Page 56 of Only Forever

“Daphne,” she shrieked. “Don’t think you’re going to get away from me. You’re going to pay for killing Keith.”

I scrabbled against the floor, trying to move away from the couch, but it was difficult since I was bound. I struggled against the rope around my ankles, desperately trying to loosen them. I almost sobbed with relief when I was able to make it loose enough that I could pull my feet out.

I tried to do the same with the rope around my wrists, but unfortunately, Shelby had done a much better job tying them tightly. My hand brushed against something, and I realized it was a piece of the broken lamp.

I picked it up and scrambled to stand. I could make out Shelby’s silhouette in the dark. I concentrated on the shard of the broken lamp in my hand, using the sharp side to desperately saw away at the rope around my wrists. I felt it slice into my flesh as I awkwardly tried to shred the rope, but I was beyond feeling the pain. I just needed to free myself and somehow get myself and Jason out of here. Fleeing was out of the question. There was no way I was leaving Jason.

“Daphne,” Shelby said in a sing-songy voice that sent shivers up my spine. She no longer sounded angry but eerily composed. “Are you trying to hide from me, Daphne? This isn’t the time for games.”

I wanted to sob with relief when the rope gave way and my hands were free. I quickly grabbed a vase on the side table. That, and the lamp shard I still gripped in my hand, were the only weapons I had. I still could make out Shelby’s shape across the room, moving around.

I gripped the vase and lamp shard tightly, my hands sweating. If I could make out Shelby’s figure in the dark because she was moving, maybe she wouldn’t be able to detect me if I stayed still. My only hope was that she would get close enough without her realizing it, and I could hit her in the head with the vase or stab her with the broken lamp piece. My only advantage would be to take her by surprise.

That advantage disappeared when the ceiling light flicked on. Shelby grinned when she saw my shocked expression. She swiftly moved from the light switch on the wall to the couch, where Jason was still lying unconscious. My blood ran cold when I saw she had a knife in her hand, and she held it up to Jason’s neck.

“I’m not sure what you’re planning to do with that vase,” she sneered derisively. “I guess you could try throwing it, but Jason’s throat will be slit before it ever reaches me.” She glanced down at the lamp shard in my other hand which was red from my own blood as I had cut my ropes loose. She laughed, sounding unhinged. “I see you’re resourceful. Good for you."

Jason groaned, coming to, his eyes fluttering open. His eyes went from foggy to super-focused in a matter of seconds as he assessed the situation. I willed him not to move. The knife was dangerously pressed against his neck, and I was terrified any movement would cause him to get cut.

“Shelby, please,” I said, desperation making my voice break. “I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for killing Keith. Please, just let us go and I’ll forget about everything.”

“But I won’t forget,” Shelby hissed. “I’ll never forget!”

Jason suddenly pushed back, making Shelby lose her balance and fall, dropping the knife. He moved towards the knife, but having his hands and feet tied made him clumsy, and he fell short of it, falling to the ground. I dropped everything to try to run for the knife, but before I could get to it, Shelby regained her footing and snatched it from the ground. Before I could scream his name, she plunged the knife into Jason’s chest and out again.

“Jason!” I screamed. I ran to him as fast as I could, fear engulfing me. I couldn’t lose him. I couldn’t live in a world where he didn’t exist.

Jason groaned and turned his head toward me. Blood was seeping from the chest wound, where the knife had plunged into. Jason’s face had drained of all color

“Jason,” I sobbed, tears running down my face as I collapsed next to him. My mind flashed back to three years ago. Three years ago I had witnessed my mother’s blood all over this same floor. I had seen her lifeless body and begged and sobbed for her not to be dead. Now I was watching the same scenario with another person I loved, and dread filled my body. I was going to lose him, too.

“Daphne,” Jason groaned softly. “It’s okay. I’ll be okay.”

He didn’t realize how unconvincing he was, as his face fell ashen and blood continued to seep down his chest.

“Jason,” I cried. “I love you. Please don’t leave me. Hang on.”

“I—“ Before Jason could complete what he was about to say, his eyes fluttered closed. He was gone.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Shelby tried to drag me from Jason’s body, but I fought her, ripping my arm out of her grip. I grabbed Jason’s shoulders, trying to shake him awake. He couldn’t be gone.

“Jason, wake up!” I cried in anguish. He was laying there, lifeless, and dread filled me. Suddenly, I felt a hot stab of pain on my side, and I looked down, confused.

I saw blood running down my side from a gaping wound. I looked up at Shelby standing above me, her face a mask of maniacal insanity. The knife was still clutched in her hand, drenched in Jason’s blood and now mine.

Shelby grabbed me again, and I tried to resist, but I felt too weak after being stabbed. It was like I could feel the life flowing out of me along with my blood.

I stumbled after her, trying not to fall as she dragged me upstairs. When she reached my room, she threw me on the bed, closing the door behind her. I groaned as the impact reignited the pain in my side. I felt myself start to get dizzy and I tried to hold on. The worst thing right now would be to fall unconscious.

“I don’t even want to look at that asshole, even if he’s dead now,” Shelby hissed. “He was just another obstacle to us becoming a family.”

I moaned, trying not to black out from the pain, both from my stab wound and from Shelby’s words. Jason couldn’t be dead. I refused to believe it.

Shelby sighed heavily, and she almost looked normal for a minute, minus the knife and blood smeared on her. “It shouldn’t have come to this,” she said, sounding regretful. “If only your mother hadn’t found out about me, and forced Keith to tell her the truth. He wouldn’t have had to kill her. We could have become a family. We could have been sisters.” Her eyes glinted with rage. “All she cared about was you. That you were beingdeceived. That you were going to be hurt. What aboutme? What about my brother?”

I finally knew why my mom had been killed. It was so senseless. My beautiful, kind, loving mother had been sacrificed for just wanting the truth. For wanting to protect me.

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