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Tanner disappears down the hallway.

The big guy recovers first, and when he makes to come at me, I lift my hands, ready to defend myself. I took him down before, but I had the element of surprise. I just hope he doesn’t actually hit me hard.

Caden said that would be my advantage. Guys don’t always want to hurt girls, but once I’ve hit them hard, expect them to come back prepared.

“Leave her.” Zach shoves Jack down to his knees and holds his shoulder. “She’ll fall in line. Bleeding hearts always do.”

The guy in the mask shrugs and turns to his buddy on the ground to help him up.

I’m so fucked. I should have run when I had the chance. But I would have run right into Tanner anyway. I don’t think he would have any misgivings about hitting a girl.

“How do you feel, darling?”

My gaze snaps to Zach’s. He smiles like we’re having a normal conversation, and he isn’t holding my boyfriend down in front of him while brandishing a knife.

“The drugs.” Zach grins. He’s proud of himself. “I’ve been playing with different compounds. That particular one is fast and takes you out.”

I do a self-check and don’t feel anything besides some muscle stiffness and a few bruises forming.

“We could have fucked you, and you wouldn’t have been able to do a thing about it.” Zach slides the flat of the blade along Jack’s jaw. “You would have been a limp doll, taking what we gave you.”

The other two guys chuckle. It’s disturbing to think that I couldn’t have fought back. That I was completely helpless in their presence and they were willing to do something like that.

“But see, I don’t want a docile little pet to use as a Fleshlight.”

“You’ve done it before,” I accuse. It’s not a question. I know he has. There might not have been any proof of Izzy’s rape, but I trust her. And I don’t trust him.

He smiles like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. But the look in his eyes is so cold and pleased. It strikes at the center of me with such fear I almost back away, knowing the predator has me in his sights, and I’m completely under his control.

The control I have now is an illusion. He could yank it away from me, but the fact that he doesn’t makes me even more fearful of what his intentions are. This house is rundown. The farmhouse Art mentioned?

“I’ve tried many girls before, but don’t worry. You’re special to me.”

No one in their right mind would want to be special to this man.

The house has electricity obviously, but the air isn’t much warmer or cooler than the outside air, so it’s not a conditioned space. A musty smell lingers in the air like it hasn’t been lived in.

“I’ve gone to a lot of trouble to bring you here. Played with that vapid whore who gladly took all the candy I offered her to come up with just the right cocktail to make you wild and a little unwilling.”

I swallow down the bile in my throat and stand my ground even as I want to run. I don’t know how far I’d get, but anywhere has to be better than in this predator’s grasp.

“Why am I so special?” I manage to get out around the lump in my throat.

He laughs like we’re having a polite conversation. “Well, I wanted to be your first.”

He slides the blade across Jack’s shoulder. Blood spills from the cut, but Jack doesn’t flinch. His eyes never leave me, still pleading with me to run.

“Stop,” I cry out.

“He took that from me, darling. He took that first time when I could have ripped into you.” His voice changes from soft to bitter. “So pure, but what a whore you turned out to be.”

“Then release us. I’m not what you really want.” I’m not who he really wants. The words he says and everything he does is probably for his obsession, but I don’t know if I should bring her up. Would that anger him? What would he do?

The guy is unhinged and I won’t risk Jack’s life.

“It doesn’t matter what I want, darling. We’ve been on this collision course since he chose you.” Zach lowers his gaze to Jack and slides the tip of the blade against his shoulder. Not cutting though.

“Don’t. Please.” I need to get Jack away from him.