Page 72 of The Revenge
The fence blocking my exit ends abruptly at the water’s edge before it turns at a right angle and covers about ten feet to where the dock is. I’d struggle to get over it, but maybe I can scale it sideways?
I creep over the edge of the dock. The pole holding the fence up doesn’t look particularly secure. My weight might bring it down with me… The water beneath me looks like ink, and the wind is creating waves against the tips of the rocks that are poking out of the surface.
In the distance, I hear shouting, but I can’t make out the words.
Biting my lip, I grab the pole and shake it gently. The barbed wire on top rattles as the fence bends back and forth, sending loose dirt splashing into the water.
No, heading back to the van is a better idea—there’s no fencing there. I gather up my skirt again, take a deep breath, and then hurry back the way I came, keeping low behind the beams.
From out of nowhere, something barrels into me.
Propelled from behind, I feel like I’m flying before my body slams into the fence, making the barbed wire rattle loudly. The air is knocked out of me as the body behind crushes me into the metal.
“Gotcha.”
XXVIII
Tori
The last time I met Preston, it was at Syn’s birthday party. He’s the same age as my brother, but he looks like he’s in his late twenties—I remember how he seemed so out of place at a college party. Aside from not being unattractive despite his mature face, he’s tall. It was also obvious that he worked out.
Despite my efforts to get free, he’s using all his strength to keep me pinned beneath him. The most I can manage is to turn my face, but my cheek is still pressed against the metal.
“Preston, I know you’re upset, and I don’t blame you for wanting revenge for your friend, but if you just hear me out before—”
“I don’t want to hear you out. I don’t care.” His breath is hot in my ear.
Preston shifts his weight, and the pressure against me eases a fraction.
Using all my strength, I shove backwards. The move is enough to give me just enough room to stomp my heel down as hard as I can onto Preston’s foot. As he stumbles backwards, crying out in pain, I turn and elbow him, throwing my weight into his side.
Without looking back, I run, scrambling across the loose stone.
Only I don’t get far before I realize my fatal error.
I’m back at the dock.
Nearly losing my balance as I come to a stop, I turn, ready to climb over the metal beams.
A bang rings out, the crack echoing across the water.
A gun shot.
At the same moment I recognize what it is, I stumble backwards, only just stopping myself from collapsing to the ground.
Nothing hurts.
I don’t think I’ve been shot…
“The next one won’t miss.” Preston moves out of the shadows with his gun aimed at me.
In an automatic motion, I raise my hands. “Please. If you need me to deliver a message, I can do that.”
The soles of Preston’s shoes barely make any noise as he walks out onto the concrete dock, stopping just in front of me. “Your dead body is the message, you dumb bitch. I told Cole if he didn’t keep his mouth shut, I would wipe his family out, one by one—starting with you.”
My mind feels like it’s stuffed full of fog. Each thought I need to process fighting to be seen, because suddenly, nothing makes sense. All I can think about is the gun aimed at me. “Cole didn’t tell me anything. I just didn’t think he was capable of murder.”
Preston snorts. “You know enough to cause trouble for everyone.”
