Page 109 of Secret Love

“Let them go—”

“They know too much. You know the rules.” Mercer’s lips twitch. “You’ve done it before, after all.”

Fear plagues Fox’s eyes. “Mercer…”

“Let’s take them inside,” Mercer says. “I don’t feel like dragging bodies around today.”

“Fox—” I whimper as Smith grabs my arm and pulls me back up again.

“I have to hand it to you, Fox,” Mercer says. “They do look awfully alike. I’m excited now. I get to make you watch her die twice.”

Fox closes his eyes and walks beside me toward the house with his hands behind his head.

“I’m sorry, Fox,” I whisper.

“This isn’t your fault, Dani.”

We walk up the porch stairs. Smith holds the door open for us. The other masked man nudges us forward with his gun.

I look over my shoulder. Darla’s behind me with her head down. Tears of panic stream down her face. Cora also weeps quietly while my father seethes with anger.

Everyone in the world I care about is right here, following me to our deaths.

“On your knees,” Smith says.

We line up in the living room and Mercer gestures us down to the floor.

“Which one will it be first, Fox?” he asks, licking his lips. He points the gun at me. “The real one? Or the plastic one?” He shifts the barrel toward Darla, but she’s in too much shock to react to his insult.

Fox doesn’t answer. His eyes shift behind Mercer and the others, following the silent movement coming from the kitchen.

Mrs. Clark sneaks in, her feet shifting ever-so-lightly on the carpet beneath her.

She raises her shotgun and points it at Smith.

“Me,” Fox says. “Me first.”

“Fine.” Mercer points his gun and lays it against Fox’s head.

Mrs. Clark pulls the trigger and a spray of bullets drop Smith to the floor in a blood-red heap.

Mercer flinches in surprise. Fox takes the opportunity and snatches Mercer’s wrist, twisting his arm far enough to make him drop the gun. Mercer’s finger slides across the trigger, firing a bullet right past Fox’s ear before it slips from his hand and clatters to the floor.

My father lets out a roar and rushes forward to slam against the masked man before he can spin back around. They tumble to the floor, but he can’t do much with his hands tied behind his back.

“Dad!” I scream.

I grab Mercer’s gun off the floor and point it across the room. My nerves lock with my finger on the trigger, but I don’t dare pull it with my father so close to the target.

Mercer lashes out and punches Fox, knocking him against me. I feel Fox’s expert grip on me as he pushes me away from Mercer. He punches again and lands his knuckles against Fox’s jawline.

Mrs. Clark pumps her shotgun and points it at the man on the floor. “Don’t move,” she warns him.

He tries to yank the shotgun from her, but Sammy leaps into the room and clamps his teeth around the man’s neck.

I turn away before his screams pierce my ears.

Fox and Mercer trade blows, each one so evenly matched I can’t tell who’s winning. They spin and punch and dodge and kick. I can’t keep my gun on Mercer long enough to fire a clean shot.