Page 125 of A Twisted Arrangement

Tears stream down my face as my breath grows shallow, the screams digging into my skull as the feeling of hopelessness overwhelms me. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been cocky—likemy name alone would save me—Christopher wouldn’t have gone after my little brothers. He’s hurting them to punish me.

Time warps around me as I curl into a ball, not daring to block out the noise. I owe them this. I owe my brothers to be here with them.

Soft hands touch my back, and I whirl around, barely catching Scarlet as she falls backward.

Red-rimmed blue eyes meet mine as words I can’t understand pour out of her. She moves closer, as if she’s approaching a rabid animal that’s too far gone to be reasoned with.

She kneels in front of me, gripping both sides of my face, and brings her mouth to my ear.

“It’s not them.” She says the words on repeat. “It’s not them. It’s not them. It’s a recording from a horror movie. It’s not real.”

She grips my ears, tugging me back so our gazes meet. “It’s not them. Please listen to me. It’s a recording. It’s not real.”

“It’s…it’s not real.” I replay her words, letting them form on my own lips. “It’s a recording.”

I search her eyes for the lie, but I don’t see it. “How do you know?”

“I checked on them. They’re not even on this level. They’re upstairs.” Tears run down her cheeks. “I promise. It’s not real.”

I collapse against her, my body trembling with the adrenaline pounding through my veins as I hold her tight like she’s the only thing holding me together. Fingers stroke my hair as I fight against the screams still coming from the hall.

Scarlet’s breath fans the shell of my ear as she tells me over and over again that it’s not real.

Rage builds like an ember in my gut, slowly igniting until my entire being feels like it’s on fire.

When she looks at me this time, her eyes are wide, filled with terror. She startles back, ass hitting the ground as she putsdistance between us at whatever she can see inside my soul. Good. She needs to get away from me because I’m going to destroy everything in this godforsaken building. Light it up until all that’s left is ashes.

“What the fuck are you doing here.” The guard from earlier comes crashing through the room to grab Scarlet, yelling for backup.

His mistake.

I grab the apple I’d been saving and slam it into his mouth. The crisp scent fills the air as it knocks his teeth in. He lets her go, hands instinctively moving to take it out, but his distraction is his downfall.

Even with my wrists chained together, I’m able to grip his neck between my palms and snuff the life out of him, not letting go until he’s limp. The only thing holding him up is my grip on his crushed windpipe.

I grab the keys from his hip, desperate to get this collar off me, a dangerous giddiness overtaking my senses at the thought of being free. My fingers fumble with the lock, but it’s impossible to reach where it’s attached to my neck.

“Take it off.” I toss the key to Scarlet, who catches it between trembling fingers.

“I’m sorry.” Her brows pinch, teeth chattering together. “I can’t…I can’t let you go. It’ll ruin everything.”

“Is this some kind of sick joke? Take it off, Scarlet.”

“Just wait. I can explain.” She grips the key, holding it behind her back. The small motion feels like a knife sliced through my chest, cracking my ribs and splitting me until the sharp blade is buried in my gut.

She steps away, but her mistake is not moving fast enough. I swing my leg out, taking hers from underneath her, and drag her toward me.

I climb over her, hands going over her throat like they just were on the guard. “Give me the key.”

She looks to the side, where I can see the silver metal glinting just out of reach.

I tighten my grip. “They have my fucking brothers.”

“I know. Let me explain—” My fingers tighten, cutting off her words, and a growl rips from my throat.

“You fucking cunt.”

She struggles against my hold, hips bucking against mine, trying to unseat me, but she’s too small, too delicate. Too easy to snap.

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