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Chapter Thirty-One
Holly
Istared just over Kris’ shoulder and watched the exchange happening between Reid and the soldier in the corner.
Every other person in the room was completely oblivious, but I saw it in their eyes.
I still don’t know who he is, but my instincts were right about him.
I feigned attention as I pretended to watch the little show my brother-in-law was putting on, and not draw attention to the two of them from my sister, who sat in a chair in the corner like she was the damn Queen of England.
I kicked out against Kris when he reached for the button on my jeans, but I saved my energy, not putting up too much of a fight…yet.
I’m watching Reid for a signal, I see the way the tip of his boot tips forward, then again. A countdown. It’s time to get the hell out of here.
Knife to my left. Knife on my calf. Last resort.
Kris leaned in, his body covering mine as his tongue swiped at my exposed breasts, and he let out a low moan.
The soldier moved first, pulling a gun from his waist, one shot. I held in my gasp as I watched my sister slumped in the chair in the corner. Oh shit.
Within seconds Reid was on Kris, picking up the knife that lay beside my leg and running it across Kris’ throat as blood poured over the both of us.
“I’m sorry baby, I’m so sorry.” Reid repeated the words as he looked at me with a mixture of horror and disbelief.
I watched the soldier grab my sisters’ rifle and run to the bedside, unlocking my wrists that were now numb from loss of blood.
“Good guy, Reid?” I spoke as quickly as I could. We have to move, now. Bennett is still in the hallway, and God knows who else is out there.
“Good guy. Go. You two go. Get her out of her. Whatever you do, do not look back. I’ve got Em. Run. Remember, Holly, last resort.”
“Last resort.” I repeated his words as I leapt from the bed behind the masked soldier and followed Reid’s instructions. With one exception, I looked back. I turned as the soldier pulled me forward out of the master bedroom. I turned back and watched Reid’s descent into the tunnel until I heard a familiar voice echo through the hallway.
“Run, Miss Holly. Run. I’m sorry!” His voice was distraught, pained. Where is he?
I looked, but I couldn’t find him. That’s when the shots rang out. A slew of curse words left the mouth of the soldier as he pushed me forward and began firing shots from behind me as we continued to move. We flew down the steps and this time…we made it. Only it wasn’t Reid I could hear breathing behind me. It was the voice of a stranger, the soldier.
“Where are you?” He paused just outside the entrance of the house and yelled into the night sky. He pulled his hand to his ear and pressed on an earpiece that I noticed for the first time.
“The helicopter? What about the tunnels?” The tunnels. Reid’s in the tunnels.
“You got them out? The explosives. Fuck. Fuck. Reid’s down there.” He ran a hand over his head that was covered with a black knit hat.
“It’s too late, I’ve got her. How long?” He let out a pained breath as his eyes darted to me.
“We’re too close. Shit. Ok, love you Em.” He gripped my hand and pulled my body forward, towards the dark forest.
“Wait! Where is Reid? Where is he?” My throat burned as I screamed the words into the night.
“It’s too late, we’ve got to get you out of here. We’re too close. We have to run. Now!” The soldier continued to bark orders at me as I pulled against him and fought to turn back to the house. Rationally, I know I should listen to him, but I lost all rationality somewhere back before I stepped foot on this damn property.
“I’m not leaving him here!” My tears mixed with anger as I shouted at the soldier, but he wasn’t having it. He picked me up like I weighed nothing and groaned when he threw me over his shoulder just as he’d done Reid earlier and began running. Harder, faster, as he counted the seconds out loud. We moved further into the forest until he threw my body down behind a fallen tree and landed on top of me, covering me.
Instantly, the ground shook and the night lit up like the sunrise with a force that I’ve never experienced before and hope to never experience again. I felt the heat on my skin and my ears rang as an explosion detonated, surrounding us.
The soldier continued to curse as his body covered mine, protecting me.
His words made no sense. Something about brothers, death in the night, capes with red letters. It was gibberish, but I could feel the defeat as it seeped from his body and into mine. I could feel his fear.
