Page 11 of Fearless

Three pairs of evil, sadistic eyes.

“Alana?”

Did you miss us?

We know you did…

“Alana?”

We’re going to have so much fun together.

It’s going to be just like old times.

“Alana?”

Do you remember, princess?

You used to be such a good girl for us.

Acid fills my stomach as their deep raspy voices flood my ears. My skin itches with my need to claw it off. I’d do anything not to feel their touch again.

“Alana?”

Crack.

I blink. My vision clears as my cheek burns for the second time in only a few hours.

“Breathe, yeah?” Aubrey says from her position in front of me. “Everything’s okay.”

Her eyes bounce between mine, deep frown lines between her brows.

I frown, focusing on the darkness of her eyes and her voice as she talks me down from my panic.

“Breath in. Out. In. Out. That’s it.”

As I start to come back to Earth, I can’t help but notice how out of her depth Aubrey looks.

“Are you okay?” I whisper, happy to focus on what’s troubling her so I don’t need to think about my own issues.

Her spine straightens and her shoulders square.

“Yes. Of course.”

I study her, trying to figure out the truth, but she locks it all behind her solid mask.

“Come on,” she says, holding her hand out for me, dragging me up with her as she stands. “We need to find some clothes. The guys will never let us forget it if they show up and we’re like this,” she teases, glancing at our barely-clothed bodies.

I follow her up the stairs, my head still spinning with fear that someone is waiting for us in one of these rooms.

It’s not until I follow her into one of the guest rooms at the other end of the hall to ours and watch as she goes straight for the closet that I come back to myself.

I scowl when he pulls out a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater.

“What?” she asks, feeling my attention.

“Have you always had things here?” I ask.

“A few bits, yeah. Just in case.”