First, he doesn’t deserve to say her name. And second, he shouldn’t know that. He shouldn’t know anything about her. It’s not like they mentioned her health issues on the news.
“Must’ve been a pain cleaning all that blood.” He chuckles, twisting the knife into my wound. My emotions are clearly plastered all over my face because he scoffs.
“Oh, chin up, baby. There would have been a lot more if I hadn’t missed.”
My throat closes up.
If he hadn’t missed…
He’s talking about Finn, isn’t he?
Finn told the cops he barely had time to move out of the way before the car hit Lexie. But she wasn’t the target—Finn was. Lexie was merely collateral damage.
I zone out as I relive Lexie’s last moments. He apologized to her. When she was dying… Finn begged her to forgive him.
Did he know?
That’s why he was blaming himself, isn’t it?
He knew he played a part in it.
“Enough chitchat.” The guy begins to approach me, cutting off my air supply in the process. “Be a good girl and deliver a message for me, will you?”
My gaze roams around the room for some sort of weapon as he advances toward the bed. On autopilot, I grab the empty glass of water Finn got me when I got thirsty last night, ready to smash his head in, but his wrist flies out to catch mine. He easily overpowers me, ripping the glass out of my hand and chucking it away. His hand wraps around my throat before I can blink, pinning me down to the mattress.
“You fucking bitch,” he growls and spits in my face.
My tears soak my mouth as his saliva rolls down my cheek, carrying the smell of his rotten breath.
“You’re going to tell your boy that if he doesn’t get me my money by end of day tomorrow, I’ll get someone else to settle his debt.” He inches closer, squeezing my throat until I’m gasping for air. “Maybe you.”
He pauses, enjoying my struggle as I try to claw at his face and arms. He slackens his hold on my throat for a few seconds, just long enough for me to inhale a shallow breath, and then he does it again.
“Although, if I’m being honest, I’m not sure he would care. Looks to me like he got what he wanted, then tossed you aside like garbage.”
I never back down, putting up the fight of my life, but nothing is enough to get his dirty paws off my neck. Tears cast a thick mist over my eyes as one of his hands falls to my covered breasts, the thin blanket the only thing standing between him and my naked body.
I almost wish he’d suffocate me as he groans. “Let’s see those tits.”
Just close your eyes.
Close your eyes and leave this place, Dia.
His fingers curl under the blanket, but just as he starts to lift it off my body, his phone rings.
I never believed in miracles.
Until now.
Cursing beneath his breath, he uses his free hand to jerk his phone out of his pocket and press it to his ear.
“What?” he barks into the phone.
I can’t make out what the person on the other end is saying.
“Now?” Sketchy Guy snaps. “I’m a little busy.”
Whoever he’s talking to doesn’t seem to like that answer because I hear yelling.