Kings of Decay (The Winston Brothers Duet #1)

33. Willow

Chapter thirty-three

Willow

T he man on the radio's voice crackled. "It’s looking like a record snowfall for December, so batten down the hatches, folks!"

I growled and turned the radio off. Stupid radio. Stupid snow. Stupid Dad. He was in Fairbanks, and I was stuck here.

Todd told me not to bother coming to work. Classes were over until January. The satellite internet was out. I had nothing to do but stare out the window like those kids in the Cat in the Hat book.

I chuckled softly at the comparison, sipping my tea.

Shit, I was going crazy, wasn't I?

The feeling of being watched was all-encompassing, but no one was out there.

I shut the curtains and went to my room. Even with the space heater on full blast, there was a chill that I couldn't shake. I checked my phone. No texts from Poppy, of course. I bundled up in bed and grabbed my phone to read some of the books I'd downloaded the last time the internet worked properly.

I settled on a sweet romance novel and tried to get lost in the words.

But I couldn't concentrate. My nerves were shot. I felt like I was too wired to sleep but too tired to do anything about it. I sighed and put my phone down, staring up at the ceiling.

For the umpteenth time this week, I truly regretted not staying in California with my Aunt.

"I miss you, Mom."

***

I woke up to the sound of something scratching at the door. Keys? No, it couldn't be. A raccoon or some other animal?

I groggily sat up, my neck aching from how I fell asleep. I went to check the time. My phone was dead beside me on my pillow. It must have been well past midnight.

"Hello?" I called out, like some idiot in a horror movie.

I didn't want to get out of bed. It was so warm and comfortable. It must have just been the wind.

I closed my eyes and settled back into my pillow. As soon as the snow was gone, I was going to tell Dad that I was moving in with my Aunt. I didn't need any more of this shit.

Someone was looking at me. I felt it.

My eyes snapped open.

Two men were in my room, their faces concealed with ski masks.

I screamed, scrambling backward. I bumped into the headboard.

They didn’t say anything at first; they just stood there. They were blocking the only exit, and I saw the long, gleaming hunting knife in one of their hands.

I panicked, heart racing. I couldn’t think.

“Please,” I stuttered, struggling for breath. “Don’t hurt me.”

One of them stepped closer, the tip of the knife glinting in the moonlight that filtered through my curtains.

"Shh," he rasped. "We're just going to have some fun."

I knew that voice.

"Pearce?" I whispered.

He pulled off his ski mask and elbowed his brother. "I told you we didn't need these."

"It's part of the fantasy," he countered, not taking his mask off.

"What the hell is going on?" I demanded. My heart was thumping hard enough that I thought my ribs might break. I was alone and trapped with them. I had nothing to defend myself, and I couldn't even call for help.

"You're coming with us, little mouse," Ainsley said.

Ainsley lunged forward and grabbed my arm.

"No!" I screamed, twisting away from him and lashing out with my other hand. Survival instincts went into overdrive as I kicked and screamed. I clawed at Ainsley's face, trying to escape. But he was too strong, his grip unforgiving as he dragged me from my bed. The pain in my arm was excruciating. The coldness took the air from my lungs.

"Let me go!" I yelled, my voice breaking. My bedroom was small, but the door felt miles away as Ainsley pulled me towards it. Panic engulfed my senses, and my vision started to blur from the fear coursing through me.

I thrashed, desperately trying to break free from Ainsley's grip. But it was no use.

Pearce watched me with a deranged expression, his icy blue eyes gleaming like a predator.

"Please, don't do this." I begged between sobs, "I won't say anything about... about what you did before."

Ainsley paused momentarily, but then he tightened his grip on my arm and forced me out of my room and to the front door.

The doorway opened like the maw of a terrible beast, leading out into the frigid cold, wind, and snow.

"Please!" I tried again.

"Shut up," Ainsley spat. "You're coming with us, Willow. It's time for you to give us an early Christmas gift. Don't worry, we're good at sharing."