Crack.
I moaned, then rolled over in bed.
Crack!
The faint, annoying sound invaded.
CRACK!
My pulse thundered as I opened my eyes. The frantic thrumming in my ears turned my breaths shallow. I stared around my dark bedroom, hating how the memories pushed in. Vivid, brutal memories. The mall…the attack…Colt. I winced as my head throbbed. I could still feel the grip on my hair, still feel the terror as they’d dragged me down that stairwell. But I was here…I was safe. I was with…
Them.
I was with them.
My pussy clenched, and I felt that delicious ache. I closed my eyes and forced the fear aside. I wasn’t there now. I was here, safe in my bed and my home.
Jesus, I can’t believe that happened between us.
London.
Colt.
Carven watching.
I licked my lips. My body warmed at the memory, stole me away from the fear, and turned it instead to desire. “Oh fuck,” I whispered and reached under the comforter to cup my breast.
Crack!
The sound invaded again. I snapped open my eyes and shoved upwards. That wasn’t a dream. No, that was real.
“THE FUCK!” a roar came from downstairs.
I moved fast, scrambled out of the bed, and raced for the door. A pang tore across my chest and clenched my throat as fear pushed in, but I shoved that aside. London, Colt, and Carven were out there…
I yanked open the bedroom door to the sound of raised voices. A quick glance to the darkened hallway, and I stepped out onto the landing.
“Colt?” I called.
Boom! The impact rocked through the house. I gripped the banister and froze as the front door shuddered and shook.
“London?” Guild’s voice roared out. “You need to get here!”
He’s not here?
HE’S NOT HERE?
Boom!
I cried out with the sound, panic taking me over once more. But I forced myself to move and hurried down the stairs as the front door shook. Guild had his gun aimed at the door as a man’s shrill, pain-filled scream came from outside. I knew instantly who they were from. They were the men assigned to protect us, the men London had patrolling the grounds. The men now being slaughtered one by one.
“I can’t hold them back!” Guild roared as he turned around until his panicked gaze found mine.
I knew instantly…
The men from the mall had come for me.
All I saw was the gun in Guild’s hand and the front door of the house as it shuddered again.
BOOM!
Wood splintered and barely hung on as I scurried across the foyer and Guild wrenched his gaze to mine, his wide eyes full of panic. “The basement, Vivienne,” he ordered. “Get to the basement NOW!”
I didn’t stop, didn’t think, I just ran. My bare feet skidded on the slick floor as another BOOM came and, with it, the sound as the fractured door gave in.
“Please…please…please…” I whimpered as I punched in the code with trembling fingers.
“You are NOT TAKING HER!” Guild roared.
Crack!
The sickening sound of a gunshot rang out. Terror plunged through me as the tiny red light on the lock turned from red to green. But the heavy thud of boots sounded, and as I yanked the handle to open the basement door, my world was invaded by the terrifying face of a familiar male….
Ashwood.
His dark eyes glinted and his lips curled with a demented smile. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” he called out as he surged toward me.
I yanked the handle of the door, wrenched it open, and lunged for the darkness, until a merciless grip grabbed my hair and dragged me backwards.
“Let me go!” I screamed, kicking and fighting as he hauled me into the air.
The Order…they were taking me back to The Order!
I clawed and swung. My vision blurred under the tears as I was dragged backwards. All I saw was the open door of the basement slipping away as Ashwood flung me over his shoulder and carried me toward the front door. “I WON’T GO BACK THERE! I WON’T FUCKING GO BACK THERE!”
Cold night air swept over me. All I saw were dead bodies lying around the house, their faces blurring as the thud of steps and the throaty sound of a car’s idling engine pushed in. I was yanked, and fell down Ashwood’s body until my feet hit the ground.
My knees buckled with the impact and dropped me all the way to the asphalt. But I didn’t stop. I punched my hand against the hard surface and drove myself upwards. All I saw was the streetlights and the night as I lunged.
“Bring her back here,” a man’s voice sounded.
The heavy thud of steps sounded in an instant as I was grabbed once more. I screamed and kicked and howled as he dragged me back to that waiting car. “LONDON! LOOONNNDDDDOOOONNNN!”
WHACK!
My head snapped to the side and my body followed.
Stars ignited behind my eyes as Ashwood dragged me back to that waiting car, the door now open. The blurry face of the man who waited for me turned sharper. Through the haze of agony, memories pushed in. The corridors of The Order, the smirk he’d given London. They were enemies. I’d known that then…just as I knew that now.
Daniels. That’s what London had called him.
“I’m not going back there,” I moaned, forcing the words out. “I’d rather fucking die!”
“No,” he answered coldly. “You’re not.”
His words stopped me cold. Through the blur of tears, I saw the paper in his hand as he shoved it into my face.
“You’re coming home with me instead.” He lashed out, grasped my throat, and clenched tight. “Now be a good whore and get in the fucking car.”
No…
No!
NO!
Ashwood grabbed me, then drove me through the open door and inside the car. There was no fighting now. No kicking and screaming as Daniels pushed in behind me and the door closed with a bang.
“I’m going to enjoy the fuck out of you.” Daniels drove me forward until my face smashed against the seat. His hands mauled my breasts through the satin pajamas London had bought me as he groaned against my ear. “London won’t want you at all…by the time I’m done.”
