“Fuck no,” I bark. “I’m not staying with you.”
Enzo steps toward the unhinged man, but Sylvester notices and thrusts his gun at him.
“Get back! I will blow your goddamn head off.”
“Enzo, just go,” I bark. His gaze darts to me over Sylvester's shoulder.
Silently, I mouth, “Cave.”
He's going to have to trust me to get away. It's what I'm best at.
Enzo clenches his jaw, the muscle threatening to burst. His eyes are turning obsidian, and his stare promises death as he slowly backs toward the room again.
He doesn't remove his gaze until the very last second. Sylvester slams our bedroom door shut and locks it with a key.
Before he can turn the weapon on me, I'm pivoting and sprinting for the stairs.
“Damn it, come back here!”
I speed down them fast enough to nearly send myself pitching forward face-first. Sylvester is storming down the hallway and pounding down the steps behind me, but I’m out of the front entrance before he can reach the last step.
“Get back here!” His shout is cut off by the slamming door. Breathing heavily, adrenaline and panic warring for a space in my bloodstream, I run toward the cave.
It’s the only place I can run to.
All I can do is hope he can’t find me there.
Chapter 26
Enzo
I’m peering through a cloud of red fury as I lift my leg and power it into the door, cracking the wood. I need to get to Sawyer—it’s all I can feel, think, breathe. Get to Sawyer.
Just as I’m getting ready to kick it through a second time, I hear the tinkle of keys before the lock clicks.
I ready myself as the door swings open, the wrong side of the barrel being pointed in my direction the first thing I see.
Sylvester glares at me from behind the weapon, taking a step back and jerking the gun toward the stairs. “Go.”
Fuming and silent, I step out of the room and head toward the steps. The press of metal is lodged into my back as I slowly walk, Sylvester’s wooden peg carrying him right behind me.
“Where’s Sawyer?” I growl.
“Gone, but don’t worry, I’ll get ’er back.”
“Did you hurt her?” I bite out.
“Ya know, it didn’t have’ta go down this way, son,” he says, ignoring me. My fury heightens, and I’m now peering through a black cloud. I’ll gladly hand my soul over to the devil if he hurt her.
“I’ve given you far too much leniency when I shoulda blown yer head off from the start.”
“You should’ve,” I agree. That would’ve been the only thing to save his life.
“And I will once Sawyer comes back. I think if I kill ya prematurely, she’ll take herself in that ocean.”
Not so sure about that, but I’ll let him believe it anyway. Despite what Sawyer thinks, she’s a fighter. She’s done nothing but fight for the better half of her life.
She wouldn’t become a meager little slave, resolute to spend the rest of her life trapped somewhere. No, she would do everything in her power to get the fuck out of there, even if it meant getting more blood on her hands.
Fuck, I love her.
The little thief is capable of so much; it’ll only be Sylvester’s demise if he forces her into that position.
But he won’t get the chance to. Instead, I’ll be his demise.
Keeping silent, I reach the steps and speed-walk down them, making it hard for Sylvester to catch up. In his attempt to, I hear him stumble forward.
I have literally two seconds, but I’m quite accustomed to outmaneuvering a shark in its own territory. I’ve no doubt I can handle a man with a log for a leg.
In a blink, I’m pitching myself over the side of the railing, the floor only five or so feet below. He fires off a shot, the heat of the bullet zipping over my shoulder. It hits something in the kitchen while I grab ahold of the long barrel and yank it from his grip.
“Son of a bitch!” he spits, attempting to hold on to it, but I’m too strong for him.
I flip the gun on him, enjoying how he freezes, his face purpling from anger.
“Don’t stop on my account. Let’s see you finish stumbling your way down.”
“I’m going to fu—”
“Not really interested in hearing about your dreams, Sylvester. Hurry up,” I snap.
Grunting, he reaches the bottom step, glaring at me from beneath his bushy brows. I glance around, noticing the rug and table have been moved aside. In their place is a cellar, the door wide open. I assume that’s where he planned on keeping me in the meantime.