Razor Sharp | ✓

Twenty-Six

♡♡♡

We pull over onto the side of the quiet, country road. For some odd reason, the air-con isn't on and I'm dying.

Andy gestures to Marcos to pull over and I frown. "Why are we stopping?" I ask, turning to Ridge.

Andy gets off the phone, turning back to look at us before Ridge can answer. "I've just received a very interesting call," he says, unbuckling his seat belt.

I turn to look out the back and find that Hunter has also pulled over behind us. He shuts the door, striding over to our car.

Marcos looks back at me in the rear-vision mirror before hopping out of the car and standing with Andy.

"What the hell is happening?" I mumble.

"I don't know," Ridge frowns, leaning across me to observe Marcos and Andy talking in hushed whispers.

"He always makes it into such a big drama. Why is he so dramatic?"

"Have you met my father?" Ridge laughs. "You should know what he's like by now."

Before I can answer Hunter strides over to the driver's seat, slamming the door behind him. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Ridge says, leaning forward in his seat.

"I'm still going home, right?"

"Of course," Hunter reassures me. "Why would you—"

Suddenly, my attention is drawn to Marcos and Andy. There voices are rising and falling in pitch, and argument brewing.

"The hell?" Ridge frowns.

"Are they—"

Before I can finish, Andy shoves Marcos out of the way, stalking towards the car. He pulls on the handle and before I know it, he's yanking me out.

He yanks my by the collar, his grip tightening at the base of my throat. I look over at Marcos as he pulls himself up from the ground, wiping the blood dripping from his nose.

"Dad—"

I spot Hunter in my periphery, hands raised at his sides to calm his father. "What are you doing?"

Andy ignores his son, his lethal gaze focused on me. "You better start fucking talkin' girl, before I burying you in this goddamn ground."

"Dad!" Ridge shouts, getting out of the car.

"About what?" I seethe. "What now?"

His grip on my top tightens, pulling me closer to him. My feet are barely touching the ground with his force.

"About the fact your daddy isn't rotting in a prison cell right now," he growls. "I've just had some of my men left injured after a brawl with your fucking father."

My stomach plummets. Everything I've been afraid of is coming true. He knows. He knows the truth.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lie.

Andy begins to laugh. It starts low in his belly, moving up until his wicked laugh encompasses him body and soul. "Wrong answer."

I prepare myself for the blow. It comes quickly and ends with me sprawled on the ground. Dazed, I look over just as Andy raises his leg to crush me.

Suddenly, Hunter runs towards him, pushing him back. Ridge is at my side, helping me to my feet and sitting me in the car, leaving the door open.

"Stop," Hunter growls. "She said she doesn't fucking know anything."

Andy shoves Hunter back but he barely moves. "You've let her brainwash your, boy. Don't you realise that she's gotten under your skin for her own benefit? She need ammunition and you've played right into her hand."

Hunter turns back to me, but I can't meet his gaze. "El?" He says softly, clearly wanting an answer.

He'll know it's true. He'll realise that my initial task was to get close to him, to find the information I needed. But will he see past that? Will he see that I truly do like him?

I can't look at him, afraid that he'll see straight through what I have to say.

"Our plan has changed," Andy growls, suddenly. "Turn the cars around. Elena won't be returning home today."

I stand, despite a headache beginning to bloom. "You can't do that," I say, hoarse. "You told me—"

"Plans change," he growls, pointing a finger at me. "You should be glad I don't fucking kill you on the spot."

I feel the tears well up in my eyes as I look up at Hunter. Betrayal is written within his expression when he looks away. My heart clatters. He truly believes that I don't care about him. He's choosing to believe his father over me again.

Marcos limps back towards the drivers seat, sending me an apologetic glance before shutting the door behind him.

Ridge is my last hope. "Don't let him do this," I plead, softly. "Let me go."

"Ridge," Andy barks.

Ridge looks at me and I notice the subtle step he takes to my right, moving out of my way.

Run, it says. Run.

So I do. Without looking at Andy, I sprint towards the second card park haphazardly on the side of the road. My lack of exercise catches up with me and I'm already panting by the time I reach the door.

"Move another fucking inch and your dead, Elena!"

I stop cold, turning around to stare at Andy. A gun is cocked, pointing straight at me. It's not far enough away to risk moving. The bullet will rip through me before I can even get inside the car.

My heart drops when I see both Hunter and Ridge's expression. There is no way out of this now. If I want to live, if I want to keeping fighting, I'll have to go back to the farm once again.

I take the first step back to my worst nightmare, every inch feeling as though it will be last.