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It is that thought, those names that pushes my body forward. I rush to the window, hoping to warn Dale of his danger.

But I’m not quick enough. Strong arms wrap around me, restraining me before I can make it more than three feet closer to the house.

I drag air in through my mouth, but a gloved hand muffles my scream.I have no choice but to watch helplessly.

“Hush. No screaming, remember? I don’t think you want me to have to tell my brother you weren’t a good girl now, do you?”

No.My mind answers him instinctively.

Blunt nails dig into my cheeks a little as the hand covering my mouth squeezes when I fail to answer.

I barely shift my head back and forth, but it’s enough for him to feel it.

Together, we stand in the darkness outside the lodge. Our energies mix and flow around us in the cold winter air. Fear and excitement are so strong it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.

The large figure’s clothes allow him to blend into the darkness along the edge of the room, but not even the shadows can hide something that big completely.

What stands out the most to me is the glint off the massive kitchen knife secured in his right hand.

When the hell did he grab that?

The first strike is to the gut, low and to the left. Dale had barely finished turning before the knife was plunged in.

The big guy spins Dale with a hand on his shoulder. He wants Dale to look at him, to see him, to know the attack is coming.

The next comes just as quickly as the one before. The big guy steps back, his feet barely touching the ground, before jumping into another attack. He moves back and forth as if the two are dancing, except Dale is an unwilling partner.

He stumbles around the room, trying to dodge the slashes that strike his face and arms.

The attack lasts forever yet is over within minutes. It’s relentless and playful at the same time.

I may not be able to see his covered face, but I don’t need to, to know that he’s smiling. This man is in his element.

He’s the embodiment of confidence, excitement, and enjoyment.

I look up at the higher windows, hoping to see some kind of movement, although I’m not sure why there would be. Amy and Jason are in the front of the house, and even if they weren’t, the music is more than loud enough to cover the sounds coming from downstairs.

No one is coming to help, and from the defeated way Dale stumbles toward the bedroom door in an effort to escape, he knows it, too. Hands seize his shoulders and push him, helping him toward the door.

I watch in confusion. Why would he let Dale escape?

He’s not.

Any hope I feel sizzles quickly, and my stomach drops. One quick, swift kick to the back of his knees and Dale is face down on the bedroom floor.

I cry out into the hand covering my mouth and try to pull away. A tap on my hip warns me. A reminder of what will happen if I don’t settle down.

Dale is dragged the rest of the way to the door by his short hair, where he is unceremoniously dumped.

The door is pulled wider.

The large man stands over Dale, looking down at him. His broad chest expands deeply as he catches his breath.

Like he’s savoring the moment. Making it last.

I can’t tear my eyes away and dare not even blink.

His head turns toward us. He knows we’re out here, that I’m out here. Our gazes lock. Through the mask, I can feel it. My whole body has lit up. A fire runs through my veins, and a pulse settles low, deep in my belly. The beats match my heart.

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