I smile. “I don’t know if I’m any of those things, but I’d love to be.”
She comes and sits beside me. “You’re all of those things and more, Lara. You’re the kindest girl I know. Look how often you come over here and look after me. You’re the bravest girl I know. I admit you’re a little too loud sometimes, but you go into the world fighting and that makes you something else. You are more than loyal, we both know that. Mostly you’re strong. The strongest girl I know. You could endure anything, anything at all. I believe it with all that I am. Be all those things, Lara, and the world will give you what you need.”
Tears run down my cheeks. I dip my head.
Nanna believed in me. She believed in me.
And I know now, I know more than anything, that if she were here she’d tell me that I have to find all those things—I have to find who I am—and I have to embrace them. She’d tell me I’m not weak, that I’m not a bad person, that it wasn’t my fault. God, she’d probably slap me if she knew how much I let her death eat me up, change me, take away who I was.
I have to forgive myself.
I know it now more than ever.
Old Lara is back, and I have to hang on to her with both hands.
But first, Noah and I are going to get out of here.
Bryce is going to come. I know it, I feel it.
I’m getting us out of here.
TWENTY-FIVE
–Bryce–
What kind of stupid people go into a place where I can trap and kill them?
I chuckle to myself as I stand outside the door to my hideout. I can hear them talking. Honestly, whose bright idea was this? They just threw themselves in my path and made it easy for me to kill them. She’s practically dead already, he’s exhausted; they swore they wouldn’t end up falling into my game, but they did. I didn’t count on them working together like they did, but it’s no matter. It’ll only hurt worse when they watch each other die.
Idiots.
They were never going to beat me.
I reach into my pocket and pull out a lighter. Time to draw them out and end this once and for all. I move around to the back of my hideout, lifting another small door that opens up a compartment where I keep some weapons. I pull out a massive hunting knife, much bigger than the one I left for them. I could just shoot them, but I want to see them squirm, fight, plead. Yes, a gun is no fun. I tuck another two knives into my belt, just in case. Then I pull out a bottle of gas.
I walk over to the back of my hideout and pour it on, then I light it up.
Grinning, I walk around to the front door and stand, waiting.
I’ll take Noah down first, or maybe I’ll take Lara down and watch him suffer. So many choices. Anticipation bubbles in my chest as I wait. In a matter of minutes, the front door swings up and they come scrambling out, him holding her by the arm as he pulls her. Always the hero.
“I wondered which one of you had the bright idea of hiding in the place I know best. I’m guessing you, Noah.”
Noah stops dead and turns toward me, his face wild with anger. He drops his hold on Lara’s arm. He looks scared. Finally he looks fucking scared. So he should—he’s about to die. Slowly. His hand moves quickly, and I see the exact moment that he realizes he doesn’t have a weapon. Maybe he dropped it. I’m guessing he dropped it. I laugh hysterically. “What happened, Noah? Did you drop your weapon?”
“I don’t need a weapon to beat you,” Noah growls. “I’m a fucking man, not a coward like you.”
I laugh. “Funny that. Yes, you’re such a man you couldn’t even get your precious little girlfriend out of here.”
My eyes flick to Lara again. She looks defeated.
Good.
“Looks like your little woman is giving up, Noah. I wondered how long it would take for her to break.”
Noah looks to Lara and his eyes flash. “Lara?”
“I’m sorry, Noah,” Lara whispers. “I tried. I’m just so tired. So sick of fighting. It’s over. I can’t…”
“Lara!” Noah tries to take a step forward but I get in his way.
“Get out of my fucking way,” he barks. “I’ll kill you.”
I laugh, throwing my head back. Then I aim my knife and with precision, I throw it. Noah tries to move out of the way but it ends up wedged in his leg. He drops to the ground. Lara screams. I focus on Noah, walking slowly toward him. He’s hissing in pain as he jerks the knife out. I reach around to my pants and pull out another knife.
“I’ll fucking kill you,” Noah hisses, pressing a hand to the blood and clutching the knife with the other.
“Now it’s a fair match,” I say, and my eyes catch sight of Lara.
She is clutching her wrist and there is blood trickling out from her fingers. A bloodied knife falls on the floor beside her. She starts swaying.
Weak. Little. Bitch.
“Would you look at that, Noah?” I laugh. “Your little woman is trying to take the easy way out.”
Noah’s head whips around and I watch the exact moment all the color drains from his face as he realizes what she’s doing. Lara is trying to kill herself so I don’t have to do it for her. Smart. But weak. So pathetic. The useless waste of space. I always knew she didn’t have it in her. She sways again. She’s making this too fucking easy. I should go over there and drive this knife into her heart. I can’t believe she thinks she can take this away from me.
But Noah’s pain is too good.
It’s too real.
Excitement floods my body as I watch him breaking right in front of me. The pain in his face has my body coming alive. This isn’t how I wanted everything to go, but I’m always up for a slight direction change. This will make Noah angry, but weak. He’ll want to fight me. He’ll want to hurt me. But he will lose.
“Lara?” Noah says, his voice betrayed and hurt. “Lara!”
“Oh for God’s sake,” I bark at her. “You’re not seriously going to pass out, are you? At least try to give me the fight I’ve been waiting for.”
“Noah,” she croaks. “I’m so sorry…”
She drops to her knees.
“Lara,” Noah yells, his voice frantic. Aw. He doesn’t want to lose her.
How very tragic.
Her eyes roll and she falls backward. I study her chest. Her breathing is so shallow it’s about to stop. She must have slit that vein good. I guess she’s tougher than I thought if she had it in her to do that. Still. Fucking bitch ruined my endgame.
“Seriously?” I bellow, throwing a hand up. “I fucking create this game only for that bitch to fucking die by her own hand.”
“Lara,” Noah screams, getting up and running over to her and dropping to his knees. “Lara!”
“I mean honestly,” I bark, stalking toward Noah. “I fucking knew she was weak, but to kill herself and leave you behind? I thought she loved you a little more than that.”
“Lara, wake up,” Noah bellows, tears running down his pathetic cheeks.
“Waste of my fucking time,” I mutter to myself as I reach Noah. “Stupid weak bitch. Get up. I’m going to make my game worthwhile, even if it fucking kills me.”