Gifts

Chapter 20 – Danger makes me

want to…-1

My heart pounding, I press the stop button on the remote as fast as I can and return my wide eyes to Kent, who is still looking at

  1. me.

Please, please, please. By all that is holy, let him not have seen me watching his sex tape.

“What are you doing in here,” he asks, angry.

“Um,” I say, terrified, hoping he doesn’t pick up on the tremor in my voice. “Fiona brought me here? Said I could look through some…” my eyes dart around the room for an answer that is not porn. “Some family photo albums? And home videos?”

He narrows his eyes at me, his eyes flicking to the pile of vintage Playboys on the floor. “She shouldn’t have brought you down here,” he says, moving aside so that I can leave the room. I quickly get to my feet, flicking the power button on the remote so that the TV goes blank.

Then, dropping the remote, I scurry out of the room, praying with all my might that Kent does not go back in to see what tape

is in the VCR.

He closes the door behind me as I head for the steps. “Go upstairs,” he says. “Don’t come down here.”

Glad to obey, I hurry out into the kitchen, heaving a sigh of

phone.

My hand slides over smooth denim. I stop dead in my tracks, panicked, and pat all over my body looking for it. Then, slowly, I turn back towards the little door. I definitely felt it in my back pocket when we left the patio…

God damnit. My phone must have fallen out in the weird porn

room.

Steeling myself, I know I have to go back. If my dad or Janeen ever called I didn’t have it – I’d just die with guilt.

crack to listen. I don’t hear a sound. Tentatively,

back into the little room and grab my phone, which is sitting on the leather chair. Then, for good measure, I pop the VHS out of the VCR and put it back in its black casing, which I slide back on the shelf. There, good. Now no

shut the door behind me. I begin to creep back

terrified that I’ve

out to scold

the sound again to my left, a kind of snap, and then a muffled groan. Unable to stop

– Danger

want to…-2

see that the bolt is not locked.

a mistake.

these things, though, I stare at the door, consumed by my need to know more.

a hand to grip the metal handle and then, my inner voice still

suddenly louder without the thick door to keep

me, strapped to chairs, fabric gags tied across their mouths. They’re moaning, one sobbing, as they look at something just out

take in the strong muscles of his back, the rage that I can see pulsing through him just

from his fist, the buckle dangling. As I watch, Kent rips his fist to the side letting the belt drag across the

but this is apparently not the answer that Kent wants. He drops the belt, moving to the man on the left and pulling a

him, pressing the sharp edge of the knife to the man’s pinky finger. The scream

frozen to the spot, horrified. Though I can feel myself trembling, I can’t move, can’t stop watching. The man not being cut begins to scream in panic, looking everywhere for

and then –

my god –

the door, fixates on me. He begins to scream in my direction and

Kent’s eyes shift to the other man

push the door shut and then bolt – bolt – from

faster than I thought I could go as I scramble up the stairs, sprint across the kitchen, pull open the kitchen door and then use the banister to propel myself

he’s

it has hit home inside of me,

top of the stairs and throw myself towards my room, my fingers inches from my doorknob, when something grabs me around my waist, hauling me back against a solid body

B

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Gifts

– Danger makes

but he holds me fast. He grabs me by the hair at the back of my neck, forcing my head back, my face turned up

phone!” I gasp, remembering my rationale for being

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