Page 145 of Psycho

He carried me inside to a barn nearby.

It seemed they had already been here to set up everything with me specifically in mind, because in the middle of the room was a wooden chair.

My hands were still tied behind me, and Josh plopped me down, not too gently, while Dylan handed him another set of ropes.

They made quick work and tied me to the chair.

I pulled away when Josh cupped my cheek, swiping his thumb across the bottom of my lip, something Micah had done before, only Micah’s touch didn’t make me shiver in revulsion.

“Be good. We got a nice surprise for you later on.

And with that, they left the barn and closed the door loudly behind them.

I looked around and tried to move around, but they had done their job when they tied me to the chair. There wasn’t a wiggle room to be found.

Fuck.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?

* * *

I didn’t knowhow long I had been here, but every part of my body ached.

And the sun had set long ago, and though it was almost summer and blistering hot in California at that time of the year, my teeth had started to chatter hours ago as a bone-chilling cold had come into the room.

I was just so aware of everything that went on.

Every sound seemed to come out from the darkest corner of the room to even the flash of headlights from a car only driving by, unaware that I was tied to this chair.

I took in a deep breath, but when I exhaled, a sob came out instead.

Tears stung my eyes, and I tried hard not to cry even more than I was right then.

I couldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

I stopped breathing when tires drove up the gravel, listening.

I blinked away the sting.

It seemed my time was up. And I had thought being tied to this chair was bad. I could hear the car doors opening, then multiple footsteps as they climbed out of it and headed toward me.

The door creaked when it was pushed opened, revealing the three boys who had taken me and—

My breath caught.

Tyler Robbins?

The same man I had found in Dad’s trailer a few days before Micah had shown up and taken me with him.

I had thought there was something off about the man, which was only confirmed when he had wrapped his hand around my neck and told me I would be his when he wona war?

What war?

“What a-are you doing here?” I asked, hating the slight stutter in my voice, and I didn’t know if it was from the fear I felt pressing down on me or the cold.

Perhaps both.

“Are you surprised to see me?” he asked, smiling wide and showing off a row of yellow teeth.

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