't spoken to them, because they'd take my father's side and listen to his moaning on and on about my mother. It would make me sick to my stomach.

The woman's red hair was tied up in a colorful scarf, secured around her head like a headband. There was grease on her apron. Behind her, her husband peeked through the window. The curtains fluttered shut when my eyes caught his.

"Lily, dear. I heard what happened. What a piece of work that man was, huh?" She shook her head.

My brows came together. "You weren't saying that when he used to beat on my mom," I fired back. I didn't mince my words.

Her round cheeks deepened in color.

My men turned their noses up at her. And I turned around to get back inside the van.

"Still, he was your father," she spoke to my back.

My breath failed me. "You can't be serious." I spun back around, ready to lamp her one. What can I say? I was comforted by the fact that I had my four men next to me.

She stepped back as if she could already feel the blow. "No, that's not... I'm just saying... I was wondering how you were dealing with the news."

Okay, now I was the one who stuttered. "What news?"

"Your father and the other man who kidnapped you. He showed up dead on the lake a couple days ago. Didn't you hear?" she asked.

And my heart and body detached.

Chapter 43

Ryan

Oh fuck! I repeated over and over in my head. The neighbor went on talking like a scratched record and my eyes dashed between Ethan, Eric and Matt. Apparently, it hadn't been released to the public yet, but someone went fishing on the lake and their hook got caught in something heavy. They knew it couldn't have been a big fish, like a shark or whale or something. But they figured it might have been an alligator or croc and they were freaking out.

When the thing didn't start fighting back, they got excited. They knew it wasn't food but it was like a game of mystery, reeling their catch up to shore. It had been a struggle, the neighbor said, but when this unlucky 'fisherman' pulled the body up to the surface, he knew he would lose sleep for the rest of his life. Further investigation revealed more unidentifiable bodies, but among them was another fresh body. Carter's. Both of Lily's kidnappers had been found dead.

Damn it! Tyler said he had this under control. They're going to start looking for suspects soon. It hasn't been long enough for all the evidence to be washed away, has it? What am I going to do? What's Lily going to do? What's the plan? Guys?!

Matt froze for about a second before slipping his hands in his pockets and carrying on with his charade of being 'unbothered'. When his eyes met mine, there was a warning in them. Play it cool.

I was the opposite of cool. The shaking from earlier had returned and I didn't know how to stop it. But I was trying my damndest to hold my arms at my side as if that would lock it all in. Sweat gathered on my forehead and trickled down the side of my face.

"What?! He's dead?" Ethan exclaimed. Even I was like, 'dude, reel it in.'

Lily jumped at Ethan's exaggerated shock, her real experience of it pulling her mouth open. She struggled to breathe, gasping for air. I rushed forward, my problems temporarily put aside. A cry burst out of her so loud and uncontrolled, she lost her balance. Both Eric and I were right there to catch her.

This was the moment the neighbor got the hint to shut the fuck up. I couldn't hear what she was saying anymore, all I could do was rock with Lily's crumbling body. The neighbor hurried back inside. Lily coughed and choked on her tears. Matt stepped forward to brush the hair that was stuck to her cheek out of the way.

"He's gone." She finally gasped. "They're gone. I'm—I'm free."

She looked up at us, needing confirmation, and at least in this moment, I could say it was worth it. That I was glad I didn't go through with the decision I made weeks ago by the lake. Because I would've missed this. I closed my arms around her, squeezing her rattling body against mine. I held on to the relief that was breaking her apart and putting her back together again. She believed she was safe, but us—we weren't so sure.

Lily

I can't be trusted to drive right now, my body is not mine. I'm becoming reacquainted with being inside my skin again. The burden that I've been carrying around for four weeks has been taken away from me, because fate decided to intervene. I don't know how they ended up at the bottom of the lake, and I don't care. I could kiss the people who put them there. And I know that sounds horrible. You shouldn't speak ill of the dead and all that. But get the fuck out of here with that, can you blame me?

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