Page 113 of Lunar Crest University

“Do it,” I whisper.

His eyebrows knit so deeply, they tremble.

“Doit.”

My entire body is shaking. From adrenaline or fear, I’m not sure, but I ignore it as I stare up at Levi. I nod encouragingly, but he still doesn’t make a move.

“You have ten seconds?—”

“Doit, Levi!” I yell through my tears, yanking on my restraints. “Goddamn it. Please just listen thisonetime. Listen to me anddoit.”

His whine is muffled as he lunges forward and plunges the knife into my stomach. It’s a disgusting sound, an odd squelching that echoes in my ears. A strangled cry leaves my lips as I stare up at him, my mouth hanging open as my mind catches up to what just happened. It burnssomuch before it’s sickly cold. My head drops as I look down at the knife lodged into my torso, and I realize my adrenaline is protecting me. It’s taking the pain away for a while, and I’m grateful.

Levi presses his forehead against mine as he cries softly.

“It’s o-okay,” I tell him breathlessly.

I’m scared to breathe fully, to move my stomach even an inch. The thought brings the nausea to the surface in strong waves. I guess adrenaline doesn’t protect you from that, or the strange warmth around an object literally being stuck inside of you, or the sticky feeling from the blood that comes out.

I hate blood. I hate it so much.

Don’t throw up.

“Now, pull it out,” Javier orders.

I don’t know how much my body will be able to protect me. Maybe it’ll protect me until the end.

“It’s okay,” I croak out. “Pull it o-out.”

The corner of his eyes crinkle as he looks at me, his face soaked in tears and his hair drenched in sweat. He places onehand on my thigh, squeezing me gently, as if to comfort me before he grabs the blade and yanks it out as fast as he can.

How can my stomach be on fire and freezing at the same time?

I hang my head as I close my eyes, the tears pooling at the tip of my nose and dripping into my lap. When I open them again, all I see is the crimson liquid that stains my sweater. I can’t even tell where he stabbed me. It’s just a darkred.

More chuckles sound around us, and I weakly lift my head to see Javier tossing the knife around in his hand, showing off my blood like it’s a trophy.

“Ilovethis game,” he boasts.

Pinching his fingers on the blade, he swipes my blood from the silver and puts his fingers into his mouth, tasting me. My stomach heaves, and I gag, which sends an excruciating pain through my abdomen. A low groan escapes me as I sag in the chair.

Levi scrambles to me, leaning down as he grasps my face between his clammy palms. He’s grunting and mumbling into the tape as he brushes my hair from my face before he’s yanked away from me. Javier slams him into the concrete floor, putting the jagged blade against his neck and pressing hard.

“No!” I shriek, tugging on my restraints.

I see a streak of blood trail down Levi’s neck.

“You son of a bitch.” His head twists to glare over his shoulder at that. “Takeme. I’m the one you w-want, right?”

He drops Levi to the ground as he stands, cocking his head at me. “I thought you were a good girl, Finley.”

“Stop c-calling me…that.”

“Or what?” he challenges, gripping my chin harshly as he lowers his face inches from mine. “Vamos. Say it. Or what?”

“Will you just…” I pause as I swallow the cottony wad in my throat. “Fucking kill me already?”

I’m sick of his games. The pain in my stomach is coming in stronger waves with each breath as my adrenaline rush wears off, and I just want it to stop. My sweater is sticking to me from the blood, and it’s getting colder. I’m feeling weaker. It feels like something has shredded inside me. Maybe he hit an organ. I’m bleeding a lot.

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