Hold on to Hope

Maybe it took that long for awareness to take hold. For it to sink in that he was the reason that Ashley had been terrified that day on the street. I gulped around the realization. The unwanted thought that he was probably the reason she had abandoned Everett in the first place.

The terror Evan had explained she’d possessed that night.

It wasn’t Ashley who was crazy.

Wasn’t Ashley who was unhinged.

He dug the knife in a little deeper. Pain pricked, and I bit back the cry. Last thing I wanted to do was give this asshole ammunition. From the look in those eyes, he would be feedin’ off the fear.

Loving it.

He shoved me up the single step, making me stumble for the door, jerking me back right before I hit it. Fingers digging into my arm to keep me in place, he reached out with his other hand and pressed the bell that would trigger the lights inside about fifteen times in a row.

A couple seconds later, a light flicked on inside.

Horror raced.

No, Evan, no. Do not open that door, I silently prayed. Prayed that he would somehow hear me.

But I thought the energy was all mixed.

Chaos.

The turmoil from earlier in the day too much for either of us to process. Because Evan was seeing me through the window and his face was bleeding relief while I was sure I was going to crumble to my knees.

He unlocked the door while I screamed, “No! Evan, No!”

But he couldn’t hear me.

Couldn’t hear me.

Oh god.

Please.

He jerked open the door like he was going to welcome me home with open arms and I was getting shoved again. Flying forward, I slammed into Evan’s chest. Those arms were already there to steady me, and we floundered back two steps.

Disoriented and confused.

Chris entered behind me and before I could even turn around, he slammed the door shut and turned the deadbolt.

It rang through the air like a death sentence.

I struggled to hold onto Evan, to get him to look at me, for him to hear what I needed to say.

Run.

Save Everett.

I’m sorry.

I love you.

But all his attention was trained on the malice infiltrating the house. The sickness that encroached.

I yelped when Chris grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me back.

Evan fought to keep hold of me, but he let go when the blade was placed at my throat. “Move, motherfucker, and she dies.”

Evan froze in horror.

My head snapped back in a sharp bite of pain, and I let go, gave as the monster jerked my back to his chest.

The tip of that knife danced at my pulse point.

A thready drum raced through my brain and pounded through my body.

Evan was slowly moving, his arms out like he was placating the devil.

But I saw it.

His eyes narrowed.

Clearly calculating a retaliation.

Violence covered him like a new layer of skin.

Muscles shivering with it.

Fury.

“I don’t know what is going on, but let her go,” Evan demanded, his voice cracking and raw. “Clearly, this is about you and me.”

Chris laughed this crazed sound. The sound of it banged off the walls and vibrated the windows with nothing but cruelty.

“Fucking freak. Listen to you. Can’t even fucking talk like a real man, can you?”

Fucking freak.

Fucking freak.

The taunt ricocheted through the room.

Why? Why was he so angry?

Besides, he was the one with a knife to my throat. Definitely not my definition of a man. But I knew better than to say a word.

My lips moved silently, begging Evan to see, “You save Everett first.”

Evan’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, and that aggression only increased. Evan took a step forward. Chris forced us back one. “Put the knife down, Chris. Let’s talk. Tell me what you want? Where is Ashley?”

“Ashley?” Chris choked a delirious sound. “You worried about that freak fucker, too?”

Uncertainty and confusion and anger puffed out of Evan’s chest. An explosion of a plea.

“She’s your sister. My son’s mother. Of course, I’m concerned about her. Just . . . put down the knife and we’ll talk about it. You can hate me for having a kid with her, but listen to me, man, I didn’t know she was pregnant. I didn’t desert her or leave her alone or any of that bullshit. She packed up and left. I didn’t know a thing.”

Knew Evan was trying to assuage him. Talk him down from the ledge.

Chris laughed a scraping, mocking sound. “You always had to take everything that was mine, didn’t you?”

Confusion deepened the lines on Evan’s face, frustration oozing out, his brows twisting in a tight knot. “What are you talking about? I don’t even know you.”

More laughter, this time bitter. “Come on, Evan, tell me you don’t even recognize your own brother? Now that is pretty sad, don’t you think? And here I thought maybe you and I could become best friends.” Could feel the crack of his vicious smile at the side of my head. “Probably not, though, right?”