Annie’s chest is moving. She’s alive. I want to shake her, to wake her up. But if she can sleep through whatever’s about to happen, that might be for the best.
I still trust that Vincent will find us. But there’s a chance he might not find us in time. And it’s not just me that I have to worry about anymore.
“Randal.” I try to say his name calmly, but my voice breaks and I realize that tears are streaming down my face. “Please. You don’t have to do this.”
The gun swings back to aim at me. “Shut up, bitch! You have no idea what this is.”
I’m shaking so bad that I have to grip the chair again.
I try to steady my voice. “I’m so sorry about your sister. But hurting us won’t bring her back.”
“Don’t you dare talk about her!” Randal screams, thrusting the gun towards my face.
All those stupid self-defense lessons I’ve suffered through, and I can’t do a damn thing. I tried to stand when I first saw Annie, but my legs wouldn’t cooperate. Even if I was confident about disarming him, I can’t get my body to listen.
“I’m sorry.” I repeat. “Please, I’ll stay here with you. Just let Annie go.”
He shakes his head. “No. You’re not going to trick me.”
“It’s not a trick. You don’t need both of us.” I plead.
The smile that pulls across his face will haunt my nightmares. If I live long enough to sleep again.
“You’re wrong, Sasha.” Hearing him say my name causes bile to rise in my throat. “I’m going to kill both of you. The magnificent Vincent will come up here and find everything he loves dead.” He cackles as though us dying for the sake of causing Vincent pain is hilarious.
I fight against my lungs as they try to hyperventilate. “But Annie is your sister’s too. She doesn’t just belong to Vincent.”
“Shut up!”
“Annie is part of her. She’s a part of Renee.”
“Shut the fuck up!” He turns the gun back towards Annie and I shut my mouth. “Don’t say her name. Don’t ever fucking say her name!”
“Okay. Okay, I’m sorry.” Panic claws at my throat. I’m losing him.
“Annie is a means to an end. She’s the best way to hurt Vincent. He killed my sister. My soulmate. He needs to feel the life-shattering pain that I felt. And you, you’re just a convenient whore who will add to his pain.”
“He doesn’t love me.” Saying the words out loud hurt. I hope it’s not true, but I’ll say anything. I need to stall him. “He won’t care about me dying. He’ll be happy to be rid of Annie. He can go back to being a bachelor then. He won’t be tied down.”
“No. No. No! Don’t try to trick me!” Randal shrieks, gun swinging back towards me. Away from Annie.
I keep going. “If you do this, you’re going to spend your life in prison. Wouldn’t you rather just disappear again? You can go live in peace.”
“Shut the fuck up!”
As Randal’s voice echoes through the room, a small groan comes from Annie. I silently hope that Randal doesn’t hear her.
I keep my gaze on Randal and my heart drops at the smile that pulls across his sneering lips.
My heart is beating so hard I can hardly hear my own words. “I’m sorry. Please, don’t hurt her.” I’m sobbing now and I’m not sure who I’m apologizing to. “I’m so sorry.”
The last bit of humanity leaves his eyes. “I’m not.”
Then he turns the gun on Annie.
