As we walked out to the back field, I didn’t see Kat or the horses. Shit, that meant they’d probably gone over to the neighbor’s or on the road.
“So, you and Sculpt are good?” Matt said, his arm slung over my shoulder as we walked up the hill.
I smiled. “Yeah. We are. Really good, Matt.”
He squeezed my shoulders. “He loves y—down.” Matt suddenly shoved me away from him and I fell to the ground.
Bang.
“Matt!” I screamed as I watched him crumple to the grass. “Matt. No, Matt.”
“Go near him and she dies.” Alfonzo held a gun to Kat’s head, and I could see blood dripping from her temple. She was gagged, and her hands were tied behind her back. Her eyes were wild with a mixture of fear and anger.
“Come here,” Alfonzo bellowed.
I hesitated as I looked to Matt who was clutching his leg and trying to crawl to Kat.
Bang.
I screamed as Matt’s body jerked and he fell forward onto his face. “No. Stop. Stop. I’ll do whatever you want.”
Alfonzo was burning with hatred, his eyes wild and unsteady as he leered at me. His clothes were dirty and his hair was greasy like he hadn’t showered in weeks.
“Bitch, get on the ground.”
I slowly sank to my knees sobbing.
Kat made a sound, and Alfonzo raised his gun and slammed the barrel into her head. She cried out and fell to her side, and he reared back and kicked her in the ribs.
“No!” I screamed and jumped up, running toward her. I fell on top of Kat to save her from the brunt of his abuse. He continued to boot me in the side until finally, he stopped, and picked me up by the hair and forced me to kneel in front of him.
Alfonzo raised the gun.
Click.
Bang.
I screamed at the same time the bullet went off, and I saw Kat’s body jerk.
“Nooooo! Oh God. Oh God. No. Kat.” I was screaming hysterically now, tears streaming down my cheeks as a pool of her blood started to seep into ground staining the green grass.
“Shut the fuck up, bitch.” Alfonzo aimed the gun at me, and I waited for the pain as I crouched over Kat, refusing to leave her.
“They’ll crucify you,” I promised through sputtered breaths. “Deck and his men. Logan. They’ll kill you.” My voice grew steadier. If Kat was still alive then her only chance would be to get pressure on the wound and to a hospital.
Over Alfonzo’s shoulder I saw the white mare–Havoc. She must have heard my screams and the gunshot. Eyes steady and watching. Nostrils flaring. It was the only thing I could think of—I whistled a long, high-pitched sound.
Havoc’s ears perked, and she tossed her head then came galloping toward us. Alfonzo heard the hooves pounding into the hard ground and turned. I did two things—pressed Redial on my phone then dove for Alfonzo.
I landed hard on top of him, my hands going for the gun. Havoc’s hooves kept coming toward us. Alfonzo elbowed me between the ribs and knocked the wind out of me. I fell backward, and he came on top, the gun shoved hard into my chest.
“I like fighters. The more you fight the better. I’m going to string you up and fuck you until you bleed. You’re going to suck me, and then when I’m done I’m going to sell you.”
I grit my teeth and refused to look away from him.
Havoc whinnied behind us, then reared up, legs flailing.
Alfonzo turned and pointed the gun at Havoc. I yelled just as the bullet went off.
I felt the vibration in the ground as Havoc fell.
“Havoc,” I yelled.
Alfonzo jammed his gun so hard into my chest that my breath was cut off.
“Don’t move.” I could hear Havoc screeching and thrashing to get to her feet. “Raul should’ve killed Sculpt when he had the chance. Bastard was too greedy. Thought his son would join him and become his prize fighter. I knew. I warned Raul Sculpt was planning shit. But the bastard was too cocky. He thought no one would attempt to take him down.”
“When Logan gets his hands on you—you’ll wish you were dead.”
He laughed. “He can try. But once we disappear in that world, no one will find us. Not even those elite commando guys. And your boyfriend? That bastard’s blessed as fuck he’s still alive. Your fighter boyfriend didn’t look much like a fighter when his father tortured him for months after he let you go.” I swallowed the bile in my throat. Oh, Logan. No.
“I bet he couldn’t even walk when that Deck guy got him out. That bastard managed to shut us down. Found Raul too. But he hasn’t found me and now I have you. Raul intended for Sculpt to die a long, slow death for his betrayal. Instead, I’ve made it my mission to let you take his place.”
Alfonzo got up, and then pulled me to my feet. He put my hands up behind my head and tied them together.
I glanced over at Kat, trying to see if she was still alive, but I couldn’t see anything. Matt moved his leg, then I saw him slowly reach in his pocket and take out his phone. He was halfway to reaching the phone to his ear when he dropped it and went still. “You can’t leave them like that.”
Havoc was lying on her side, her chest heaving in and out, but there was no longer any fight to get up. Deep red blood soaked into her white coat where the bullet had penetrated her neck.
He pulled me behind into the tree line. “Kat!” I screamed.
I tried to pull free of Alfonzo, but with my hands tied above and behind my head, I quickly lost my balance and fell hard to my knees.
“Get up.” He kicked me in the side, and I tried to stand, but couldn’t. He grabbed hold of my elbow and pulled me through the bush until we reached the road where a car was parked.
I knew the worst thing I could do was panic, Logan taught me that. He also said to never get into a car. They always had the advantage at a second location. I knew once I disappeared, I’d be lost. Logan had told me that. Alfonzo told me that.