“Brenda?” I cry out, my attention going to her. She isn’t moving. I shake her small body. “Brenda? Wake up.”
I dig my cell out of my pocket and dial 911.
The next thing I remembered, I was standing outside by Jamie’s car waiting for the cops. Once they arrived, I showed them to the chapel. And to my surprise, her body was gone. There was no sign of a struggle and no evidence left behind that Brenda Nash was ever here. Her car wasn’t on the property. If she had come with Dax that night, he didn’t plan on her leaving alive.
The thought of what I witnessed and not helping her eats me alive. I can never forgive myself for not doing something more. For not saving her life. Even if it meant giving her mine.
A noise behind me has me spinning around, but I come to a quick stop when I see something. No, someone. They’re up on the chancel, crouched down with their forearms on their thighs. It’s Scout. I can feel it by the way the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
He wears black jeans, unlaced combat boots, and a black hoodie. It’s up over his head. I can’t see his eyes, but I know he’s staring right at me. He has a mask on. It’s solid black with yellow contacts in that glow like two bright lights.
My spine tingles, and my thighs tighten. It’s like an imaginary rat is crawling up my back. I want to shout and jump around to try to shove it off, but I don’t.
Slowly, he rises as though he has all the time in the world and jumps off. He stalks to me, closing the space between us.
I quickly look around to see that I’m still alone. I should have never left Lacey. Swallowing, I find my voice. “Scout.”
He comes to a stop before me, and I tilt my head to look up at him. My palms sweat, and my knees shake.
He says nothing but tilts his masked face.
I look around quickly. “I, uh …”
“Little doll,” he whispers. “We’ve been waiting on you.”
I take a stumbling step back, hitting a pew. My body is shivering, my heart pounding harder than the music coming from the other side of the double doors. “I should be going …” I turn to leave, but I’m brought to a stop when his hands grip my hips, and he yanks me back.
His arm snakes around my waist, holding me in place. “Stay. It’s about to get interesting, doll.”
“What …?”
I look up to see the other three guys dressed the same as they enter the room. But they have weapons. The one on the far right—which has to be Dax, judging by his height—has a baseball bat over his shoulder. The one in the middle, who I’m guessing is Rellik, holds a knife fisted in his left hand. And the one on the far left, who I know without a doubt is Law, has a chain wrapped around his fist. It’s so long it puddles at his boots. They are all dressed in black with masks over their faces. All the same as Scout’s, except each one is a different color.
My heart is hammering in my chest, my breathing erratic. Scout’s free hand comes up to wrap around my throat, and I whimper, my knees buckling.
“How do you like it, Hen?” he whispers in my ear.
“W-What?” My voice shakes. To my surprise, none of them laugh at me.
“Sex,” Scout clarifies. “How do you like to be fucked?”
Panic grips my chest, and I try to shove him off, but he’s too strong.
“If I remember correctly, you like it rough. And with an audience,” he adds.
“Please.” I bite my bottom lip before it slips out again. “Scout …”
“If you’re going to beg, then you’ll do it from your knees.” He shoves me forward, and I trip. My hands slap the dirt-covered concrete along with my knees. I cry out from the pain that shoots up my arms and legs.
“We all prefer pain more than pleasure.” I hear Dax say.
“Well …” Law chuckles darkly. “Their pain gives us pleasure.”
I snap my head up and blow the loose strands from my slick face.
Law steps forward, and before I can move, he has wrapped the chain around my neck and pulls me forward, momentarily cutting off my air. He yanks me to my feet, and I slam into his hard, muscular body. His mask-covered face is staring down into mine, and he wears white contacts that make him look even more terrifying than I know he is.
I try to suck in a breath as my face begins to throb from lack of oxygen but get nothing. I grip the chain in my fists, trying to get it off, but it’s pointless. The chain is pinching my skin and pulling my hair that’s wrapped in it.