Page 62 of Sinful Kingdom

“Is that right?” Grant mutters with a smirk.

With his eyes still locked on mine, he bellows three words that make my heart drop into my feet.

“Bring her in.”

A heavy door crashes open before my worst fucking nightmare plays out right in front of me.

Two masked men march my girl, who’s bound and gagged, down the aisle toward me.

Her eyes are impossibly wide, tears flooding her cheeks as she stares at me.

It rips me in fucking two.

Sucking in a deep breath, I try to force down all my feelings and over-the-top reactions that want to spill from me.

If I show them weakness, this will only end worse.

They’ll enjoy watching me break, and it’s not going to fucking happen.

“Oh, what?” Grant taunts. “Did you think we didn’t have her?”

15

EVIE

The discussion that followed my announcement that I wanted to put myself right in the middle of all this in the hope of ending it didn’t last half as long as I was expecting it to. It also wasn’t as terrifying as it probably should have been. But the things being discussed didn’t seem real. It was more like they were discussing a movie plot than they were my life. It was bizarre. But I’m grateful that listening to them was a distraction, because the last thing I needed to do was think too hard about the motions I’d just kick-started.

With a plan in place, Ant directed me out the way we came and back to the car park.

A man in a van was waiting for me, much like the one I was delivered to the cabin in. Only this man didn’t have his face covered.

Ant pulled me in for a hug, made me promise that I wouldn’t do anything even more stupid than I already was and assured me that they’d all meet me on the other side.

All I had to do as I walked away from him was pray he was right, that there would be another side.

He helped me inside, and with a final good luck, the door was pulled closed and I was shrouded in darkness.

I tucked myself back into the corner and wrapped my arms around my legs as the van rumbled to life, taking me toward my fate.

Whether I’d live to tell the tale was yet to be seen.

The journey toward wherever they’re keeping Alex and Zay feels like it goes on forever, until the van finally rolls to a stop, and the engine cuts out.

And the second that happens, I realise it has actually been the fastest trip of my life.

My heart’s in my throat as I sit and wait to be dragged out, my entire body trembling.

You’re doing this for Alex and Zay. Be strong.

They have a plan. It’ll all be fine.

Have faith.

I wince the second the van door is ripped open, allowing the low summer sun to flood the space around me, making my eyes water with the sudden brightness.

The man whose face I could clearly see before we left the hotel is now covered with a balaclava, leaving only his dark eyes visible.

“Ready?” he asks, his voice softer than his appearance would lead anyone to believe.

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