“We’ll save that for later. Right now, we’re late for a party, and you bitches are the guests of honor.”
“No! No! Leave me alone!” Kelsey’s screams slice me open from throat to pelvis, and I twist to get a look at her. I wish to God I hadn’t because her eyes are full of terror, her face is red, tears pouring down her cheeks.
“Stop it, please! Just…stop!” She’s limp now, the guy dragging her out of the closet and into the dark hallway.
“Leave her alone,” I shout, but my words sound lifeless, almost defeated.
“Let’s go, bitch.” My assailant’s grip tightens, and the dragging starts again, this time across the guest room, down the hall, and down the stairs with no regard for the shape of the staircase. My shoulders and hips, the backs of my knees hit every single step on the way down. I feel battered even before he unceremoniously drops me on the marble floor at the bottom of the staircase.
“Ouch,” he says around a laugh. “We got ’em. Let’s get the fuck outta here!”
Not yet. I know if I don’t at least try to get free, we’ll both end up like Grace. While the wicked son of a bitch doubles over with laughter, I get to my hands and knees first and look around. We’re closest to the front door, but the alarm is still armed, and it’s…totally fucking perfect. I get to my feet and make a run for it. Seven feet. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two.
“I don’t think so bitch.” His voice is closer, much closer than it should be so soon, and something hard strikes the center of my back and takes me down to one knee.
One step, that’s all that separates Kelsey and me from at least a chance of getting out of this mess alive. With as much energy as I can muster, I ignore the pain stinging the back of my body and get to my other foot, arm extending out to the door.
There! I give it a hard yank, and the door opens.
Nothing happens.
For a full three seconds, nothing happens. And then the loud, obnoxious blare of the alarm sounds, just as another blow lands to the back of my head. This time, I go down completely, face down on the cold marble.
“What the fuck is that noise?” Another guy comes into the foyer, shouting as he drags Kelsey behind him.
“Dumb bitch set off the fucking alarm.” He pulls his leg back and kicks me in the ribs. “Turn it off.”
I don’t respond, mainly because that kick knocks the wind completely out of my lungs.
“I said turn it off!”
“I don’t have the code. The cops will come soon, but security will be here sooner.”
“Lying bitch.” He kicks me again, harder the second time around.
I turn over and hold up an arm to stop another kick.
“Remember that little building you passed to get in here? That’s security, but whatever you did to him won’t matter because the alarm goes straight to 911.”
“Fucking bitch,” he growls and reaches down for my hair, dragging me out the front door, Kelsey and his little friend right behind us. There’s a white van idling in the driveway, and the side door opens. They toss me in first and then Kelsey is practically on top of me.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.” A wicked laugh sounds a moment before a rag is taped over my nose and mouth. Seconds later, I pass out, and total darkness engulfs me.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ace
Even over the roar of my bike, I can hear the wailing alarm from half-way down the block. I rev my engine as if getting there any faster will change what I know to be true. I drive right up and stop in front of the house, alarm still blaring so fucking loud I can barely hear myself think.
The front door is wide open, and all the lights are off. I kill the engine on my bike and check my phone. Nothing from McKenna or Kelsey. I call Wild Man, anxious as fuck.
“I’m at McKenna’s house, and this fucking alarm won’t quit. Can you shut it off from there? I haven’t been inside yet, but she and Kelsey were here together tonight. Find out what you can.”
“On it,” Wild Man answers, already distracted by doing what I asked.
“Thanks.” I end the call just as Coop pulls in and cuts his engine.
“What the fuck happened?”
“Don’t know for sure yet. Let’s check this shit out.” We pull our guns out at damn near the same time, aimed at the ground until we’re inside the mansion. “The old-timer working the security gate is out cold, but he’s got a pulse. Barely.”
I use my phone’s flashlight to illuminate the space, and shit is fucked. The end table beside the door is tipped over, the vase and the tray for the keys are thrown halfway across the hall floor.