I almost couldn’t process what I was seeing as I rose to my knees and it had nothing to do with the blows to the head.
“You have Miranda to thank for me knowing about this part of the cellar,” Jason said, standing in front of me. “And yourself. Do you remember telling me about the tunnels when we were in college?”
Pressing my lips together, I didn’t answer.
“You guys were talking about how creepy the cellar was,” he continued. “Not sure if you realize this or not, but those bricks came down in the cemetery ages ago. I took them down before we took you.”
I jerked.
“I used to come in here when you were sleeping, walk around the inn. You had no idea. Every once in a while, I visited, even after you left town. I guess it made me feel like I was still close to you.” He knelt, and I lifted my chin. Blood trickled down the side of his face. “I had complete access to this place. Made copies of the keys just in case someone closed up the entrance. Could’ve done anything this whole entire time.”
My stomach turned. There was a good chance I was going to be sick, knowing that he’d been in this house when my mom was here, alone and completely unaware.
“I kind of stumbled onto this part of the cellar.” His hand snapped out, curving around the back of my neck. His grip was painful. “Then I remembered Miranda saying once that no one ever used this part. Seemed fitting. How does it feel?” he asked. “Knowing that they were down here this whole time? That they were alive while you were upstairs in the kitchen, eating and drinking? When you were in your apartment fucking and they were down here dying?”
I sucked in a wheezy breath. “You’re a sick bastard.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” He twisted my head back. James was still motionless in the corner. “I’ve heard worse. There’s something I want you to understand. I killed them because of you, because you had to fucking come back and rub it in my goddamn face—” He stopped suddenly, lifting his gaze to the ceiling.
Footsteps.
There were footsteps upstairs.
“Sasha!” Cole’s voice rang out from above, his voice tinged with panic and anger.
I opened my mouth to scream, but Jason was on me, clapping his hand over my mouth so all that came out was a muffled grunt. He lifted me to my feet, circling an arm around my chest, clamping my arms to my side.
“Listen,” Jason murmured into my ear. “Listen to him upstairs. He has no fucking clue you’re down here. None. And he won’t. Not until it’s too late. But he’ll know.” He wrenched me back, away from the opening in the cellar. “I’ll make sure he finds out that you died while he stood right above you.”
My heart slammed against my ribs as I heard Cole speaking. I couldn’t make out the words—it was either to Miranda or he was on the phone.
“If I can’t pin the blame on him, maybe I’ll kill him?” His breath against my ear sent shivers down my spine. “But I like the idea of him living with the knowledge of losing you twice.”
I hated him—hated him with every fiber of my being. He was worse than a sociopath. He was a monster.
Digging my fingers into his hand, I tried to pry him away as he laughed quietly in my ear.
“Do you know these tunnels branch out? One goes a little further down the street, into another house?” He pressed his head against mine. “I just want you to know before I kill you, that I’ll escape.”
There was no way I was letting that happen.
No way.
An explosive curse sounded from upstairs and then I heard Cole shout my name once more. The rage building inside of me diminished everything else—the terror and pain. I was not going out this way. I was not going to give this bastard another second of my life.
Lifting my leg, I slammed my foot down on his. He grunted, but held on. Without thinking, I kicked my head back, connecting with his skull.
Jason yelped out a curse.
Then I went wild.
Swinging my arms back, I hit every part of him I could reach, which wasn’t much, but my fists connected with his sides, and his head. I kicked back, digging my foot into his shins.
I shoved my body backward, knocking him into the wall. The thud was audible, and I wasn’t sure it was enough to be heard, but I had to try. I threw myself backward again, and his head cracked off the wall. His hand slipped from my mouth.
I screamed—screamed with everything I had in me. “Cole!” My voice echoed throughout the cellar, and I had no idea if he’d heard me. “Co—”
“You stupid bitch!” Grabbing my hair, he twisted me around and shoved me forward with brutal force. There wasn’t enough time to protect myself from the blow. I hit the brick wall and the burst of fiery pain was blinding. A heartbeat passed and he threw me backward. I hit the floor, sending plumes of dirt into the air. He was on me, his knees pinning my hips as he circled his hands around my neck.
I’d taken my final breath before I realized it would be my last.
His fingers dug into the skin of my throat painfully. I beat and clawed at his hands, trying to loosen the grip. It didn’t work. Lifting my hips, I couldn’t throw him off. He was like a man possessed. He looked possessed. Blood streamed down his face, his eyes dark and full of hate, face contorted with anger—anger at me for daring to live, to survive.
But I couldn’t breathe.
I didn’t want his face to be the last thing I saw, but I refused to close my eyes. I glared back at him even as my lungs burned. Weakness infiltrated my muscles, turning my arms and legs into lead. They became too heavy to lift. My arms slipped to my sides, falling against the floor.
A wide smile crept across Jason’s face. A full smile, showcasing bloodstained teeth. The corners of my vision darkened just as I heard a popping sound.
Jason jerked forward, letting go of my throat. Cool, beautiful air rushed into my throat, expanding my lungs. Slowly he lowered his chin. My gaze followed. Bright red splattered across the center of his chest. A second later, his legs folded like a paper sack and he fell. No twitching. Nothing this time.
Heart racing, I lifted my gaze to the opening in the cellar. I opened my mouth and croaked out one word. “Cole.”
Chapter 30
I jolted awake from my nap, gasping air as I sat up in bed and pushed the blanket to my waist. Faint sunlight streamed through my bedroom window. My throat was hoarse, as if I’d been screaming, and—
My bedroom door opened, and Cole strode in, worry pinching his features.
I’d been screaming.
Again.
“Hey,” he said, walking to the bed.
Placing my hands over my face, I squeezed my eyes shut. “Sorry.”
“Like I said before and I’ll say it again, the last thing you need to do is apologize for a nightmare.” The bed shifted as he moved closer and I felt his fingers on my arm. He lowered my hand and then the other. “How bad was it?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Not that bad.”