Page 47 of Sins of Autumn

Romeo, now satisfied with his work, withdrew the blade and used her hair to clean it off, cutting some of the dark strands. “Welp,” he said, his voice almost chipper. “That was cathartic. What’s next?”

Autumn’s rage-filled scream responded. I stepped closer to her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Patience."

Hunter and Atlas let go of Daniella, and she shoved herself up. Her chest and stomach were covered in the blood of her friends, and a steady trickle came from between her thighs. She forcibly turned her upper half toward Romeo. “You sick, twisted fuck!” She seethed with every ounce of venom she could muster. “You’re nothing but a little bitch hiding behind a mask!”

Thorne laughed. “Why do they act like this? It never fails, there’s literally always one.”

Romeo sighed, dramatic as ever. “That wasn’t nice,” he said, his tone light, almost scolding. “Is that how you say thank you to the last fuck of your life?”

I didn’t miss the way his grip on the knife tightened. He reached out and grabbed her chin roughly, forcing her to look up at him. “Let me help you with that filthy mouth before you go.” He dragged the edge of the blade across her mouth, splitting open the corners on either side of her lips.

Blood dripped down her chin, painting her face in crimson streaks. When he was done, he roughly shoved her off the table. She hit the floor like a newborn calf.

“What a selfish whore,” he muttered, wiping the blade on his glove before tucking it back into his jacket.

Cherish was trembling so hard I thought she might pass out. Her tear-streaked face was twisted in horror. She was a fighter, sure, but right now, she was a rabbit caught in a trap.

“We should get the bodies into the living room,” Hunter suggested.

I nodded once in agreement.

We always laid the dead side by side. It left more of an impact when they were discovered. Dragging the bodies was a silent, methodical process, each of us moving with precision. We ignored Daniella as she crawled across the floor, leaving streaks of blood in her wake.

KJ tracked her movements, her head tilting in that unnerving way of hers, mimicking Daniella’s motions. It was almost playful, the way she crept after her on all fours, never letting her get more than a few feet away.

We were all used to her antics. She’d been a kept pet of sorts for some CEO from the time she was eight. After he was disposed of, she was discovered in a cage. Our parents saw potential and placed her in our care. She’d been the equivalent of our baby sister ever since.

Once the bodies were arranged side by side in the living room, we returned to the dining room. The air was thick with the stench of fear and blood. I crouched in front of Autumn, her wide, tear-glossed eyes locking onto mine. My gloved hand brushed her cheek as I murmured,

“It’s time.” I was elated she didn’t flinch when I reached out and gently pulled her from the chair, steadying her on her feet. She was doing pretty damn well for not having any prior experience.

Lucian was already behind Cherish, his hands firm but not rough as he hauled her up, ignoring her weak struggles. That left Thorne to grab Ryan by his good arm, dragging him upright with little effort.

We led them through the house in silence. When we stepped outside into the crisp night air, the backyard stretched out before us, a blanket of darkness framed by the woods beyond. The chill bit at the exposed skin of my neck, but I hardly noticed.

Lucian stepped forward, his voice smooth and calm as he addressed them. “Out there,” he gestured toward the woods, “there’s a farm. If one of you makes it inside and gets help, we’ll let you go.”

I watched Autumn’s face as she processed his words, her eyes narrowing with distrust. She didn’t buy it, and I didn’t expect her to. Her mind was working, searching for the trap, the twist in our words.

Lucian looked at her and tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable behind his mask. “I give you our word,” he said simply. “We’ll even give Moose back.”

Her jaw tightened, but she didn’t attempt to respond. She was too smart to believe him outright, but the mention of Moose had her focus shifting. I was almost jealous. I stepped closer, my fingers threading gently through her hair. Her shoulders stiffened at the touch. “Here’s the catch. You keep your wrists bound and the gag in.”

Her gaze burned into mine, her anger simmering beneath the surface.

“I’ll give you a five-minute head start,” I continued. “Then we’ll come after you.”

Her breath hitched as I leaned closer, my mask inches from her face. “Now run.”

Lucian gave Cherish a nudge, his gloved hand motioning toward the woods.

Thorne shoved Ryan forward, the movement harsh and unrelenting.

Autumn hesitated for a fraction of a second, her eyes flicking to her sister, then to me. And then, with a quick glance toward the darkness ahead, she ran.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore, the twine cutting into my skin. My breath rasped against the gag in my mouth, hot and suffocating, making my lungs burn with every stride. The darkness was impenetrable, the moonlight barely enough to cast shadows on the uneven ground.

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