Before I can react, Benjamin drops on me, hard, one knee in the center of my back, pinning me to the floor. The blade moves to my neck, and as his lips lower to my ear, something pricks my neck. I think it’s the blade, but he murmurs, “Did you feel that, Casey? Bring back memories?” and I know he’s sedated me. I buck, but he pins me harder, his thumb digging into my shoulder injury.
“You have about sixty seconds before you pass out. You could scream. In fact, I’d recommend it. You won’t, though, because you still hope to escape this on your own. Calling for help? That’s for cowards. Casey Butler is not a coward. Which means she’s about to suffer for her pride. That sedative will kick in and then, when you wake up, you’ll find yourself in that hole, under this building, the floor sealed up again. You’ll try to escape, but you won’t be able to move, and you’ll think you’ve just been bound, until you realize I’ve cut your spinal cord. And do you know what I think you’ll do then? Not a damn thing. You’ll be free to call for help, but you won’t, because you couldn’t hack life like that. You’ll want to be put down. You’re not weak, like Roger’s brother, blubbering for mercy. Death is mercy. You’ll see that, and—”
I shoot him.
He howls and falls to the side, and I scramble up, already woozy but fighting it, and he’s lying there, clutching his bleeding leg, his eyes wide, as if he doesn’t quite know what happened, how I could have shot him when he emptied my weapon.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t bring another gun?” I say.
The door opens with a bang. Someone’s heard the shot. Someone’s come. I send up a word of thanks, because this sedative is kicking in fast, and right now, my options would be to kill Benjamin or risk him carrying out his threat. Given that choice, I’d kill him.
I’m sorry, Nicole. So, so sorry.
A figure rushes over. It’s Mathias. He grabs Benjamin in a chokehold and presses into his neck as the younger man struggles. When Benjamin goes limp, Mathias turns to me and says, “Can you walk?”
“He drugged me. Again.”
Mathias’s lips purse. “For the best, I suppose. It saves me having to do it.”
“Wh-what?” I swing up my gun. “You son of a bitch.”
I try to train the gun on him, but my hands are shaking now, shaking so bad I can’t even aim, the sedative hitting hard. I try to find the trigger. Mathias walks over, turns the barrel aside and takes the gun.
“No,” I say. “No, no, no.”
Mathias crouches in front of me and pushes loose hair back over my ear. “You still think I’m going to hurt you. Never. I will fix this problem for you. You have won the match. I am here to mop up the blood. When you wake up, this garbage will be gone, and you will have your puppy back and, as soon as I can manage it, Nicole as well. Just leave this part to me.”
My mouth works. Then I start to drop, and I feel his hands slide under my head, lowering it to the floor as I lose consciousness.
SIXTY-NINE
I wake to Storm licking my face and whining and nudging me. My flashlight is above my head, turned on, and I look around to find I’m still lying on the floor of the lumber shed. That open hole beside me has been covered with boards. I rise, hearing, “Casey!” shouted so loud the voice cracks.
“Eric,” I say, scrambling up as Storm races around me in circles, hearing his voice, trying to figure out where it’s coming from.
“Casey!”
I say, “In here!” but it comes out as a croak. I rise, wobbling. I make my way to the door, Storm dancing around me.
“Careful,” I murmur. “I’m a little shaky.”
I manage not to trip over her, and I’m about to pull open the door when she jumps on it, reminding me that yanking it open probably isn’t wise. I bend and hold her with one arm, as I open the door with the other.
“Eric! I’m in here! The lumber shed!”
Storm barks. A woman yells for Dalton. It’s Anders who appears first, running around the back of the shed. Then Dalton shoulders past and throws open the door as I stagger back, saying, “Storm!” when the puppy charges for the open doorway. Anders grabs her and then Dalton’s grabbing me as I collapse, everything going dark again.
*
When I open my eyes this time, I’m staring up at Dalton’s bedroom ceiling. I sigh and say, “Look, next time I pass out, can you put me somewhere else? Just for a change of scenery?”
Anders chuckles. “You woke up in the lumber shed an hour ago. That was different.”
Dalton’s face appears over mine. “Or you could just not get yourself into situations where you’re likely to pass out.” He sits on the edge of the bed. “I’m guessing Benjamin’s gone. Did he take Mathias?”
“What?” I blink, trying to orient myself.
“I know you’re not up to questions, but they’re both missing.”
“No, Mathias took…” I bolt upright. “Mathias took Benjamin. I shot Benjamin, and then Mathias came and he said … he said was going to get Nicole back.”
“Well, let’s hope he does,” Anders says. “Right now, they’re both gone. We’re just glad you’re not. Diana told us what happened—Benjamin luring you out by taking Storm, and you going after him with Mathias.”
“Diana…,” I say. “I need to speak to Diana.”
*
“Did he threaten you?” I ask as Diana walks in.