Running the blade of the knife over my cheek, he says silkily, “But I don't like disloyalty, Finn, and well, you know what happened to Sarah. Did you wonder how she knew about the cranes? About being the light?”
“That was you?” I ask with disbelief.
All that fucking heartache because of this monster?
“Sure, it was. I have eyes and ears everywhere. It was easy to find the things he said to you and twist them. And oh, how fun, to put all the little bugs in your ear about Sarah and so on. To watch your face bleed with pain. I crave your pain, Finn.”
“And Ramie?” I whisper.
“Ramie, well,” he says with glee, “you were right she did disappear. I expect Ben is teaching her how to be a good little whore as we speak.”
Oh, no. Poor Ramie. Shivering, I turn my head and look into the flames. I sincerely hope her experience isn’t as painful as mine, but Ben’s a lunatic, and I’m afraid she may not make it out either. Is it even worth it?
“Anyway, you should know, when you came to North and Colt was determined to play his game, Sarah came to me because she was worried, and that’s when I saw you, Finn. That’s when I knew, but Colt stepped out of line, and I pushed and pulled to get him back, but he refused. That’s when I knew I had to up the game. He’s always been so cooperative, but I guess it just goes to show how special you truly are, Finn.”
“I don't understand.”
“I sent Nate in to intervene. I orchestrated Melissa’s befriending of you. I pushed Sarah on Colt, and I fucking pushed Colt into breaking your heart.”
“You’re delusional,” I mutter.
He grabs my chin and squeezes tightly, but it’s no match for the throbbing in my hand. “Anything but, Finn. Anything but.”
Slowly he saws at the ropes on my other wrist, ranting as he goes and clenching my fingers on my other hand, I wring them out tentatively, tingles racing up my arm in direct competition with the pulsing ache in my hand.
“I know everything about everyone, bitch. Oh, most of them didn’t know it was me, but I was there pulling the strings regardless. Those boys would have never played Sarah if it weren’t for me because I allowed it. I could have told her from the fucking start. Hell, Sarah would never have told Colt about his pathetic parents without me. They’d still be panting after Portia at that. You do know who her baby daddy was...don’t you?” he asks gleefully, leering into my face.
Quietly I watch him, waiting for the right move, any fucking move. I’m afraid he’s sliding down a slippery slope, madness at the other end, and I’m not sure which is worse, but I’m about to find out.
“C’mon, you’re not playing the game,” he says with a pout. “Fine...it was Colt, of course.”
I grimace for effect because he’s watching me so closely, and I’m afraid of whatever pain is coming my way if I don’t, relieved when his eyes light up with satisfaction.
“That’s right,” he croons, “your love impregnated another girl and left her for it.”
Tiffany shifts beside him, and he comes out of his reverie, pulling at the other restraint, as he tugs the rope loose with satisfaction. “Now-“
As soon as the ropes freed on my other wrist, I reach over, grab the knife from my palm and slice it through the air, catching Teddy on the cheek.
Grunting, he falls back, grabbing his face, and I sit up, even though my entire body protests, as I shove Teddy off of me and, with numb fingers, bend toward my feet.
Teddy flips over onto his stomach as I desperately saw at the cords around my ankles, pulling himself up by his arms, and I slice out at him again, enraged when he laughs at me.
The first rope goes, and I switch to the other, sawing at the fucking rope frantically.
Thankfully, Tiffany finally comes out of her stupor and intervenes, grabbing Teddy by the shoulders and pushing him to his back, but I sob out a breath when he easily pushes her off and turn desperately to the fucking ropes slipping and sliding between my fingers with my panic.
From the corner of my eye, I see Tiffany roll away but turn back, only to meet Teddy as he runs the knife now clutched in his hand across her throat, and she emits a strange bubbly, garbled sound.
After which, time slows as she grabs her neck with a gasp, blood overflowing her fingers, and for a horrible moment, I pause and stare as she looks at me desperately, terror shining behind her eyes. Fuck.
With a grimace of apology, I turn back to the ropes, terror sliding down my spine, as I cut my skin for my efforts.
I inadvertently caused her death, and the weight of that burden will live with me until the day I die, I just hope that day isn’t today.
Finally, the last piece of my rope flies free, and pulling from my reverie, I slide away quickly, moving to get up, but my ankles and legs tingle from the lack of movement and blood flow.
Teddy, strong for all his barriers, crawls toward me quickly, an evil grin on his face that speaks to the pain coming my way if I don’t get the fuck out of here now.
Tiffany’s lying on the ground, convulsing as the last of her life bleeds into the cold ground and swiping out with the knife, I continue to crawl back awkwardly, terrified this too is my end.
Teddy comes to a stop with a smile, his upper body supported by his arms, his legs crumpled behind him, and my heart pulses at the cherubic look, so at odds with the blood on his hands, as I stare at him like a
