When they dragged me outside, I knew there were only seconds to react. They were going to kill me if I didn’t do something first. Sucking in a quick breath, I blew it out and made my first move. I slipped out of their hold and headbutted the guy behind me before kicking the fucker to my right in the head. Then, I punched the one on the left with as much force as I could muster, loving the sound of his bones cracking. All three fell to the ground, groaning in pain. However, it wasn’t enough for me. My hands shook with the need to finish them off.
I jumped on one and was about to snap his neck when a flashlight beamed in my face. I couldn’t see who it was, but someone shouted my name . . . someone I never expected to hear.
CHAPTER31
PEYTON
“We have to get her in the boat!” Martin roared. “Once we disappear into the bayou, they won’t be able to catch us.”
There was so much chaos. Everywhere I looked, there were flashing blue and red lights. Help had come for us . . . but how?
Wren held my left arm while Martin pulled my right, forcing me down to the water’s edge where a boat was waiting for us.
Wren squeezed my arm, grabbing my attention. “This is it, Peyton. This is our chance.”
She let me go and lunged at Eric, taking him down. Martin pulled out a gun, but he still held my right arm. Rearing back, I punched him with my left and kneed him in the stomach when he hunched over.
“Stupid cunt,” he grunted, lifting the gun toward me.
There were only mere seconds to react, and I did the only thing I could think of. I kicked his hand, putting as much force in the movement as possible, and the gun flew in the air and into the bayou.
Wren and Eric grappled through the mud and once he freed himself from her, he took off for the boat while Wren came to my side. Martin’s eyes turned wild, and he circled around as if calculating his next move.
Shouts erupted all around us and he took off, but he didn’t get far before he was tackled from behind. Ethan punched him, his fists pounding Martin’s face, over and over. Relief washed through me, and I fell to my knees; Ethan was okay.
A group of men in FBI uniforms grabbed Ethan and hauled him off, pushing him away from Martin’s motionless body.
“He’s down, Jameson!” one of the men shouted.
The second Ethan’s eyes met mine, he rushed over and pulled me into his arms. I latched onto him, my tears falling onto his skin.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I cried.
He held me so tight I could barely breathe, but I didn’t care.
“I’m sorry, Peyton. I’m so fucking sorry.” He choked up, and it ripped me open. “I should’ve been there to protect you. I’ll never forgive myself.”
“No,” I fired back, pushing against his chest, his blood coating my hands. He released me and I grabbed his face, forcing him to look in my eyes. “It was all lies, Ethan. Caden never forced himself on me. He only said it to rile you up. I promise I’m okay.”
Tears fell from Ethan’s eyes, the liquid turning pink from all the blood. “That fucking gutted me. I didn’t want to imagine what you went through.” He gently touched the marks on my neck.
“Now that hediddo,” I admitted. “But that’s it.” I moved my gaze to all the gashes in his skin. “We have to get you to the hospital.”
“You’re going to need stitches . . . lots of them,” Wren stressed. Ethan looked over at her, and she smiled. “I know you two need to catch up, but I’m Wren.”
Ethan focused back on me, and I glanced over at her. She had a busted lip and was covered in mud. “Wren is a friend. I wouldn’t have gotten through this without her.”
She shrugged, her expression torn. “I know I said if it came down to it, I’d put myself first, but I couldn’t do it.”
“I’m glad,” I said to her. “And I’m going to keep my promise. You deserve everything I offered you.”
“Peyton!”
My mom’s voice echoed through the darkness, and I gasped. How was that possible? Ethan moved out of the way, and I watched as my mom, dad, and Ethan’s aunt Brooklyn in her FBI gear raced toward us.
Ethan let me go and I ran to my parents, throwing my arms around them. I burst out crying, and so did my mom.
“Thank God you’re okay,” my mom sobbed. “I was so worried about you.”