Page 50 of Controlled Chaos

Chapter 27

I becameaware of two things. The pain radiating through my body was so bad I almost wished for death, and the sand scrubbing against my arm meant I was in the one place I’d spent my life trying to avoid.

I tried to open my eyes, and pain shot through my spine. White blinding light flashed behind my lids, and I grabbed my head and rolled, trying to catch my breath.

“Nice of you to join us.” Thaddeus’s voice crawled like spiders in my brain. I blinked rapidly, trying to get my eyes to adjust. A skeleton was poking out from beneath the dirt.

Thaddeus was standing above me with Porter on one side and his mother on the other. Porter’s mother’s face was tear-stained and red, contradicting the hazy look in her and Porter’s eyes.

“So, which did you do to Porter? Did you drug him or use the hypnosis?”

“What does it matter? He’ll take my direction to kill you and then thank me for making him do it. My father was a genius all those years ago. It’s a shame you’ve gone and ruined everything.”

I swallowed hard around the dread in my throat, knowing that it was probably the truth. Porter’s gun, which I’d once had, was now in Porter’s grip. I was out of luck and out of time, but at least the others were hiding.

The sound of helicopters in the distance had my heart racing and fluttering. I wouldn’t be alive when they got here. “Everyone knows the truth.”

Thaddeus’s jaw ticked.

“Even Porter and his sister. I told them all.”

His brows furrowed. “A few suggestions and Porter will forget everything, but then I’ll have him kill Dakota like he’s about to kill you. The secret dies with you and her.”

I shook my head and struggled to stand. If I were going to die, I’d go down swinging.

The choppers neared. “There’s one flaw with your plan,” I said, holding my head and trying to stay upright on my feet. My gaze landed on the whistle around his neck. That was the key to stop this from happening. That was the trigger of no return.

“What’s the flaw?”

“The only way you’re leaving this island is in a body bag,” I said as I lunged for him, knocking my head against his as I grabbed the whistle around his neck.

Porter and his mother stood there, watching me and waiting to see which would come out on top.

Too bad it wasn’t me.

Thaddeus was larger than me and used every bit of his power to grab me by the throat and hold me off the ground.

I scratched at his fingers as he tossed me back into the dirt, gasping in air.

“What will it do to your family when they never find your body? What do you think they’ll do to Porter for killing you?”

All the anger rippling through me stilled at his words.

He gave me an evil smile as he lifted the whistle to his lips. He blew. The sound pierced my head like nails on a chalkboard. My gaze widened and flew to Porter.

His gaze dropped to mine and held me rooted in place.

“Kill her,” Thaddeus demanded.

Porter dropped to his knees next to me. He lifted the gun between us.

“I forgive you. He can’t control that. I forgive you, Porter, and I love you,” I whispered, hoping to penetrate whatever hypnotic fog was clouding his mind.

Porter’s brows dipped.

“Kill her,” Thaddeus demanded again.

I could see the war raging in Porter’s eyes. He was fighting for control. He slowly rose from his spot and aimed the gun toward me, tighter in his hands. Tears gathered in my eyes. This was it.

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